Author: Staff Reporter

Prof. Lakshman Rajagopal Wrongfully Suspected of Child Trafficking By Delta

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Lakshman Rajagopal, an Indian American professor at Iowa State University, was accused of child trafficking June 20, as he and his toddler son – who is Caucasian – attempted to board a flight in Atlanta, Georgia.

Professor Lakshman Rajagopal had just arrived in Atlanta after a 6 AM flight from  Des Moines when he was stopped by Delta employees.  He says he was told child trafficking has been a big issue and airlines have been told to keep an eye out for possible cases.  Rajagopal, a single father,  says a flight attendant alerted the pilot of suspicious activity because he looked nervous when he requested a different seat for more room for him and his toddler son.  The pilot then called the Atlanta airport where two employees were waiting on his arrival and questioned him.  Rajagopal described the interview questions, “We have some questions for you, who’s this, who are you traveling with and where are you going? What’s your relationship with this child? I said, well he’s my son.”

He describes his experience with Delta as humiliating. “After my experience, I don’t know if I want to fly Delta. Also, on the 28th I have to go back to Iowa and I’m kind of scared to go to Iowa and scared to go on a flight to Iowa.” Rajagopal added, I’m not against Delta but I feel like this is a good example with how people still have a problem with color.  I didn’t think my behavior was suspicious because at 6 AM, with a toddler, a single parent, how am I supposed to look? I don’t think I’d look excited,” he said.

Delta has reached out the Professor Rajagopal and offered him a five-hundred dollar voucher to use within a year.  They’ve also said they will use his situation as a way to improve their security training with employees. Rajagopal said, “I told them if I was white, this would not be a problem because a white person with a white child would be fine.”

Third International Yoga Day attracts thousands in Chicago

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Chicago IL: Consulate General of India in Chicago, in collaboration with the City of Naperville, rolled out the third edition of International Yoga Day, on June 24th, 2017 at Naperville Yard, Naperville, IL. The high-profile event was inaugurated by lighting of the lamp and singing of the National Anthems of Republic of India and United States of America. The purpose of the event was to create a broad-based awareness about the benefits of yoga for all sections of society, irrespective of their age group, and also to introduce the ancient mind-body practice to a generation of technology-loving kids and to reintroduce it to an older generation of high-strung adults. Video messages of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Mrs Sushma Swaraj, and Ayush Health Minister Shri Shripad were played during the official opening ceremony.

City of Naperville issued a Proclamation and declared June 24th 2017 as International Yoga Day in the City of Naperville. It was one of the mega events in Chicago in which about 100 community organizations and over 3000 Indian Americans and people belonging to other nationalities participated, along with their family and friends.

The event started at 10 am with Yoga demonstration by volunteers from the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago. After this, the event shifted to its main official opening ceremony which included lighting of the lamp which was followed by demonstration of common asanas (postures), breathing techniques and shanti mantra.  There were breakout sessions of chair yoga for people who have mobility challenges, kids’ yoga, women’s yoga, and age-based yoga for different generational groups.

Neeta Bhushan, Consul General of India in Chicago extended warm welcome and greetings to everyone present on the occasion. In her remarks, she said; “June 21st was declared as day of International Yoga Day through UN resolution supported by a whopping 177 countries, a unique record in its own right”. She also mentioned that Yoga helps people in maintaining balance among their thoughts, emotions, and feelings, and thereby improving their effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity.

Mayor of Naperville Hon. Steve Chirico said that the contemporary world of work brings in its wake a highly stressful life for people.  “Yoga is a great way to destress and relax, especially for those who are having tough jobs and juggle a lot of things”, said Mr. Steve Chirico and added that in the present-day busy life, everyone should take care of his health and well-being.

Congressman Peter Roskam and Gaur Gopal Das, and other eminent motivational speaker, also spoke on the occasion and underscored the multifarious health benefits of yoga. Other eminent persons who participated in the inaugural ceremony and other related events included Mayor of Oakbrook Hon. Gopal Lalmalani, Swami Vishwangji, William Sands, Dean of the College of Maharishi Vedic Science, etc.

Lectures on Yoga, Nutrition, and Weight Loss were delivered by Abhijit Joshi, Anu Malhotra, Kusum Patel, Hiral Vyas, Dr. Harpreet Singh, Prasad Palacharla, and experts representing such well-known organizations as Isha Foundation, Sri Venkateswara Swami Balaji Temple, Sewa International, Brahma Kumaris, Kriya Vedanta Gurukulam, Heartfulness, Science of Spirituality, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, etc.

Cultural Programs, Games, Family, and Kids’ Activities were presented by Prachi, Alokita Dhar, Sabrina, Maddy Singh, and artists representing such eminent organizations as   Desi Junction, Soorya Dance School, SR International, Jhankaar Dance Group, SNM & UPA Teams, etc.

“The yoga event, featuring about 60 food booths, music, dance, and cultural entertainment made the day a pleasant, enriching, and memorable experience of our lifetime”, opined many a participant unanimously. Jassi Parmar, Sanjeev Singh, and Mohan Rawat, who were the Emcees, conducted the program in a professional fashion and added great value to the event.

Christians, Sikhs protest Modi at the White House

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Protestors waved flags and chanted as India Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the White House for a meeting with President Donald Trump. “We’re here today basically to raise awareness of the human rights violations that are happening with India,” Jatinder Grewal, director of Sikhs for Justice told CBN News.

Over the past few years under Modi’s rule, conditions for Sikhs, Christians and other religious minorities have grown difficult. “When Modi came into power in 2014 he promised the Christians and other minorities that he would allow freedom of religion, he lied,” declared Pastor Rob Rotola, who also protested outside the White House.

“The only people that have favored status in India is not all people; it’s the Hindu nationalist,” he said. “It’s the far extremist party that tends to violence. And as these groups have ramped up the violence, the police state and the government looks the other way, and is allowing it to happen.”

“I am here to speak for the Indian church,” said Bishop John Lutembeka, a missionary in India, “the Indians who are being persecuted by Prime Minister Modi, by a group of radical Hindus.”

“Christians have been killed, women have been raped and Hindu is taking more part in India and it wants to turn India into a Hindu nation and this is what has brought us here to protest,” he continued, “to show that world that even the conversation that President Trump will have with Prime Minister Modi should put into consideration that tolerance of different religious. Let not one Hindu religion be over other religions and begin to persecute them.”

White House officials have said the president likes to deal with delicate matters like human rights and religious liberty violations in private when speaking to world leaders. However, it’s unclear if the president raised any concerns during his meetings with Modi.

Modi arrived on the south side of the White House, the protestors were on the north side so it’s also unclear if he ever saw them. The president said the U.S. and India “agree on most things” and joked that “by the end of the day we’ll agree on everything. I have a feeling”. He said India has agreed to partner with the U.S. in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism. India is also purchasing $365 million worth of military transport aircraft with another $2 billion sale of U.S. made unarmed drones to be finalized soon.

Speedy entry into US for Indian travelers as India signs Global Entry Program

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Low-risk Indian travelers to the US from now on would experience speedy entry into the country after landing, with India making a formal entry into an American initiative.

President Donald Trump welcomed India’s entry into the International Expedited Traveler Initiative (Global Entry Program), saying it would facilitate closer business and educational ties between the citizens of India and the US. The India-US joint statement, issued after talks between Trump and Modi, said the US president applauded the entrepreneurship and innovation of Indians and Indian-Americans that have directly benefited both nations. The citizens of Switzerland and the United Kingdom are also part of the programme, which India has now joined.

Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) programme which allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the United States. On landing at select airports, the programme members enter the United States through automatic kiosks, instead of queueing up to clear the immigration by meeting an immigration officer. Read: What is Global Entry Programme? Click here

At these airports, the members proceed to the Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passport or US permanent resident card, place their fingerprints on the scanner for fingerprint verification and complete a customs declaration. The kiosk then issues the traveller a transaction receipt and directs him or her to the baggage claim and the exit.

Travellers must be pre-approved for the Global Entry programme. All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrolment, the CBP website says. It says that while Global Entry’s goal is to speed up travellers through the process, members may still be selected for further examination when entering the United States.

The select US airports that offer the facility include all major ones, including New York, Newark, Washington, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Las Vegas, Miami and Seattle. Besides those in the US, the airports at Dublin in Ireland, Vancouver and Toronto in Canada and Abu Dhabi are also on the list.

These airports have been chosen as an air traveller can clear US immigration at these airports, virtually making their onward flight from there to an American city a domestic one.

Vice President Pence at USIBC Leadership Summit calls to eradicate terrorism

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Celebrating its 42nd year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce U.S.-India Business Council’s (USIBC) Annual Leadership Summit on June 27 featured Vice President of the United States Mike Pence and other high  ranking government and private sector leaders to address USIBC members and guests.

Vice President Mike Pence spoke about increased economic and security ties between the U.S. and India during his keynote address at the U.S.-India Business Council’s 42nd Annual Leadership Summit June 27 in Washington, DC.

The summit was held the day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House. Most significantly, Pence pledged that the U.S. would back India for permanent membership on the reformed United Nations Security Council.

The Leadership Summit focused on the important role of the private sector in advancing the ties between the two countries, the future of the U.S.-India economic relationship, as well as strengthening and deepening the U.S.- India defense partnership. “The partnership between the U.S. and India has never been more important,” said John Chambers, USIBC chairman and executive chairman of Cisco.

“Both governments are deeply committed to creating greater economic opportunity for their citizens. The USIBC does just that by advancing bilateral cooperation between the two nations. I’m incredibly proud of the impact we’ve had so far in driving economic growth, job creation, innovation and entrepreneurship in both nations, and we look forward to shaping the future of both countries by doubling down on our efforts in the years to come.”

The summit welcomed addresses from the Ambassador of India to the United States Navtej Sarna and Congressman Pete Sessions, chairman of the House Committee on Rules. USIBC presented its prestigious annual “Global Leadership Awards” to Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company, and Adi Godrej, chairman of the Godrej Group. Both were honored for creating inclusive business environments, integrating India in the global supply chain and advancing core values such as manufacturing, innovation and scale in tough market conditions.

Pence focused on increasing opportunities in the sectors of aviation and energy. He gave a shout-out to Spice-Jet airlines, which, in January, placed a $22 billion order for 100 airplanes with Boeing. Earlier in June, SpiceJet expanded its order for an additional 20 airplanes. The deal will create 130,000 jobs for American workers, said Pence. “Thank you to SpiceJet for believing in American workers,” he said, to applause from the packed crowd. “The American people elected a builder to serve as their leader and before we’re done, President Trump is going to rebuild America,” said the vice president. “American energy can help power India’s future,” stated the vice president.

President Trump lauds SpiceJet’s deal and says it will create thousands of American jobs

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U.S. President Donald Trump said June 27 a recent order for 100 new Boeing aircraft placed by Indian airline SpiceJet will create thousands of American jobs. SpiceJet announced the $22 billion order with the U.S. aircraft maker in January. The order is expected to create 132,000 high-skilled jobs in America.

“I was pleased to learn about an Indian airlines’ recent order of 100 new American planes, one of the largest orders of its kind, which will support thousands and thousands of American jobs,” Trump said alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House Rose Garden.

During their maiden meeting, Modi and Trump discussed a range of issues. Trump’s remarks come at a time when there are concerns in certain quarters that jobs are moving out of the U.S.

SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said the planes will be manufactured in the U.S “As per the U.S. Department of Commerce, it creates 132,000 high-skilled, high-paid American jobs within the U.S.,” Singh said in a statement.

“We have placed a large order for the Boeing 737 MAX, in fact, the biggest ever placed by an Indian airline with Boeing. The new planes start to join the fleet in the middle of 2018 and with that our operating cost will further go down,” he noted.

The no-frills airline, which was on the verge of going belly up more than two years ago, has remained profitable for nine straight quarters. “We have paid back most of the liabilities. Today, there are no government dues, there is zero bank debt. We have cleaned the slate as far as the past is concerned,” Singh said.

Along with the January order, the airline last week inked an initial pact for 40 Boeing 737 MAX planes. This includes conversion of 20 737 MAX 8 airplanes from the carrier’s existing order of 737 MAX 10s.

Noting that funding arrangements for the plane orders are “coming very quickly,” the SpiceJet chief said the airline has already funded a significant number of those aircraft through a sale and leaseback mechanism.

“And we have several offers. We really see no great challenge to funding these planes. Going further, we will take a call, depending on what is cheaper for us at that point in time,” he said.

“Our objective is that whatever we go in for should reduce the cost of financing. Fortunately, we are in a pretty conducive financial environment, where interest rates are low across the world,” he added.

India’s domestic aviation sector has been growing by double-digits for more than two years and many airlines, including SpiceJet, have ambitious expansion plans. “There is enough for more; even if the market grows around 12-15 percent, there is a requirement of 60 aircraft every year. There is space for all,” Singh said.

Declare St Teresa’s birthday ‘Compassion Day’: NGO to UN

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The International Day of Compassion aims to commemorate Mother Teresa’s work among the poorest of the poor. An India-based NGO has urged the United Nations to declare August 26, the birth anniversary of St Mother Teresa, International Compassion Day.

In a statement, Harmony Foundation President Abraham Mathai said compassion is the need of the hour and what better way to have the world observe International Day of Compassion than by celebrating it on the birth anniversary of Mother Teresa, “whose life symbolised compassion and hope”.

“The Harmony Foundation has decided to celebrate August 26 as the International Day of Compassion to commemorate Mother Teresa’s work among the poorest, hungry, homeless, crippled, lepers and the most unwanted people of society shunned by all. We have written to the UN to likewise declare the day in honor of her selfless services,” Mathai said.

The NGO said it will work towards a world of “compassion without border” by launching acts of compassion in India and abroad on August 26. “We are galvanizing school and college students, community members from the rural areas to Mumbai to prepare a Care Package for Kashmiri refugees in Mumbai and Syrian and South Sudanese refugees around the world. The package would comprise a small toy, school stationery, dental care items and other essentials,” he said.

It has identified NGOs in Jordan and South Sudan and is reaching out to other governments, aid agencies and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help with the logistics of taking the Care Packages to the intended beneficiaries.

Additionally, in collaboration with several organizations, the NGO is planning long-term sustainable solutions for refugee children, their education, health and rehabilitation. Since 2005, Harmony Foundation has been hosting Mother Teresa Memorial Awards annually — the only award in her name approved by the Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata, founded by her in 1950 — to outstanding people from all over the world who excel in various humanitarian endeavors.

Some of the past recipients of the award include The Dalai Lama and Pakistani girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai, The White Helmets, Zeenat Shaukat Ali of Pakistan’s Wisdom Foundation and Kashmir’s Rukhsana Kausar.

Mother Teresa was canonized as a Saint on September 4 2016, by Pope Francis. Senior citizens of Chicago meet to highlight blindness in India

3 NRIs on Modern Healthcare’s List of 50 Most Influential Healthcare Leaders

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Prem Reddy, Sachin Jain, and Tejal Gandhi have been featured in Modern Healthcare magazine’s annual list of the 50 Most Influential Physician Executives and Leaders, announced June 19. “The 50 Most Influential Physician Executives and Leaders recognition program honors physicians working in all sectors of the healthcare industry who are steering their organizations and the healthcare delivery system through dynamic, challenging times,” said the magazine in a statement announcing this year’s awards. “These physicians stand out for the scope of their executive responsibilities, personal achievements, innovation and commitment to their communities,” noted the publication.

The awards are based on nominations from members of the health care community. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price was ranked number one on the list, followed by John Noseworthy, president and CEO of the Mayo Clinic.

Prem Reddy, chairman and CEO of Prime Healthcare Services, ranked number 19 on this year’s list. Reddy is a cardiologist, entrepreneur and philanthropist, according to his bio on Modern Healthcare’s web site. “He was born into a family of leaders in rural India, where he learned the values and guiding principles that led to his medical and business accomplishments,” noted the publication.

Sachin Jain, CEO of CareMore Health System, ranked number 23 on this year’s awards list. CareMore Health System is an innovative health plan and care delivery system based in Cerritos, Calif., with more than 100,000 members in eight states, and $1.2 billion in revenue. Jain is also a consulting professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Tejal Gandhi, chief clinical and safety officer at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, ranked number 30 on the list. Gandhi leads programs focusing on improving patient and workforce safety. She has long advocated for patient safety at the regional, national and international levels, driving educational and professional certification efforts, and helping to promote innovation in health care quality, noted Modern Healthcare.

Deepika Padukone, Hasan Minhaj, Lilly Singh nominated for Teen Choice Awards 2017

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The Teen Choice Awards 2017 has anounced the first group of nominations for the upcoming ceremony. Among the nominees are Deepika Padukone, Hasan Minhaj, Lilly Singh who will be vying for the coveted honor as the event allows teens at home to vote on the year’s best movies, music, fashion, comedy, and digital content.

This year, Dwayne Johnson has the distinction of being nominated in three separate categories for three different films, including Choice Action Movie Actor for The Fate of the Furious, Choice Fantasy Movie Actor for Moana, and Choice Comedy Movie Actor for Baywatch.

Hailee Steinfeld also scored three nominations for Choice Female Artist, Choice Song, and Choice Drama Movie Actress for The Edge of Seventeen. Emma Watson also nabbed nominations in separate categories for two different movies with nods for Beauty and the Beast (Choice Fantasy Movie Actress) and The Circle (Choice Drama Movie Actress). Meanwhile, the entire cast of “Pretty Little Liars” – Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Sasha Pieterse, Shay Mitchell and Troian Bellisario – are competing against each other for Choice Drama TV Actress.

This year’s host and presenters have yet to be announced, but Gossip Cop will update as more details about the show are revealed, including the next wave of nominees. The 2017 Teen Choice Awards will air Sunday, August 13 on Fox. See the first wave of nominees below!

“I’ve always dreamt of owning a decorative surfboard!” Hasan Minhaj confessed on Twitter June 20. A subtle hint for his devout fans who can help the Indian American comedian achieve this dream of his. You would ask, how? Well, the nominations for the 2017 Teen Choice Awards – whose winners take home a full-size surfboard as their trophy –  have arrived and fans can vote for their favorite stars. Minhaj, a special correspondent on Comedy Central’s popular late-night news satirical show, “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” is currently riding high on the success of his autobiographical show on Netflix, “Homecoming King.”

Deepika Padukone, who made her Hollywood debut in Vin Diesel’s “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” as Serena Unger, is competing with “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” co-actors Nina Dobrev and Ruby Rose, “Wonder Woman’s” Gal Gadot, Kaya Scodelario, of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” fame, and Michelle Rodriguez from “The Fate of the Furious.”

Another interesting piece of news for Padukone’s fans is that she will be part of the fourth installment of the “xXx franchise,” as confirmed recently by director D.J. Caruso. This year’s top teen icons in television, music, film, sports, comedy and digital will be celebrated when the choicest, star-studded two-hour event airs live Aug.13.

Spiritual Awakening Series for Chicago with the Brahma Kumaris

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By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: A yogi from India inspired an audience of over 4,000 Chicagoans on June 29th and July 1st to wake up their authentic selves.  It’s time to understand that love and forgiveness are natural human energies, Sister Shivani said.  Anger, resentment and revenge are unnatural.  These are the culprits that make us suffer.

The guest speaker, Sister Shivani, is on a 20-day tour of North America.  Her message is that we need to understand what really makes us happy.  Two things definitely don’t work:  One is absorbing hurtful words or actions from another person, as if we are obliged to accept whatever a person puts out.  The second is “copying” – giving people back the same energy they give us.  Both of these strategies make us behave as victims. Victims are never happy.

Then what makes us happy?  When we “do the right thing,” that is, treat everyone with love, kindness and respect, we ourselves receive that good energy first.  With this practice we can maintain a constant state of peace and power, which is the basis of a happy life.  Sister Shivani invoked the audience to exercise their power of choice by sending kind thoughts every day to people who have hurt them.  Over time, this will increase one’s self esteem and diminish hurt feelings.

Sister Shivani was working as an electrical engineer in Pune, India when she started studying Raja Yoga Meditation with the Brahma Kumaris 20 years ago.  Now a teacher of Raja Yoga meditation, she inspires people to awaken their spiritual awareness through her TV show “Awakening with Brahma Kumaris” that airs in 160 countries across 5 continents and a YouTube channel that has registered 180,000 subscribers and over 34 millions views. On Saturday July 1, she was presented an award from YouTube for having achieved over 100,000 subscribers.

Saturday’s program opened with a musical invocation of peace and love by Sister Elizabeth Padilla, a singer and Brahma Kumaris teacher from San Francisco.   The program was emceed by Eric LeReste, a TV news producer for CBC in Montreal and National Coordinator of Brahma Kumaris for Canada. Consul General of India in Chicago Ms. Neeta Bhushan was in attendance as well as Swami Shardananda of Chinmaya Mission of Chicago and Shiva Singh Khalsa of Spirit Rising Yoga.

Sister Shivani’s tour of North America includes programs in 11 cities and a culminating celebration on Sunday, July 9 at the Peace Village Learning & Retreat Center in upstate New York.  For more information on this and other upcoming programs on Sister Shivani’s tour, visit bkawakening2017.org.  Free meditation classes and workshops are offered in Chicago, West Suburbs & North Suburbs. For more information on programs offered by Brahma Kumaris contact 773 698-6339or Chicago@us.brahmakumaris

Dharmatma Saran receives Bharat Gaurav Award

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Dharmatma Saran, Chairman and Founder of Miss India Worldwide and Mrs. India Worldwide received the Bharat Gaurav (Pride of India) Lifetime Achievement Award at a function held at the United Nations headquarters in New York on June 9. The award was given to Saran for promoting India culture, traditions and performing arts through pageantry and also bringing international Indian community on one platform through pageantry.
A visionary, Dharmatma Saran, started the first cultural Indian pageant over 35 years back. The pageant since has been acclaimed as the “most glamorous Indian event in the world.” Starting with 12 countries now the pageant has affiliates in over 40 countries. Mr. Saran said, “I am honored to receive the Bharat Gaurav Award at UN Hall in New York. I humbly dedicate it to my associates all over world who are working hard to promote Indian culture.”
Established by the Sanskriti Yuva Sanstha a Jaipur based NGO with a wide international presence, the award felicitates individuals “who have achieved a land mark in their profession and made India proud.” The other honorees included, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of Art of Living, Dr. Lokesh Muni – Spiritual Guru of Jains, Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar and H.R. Shah – Chairman of TV Asia.
Dharmatma Saran and his friends organized  a cultural and fashion show, with a view to showcase the Indan culture and tradition to the Western world on the sprawling lawns of Central Park as early as in 1974.  Eventually, these shows transformed into competitions, and the first Miss India New York and the first Miss India USA were held in the basement of the Air India Office in 1980.
Dharmatma Saran is the founder and chairman of the India Festival Committee (IFC), an organization conducting Indian pageants and fashion shows in USA and worldwide.Saran established India Festival Committee in 1974. He has been organizing the Miss India USA, Miss India New York and Miss India Worldwide pageants annually since 1980.
“The pageants were a hit from the very beginning<” says Saran, an architect of the Miss India pageantry in the US. Soon, the venue shifted from the basement of Air India to the glamorous ballrooms of the Marriott Grand Marquis and the New York Hilton. With more popularity and appreciation from the community, the show has come to be much sought after today. The concept grew too.
As the world grew closer, Saran had the vsion to expand the concept even further from the US-based to make it an international pageantry. In 1991, Saran organized the first Miss India Worldwide, held at  the Marriott Marquis in New York City. Nineteen years later, the Miss India Worldwide pageant has been held in such exotic destinations as Singapore, South Africa, and Mumbai, India as well. “With affiliates arpind the world, Miss India Worldwide is the only international Indian pageant,” Saran says proudly.
The Indian American beauty pageants offer a platform for every desi dreamer to dream big. Ever since the first pageant was started, these home-grown productions have gained glitz and glamour over the years, and morphed into serious launching pads for relative newcomers to catch the eye of the entertainment industry both here in the U.S. and in Bollywood. Case in point is Richa Sharma, the first Miss India New York-1980, who was noticed by Bollywood actor-director Dev Anand. She starred in his blockbuster-hit movie, “Hum Naujawan,” and eventually became a career actress in Bollywood (she later married Sunjay Dutt).
Since then, Indian American beauty pageants have mushroomed, but at the same time have become more structured and organized. Today, practically every state in America has a “Miss India” pageant. The winners of these local shows go on to compete at the national and world levels. “The opportunities for the winners are endless,” points out Dharmatma Saran, the godfather of Indian American beauty competitions.
After Richa Sharma, there has been a steady migration of Indian American beauties to the film industry. For example, Ruby Bhatia, Kamal Sidhu and more recently Aarti Chabria have taken the Indian television and movie world by storm. “Most of these girls are very well educated,” points out Saran. Apra Bhandari, who won the Miss India New York title in 1998, has a degree in communications from Cornell University. “I once had a heart surgeon from Johns Hopkins University competing in my pageant,” adds Saran.
But Bollywood is only a part of the story. Most of the participants at these pageants are young women who join the shows often on a whim with no glamorous ambitions in mind. “Only 25 to 30 percent of the girls who compete in beauty pageants dream of entering Bollywood. For others it’s a whole variety of reasons and they go on to become lawyers, doctors, engineers or even join the entertainment industry,” he adds.
Saran’s pageants are a break from the typical mold of beauty pageants.  Most importantly, Saran remains true to the original values and ideals that inspired the pageant.  That is, he seeks to promote and celebrate Indian culture and values among NRIs. To that end, all his pageants and franchises the world over have a talent segment, during which, contestants perform a rich variety of pieces, from dancing to the latest Bollywood tunes to Bharat Natyam to singing. “The contestants exhibit the full spectrum of Indian and international culture to which they belong,” Saran says.
In addition, the emphasis upon cultural values and ideals is also evidenced by the fact that none of Saran’s pageants have a swimsuit segment.  Instead, in addition to the talent segment, contestants participate in an Indian dress and Evening Gown segment, and the top five contestants also show their ability to think and speak on the spot through a Question and Answer segment.
Saran’s pageants also try to give back to the community through a variety of non-profit efforts.  Pageant winners and participants are encouraged to volunteer and participate for non-profit causes.  The pageant has worked with charitable organizations, including those dedicated to improving the lives of handicapped children in the community, and also those dedicated to helping victims of natural causes, including the 2005 Tsunami that affected India and Southeast Asia and earthquakes that have ravaged the community.  Most recently, the pageant raised funds for the devastating floods in Bihar in 2008.
Dharmatma Saran first arrived to the United States in 1971.  Although he had a Law degree and a Master’s degree in International Relations from Patna University in India, Dharmatma was captivated with the American entrepreneur’s spirit and so he pursued an MBA in Long Island University in New York City.
What prompted him to star6t the pageantry? This is how he explains: “Along with a small yet growing Indian population in the New York area, I wanted   to connect and recreate a sense of Indian community within the United States. We sought a forum where Indian music, dance, fashion and culture could be celebrated.” That’s what gave birth to the now more than a quarter century old pageantry in the US.
Saran’s vision and execution has been honored in a number of ways.  In 1996, he received the Bharat Shiromani award from the NRI Institute, New Delhi, India, which honored his lifetime commitment to the promotion of Indian culture abroad.  Saran also received the lifetime achievement awards from the Indian community from international groups, including in Fiji, Australia and South Africa among others.
In addition, Saran has judged pageants around the world, including Miss Asia and Femina Miss India.  In 1992, he was the first NRI invited by the Times of India group to judge Femina Miss India that year.  “It is a great pleasure to imbibe Indian culture and values among Indian youth around the world,” says Dharmatma Saran, “At the same time, bring the international Indian community on one platform through pageantry.”
Saran credits his family’s great support that has enabled him to achieve what he has been able to. Saran and his wife Neelam have been married for 30 years, and “Neelam has been an active member of the pageants from the very beginning<” Saran says.  They have two daughters and live in Howard Beach, New York.  Daughter Neema recently graduated from The George Washington University Law School and will be a corporate lawyer at a large law firm in New York City, and daughter Ankeeta recently completed her Bachelor’s degree from Stonybrook University, NY.

International Yoga Day kick-off held in New York

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India’s Consul General in New York Riva Ganguly Das said holding an international day for yoga was a great way to expand the reach of “Brand India.” The United Nations adopted June 21 as International Day of Yoga in 2015, and the event is celebrated the world over, including numerous events in the United States.
The Indian Consulate’s kick-off event for the International Day of Yoga June 19, had to be hastily rescheduled in light of bad weather predictions. Despite the short notice, the Consulate was able to house some 60 attendees at short notice.
The event was originally supposed to be held at historic Battery Park where many more people could have participated.
Consul General Das spoke about the importance of yoga and its benefits for health and self-discipline. Yoga has become synonymous with India and as such, it contributes to branding of India, Das said. “With the focus on one particular day, it helps promote the message,” she said. Because of a signature day reserved for the event the world over, more people are being drawn to this ancient Indian practice, she noted.
She also told Press Trust of India that “Our message is to take yoga to the world. New York is the crossroads of the world and in its fast-paced life, we feel that yoga has much to contribute.”
The Indian Consulate in New York held the kick-off event for the 3rd International Day of Yoga, in its premises.  (Photo: Peter Ferreira)
The evening started off with the playing of the Shanti Mantra followed by a four minute video clip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which emphasized the importance of Yoga Day.
In the video Modi highlighted aspects of yoga beneficial to the mind, body and soul, and emphasized that today, people around the world were united by yoga.
Despite the sudden change in venue due to weather conditions, many people participated in the event.
A conch shell was then blown which was followed by the recitation of the Gayatri mantra, the sun salutation mantra and a series of yoga poses all demonstrated by members of the Hindu Temple Society of North America.
This was followed by a demonstration of desktop yoga given by members from the Art of Living Foundation who said that this ‘lazy’ form of yoga could be done while sitting on a plane or at one’s desk.
The original three and a half hour long program had to be shortened to two hours due to severe weather. Numerous other yoga events are scheduled in the tri-state area before and after International Day of Yoga June 21, apart from the United Nations and Times Square, both of which have become major draws for New Yorkers and others from tri-state and beyond. The U.N. building was lit up on June 19, by Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, and the consulate and the Permanent Mission of India have several other events planned.

Preet Bharara signs Book Deal

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Preet Bharara, the Indian American former U.S. Attorney fired earlier this year by President Donald Trump, has signed a book deal. Preet Bharara, whom President Donald Trump fired in March, has landed a book deal to write about “justice for all Americans,” publisher Alfred E. Knopf announced last week.
The book will be “about the search for justice—not just in criminal cases but in life and society in general,” Knopf said in a statement, according to the New York Daily News.
Trump fired Bharara back in March after the Justice Department official refused to resign from his role as U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York—a role he held for seven and a half years.
Bharara has gone on to be a prolific critic of the Trump administration, making appearances on television and tweeting regularly about the White House’s actions. “The law is merely an instrument, and without the involvement of human hands, it is as lifeless and uninspiring as a violin kept in its case,” Bharara said in a statement about the book. “People will regard a result as just if they regard the process leading to it as fair and if they believe the people
responsible for it are fair-minded. That is the process I want to illuminate in this book.”
The book is slated to be released in early 2019, according to Knopf. It will include details of some of Bharara’s cases during his tenure as U.S. attorney. “Preet Bharara’s life experience, coupled with his standing as a U.S. attorney and the cases he tried as prosecutor, makes him uniquely qualified to write this book,” said Sonny Mehta, Knopf chairman and editor in chief. “His will be an essential primer on justice for all Americans.” The financial details of the book deal will remain secret, according to Knopf Executive Vice President Paul Bogaards. The agreement is “for one book only,” he said.
Bharara was U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for seven and a half years. His prominent cases included the conviction of Sheldon Silver, former speaker of the New York State Assembly. Bharara was fired abruptly by Trump in March and has since said the president tried to cultivate a relationship with him, potentially compromising his independence. He has called the conversations “weird and peculiar.”
Bharara expects to “address the circumstances that led to his firing,” Knopf spokesman Paul Bogaards said June 22. Bharara said in a statement issued through Knopf that his book, not yet titled, was about law, but also “integrity” and “moral reasoning.”
“The law is merely an instrument, and without the involvement of human hands, it is as lifeless and uninspiring as a violin kept in its case,” Bharara said. “People will regard a result as just if they regard the process leading to it as fair and if they believe the people responsible for it are fair-minded. That is the process I want to illuminate in this book.”

Infosys Corporation settles for $1 million with New York state on alleged visa violations

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NEW YORK – According to the New York Attorney General, Infosys, the Indian multinational IT outsourcing and consulting company, placed foreign workers in New York jobs without paying prevailing wages and the taxes owed on them.
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced a $1 million settlement with Infosys Corporation, for “systematically abusing the United States visa rules in placing foreign workers at client sites in New York State.” This can hardly bode well for the Indian company that has been trying to reposition itself in the U,S, after President Donald Trump took office, and the potential changes in store for H-1B visas of which Infosys is one of the major users. It has attempted lately, also portray itself as a company employing local American workers.
Infosys Corporation has a significant presence in New York State, said the press release from Schneiderman’s office. The settlement resolves whistleblower claims that Infosys Corporation, in the course of providing outsourcing services, routinely brought foreign IT personnel into New York to perform work in violation of the terms of their visas, it says.
The H-1B visa allows a business to employ a foreign national temporarily in a “specialty occupation” in the United States, and H-1B visa holders in New York are accordingly paid according to prevailing wage requirements, and state taxes are withheld on salary earned while working in the State.
The Attorney General’s office contends that Infosys knowingly and unlawfully obtained temporary visitor visas (B-1 visas) instead of H-1B.  The B-1 visas are much easier to obtain but do not allow visa holders to work here.
Infosys workers using B-1 visas were doing work that would otherwise have been performed by U.S. citizens or H1-B visa holders, and were paid significantly less than what comparable U.S. workers or H1-B visa holders would have been paid in the same positions, Schneiderman’s office says.
According to the AG’s investigation, Infosys provided instructions to employees on B-1 visas regarding how to deceive U.S. Consular Officials and/or Customs and Border Protection Officers.  This conduct included creation of a “Do’s and Don’ts” memorandum that was provided to Infosys employees entering the United States that explicitly instructed such employees to avoid talking about the work they were doing; The Indian company sent “invitation letters” to U.S. consular officials that contained materially false representations about the true purpose of the Infosys employees’ visits to the United States
Schneiderman thanked the whistleblower and its attorneys, and to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, for their assistance in bringing this case to resolution. The New York AG’s office was helped by the investigative work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas and other federal law enforcement, on which this investigation significantly relied, the press release said.

Ravinder Bhalla running for mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey

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Councilman Ravi Bhalla is running for mayor of Hoboken. “Yes, I’m running for mayor,” Bhalla said. A longtime ally  of the siting mayor’s, attorney Bhalla first won his council seat in 2009, running on the Zimmer ticket. This June 20, Bhalla announced his bid for Mayor of Hoboken, and since then a slew of endorsements starting with the current Mayor Dawn Zimmer, have been pouring in.
“I am very comfortable in making this decision because Ravi Bhalla is stepping forward to run for mayor,” Mayor Dawn Zimmer said.
The only Indian-American Sikh Councilman and elected official in Hoboken’s history has made a name for himself fighting publicly against racism and because of his accomplishments on the council which News India Times and Desi Talk in New York have reported on previously.
Just this April, Bhalla was campaigning hard for his third term as Councilman-at-large for the Nov. 7 elections. But with Zimmer declaring she will not run for another term, and endorsing Bhalla, he is gunning for the top office. Several other candidates are in the running or considering it, including Hoboken Council President Jen Giattino, a Republican, and community organizer Ronald Bautista.
Bhalla, a long-time Zimmer ally, will now face a crowded field in the November municipal election. That field includes business owner Karen Nason, activist Ronald Batista and Councilman Michael DeFusco, a former Zimmer ally who was first elected to office in 2015 as a part of Zimmer’s slate. Freeholder Anthony Romano is also reportedly weighing an entrance into the race but his possible candidacy is complicated by the fact that he won the Democratic primary for county freeholder earlier this month and is slated to appear on the primary ballot for that position this November.
Bhalla said that his decision to enter the race stems from a desire to continue moving Hoboken forward after Zimmer’s departure.
“I am here today to announce the I am running for mayor of the city of Hoboken, the city where I chose to put my roots down and raise a family, the city that I love,” Bhalla said. “Under the leadership of mayor zimmer we have transformed the city.”
DeFusco said that Zimmer’s departure and Bhalla’s entrance into the race does not change his strategy and that he still plans to continue “full-speed ahead.” So far, DeFusco has been successfully fundraising and had raised $90,000 as of April according to filings with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission.
“I think Hoboken voters are looking for a breath of fresh air in city hall, and I don’t think most people see Ravi Bhalla as a vehicle for that,” DeFusco said. “I’ve said from the start we need to challenge the status quo, but Ravi seems to me like a step back even from where we are now.”

Sanjana Jon to promote her ‘kanya boon hathya’ movement at Icon Awards

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Fashion designer and activist Sanjana Jon will be promoting her stance on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Beti Badhao, Beti Padao” initiative at the Stardust Icon Awards which are being held at the Plaza Hotel on July 13.
Jon wants to eradicate the dowry system in India and not only save the girl child but celebrate her. “My whole concept is the get the young men to say that ‘I will not take dowry’ and the young women to say that ‘I will not accept a man who asks for dowry,’” said Jon.
Jon is taking the help of Meera Gandhi, who is the CEO and founder of the Giving Back Foundation and has been working for nearly a decade to promote women empowerment and is very happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making an intiative to do so.
Jon is also taking the help of Swami Chinanand Saraswati Ji and Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati in this movement. “It’s not just a matter of saving her, it’s a matter of recognizing her; the incredible gifts, the Shakti that she has as a child, as a young girl, as a woman, as a mother, as a sister, as a daughter, as a mentor, as an embodiment of the divine feminine” said Bhagwati Saraswati.
“In the Indian spiritual tradition that Shakti, that feminine energy is the most crucial part of anything that happens on earth,” she added. Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati is the President of the Divine Shakti Foundation which runs free schools and has women empowerment programs enabling young girls the freedom they deserve.
Sanjana Jon started her career working with her brother Anand Jon in New York and they created a jewelry line together which was highly appreciated by Iman and late David Bowie, Barbara Hershey supporting AMFAR. Then they worked on the mens collection which was highlighted by Bruce Springsteen, Backstreet Boys The Artist formerly known as Prince, Collective Soul, Matchbox 20 to name a few.
Her acclaimed debut was at Cannes for the Film Festival supported by Prince Albert of Monaco, Princess Sorayya, Princess Sara Al Saud, Princess Olivia de Borbon and more this led to the New York Fashion week debut and Vancouver fashion week where she won International Rising Star award. fashion with heart has been propagated by her where every show or event supports a charity or cause and Sanjana Jon has been a socially motivated person since her school and college days with her brother Anand Jon used to provide food and clothing to the underprivileged kids and read for the blind students.
She organized protests against racism in Bombay and Delhi and put together a show for Save the Girl Child against female infanticide with 16 celebrity siblings including Salman Khan, Sohail Khan, Sushmita Sen, Riya and Raima Sen, Sajid and Wajid Khan. Recently, she organized a Sanjana Jon Creative Tihar show and project in Tihar with inmates- for the inmates, by the inmates and of the inmates and tried to create a constructive creative training program to make the inmates a more resourceful progressive part of the community.
Through Kanya Broon Hatya, Sanjana is seeking to highlight and propagate the Celebration of the Girl Child and also in support of Global Human Rights through Par Anand Charitable Trust . Winner of innumerable awards including Karamveer Puraskar, Paramveer Award, Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award, two Rajiv Gandhi Excellence awards, Intl Humanitarian Awards, Paramshree Universal Humanity Award to name a few.

CRY America Amplifies Children’s Issues at Annual Gala Dinner

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CRY, Child Rights & You America Inc, a non-profit that works towards ensuring underprivileged children their basic rights, hosted their annual CRY Gala Dinner in New York on Friday June 9, 2017 at The Taj Pierre Hotel in New York City. Celebrity guest Arjun Rampal joined CRY America to amplify the voices of underprivileged children & support the cause.
The dinner was attended by more than 140 guests and raised roughly $120,000 for children’s rights. Additionally, the event featured an auction, Bollywood entertainment, music and dancing.
Bollywood actor Rampal impressed the guests with his charming personality and his fundraising appeals increased the collection for the evening. The guests were also privy to the trailer of “Daddy,” produced by Rampal and scheduled for release in mid-July. Dances choreographed to songs from Rampal’s movies were performed by Dance Identity.
The auction featured paintings donated by noted Indian artists Ram Kumar, JMS Mani, Vasudev, Vaikuntam, Solanki & Anuradha Thakur; fashion ensembles donated by JJ Vallaya, Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla, Neeta Lulla, Ritu Kumar; an evening clutch by Sabyasachi; jewelry pieces donated by Raj Jewels, Aquamarine, Surat Diamonds & ReeMat Collections; record albums autographed by Prince and the Rolling Stones and a Beatles concert poster autographed by Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr.
CRY America thanks all the donors for making the CRY Gala a success, with special mention to Ajay & Anita Agarwal, Rupal & Harsh Patil, Roopam & Sanjeev Jain, Meenakshi & Vikas Mahajan, Sandeep & Nilima Jain, Anupam Yadav, Kamini & Vijay Dandapani, Dr. Hetal Gor, Gopal Kutty, Roger & Jayshree Sawhney, Shefali & Sumer Salwan, Supriya & Prafulla Nabar, Janill & Sahul Sharma, Arati & Srikant Nagaraj, Kamal & Kiran Arora. CRY America also thanks the media for their support, especially Star TV, TV Asia, India Abroad & Parikh Worldwide.
CRY America works with grass-root Projects, communities and local government agencies to ensure children have quality education, health care and are protected from child labor, child marriage & gender discrimination. CRY’s child rights model has stood the test of time and delivers impact that brings lasting change in the lives of the communities & children it serves. CRY is well known for its professional project planning, monitoring & selection processes in the field.
Shefali Sunderlal, President, said that “CRY believes that “YOU” have the power to change children’s futures and your support allows us to ensure that thousands of children are able to go to sleep educated, healthy and protected. It is because of events like the CRY Gala Dinners that we have been able to impact the lives of 660,632 children living across 3,350 villages and slums through support to 73 Projects. Thank You for supporting CRY America.”

ICE re-arrests Indian man after New Jersey county frees him

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Maulik Gajjar, an Indian citizen, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers after he was  released from the custody of Middlesex County, New Jersey on June 19th. Aurelio Hernandez Cortez, a Mexican citizen was also arrested the same day in the same fashion.
The federal immigration enforcement agency had previously lodged detainers on the two individuals while they were in the county’s custody, but the county failed to honor the requests, ICE said in a statement.
On May 22, ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Gajjar with the Middlesex County facility, but on the same day, the correctional facility released him from custody without notifying ICE, the federal agency said. Gajjar is currently facing state criminal charges.
Gajjar was one of nine people arrested in 2012 for allegedly conducting a foreign student visa fraud scheme. On June 7, ERO Newark officers arrested Gajjar outside his residence in Iselin. Cortez does not have lawful status in the United States, ICE said, and he will remain in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings.
“As a nation, we must protect the integrity of our immigration system and the removal of illegal aliens, especially those with a criminal history, this is one of ICE’s top priorities,” John Tsoukaris, ERO Newark field office director, is quoted saying in the press release. “ICE shares the county’s ultimate objective to protect public safety and national security while simultaneously preserving the critical community police bond. As such, county jails that fail to work with ICE put their communities at risk.”
In fiscal year 2016, ICE removed or returned 240,255 individuals. Of this total, 174,923 were apprehended while, or shortly after, attempting to illegally enter the United States. The remaining 65,332 were apprehended in the interior of the United States, and the vast majority were convicted criminals.

Students get probation in incident leading to Indian teen’s death in Connecticut

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Six students from the University of Connecticut have avoided jail time as a judge has issued a special probation allowing the students to complete a program instead of serving jail time. The students were charged with allowing a minor to possess alcohol and related offenses for hosting an off-campus party at a house affiliated with Kappa Sigma fraternity leading to the death of a fellow student in October 2016.
According to multiple witnesses, 19-year-old Jeffny Pally attended the party and had walked herself to the fire department’s facility afterwards before she was run over by the vehicle after she fell asleep in front of the University of Connecticut Fire Department’s facility on its Storrs campus. Her parents, Abraham and Shiny Chemmarappally, of West Hartford, filed a lawsuit against the driver and the state claiming that their “negligence and carelessness” had led to Pally’s death.
“The Chemmarappally family deeply mourns the death of their daughter and sister, Jeffny Pally. There remain many unanswered questions regarding her death.  It is the sincere hope of the Chemmarappallys that the investigation of this tragic event may be the first step towards the development of measures to prevent any other family from having to experience a similar tragedy” Michael J. Walsh, the attorney who filed the suit, said in a statement Monday.
According to a Hartford Courant report, the family alleges that Dana E. Barrow Jr., the firefighter who struck Pally, operated his Chevrolet Tahoe “in a reckless, willful and wanton manner, and in a manner that showed reckless and malicious disregard for the safety of other persons” because he didn’t immediately stop after hitting Pally.
University of Connecticut’s spokeswoman, Stephanie Reitz said that the university was unable to comment on the situation. State Police said that at the time of death, Pally’s blood alcohol level was .25, which is three times the state’s legal limit and her death was ruled as an accident caused by blunt-force trauma, according to the office of the chief medical examiner.
Also it was reported that a surveillance video shows Pally collapsed against one of the garage doors and was there for about 20 minutes before Barrow entered his SUV and opened the garage door allowing her to fall backwards.
Barrow told police that he had felt a bump as he pulled out of the garage to respond to a fire alarm at a nearby dorm, but thought he had only run over some firefighting equipment as he was unable to see what was on the ground through his rear view mirror.
According to police documents, he didn’t realize that he had struck Pally until he returned about 30 minutes later and found her body. The Hartford Courant reported that Matthew Gedansky, the state’s attorney for Tolland, said Barrow has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the case.
“The accident reconstruction investigation determined that the firefighter could not see Ms. Pally in the position she was in.  We measured the line of sight, we recreated the incident and there’s no possible way he could have seen her,” Gedansky told the Courant. According to the University of Connecticut, the Kappa Sigma fraternity has been suspended from the campus since the incident.

19th Biennial JAINA Convention bringing Indian-Americans of the Jain faith together is expected to be largest ever

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The 19th Biennial Convention of JAINA, the federation of Jain organizations of North America, is going to be remembered as “Treasure Trove” of excitement, education and entertainment, according to organizers. There will be lectures, breakout sessions, cultural, youth and young professionals’ events planned over the five-day period June 30 to July 4, at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, N.J.
The lectures and breakout sessions will cover six tracks to highlight Jain philosophy and social services: Jainism and science, education, diaspora, quality of life, community, professionals, entrepreneurship, and ecology.
“More than 4,000 people are expected, and that is larger than previous conventions,” Gunvant Shah, convener of the convention told Desi Talk. That can be attributed to the fact that Jains live in large numbers in the Tri-state area in the northeast.
Beginning with registration on June 30, attendees will be greeted by members of JAINA Executive Committee and many of the past presidents of JAINA. In the afternoon of the first day, there will be a “Grand Blessing Ceremony” by gurus and scholars. The temple opening will take place. The evening dinner will be accompanied by a VIP and Donor Appreciation function. Everyone will change into his/her best Desi garbs for the evening of Ras/Garba by Uday Mazumdar & Rekha Trivedi, with music provided by Samir Date/Deepali Somayia orchestra from Mumbai.
Every day will be similarly filled with religious ceremonies, discussions, and performances. Details are available under “Program Highlights” in the “Program Information” section, at the website convention.jaina.org.
For example, on July 1, the day will start with a grand procession outside the convention hall that will have a Rath with Teerthankar Pratimaji, gurujis and scholars, and various sanghs displaying their banners. The day’s events include a Veerayatan presentation by Acharya Shri Chandanaji and other sadhvijis; Shree Kummar Chatterjee will perform Navkar Mantra Dhun and various stavans by Shri Anandghanji; An evening ‘welcome program’ performance by members of the Jain Center of New Jersey and Jain Center of America followed by a “Jains Got Talent” competition. The play “JIYO JI BHARKE” based on the Jivdaya theme will portray the suffering of animals in a laboratory.
“This year we have added a new event – the Matrimonial program where people are able to meet and get to know each other,” Shah said. There will also be many vendors selling everything from religious publications, clothing, jewelry, to furniture, Shah added.
This is just a taste of what will take place every single day – information sessions and fun activities like a masquerade ball for young professionals, a Kids Club, a Jain Milan, other age-appropriate programs, and competitions, as well as recognition of achievers and volunteers.
The Federation of Jain Associations in North America, JAINA is an umbrella organization that includes 65 chapters including Jain temples, sanghs, societies and centers. It is an organization “that preserves and shares Jain Dharma and the Jain Way of Life” according to its website jaina.org. It’s head office is in Milpitas, California.
Each organization that is a member of JAINA, appoints 1, 2, or 3 Directors based on their membership size. There are 110 JAINA Directors who elect the JAINA Executive Committee every two years. Also there are over 30 specialized working groups called JAINA Committees.

Anuj Patel named South Jersey Times Player of the Year

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With 77 career wins and back-to-back South Jersey Times Player of the Year awards on his résumé, Anuj Patel has already left his mark on the Vineland boys tennis program. But there is one more goal he wants to accomplish before he graduates, and it will be pushing him throughout the off-season.
“For the most part, I’m happy with my season,” said Patel, who went 27-6 this spring as a junior. “I had a pretty decent record, but my only disappointment was losing in the (Cape-Atlantic League) final for the second time. I’m going to work a lot harder this off-season, because I definitely want to win the CAL title.”
Patel did repeat as the Cumberland County champion with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Millville’s Manuel Melendez, leading Vineland to the team crown. He also advanced to the round of 16 at the South Jersey Interscholastic Championships and notched impressive regular-season wins over Andrew Lin of Moorestown Friends and Mike Giunta of St. Augustine.
But he hopes to be more competitive next year against Mainland’s Nik Kilibarda, who handed him three of his losses. Patel defeated Kilibarda in the regular season last year but has dropped the CAL final to his rival each of the past two seasons.
Patel, who started playing the sport at age 7, knows that next season could be his last of competitive tennis. He hopes to attend the University of Pennsylvania and is leaning toward studying engineering.

Modi-Trump Summit to bring closer ties between India and US

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President Donald Trump welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House on Monday, June 26th, and praised him for being “such a great prime minister” of India. Describing India to be a “a true friend,” the US president declared that ties between Washington and New Delhi had “never been stronger” – and both the leaders sealed their bond with three hugs.

“I am thrilled to salute you, Prime Minister Modi, and the Indian people for all you are accomplishing together. “The relationship between India and the United States has never been stronger, never been better,” Trump said. “Your accomplishments have been vast. India has the fastest-growing economy in the world. We hope we’ll be catching you very soon in terms of percentage increase – I have to tell you, we’re working on it!”

“We want to take our strategic partnership to new heights,” Modi said and added that the two leaders have agreed to enhance cooperation in fighting terrorism – and that he had invited Trump to visit India. Trump said both the US and India had been affected by the “evils of terrorism” and the “radical ideology that drives them. We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism,” he said.

In the first ever meeting between the two leaders who had spent a little over four hours — including Trump’s first working dinner with a Head of State — discussing a wide range of issues including trade and terrorism. Following their one-on-one meeting, the two leaders issued a joint press statement at the Rose Garden but, as decided earlier, did not take any questions from the media.

President Donald Trump’s first meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House was long on proclamations of friendship and short on confrontation over delicate policy issues, analysts said. The meeting between the off-the-cuff President and the prime minister who leads one of the world’s fastest growing economies could have been filled with contentious issues, but publicly that wasn’t evident.

No issue on the table may have be more challenging than how the United States treats India like a “major defense partner” — a designation the Obama administration gave the country in 2016 — without angering neighboring Pakistan. Trump nodded to their possible differences during a meeting in the White House, but struck an optimistic tone. “We agree on most things and I would say by the end of the day we’ll agree on everything,” Trump said.

Trade and terrorism were the two key talking points of the meeting. The two nations also discussed strengthening energy strategies. While there was no explicit mention of the Paris climate deal, the leaders called for a rational approach that balances environment and climate policy, global economic development, and energy security needs. A key issue for India that was not mentioned in the joint statement was that of H1-B visas. It wasn’t immediately known if the issue came up for discussion between Trump and Modi, or not.

“Both our nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism, and we are both determined to destroy terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them. We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism,” Trump said. Modi, on his part, reiterated India’s concern regarding terrorism in the Indo-Pacific region. “Fighting terrorism and doing away with the safe shelters, sanctuaries, and safe havens will be an important part of our cooperation,” Modi said.

On trade, Trump said he would like it to be ‘fair and reciprocal’, hoping that the trade deficit with India currently almost $31 billion will fall. Modi said India would continue to strengthen the already existing trade and manufacturing partnership the two nations share, something, Modi said, that was beneficial to both the nations.

The featured in the talks between the two nations. Trump and Modi were hopeful that the deal between India’s Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCI) and Westinghouse Electric Company for six nuclear reactors and the projects financing would soon be completed.

The US also reiterated its strong support for India’s early membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Wassenaar Arrangement, and the Australia Group. Trump also welcomed India’s formal entry into the International Expedited Traveler Initiative (Global Entry program) that facilitates closer business and educational ties between the citizens of India and the US.

The two leaders spoke of being responsible stewards in the Indo-Pacific region and agreed that a close partnership between them is central to peace and stability. Trump’s statements on ‘territorial integrity’ and his administration’s outright condemnation of terrorism by Pakistan-backed organizations was something India was hopeful would come out of the meeting.

During his visit to the White House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won the endorsement of the US on India’s objections to China’s massive initiative to open land and sea corridors that connect it to Central Asia. India has objected to China’s “new Silk Road” project, because part of it, an economic corridor, runs through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The government has said the construction and plans violate “India’s territorial sovereignty”, which the US appears to have accepted.
The Indian leader, who has recently looked to woo companies to India with a “Make In India” campaign, said that his vision could work with Trump’s campaign pledge to “Make America Great Again,” his 2016 campaign slogan.

“I am sure that converge between my vision for new India and President Trump’s for making America great gain will add new dimensions to our cooperation,” Modi said. “I am very clear about the fact that India’s interests lie in as strong and prosperous and successful America in the same way that India’s development and its growing role in the international level are in the US’ interest.”

“I want to make a point here that US relationships with India and Pakistan really stand on their own merits and terms,” a senior administration official said. “We don’t see a zero-sum relationship when it comes to the US relationship with Pakistan and the US relationship with India.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gifted US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump a range of gifts, including a handcrafted Himachali silver bracelet, tea and honey from Kangra Valley and hand-woven shawls from Jammu and Kashmir. Modi gifted a folio containing the 1965 dated original commemorative postal stamp, issued to mark the death centenary of Abraham Lincoln. Trump gave PM Modi a guided tour of the President’s residence quarters in White House, including Lincoln bedroom, and showed him a copy of Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg address and the desk on which he wrote it.

Trump even highlighted their affinity for social media in the Rose Garden. “The relationship between India and the United States has never been stronger, has never been better,” Trump said. “I am proud to announce … that Prime Minister Modi and I are world leaders in social media.”

He added: “We are believers, giving citizens of our country to hear directly from the elected leaders and from us to hear directly from there.” Modi has close to 31 million followers. Trump has over 32 million.

Dream of developed India will be fulfilled: Modi tells NRIs in DC

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The Indian Prime Minister in his major address to the Indian Diaspora in the nation’s capital, promised of a developed India in their lifetime. Soon after arriving in Washington, DC, while addressing the Indian American community, Modi said their success was due to the supportive environment the U.S. provides and added that his government is working to create the same environment back in India. “Your heart always asks when would our country become like this… I assure you that this will happen in your lifetime,” Modi said.

Modi also said that Indians in America have advanced progress in both India and the U.S. and said the success and action of the Indian diaspora echoes throughout the world. “You are the same people but your success story has a simple reason, it’s because you got supportive environment here,” he said.

The prime minister added that “125 crore equally talented Indians are there back in India, they are now getting supportive environment and soon we will develop India soon. The biggest change in India today is that every Indian wants to do and is already doing something with resolution to change and develop the nation,” he said.

“Today, 125 crore people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari have resolved to do something for their country. With such a resolve, the country is developing in a pace never seen before.”

Saying that corruption was the reason “the previous governments were changed in India,” Modi said his government has emerged corruption-free in the last three years. “Governments were changed because of corruption. The common people hated this… There has been not a single blot on our government in the past three years. And governance is being modified so that honesty becomes an in-build process,” Modi said. “Technology is helping with that,” he added.

“Increased usage of technology brings transparency in systems. When I think of a developed India, I think of a healthy India, particularly the good health of the women and children of our nation,” he added. “Transparent policies create an environment of trust among the people. The youth of India understands technology and the importance of technology very well. Through technology driven governance we are creating an ‘Adhunik Bharat,'” the prime minister further said.

“With proper policies and governance, aspirations of people of India can become achievements. We are already seeing the results of this,” said Modi. “Innovation, technology and talent are crucial in this age,” he added.

The prime minister also said the warmth the Indian community offered was unforgettable. “All my family members are settled in America… The happiness we get after meeting the family is what I am feeling right now,” Modi said. “If you want to give back to India, this is the best time to do so. Keep the bridge with India. Your younger generations must continue the strong bond with India,” he said.

PM said that “no one in the world questioned India’s surgical strikes+ ” on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir except “of course the target of the strikes”. The PM kept up the momentum and quickly followed the surgical strikes comment by referring to the recent case of Uzma Ahmed+ , an Indian national who was misled into going to Pakistan to marry a man who was already married.

“She went with dreams in her head, but her life was ruined there. She is a Muslim. She thought if I go to Pakistan, my life will be made. But it turned out to be quite the opposite. Somehow she made contact with the Indian embassy so she could get out,” the PM added.

“MEA is one ministry of the government which has demonstrated through the use of social media, for the first time, that it cares for poorest of Indians,” Modi said. “India’s MEA has touched new heights from the point of view of humanity. As many as 80,000 Indians in distress have been rescued from different parts of world in 3 years,” he said, The PM, in his address to the almost 600 people gathered to hear him speak, talked about the achievements of his government in the past three years.

He said his government “has not seen a single taint” in the years it has been in power. “The reasons governments have been defeated in India are things like corruption and cheating. People of India do not like corruption. I can say humbly today that there has not been a single taint on us during our three years of performance,” Modi said.

Terrorism major theme in Modi’s meet with Mattis, Tillerson

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The global fight against terrorism and the situation in Afghanistan figured prominently when U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi here ahead of his summit-level meeting with President Donald Trump June 26.

“There was strong focus on terrorism and cooperation in counter-terrorism in the meeting with Tillerson,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said while briefing the media here.

“Given the challenges the two countries have faced, the discussions in the meeting touched upon how the two countries have cooperated in countering terrorism and where in the broad direction they can develop it further,” Baglay said.

He said that the entire world was looking at India-U.S. ties and this partnership had been described as a “defining partnership.”

The situation in the Indo-Pacific and Asia-Pacific regions was also discussed by Modi and Tillerson. According to Baglay, Modi said that the fulcrum of India’s foreign policy was to have good relations with all countries, especially with the neighbors.

Speaking of the prime minister’s desire of walking side by side with the U.S., the spokesperson said that Modi discussed the counter-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan in the meeting with Mattis.

In the meeting, it was mentioned that the U.S. and India believed in respect for international laws, a rule-based order and freedom of navigation and uninterrupted communication.

On being asked about the U.S. State Department’s notification June 26 that declared Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist, Baglay said that this was merely a courtesy meeting and not a detailed one where such issues could be discussed.

Defense and counter-terrorism issues are likely to be among the major topics to be discussed during the Modi-Trump meeting. The prime minister was scheduled to meet President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House. The leaders will address the media from the Rose Garden.

On June 25, in an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, Modi said that defense was a mutually beneficial sphere of the Indo-U.S. partnership.  “We are already working together to address the existing and emerging strategic and security challenges that affect both our nations – in Afghanistan, West Asia, the large maritime space of the Indo-Pacific, the new and unanticipated threats in cyberspace,” he said in the article.

Trump and Modi Have Opportunity to Take the Bilateral Relationship to New Heights

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Anubhav Gupta, Assistant Director, Asia Society Policy Institute

The visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi couldn’t come at a more opportune time. President Trump badly needs both an opportunity to bolster his presidency and a clear achievement to add to his win column. In India, Trump has a natural partner, and in Modi, he has a leader he can truly work with.

Modi recently completed a very successful trip to Europe, visiting Spain, France, Germany, and Russia. His visit garnered positive press as he showcased an India that was open for business, ready to take on greater global responsibilities, and embrace its European partners. Trump and Modi have an opportunity to craft a similarly lauded and productive visit.

Trump and Modi will use this first visit to build trust and get to know one another. They can begin on the right foot by communicating their desire to advance the relationship to new heights. Modi, who has steadily moved India closer to the United States in his three years in office, is well positioned to take the relationship further after consolidating political power in India through big victories in recent state elections in India. He is strongly situated to win re-election in 2019, and therefore, shape India’s path over the coming years. The United States should take advantage of his good standing.

The visit’s success will depend on whether the Trump Administration has been able to focus enough of its attention on Indiato decide whether and how it will seek an upgrade in the relationship. It will also depend on whether the White House can reassure India about some of its major concerns.

Modi is sure to bring up South Asian stability, in particular U.S. policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Administration’s recent decision to let the Defense Department determine troop levels in Afghanistan could result in a short term influx of U.S. troops there, which India might welcome. However, India will look for reassurance that the Administration is committed for the longer term in Afghanistan and has a true interest in and strategy for maintaining stability. Modi will also push the Administration for a more stern U.S. policy toward Pakistan, which continues to support militancy in Afghanistan and India. Support on these two fronts would reassure India greatly.

The two leaders should ensure that legitimate disagreements on certain issues, including worker visas and intellectual property rights, do not hold the relationship back. There is strong bi-partisan support in the U.S. Congress for a closer partnership with India. India’s fast growing and increasingly more open economy are huge opportunities for the United States. Additionally, India can serve as a vital partner for the United States in the Asia-Pacific region. For all of these reasons, pursuing stronger ties with India would be a clear win for the Trump Administration.

Some areas of cooperation are clear. The countries should continue building on their defense relationship and should seek ways to enhance counterterrorism cooperation, especially as this is a major focus for the Trump Administration. On the strategic front, the United States should encourage India to enhance its engagement in the Asia-Pacific. Trump can help facilitate this by telling Modi that the U.S. will finally support India’s membership for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Finally, the two leaders can commit to strengthening economic ties by agreeing to a genuine dialogue on enhancing trade or negotiating a bilateral investment treaty.

‘The whole world is looking at India,’ Modi tells leading world business leaders

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“The whole world is looking at India. 7,000 reforms alone (have been carried out) by the Government of India for ease of business and minimum government, (with) maximum governance,” PM Modi said at the round-table to the chief executives of world’s top business leaders in Washington, DC.

PM Modi presented India as a “win-win” opportunity to the business tycoons. “The growth of India presents a win-win partnership for India and the US both. US companies have a great opportunity to contribute to that,” the PM explained.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was meeting with the who’s who of American business – including Google’s Sundar Pichai, Apple’s Tim Cook and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos – at a round-table gathering in Washington DC on Sunday, June 25th.

As the Indian Embassy in Washington DC tweeted, it was “A Stellar Starcast” that had gathered to meet the workaholic PM, despite it being a Sunday morning in the US. As many as 21 high-profile chief executives of US corporations were in attendance at the round-table with Modi at the Hotel Willard Intercontinental in Washington.

The PM, in his inimitable style, also had a suggestion for US business schools. “The implementation of the landmark initiative of GST (Goods and Services Tax Bill) could be a subject of studies in US business schools,” he said, talking about the historic bill that will do away with the system of cascading taxes that has for long been seen as a drag on business and for consumers. In reference to this, he emphasised the importance attached by his government to “efficiency, transparency, growth and benefit for all”.

Narendra Modi’s leadership is an impediment to US-India relations and a drain on India’s standing in the world

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By Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations

Washington DC, June 25, 2017. India achieved tremendous progress from 2004 to 2014 under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s leadership. Successive US Administrations were competing each other to honor the Indian Prime Minister recognizing India’s place in the world. There was a rare unified voice of support from both political parties in the US.

The relationship Prime Minister Manmohan Singh government was able to build with the United States and other governments were unprecedented. Prime Minister Singh’s leadership brought the world leaders to consider India as a deserving member of the UN Security Council and a responsible nuclear power.

But, ever since, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in New Delhi making Mr. Narendra Modi as its Prime Minster, decisions of his government and the free-hand offered to vigilante groups to do whatever they want, from intimidation and harassment to looting and lynching religious minorities has caused tremendous damage to the image and reputation of India on international stage. It has sullied the image of India and affected India’s standing in the world, to the extent of hitting a pause button in bilateral relations between India and many industrialized nations including the US.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological group and the power behind Mr. Modi’s BJP party, wants to create a Hindu nation State – more like a Hindu version of Pakistan. RSS continues to attack Christian church goers in one part of the country or the other, almost on a daily basis. The state governments run by BJP are actively targeting and shutting down churches and church run organizations.

Compassion International, a US based Christian charity helping 165,000 poor children in India was shut down by Modi government in 2017 on false charges with no regard for their own laws.

Recently, the appointment of a hardline Hindu monk to be the Chief Minister of India’s largest state, Utter Pradesh, sent a chilling message to the world about the direction in which Prime Minister Modi wants to take India in the future. Modi’s election has made every country to tread cautiously towards India. But because India is a large economy, the world is forced to deal with her in spite of Mr. Modi and not because of him.

In 2014, President Obama refused to honor Prime Minister Modi with a State Banquet at the White House in spite of enormous pressure brought on him when the later visited the US on a UN Visa. A disappointed Prime Minister refused to eat lunch with President Obama claiming he was fasting.

Modi thought his rehab would be complete if only he could trick the President of the United States to invite him personally to the White House. So he invited Obama to be the Chief Guest at India’s Republic day Parade in January 2015, hoping the visiting head of state, as a norm, would reciprocate the courtesy by extending a personal invitation to him. Unfortunately it was not to be.

President Obama gave a heartfelt speech on why the vision of BJP/RSS is detrimental to the future of India and left for Washington without extending an invitation to Mr. Modi. A shell shocked BJP and RSS did not know how to react for two full days.

Had there been another Prime Minister instead of Modi, the White House which hosted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a lavish State Banquet in his honor would have gone over and above to help improve US-India relationship. But instead what we saw was a halfhearted invitation to the Prime Minister of India (and not to Mr. Modi personally) in the last days of Obama Administration, to get him to sign few bilateral agreements in Washington.

Disappointed Modi’s supporters made a tactical shift soon after by supporting Trump Campaign by misrepresenting themselves hiding their real motive in rehabilitating Mr. Modi’s image. Since then there has been plenty of talk about improving Mr. Modi’s relations with President Trump. But the fact is, from the Presidents of tiny nations like El Salvador and Panama to Presidents of Egypt and Philippines were invited to the White House, not to mention the Chinese Premier, long before the Trump Administration asked Mr. Modi to come.

Contrary to media hype seasoned observers would say, it is not the sign of improving relationships but an invitation out of necessity based on the argument that India and US must work together regardless of who happens to run the government in India.

Had there been anyone else as the Prime Minister instead of Modi, India would not have lost its standing in the world. They could have benefited from the trajectory Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had set for India. Even Arun Jaitley or Rajnath Singh from Modi’s own Hindu party could have done a better job of saving India’s prestige in the international stage.

Kenneth Juster nominated to be US ambassador to India

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Kenneth I Juster, a top aide of US President Donald Trump, is set to be America’s new ambassador to India, the White House said last week. The 62-year-old Juster, who is the Deputy Assistant for International Economic Affairs, and Deputy Director of his National Economic Council, would replace Indian American Richard Verma — who stepped down from the post Jan. 21, at the behest of the White House, which dismissed several Obama appointees — if nominated and confirmed by the Senate.

After five months without a U.S. number one in India, Donald Trump has finally chosen the next ambassador to the subcontinent. Kenneth Juster, who serves as a top deputy at the National Economic Council in Trump’s White House, will likely exert a steadying influence on U.S.-India relations if his nomination goes forward as expected.

Juster is a long-time India hand – he chaired the U.S.-India High Technology Cooperation Group and helped spearhead a major new bilateral initiative under the George W. Bush administration – and with his extensive diplomatic experience, he differs from some of Trump’s other ambassadorial picks such as Terry Branstad, the former Iowa governor, or Callista Gingrich, his envoy to the Vatican.

“He’s considered an experienced hand with a good relationship in the White House and other agencies that will make him an effective ambassador,” said Ronak D. Desai, a U.S.-India relations expert at Harvard University and fellow at New America.

If Juster is tapped for the post, he’ll have to navigate some significant political minefields, in large part thanks to his former boss in the Oval Office. One key sticking point is climate change. Trump angered the entire world when he pulled out of the Paris climate agreement, and went out of his way to jab India in the process.

Some blame the attacks on Indian-Americans on the racially-charged climate Trump churned up on the campaign trail – and he’s been silent on the attacks ever since despite growing concerns among Indians and Indian-Americans.

“Given the very real fears of Indian-Americans and the crucial role of the Indian diaspora in U.S.-India relations, Modi can’t afford not to bring up this matter,” wrote the Wilson Center’s Michael Kugelman.

“Ken Juster’s move to Indian Ambassador is because he is extremely qualified for the position,” White House deputy spokesperson Lindsay Walters reportedly told the media about the news which was first reported by The Washington Post. The Post reported that Juster was still undergoing the vetting process.

“Ken has a strong and positive relationship with everyone in the White House, including the president,” Walters said. The move has been welcomed by widely respected Ashley Tellis, the top India expert in the U.S.

“Ken knows India well and actually was deeply involved in successful bilateral negotiations between the two countries. The Indians will welcome him enthusiastically. He is a known quantity,” Tellis told The Washington Post.

Leading Members of Government, Civil Society, Join HAF at Second Annual DC Advocacy

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With a delegation of over 60, the Hindu American Foundation hosted its second annual Advocacy Forum in Washington, DC, complete with a full day long policy conference, an evening reception, as well as an advocacy on the Hill day consisting of meetings with elected officials.
Monday, June 19, brought together leading members of government and civil society to discuss the protection of civil rights, ways to combat the rise of hate crimes in the US, and the spread of terrorism and violent extremism across South Asia.
Panelists included: The Honorable Tom Wheeler, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, US Department of Justice; Michael Lieberman, Anti-Defamation League & Convener of the Hate Crimes Coalition Taskforce; Ron Mori, Japanese American Citizens League; Sushil Pandit, CEO of Hive Communication & Co-Founder of Roots in Kashmir; Seth Oldmixon, Founder of Liberty South Asia; and Anita Wadhwani, India Country Director, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Asian & Pacific Security Affairs.
“In 2015 the number of anti-religious hate crimes was the largest percentage of hate crimes in the 25 year history of the Hate Crimes Statistics Act,” Michael Lieberman told the audience. “This year was the first year ever that the FBI collected anti-Hindu hate crimes. The reason they did this was because of your advocacy.”
On how to prevent extremist terrorism at the broadest level, Seth Oldmixon concluded, “We [in the United States] have to be a city on the hill. We have to be a shining example of demonstrating that religious freedom and tolerance and inclusivity work. That is the biggest threat to these extremist groups.”
During HAF’s annual DC advocacy day, on June 20th, delegates met with 50 members of Congress to discuss community concerns about rising hate crimes, the spread of terrorism, and the lack of transparency and accountability at the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. The delegation also addressed the need to generate greater awareness of heart health among South Asian Americans.
The Advocacy Forum concluded with HAF’s Capitol Hill Reception, which garnered more than 200 attendees—including members of Congress such as Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Michael Coffman (R-CO), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Pete Olson (R-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), and Darren Soto (D-FL)—to recognize the advocacy work done in the past year by or on the behalf of the Hindu American community. In addition, Charles Haynes, founder of the Religious Freedom Center and a vice-president at the Newseum Institute, was honored with the Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Advancement of Religious Pluralism.
Upon receiving the award, Haynes said that HAF was “a much-needed voice for a growing and significant part of the American mosaic, [and] by working to protect the religious liberty of all—not just Hindus— HAF is helping to create a level playing field in America for people of all religious and worldviews, the only way forward for building on nation of many cultures and faiths.”

Trump administration reverses DAPA in ‘house cleaning’

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In a huge blow to the immigrant community, the Department of Homeland Security June 15 rescinded a 2014 executive order that provided relief from deportation to the undocumented parents of American citizens.

More than 111,000 undocumented Indian parents of American citizens would have benefited from former President Barack Obama’s Nov. 20, 2014 executive order – known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans. Along with relief from deportation, the initiative would have allowed undocumented parents to obtain drivers’ licenses and work authorization. The Migration Policy Institute estimates there are 284,000 undocumented Indian nationals currently residing in the U.S. Nationwide, more than 4.3 million undocumented U.S. residents would have benefitted from DAPA.

In the same action, DHS announced that the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program – which provides relief from deportation to 700,000 undocumented youth – would remain intact, for now. But on the same day, the Trump Administration announced that the program was still under consideration for rescission.

“There has been no final determination made about the DACA program, which the president has stressed needs to be handled with compassion and with heart,” Jonathan Hoffman, assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS, told The New York Times.

Shortly after Obama issued the DAPA directive in 2014, 26 states immediately sued, saying the order placed an unfair economic burden on them, because of the increased number of drivers’ licenses they would have to issue. The lawsuit went all the way to the Supreme Court, which issued a split decision June 23, 2016, sending the case back to a lower court, which had previously deemed the directive unconstitutional.

DHS Secretary John Kelly noted in a June 15 memo that the order had never been implemented, because of the litigation against it. “I have considered a number of factors,” said Kelly, citing the preliminary injunction, and the ongoing litigation.

“After consulting with the Attorney General, and in the exercise of my discretion in establishing national immigration enforcement policies and priorities, I hereby rescind the November 20, 2014 memorandum,” wrote Kelly.

The White House did not issue a press statement regarding the new DHS memo. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters at a June 19 briefing that the action taken by DHS was due to the pending case.

Immigrant rights organizations decried DHS’s action, calling it “callous.” South Asian Americans Leading Together said in a press statement that it “condemns the Trump administration’s decision to rescind DAPA.”

“Day after day, the Trump administration is perfecting the process of terrorizing immigrants,” said Suman Raghunathan, Indian American executive director of SAALT, in a press statement. “From ‘Muslim Bans’ to calls for border walls to yesterday’s announcement to rescind DAPA, President Trump has made it clear that he is committed to criminalizing immigrants and placing as many barriers as possible between immigrants and their families.”

SAALT noted there are more than half a million undocumented Indians in the U.S., and 40 percent of them could have benefited from the program.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice also denounced the DHS memo. “While the DAPA and expanded DACA memo have long been blocked by a federal court and the decision to rescind the memo does not come as a surprise, we are reminded of what could have been. Those programs would have protected millions of undocumented immigrants who today, along with thousands of other immigrants, are being ripped apart from their families, detained, and deported,” said AAJC in a press statement.

“The administration’s efforts to target and vilify immigrants in myriad ways, from mass deportations to the Muslim ban and the VOICE office, will not be ignored just because it is currently maintaining DACA. We will continue to resist these policies and stand up for justice and the dignity and humanity of all people,” stated the organization.

The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum said in a statement that is was glad the administration understands the importance of DACA. “Many immigrants live every day in fear of deportation and DACA will allow children and young adults to continue to grow, learn, thrive and become vital contributors in their communities,” said Kathy Ko Chin, APIAHF president and CEO.

“Similarly, if it had been enacted, the DAPA program would have helped to keep families intact. Now, half a million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders face the possibility of being separated from their family members as well as unsurmountable barriers to improving their health and well-being. We will continue working to support and uplift those families,” stated Chin.

Third International Yoga Day celebrated across the world

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From Peru’s historic citadel of Machu Picchu to the UN’s sprawling lawns in New York, yoga mats were spread out at iconic landmarks across the world as yoga practitioners June 21 performed ‘asanas’ to mark the third International Yoga Day.

Top UN diplomats, officials, envoys, yoga practitioners and people from all walks of life attended a grand event organized by India’s Permanent Mission to the UN to mark the day at the world body’s headquarters in New York.

Hundreds of specially designed yoga mats were spread across the UN’s sprawling north lawns, facing the imposing UN General Assembly hall and the UN Secretariat building, as people from all walks of life descended on the UN headquarters to participate in the ‘Yoga Session with Yoga Masters’.

Chants, hymns, prayers and the sound of “Om” reverberated across the UN as leading yoga practitioners led the gathering through sessions of yoga and meditation to celebrate the traditional wellness regime that originated in India.

The UN also issued special stamps commemorating the Yoga Day. The UN postal agency, UN Postal Administration, issues the new special event sheet to commemorate the day that has been marked annually since 2015.

Delivering the secretary general’s message on Yoga Day, a top UN official has said that yoga can make an important contribution in achieving a healthy life and promoting well-being for all at a time when the world is striving to achieve sustainable development goals.

At the iconic and historic citadel of Machu Picchu in Peru, one of the modern ‘Seven Wonders of the World’, yoga practitioners stretched themselves in various asanas to mark the day.

Both Machu Picchu and yoga are recognized by UNESCO as a common heritage of the world.

In China, a record number of people participated in yoga events held in several cities across the country.

In Dhaka’s Bangabandhu National Stadium, hundreds of people participated in the IDY event with parliamentary speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury opening the celebrations amid enthusiasm.

The program began with the screening of a video message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Nepal also joined the world to mark the day as Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba underlined the need for imparting the ancient knowledge of yoga to students at school-level.

In Pakistan, the Indian High Commission celebrated the Yoga Day on June 18.

The United Nations General Assembly had made a declaration in December 2014 that every June 21 would be observed as International Day of Yoga, a move that India lobbied hard for.

Earlier, in New York, special yoga sessions organized by the Indian Consulate to commemorate the Yoga Day were attended by many people, both from the Indian American community as well as other communities in New York.

Consul General Riva Ganguly Das led the Yoga Day celebrations on the consulate premises June 19 and participated in the yoga and Art of Living sessions.

Das said Yoga Day has grown in popularity in the three years since the day was first marked in 2015. “With the focus on one particular day, it helps promote the message,” she said, adding that many people who might not otherwise try yoga have participated in Yoga Day events.

“People realize the benefits of yoga, and India’s name is intrinsically associated with the day,” she said.

In honor of International Yoga Day, the U.N. has projected images of yoga postures on its headquarters. This is the second year in a row that the U.N. has illuminated its building with images of yoga.

The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations celebrated the day at the United Nations on June 20 followed by a panel discussion on June 21.

The Indian Mission organized a panel discussion at the United Nations involving religious, NGO and yoga organization representatives who presented various aspects and systems of yoga to the audience.

The Institute of International Social Development, an international NGO in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC of the United Nations, headquartered in India and having branches in Paris, Geneva and New York, presented the practice of Kriya Yoga as taught by Paramahansa Yogananda of ‘An Autobiography’ of a Yogi’ fame.

Shomik Chaudhuri, UN Representative of the Institute in New York, spoke about the organization and its activities that relate to yoga and spirituality, and Sharon Hamilton-Getz, Additional UN Representative of the Institute, spoke about spirituality and yoga.

The UN began the International Day of Yoga celebrations with the release of stamps, a water puja and meditations for peace in the world’s most diverse gathering of nationalities, religions and races.

More than 1,000 people, including permanent representatives of several nations, diplomats, UN staff and yoga enthusiasts attended the outdoor “Yoga Session with Yoga Masters” session June 20 at the UN headquarters on the eve of the Third IDY.

A unique element in this year’s event projecting India’s soft power was the water puja ceremony led by Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and Sadhvi Bhagwati Sarawastiji of the Paramarta Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh.

As water was symbolically poured over a globe, participants raised their hands heavenwards praying for clean water for all and for reclaiming the sanctity of water, the sustainer of life and the link of humanity.

That meshed in with the UN push for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals to better the life of people. Speakers stressed yoga’s place in helping reach them.

Ruchi Narula crowned Mrs. India Universe Eurasia 2017

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At a glittering ceremony in Mumbai on June 11, Ruchi Narula, 41, from Patiala, Punjab, was crowned Mrs. Universe Eurasia 2017. At the same pageant, Priyanka Pol was named Mrs. Universe North West Asia 2017, Himani Deswal was named Mrs. Universe East Asia 2017, while Anjali Rajput was crowned Mrs. Universe Asia Queen 2017.

Among the guests present on the occasion were Shibani Kashyap, Preeti Soni, Brinda Pareekh, Akanksha Nimonkar, Kuwar Amar, Rakesh Sabharwal, Alina Mughal, Paulson Thomas, Mukesh Sharma, Keshav, Sonal Lamba, Sonal Handa, Diljaan Wadia, D J Sherwood and Sohail Khan.

The pageant was organized by Tushar Dhaliwal, managing director of Viscera Events and Models Management; and Archana Tomar, director of Archana Tomar Creation and managing director of Tomar group.

Freida Pinto Named ‘Shining Star’ of Maui Film Festival for Daring to ‘Dream Big’

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Indian actress Freida Pinto, who burst onto movie screens in the Oscar-winning “Slumdog Millionaire” and has spanned the world in her subsequent film roles, will be honored with the 2017 Maui Film Festival Shining Star Award, festival founder and director Barry Rivers announced today. Pinto will accept the award in a June 22 tribute at the festival’s signature Celestial Cinema on the Wailea Gold & Emerald Golf Course at the Wailea Resort in Maui, Hawaii.

“After scanning the constellation of cinema stardom for a film artist who has already and deservedly enjoyed great success, and yet is still in the ascendancy of his or her career, we are so very excited to honor Freida Pinto, whose exceptional passion and drive continue to soar,” said Rivers.

The award honors “a film artist who dares to dream big dreams and delivers brilliantly charismatic and revelatory performances every time that opportunity knocks.” Previous Shining Star honorees include Adam Driver, Zac Efron, Andrew Garfield, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emma Roberts and Olivia Wilde.

The Shining Star tribute will include clips of the 32-year-old Pinto’s already extensive filmography. The Bombay-born former model adds more cosmopolitan cachet to this year’s luminary lineup, following the announcement that Scottish actress/director Karen Gillan will be presented with the festival’s 2017 Rising Star award June 24.

The daughter of a school principal and a bank branch manager, Pinto grew up in Bombay (now Mumbai). A graduate of St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai with a degree in English literature, she was working as a model when director Danny Boyle cast her as Latika in “Slumdog Millionaire.”

That groundbreaking 2008 drama would win Best Picture and seven more Oscars, among more than 150 international prizes including a best actress nomination for Pinto from BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

It would also propel her into a career that plays out like a classic screen adventure itself, from her role as “Miral” as a Palestinian girl drawn into the Arab-Israeli conflict, to goddess Phaedra in “The Immortals.”

Woody Allen directed her in “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.” She was “Desert Dancer” — an enchanting but battle-hardened muse who inspires a young man to risk his life starting a dance company in modern Iran.

Her own training as a classical Indian dancer is evident in many of her roles, beginning with “Slumdog Millionaire’s” Bollywood number set in a train station.

She was one of the seductions of Terrence Malik’s “Knight of Cups”; she was “Trishna” in director Michael Winterbottom’s update of “Tess of the D’Urbervilles,” relocated in the modern Indian state of Rajasthan. Other films included “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and playing Princess Leyla in “Day of the Falcon,” a sprawling adventure set in the Arab world of the 1930s.

She is currently co-starring with Idris Elba in “Guerrilla,” a six-part Showtime series focusing on “a politically active couple who set out to change the world in 1970s London.”

Next year, she will be reunited with “Knight of Cups” stars Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett along with Benedict Cumberbach in Andy Serkis’ “Jungle Book.”

Other projects include the independent feature “Love Sonia,” expected to premiere later this year; and the 2013 documentary “Girl Rising,” telling of nine girls from different parts of the world “facing heartbreaking injustices,” according to a release. She is also involved with the organization Girl Effect “to support the rights of young women.”

At least two more Maui Film Festival honorees will be announced in coming weeks for the 18th annual festival, running June 21-25 at Wailea and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. For more information, visit www.mauifilmfestival.com.

After becoming a fixture on the big screen with the critically and commercially acclaimed “Slumdog Millionaire,” Pinto quickly became an international film star. Freida has many notable roles in her kitty, including “Desert Dancer,” “Miral,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Trishna,” and “You Will Meet a Dark Stranger.”

Her upcoming projects include Warner Brothers’ “Jungle Book,” expected to open in 2018, as well as the independent feature, “Love Sonia,” which also stars Demi Moore, Mark Duplass, Anupam Kher, Richa Chadha, Manoj Bajpayee and child actor Sunny Pawar.

Carnegie Mellon University president Subra Suresh resigns

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Subra Suresh, Carnegie Mellon University president, will resign as president of Carnegie Mellon University on June 30, making his tenure the shortest in the school’s 117-year history and placing it in uncharted waters as it seeks a new leader for the second time in less than five years.

In a letter to the CMU community, he wrote, “My wife Mary and I have reflected on the long-term commitment needed to implement the university’s strategic plan, and we feel Carnegie Mellon would be best served now by a president who is ready to make that extended commitment to generating resources and guiding the university toward reaching these objectives.” Suresh has been at CMU for four years.

His brief statement to campus made no reference to a new position. Officials said they had no information about that, nor could they elaborate on any separation agreement between Mr. Suresh and the University.

Suresh, the ninth president of the renowned university, succeeded former president Jared Cohon, who served for 16 years. Suresh reflected on his achievements during his four-year tenure, including greater access for academically under-served populations through the creation of Presidential Scholarships and Fellowships, which provide financial aid to undergraduates and graduate students.

He also noted the expansion of the campus, including three new buildings and a quadrangle. “I am proud to see the growing commitment to excellence across the university’s fields and endeavors, led by our outstanding faculty, staff and students, and our renewed commitment to diversity and inclusion,” wrote Suresh, adding: “Mary and I have immensely enjoyed the time we have spent with students at all stages in their CMU education, in a variety of venues. We commend you for your outstanding work, and wish you all the best as you pursue your careers and lives.”

“I knew long before I came here that Carnegie Mellon is a special place, and it has been an unforgettable experience for Mary and me to join this community and work with so many of you,” said the president, acknowledging staff, faculty, and alumni at the university.

Jim Rohr, chairman of the Board of Trustees at CMU, responded to Suresh’s letter, stating: “Subra’s vision has left an indelible mark on CMU, and he has assembled a strong and diverse leadership team that is well-positioned to build on the momentum at Carnegie Mellon.” An interim president will be appointed as the university searches for a new president, said Rohr.

Prior to joining CMU, Suresh served as the director of the National Science Foundation, a $7-billion independent government science agency charged with advancing science, engineering research and education. He helmed the organization for almost six years.

Suresh has a B. Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology at Madras, a master’s degree from Iowa State University and a Ph.D. in science from MIT. After postdoctoral research at U.C.-Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, he joined the engineering faculty at Brown University. He joined MIT in 1993 as the R.P. Simmons Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and headed MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

In 2011, Suresh was awarded the Padma Shri by India’s president. In April 2014, he received the Benjamin Franklin medal for his research work in mechanical engineering and materials science.

Five “S”s to success speech inspires youth at PCS graduation night

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Don’t stop when you are tired, stop when you are done!

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL:  The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) hosted its annual “Punjabi Youth Graduation and Scholarships Awards Night” on Sunday, June 11 at Viceroy of India Banquets in Lombard, Illinois. More than 250 people attended. Dr. Jasvinder Singh Chawla was the keynote speaker. Parwinder Singh Nanua introduced the program, setting the agenda for the evening and congratulated all the participants as well as the high school graduates.

It was a treat for the graduates and the “Rangla Punjab 2017” program participants. The celebration included keynote address, recognition awards, scholarship, cake-cutting ceremony, DJ music, dancing, socializing, networking, and sharing delicious dinner.

Vik Singh started the first segment and the trophies were awarded by Dhaliwal and Hardial Singh Deol, Amolak Singh, Sahota, Nandra, Amrit Mittal along with the PCS president Sukhmel Atwal. Rajinder Singh Mago hosted the second segment of the evening and asked PCS president Sukhmel Atwal and Chairman Hardial Singh Deol to interact with the Rangla Punjab participants and 2017 graduates.  Nimma Daliwal entertained the audience with renditions of beautiful Punjabi songs.

The evening continued by inviting all the high school graduates Gurpreet Singh, Harpal Singh, Simran Kaur Bhalla, Surpreet Kaur, Anmol Kaur Dhaliwal onto the stage and accompanied by their brief introductions and accomplishments.  The finalists were handpicked from the graduating Class of 2017 from within the Punjabi community. An independent panel of judges selected the winners from the applicants according to a grading criterion established by PCS, based on academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and volunteer community service. Surpreet Kaur and Harpal Singh were awarded with scholarships by the guest of honor. Simran Kaur Bhalla was recognized at the evening for being the recipient of the Youth of the Year award representing the entire state of Illinois. This in turn qualifies her for consideration for the Youth of the Year Award at the national level to represent the United States of America.

Student speaker Dilraj Singh Sekhon shared his experiences and advice with the graduates. A rousing speech by the Keynote speaker Dr. Jasvinder Singh Chawla resonated with the new graduates. Dr. Jasvinder Singh Chawla, Professor of Neurology at Loyola University Medical Center since 2002, and Chairman, Department of Neurology at Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines Illinois from last 8 years.

First, setting a goal, then having a backup plan, then having a second back up plan was his sure shot way to ensure success.  He stressed being part of the system to change the system from within. The bedrock to such success as outlined by him are focus, making plans, seeing through each plan, hard work and sacrifice. He strictly believed and conveyed what in his vision ‘No pain no gain’ meant in the realm of success in today’s world. Not only was the graduating class overwhelmed by his sharp intellect but the way he explained was a treat. Such a rousing and moving speech by Dr. Chawla earned him the title of one of the best guest speakers for PCS.

The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit community organization devoted to promoting Punjabi culture, language, performing arts, healthy lifestyle and sports, education, and good citizenship in the metropolitan Chicago area.

3 Indian Celebrities Make Forbes 100 Highest-Paid List

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Indian movie superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar have all landed places among the top 100 in FORBES’ 2017 list of the world’s highest-paid entertainers. The Celebrity 100 measures earnings from June 1, 2016 to June 1, 2017, before taxes and management fees. All three have appeared on the list in past years as well.

According to the newly published rankings, the Indian actors’ respective rankings are:

Overall Rank Name 12-Month Earnings
65 Shah Rukh Khan $38 million
71 Salman Khan $37 million
80 Akshay Kumar $35.5 million

 

The Forbes list of the ‘World’s Highest-Paid Celebrities of 2017’ has been topped by American rapper and entrepreneur Sean Combs, known by his more famous stage name ‘Diddy,’ with earnings of $130 million.

SRK, 51, ranks 65th on the list, with earnings of $38 million, and is tied with singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. “King Khan continues to bank big from starring roles in Bollywood movies. He also cashes in on endorsement deals for dozens of brands most Americans have likely never heard of,” Forbes said.

Salman is on the 71st spot with $37 million in earnings, tied with English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. Forbes said Salman continues to produce and star in films, which earn well at the box office. Akshay, 49, is ranked 80th on the list with earnings of $35.5 million, tied with musician Bon Jovi.  “Kumar, a king of the Bollywood box office for over a quarter of a century, mints millions through both starring and ensemble roles,” Forbes said.

American musicians Diddy and Beyoncé topped the list with respective earnings of $130 million and $105 million. British author J.K. Rowling ranked third with $95 million in income.

Chinese actor Jackie Chan was the highest paid Asian celebrity, ranking No. 39 with $49 million in earnings last year. Nearly all of the top 50 on the celebrity list were North Americans or Brits, with only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (No. 5), Argentina’s Lionel Messi (No. 14), Switzerland’s Roger Federer (No. 23) and Chan cracking the top ranks of the predominantly native English-speaking celebrity elite.

Shah Rukh Khan’s ranking represented a jump of 21 places over last year, when he ranked No. 76 on the list with $33 million in pay. Akshay Kumar popped up 14 spots from last year’s No. 94 ranking and $33 million in income.

In 2015 Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan were the highest ranking Indians at No. 71 and No. 72, with $33.5 million each in earnings. Akshay Kumar was close behind at No. 76, with $32.5 million, and cricket star Mahendra Singh Dhoni landed at No. 82, with $31 million. Next year’s list looks to be the first time that Bollywood star Aamir Khan will join the ranks of the Celebrity 100. With his film Dangal now ensconced as the highest-grossing Indian movie in history, his profit-sharing from that film alone should exceed $40 million, which would likely place him first among Indian celebrities on the 2018 list.

Forbes said together, the world’s 100 highest-paid celebrities banked a cumulative $5.15 billion during the June 2016 to June 2017 scoring period.

Leo Varadkar, a person of Indian origin, is Ireland’s new Prime Minister

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Leo Varadkar was elected Irish Prime Minister, making the 38-year-old son of an Indian immigrant the first gay premier of the once-staunchly Catholic country and the youngest person to hold the office. Despite inheriting Europe’s fastest-growing economy, he will face immediate challenges in the shape of neighboring Britain’s exit from the European Union, a political crisis in Northern Ireland and a housing crisis at home.

Varadkar succeeded Enda Kenny earlier this month as leader of the Fine Gael party. Colleagues pinned their hopes of an unprecedented third term on the straight-talking Varadkar, who they believe can widen their appeal in elections that may be triggered as soon as next year.

“Enda Kenny’s leadership enabled me to become an equal citizen in my own country two short years ago and to aspire to hold this office, an aspiration I once thought was beyond my reach, at least if I chose to be myself,” Varadkar said in reference to Ireland’s 2015 vote to legalise gay marriage.

“The government I lead will not be one of left or right. The government I lead will be one of the new European centre as we seek to build a Republic of opportunity, that is a Republic in which every citizen gets a fair go and i n which every part of the country stands to share in our prosperity.”

Varadkar’s elevation marks another chapter in the social change that has swept through the country of 4.6 million people that only decriminalised homosexuality in 1993 and legalized divorce two years later.

“As the country’s youngest holder of this office, he speaks for a new generation of Irish women and Irish men, he represents a modern, diverse and inclusive Ireland and speaks for them like no other,” Kenny told parliament, nominating his successor.“I’ve been elected to lead but I promise to serve.”

SEC Charges Former CEO of Penny Stock Company Systems America, Inc. with Fraud

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The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed fraud charges against Adesh Kumar Tyagi, the former CEO, sole director, and majority shareholder of Systems America, Inc., subsequently renamed Cloudeeva, Inc.
The SEC’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on May 31, 2017, alleges that Tyagi falsely claimed in press releases he issued between July 2010 and September 2011 that the company had hundreds of customers and supported customer operations in nearly 20 countries when, in fact, the company had only two main clients in 2010 and did not support operations in any foreign countries in 2010 and 2011. Tyagi also allegedly falsely claimed in an Initial Disclosure he published on behalf of Systems American on July 2, 2010 that he was not a party to any material litigation. In Annual Reports he published on behalf of Systems America on February 24, 2011 and July 24, 2012, Tyagi claimed that no officer or director of the company had been named as a defendant in a criminal proceeding, when he had been named as a defendant in two pending criminal proceedings at the time of each publication. The complaint also alleges that Tyagi placed buy limit orders in small increments during individual trading days and marked the close on at least 16 trade dates in order to artificially inflate the share price and trading volume of the company’s securities. Finally, the complaint alleges that Tyagi failed to file with the SEC required disclosures of his holdings and transactions in company securities.
The SEC’s complaint charges Tyagi with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b), 13(d), and 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Exchange Act Rules 10b-5, 13d-1, and 16a-3, and seeks to hold Tyagi secondarily liable as a control person under Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act and as an aider and abettor under Exchange Act Section 20(e) for the company’s violations of Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5(b). The complaint seeks permanent injunctions, an injunction prohibiting Tyagi from participating in transactions of any security of an entity of which he is an officer, director, owner, significant shareholder, or control person, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest, penalties, and officer-and-director and penny stock bars.
On November 9, 2016, Tyagi pleaded guilty to certain of the misconduct at issue in the SEC’s complaint in a parallel criminal matter in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to one co

Christians faced widespread harassment in 2015, but mostly in Christian-majority countries

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BY KATAYOUN KISHI7 COMMENTS

Vice President Mike Pence recently drew attention to the persecution of Christians around the world, telling a summit in Washington, D.C., that “no people of faith today face greater hostility or hatred than the followers of Christ.” In the same speech, Pence singled out “the suffering of Christians in the Middle East,” promising that the U.S. would act to protect Christians in that part of the world.

Some of the vice president’s statements on Christian persecution comport with data from a recent Pew Research Center report on global religious restrictions in 2015. Christians have been harassed in more countries than any other religious group and have suffered harassment in many of the heavily Muslim countries of the Middle East and North Africa. But the report also shows that this widespread harassment is due in part to the huge size and broad geographic dispersion of Christians around the world, and that the Middle East is just one of a number of regions where Christians have faced harassment.

(The Center’s recent report tracks harassment against religious groups around the world, but it does not attempt to estimate the number of victims in each country. As a result, it does not speak to the intensity of harassment in each country.)

Christians were harassed by governments or social groups in a total of 128 countries in 2015 – more countries than any other religious group, according to the report. But there also were 2.3 billion Christians in 2015, more than any other religious group. Large populations of Christians are present in all but a few parts of the world: Roughly two-thirds of the world’s countries, for example, have Christian majorities.

By contrast, smaller religious groups may not have been harassed in as many countries simply because they are not present in as many countries. For instance, because of their dense concentration in a small number of countries, 99% of Jews and Hindus lived in nations where members of their groups were harassed. And despite being one of the most geographically dispersed religious groups, 97% of Muslims lived in countries where harassment of Muslims occurred in 2015. (By comparison, 78% of Christians lived in places where Christians were harassed.)

Due in part to the large number of Christian-majority countries, Christians were actually harassed mostly in Christian-majority countries. In some of these countries, the Christian majority was itself harassed, often by the government. For example, in Nicaragua – where an estimated 59% of the population is Catholic – the Catholic Church reported that the government monitored its emails and telephone conversations and granted financial support for churches based on the clergy’s political affiliation. The church also reported that the Nicaraguan government used Catholic traditions and symbols when promoting political agendas, saying it undermined the church’s religious authority.

In other Christian-majority countries, Christian minority denominations were targeted. For example, in Eritrea – where Eritrean Orthodox Christianity is the dominant faith – Jehovah’s Witnesses reported being unable to obtain official identification documents because of their faith. In addition, the majority of religious prisoners in Eritrea in 2015 were Protestants, namely Pentecostals and evangelical Christians.

While Christians were harassed in countries far beyond the Middle East and North Africa, they faced significant harassment in this region, too. In Syria, for example, Christians reported that tolerance within society was on the decline as extremist groups gained influence.

And in Egypt, Christians were killed for having converted from Islam or simply because they were Christian. For example, in January and February 2015, two Christian men were killed – one of these murders was claimed by the Islamic State – in the North Sinai city of Arish, according to a Christian advocacy group with a presence in the region.

UN headquarters in New York lit up for International Yoga Day

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The United Nations headquarters in New York was lit up with the word ‘Yoga’ in commemoration of the third International Day of Yoga. Renowned actor Anupam Kher switched the illumination lights. Veteran Indian actor Anupam Kher said it was a great honor for him to illuminate the UN building here in preparation for International Day of Yoga June 21. Kher took to Twitter to thank Syed Akbaruddin, India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN.

“Great honor to illuminate the United Nations building, New York in preparation of International Day of Yoga. Thank you Akbaruddin sir,” he tweeted. The 61-year-old actor later shared a string of photographs in front of the building along with Akbaruddin. “Here are more pictures of ‘Illumination of United Nations Heaquarters’ in New York. It was great to meet honourable Syed Akbaruddin and other members,” he captioned the images.

“Yoga lights up @UN…Here’s a sneak peek of the iconic UN Headquarters building being lit up like never before for International Day of Yoga,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin tweeted. Kher also tweeted,

It is the second year in a row that the UN headquarters have been specially illuminated on the occasion of International Yoga Day. Several events have been planned by India’s Permanent Mission to the UN as well as the Indian Consulate here to mark the day.

On June 21, the mission will organize ‘Conversation on Yoga for Health’ at the UN in association with Department of Public Information and World Health Organization.

The Consulate planned its flagship Yoga event ‘Recharge at Battery Park’ in the city during which several Yoga sessions are being conducted by leading practitioners.

The Permanent Mission of India will organize a ‘Yoga Session with Yoga Masters’ at the world body’s headquarters on June 20 that will be led by Swami Chidanand Saraswati and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan shram, India and Swami Sivadasananda of Sivananda Yoga Retreat, Austria.

Chef de Cabinet of the UN Secretary general Maria Luiza Ribeiro and President of the General Assembly Ambassador Peter Thomson are special guests on the occasion.

Meanwhile, as per a PTI report, hundreds of yoga enthusiasts gathered June 18 at the historic National Mall in Washington, D.C. ahead of the third International Yoga Day to mark the event. Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Navtej Sarna said it was a moving sight to see people turning up in large numbers at the heart of the U.S. capital for the event.

“What has happened in the last three years is quite phenomenal, that this movement of pushing forward and achieving recognition of the 21st of June as the International Day of Yoga, started by Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, has brought this ancient discipline, philosophy, and practice from India into the hearts and lives of people in every corner of the globe,” he said at the event.

Sarna said the international event is neither a political movement, nor an economic movement. “This is something which is only for the benefit of all humanity at both an individual level and a macro level, because ultimately all societies in all countries are made up of human beings,” he said.

“If we have each human being who has a balanced view on life, who has achieved a kind of equilibrium inside and outside, I think ultimately will go and affect how nations govern and are governed and how they relate to each other,” Sarna said.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, in a citation, sent his best wishes for “a joyous observance” of the third International Yoga Day organized by the Indian Embassy here in association with the Friends of Yoga.

Virginia Governor Chris Van Hollen also sent his citation on the occasion in recognition of “the spiritual value that yoga and meditation offer, and with appreciation and gratitude for the organising committee’s outstanding efforts to encourage, peace, harmony and consciousness.”

Extending warm greetings to all who are gathered on the occasion, Senator Mark Warner, in his message, said the event provides an opportunity to celebrate one of the many important traditions of the Indian culture, yoga.

“The appeal of this ancient, holistic tradition crosses cultural boundaries and increases international understanding and friendship. I hope all of the attendees enjoy taking part in today’s activities,” said Warner, a Ranking Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus.

Warner said he remains very optimistic about Indo-U.S. relationship, and continues to believe that they can make great strides together. “As two of the world’s largest democracies, and with the incredible Indian American population that contributes so much to our culture, commerce and community in this country, it is critical for us to continue to deepen and broaden the existing framework of partnership and friendship.

Hina Trivedi received the Melwin Jones Fellow award for Dedicated Humanitarian Services from the Lions Club international foundation

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By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Hina Trivedi serves Chicago Indo-US Lions Club (President), GOPIO Chicago (Former President), Federations of Indian Associations (Former President) and many more organization.

Renowned Chicago based social activist  Miss Hina Trivedi received Melwin Jones Fellow award from Lions Club International foundation president for Dedicated Humanitarian services. Melvin jones Fellow award is very prestigious award at International level. She is also being appointed as a host committee member for 100 years

completion of Lions club international foundation celebration convection which is going to be held at Chicago from 29th June to 4th July.

She recently also got Exemplary Community Service Award for outstanding and dedicated service to the general welfare of the Asian American community in the state of Illinois  from Asian American Coalition Of Chicago at 16th Annual Asian American Festival hosted by The Asian American Community. Lion Hina Trivedi received many Honors and Awards in past.

Lion Hina Trivedi serves the Asian community with their needs by being a translator as she is multilingual in 7 different languages. She help community people for Green Card interviews, Voter registration, Medicare, Medicaid, and gives many legal and social services. She always believe in helping Senior citizens by guiding them towards medical, federal, social security benefits

Ms Trivedi tried to spread awareness in 2nd and 3rd Generation Indians living in USA towards their native country India through social-economic and other prospective programs so they can build strong future relationships between both the countries. She also raised issues nonresident Indians facie during their visit to India. She also attended Pravasi Haryana Divas 2017 held at Guru Gram on the personal invitation of Chief Minister Mr. Manoharlal Khattar. She was also invited to Vibrant Gujarat 2017 and also attended the republic day parade on 26th January at New Delhi as a Special Guest during her Delhi visit.

She went to Sushma Swaraj’s residence to meet her and greeted her for speedy and healthy recovery. She visited various cities and villages of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana to spread awareness about Swatchh Bharat Abhiyaan and helped poor children with food and clothes. She was accompanied by her team and many volunteers from across India

BRICS to lead efforts to eradicate hunger, poverty by 2030

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With the clock ticking toward the 2030 deadline for meeting the international goals to eradicate hunger and poverty, five of the world’s most important emerging economies are well positioned to take a leading role in helping to achieve these objectives, according to the United Nations.

The five countries, known collectively as the “BRICS” (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), form an important economic block, the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on June 16 reported.

They account for more than 40 per cent of the world’s population and over 20 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Together, they produce more than one-third of global cereal production. Last year, Russia became the largest wheat exporter in the world.

“The BRICS countries play an important political role in the international arena. Developing countries around the world look to your successes in economic development over the past few decades as an example to follow,” said Kundhavi Kadiresan, Assistant Director-General and FAO’s Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, during the 7th Meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Agriculture, in Nanjing, China.

“Your experiences provide a path that can help us all meet our global collective commitments, namely those of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and the Paris climate accord.”

Kadiresan pointed out that, despite trends towards urbanization, poverty in the world today is primarily rural. As a result, accelerating rural development will be key to achieving the SDGs.

“The question is how can we do this? Our experiences in countries in different parts of the world have shown that it can best be done through a combination of agricultural growth and targeted social protection, but also through growth in the rural nonfarm economy,” she said.

“Agriculture can be a driver of sustained and inclusive rural growth. In low-income countries, growth originating from agriculture is twice as effective in reducing poverty as growth originating from other sectors of the economy.”

Equally important is that all the tools, approaches and technologies developed “must be useful and accessible to poor family farmers in developing countries” so that they can increase production and productivity.

Achieving agricultural growth would also require investments in research and development, and the BRICS countries could play a leading role in this, as all five countries have strong agricultural research systems that are working on many of the challenges faced by developing countries, such as feeding a growing population in a sustainable way, according to FAO.

“Biotechnology would also play a key role in these advances, as would agro-ecological approaches. Climate-smart agriculture will be essential to adapt to the uncertain changes facing our farmers, and it will rely heavily on cutting-edge research.”

Information and Communication Technologies are becoming more widespread by the day, and they offer a promising approach to address many of the challenges smallholders face with regard to information on prices, weather forecasts, vaccines, financial services, and much more.

Agricultural growth, as important as it is, cannot eradicate hunger and poverty all by itself – social protection programs can also play a key role in rural development, the UN specialised body says.

These programs have important poverty reduction and health benefits, and can also strengthen the confidence of family farmers, encouraging them to become more entrepreneurial, it explains. “Brazil’s Fome Zero and India’s National Rural Employment Guarantee Act are global references in this regard.”

Kadiresan stressed that it is important not to overlook the key role played by the rural non-farm economy in fostering rural development. “As economies transform, most farm households obtain significant income from activities other than farming. The income from these activities provides not only a higher standard of living, but also a more stable one in many cases. Governments play a key role in encouraging this transformation by investing in rural health and education,” she said.

“While these investments are typically not within the Ministry of Agriculture’s mandate, we must support such investments, as they are in the interest of our rural constituents. Where would any of us be today without the opportunities provided by our former teachers and a strong educational system?”

International trade could also serve as an effective instrument in promoting food security and act as an adaptation tool to climate change. When an inevitable bad harvest occurs, as it does in every country at some stage, timely imports can help to rebalance the domestic food economy.

Shariq Ahmad becomes chairman of NJ town Democratic Committee

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Shariq Ahmad, who was a former staffer for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and a chief-of-staff to Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak, has recently become chairman of the Edison Democratic Organization.

“We’d been trying to get him to come back home from DC for a while, but he seemed to enjoy being down there in the Senate. He’s a very talented guy, and now that we have him back, I’m proud that he’s on my team,” Karabinchak told the Observer.

In an agonizing duel to rule Edison, one fraught with history, fractious fighting, incredibly strange bedfellows, and ultimately revenge, Shariq Ahmad prevailed at the Pines Manor last week by turning out incumbent Keith Hahn for the chairmanship of the local Democratic Committee. Hahn lost to Ahmad by one vote.

The final was 71-70 Ahmad, as the sitting chairman failed to diffuse an insurrection by minority members of the committee, which came tinged with the byzantine bloom of establishment politics – and the fierce resurrection of a local political animal.

Ahmad serves as the chief of staff to Assemblyman Robert Karibinchak (D-18), who got to the statehouse in part politically owing to a deal Hahn cut with the Middlesex Democratic Committee, presumably to keep his chairmanship, with his further support sealed for incumbent Mayor Tom Lankey. The surfacing of a warpaint-wearing Ahmad as an 11th hour challenger infuriated Hahn fans, who feared the complicity of the Middlesex Democratic Party brain trust and a quiet tomahawking of their chief.

Phil Murphy for Governor had strong ties to Ahmad, while Hahn was an early backer of Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulup for Governor. Dogged by years of headline headaches concerning ranks that often blocked out minority leadership, the establishment found itself with a unique opportunity to gong that narrative while simultaneously off-loading wild man Hahn.

“I always knew from when I first came in that I was going to be a transitional guy. I think the party will be in good hands with Shariq moving forward,” Hahn told MyCentralJersey.com. “He has a great relationship with the Mayor and Council and we are happy he came home to serve the residents of the 18th District,” Hahn said to the Observer.

“I’m excited, I want to do what I can to bring the different leaders in Edison together and I think I am uniquely positioned to do that because I have a good working relationship with people on all sides,” Ahmad told MyCentralJersey.com. “I aim to help heal some of the wounds that have opened over the last few years,” he said to nj.com.

Bancorp, Inc. to acquire New Jersey-based Indus-American Bank

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BCB Bancorp, Inc., based in Bayonne, the holding company for BCB Community Bank, has announced it has entered into a definitive merger agreement, with IA Bancorp, Inc., pursuant to which the company will acquire IAB and its wholly owned subsidiary, I n d u s – A m e r i c a n Bank. Upon consummation of the merger, Indus- American Bank will merge with BCB Community Bank and will operate as a division of BCB Community Bank. Following the closing of the merger, BCB will form an advisory board which will consist of current members of the IAB board of directors and other prominent community members.

Indus-American Bank, which has its headquarters in Edison, operates full-service branches in Edison, Jersey City, Parsippany and Plainsboro, and Hicksville, New York. Indus-American Bank was founded primarily to meet the banking needs of the South Asian- American community. Indus-American Bank specializes in core business banking products for small- to medium-sized companies, with an emphasis on real estate-based lending. Mark D. Hogan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company, stated, “We are extremely excited and pleased to welcome Indus-American customers and employees to BCB. Our partnership with Indus-American is consistent with BCB’s strategic plan of executing smart growth via expansions and organic branching. This transaction will allow the combined entities to further develop our existing markets in Jersey City and Edison, and will provide further opportunities in Parsippany, Plainsboro and Hicksville, New York, three new, attractive markets for BCB.”

The total transaction value is approximately $20 million, including the assumption by BCB of approximately $7.5 million of IAB preferred stock, outstanding shares of IAB common stock of approximately 4.18 million and based on a 10- day volume weighted average price of BCB common stock. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, which both boards of directors have approved, IAB shareholders shall be entitled to elect to receive either 0.189 shares of BCB common stock or $3.05 in cash for each share of IAB common stock, subject to an overall allocation of exchanged IAB shares into 80% BCB common stock and 20% cash.

The closing and the systems’ conversion is anticipated to occur in the fourth quarter of 2017, subject to approval by IAB shareholders, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. On a pro forma basis, the transaction is expected to be accretive to the Company’s 2018 earnings by approximately 10% per share, with tangible book value per share dilution of approximately 1.3% and an earn-back period of approximately 1.2 years.

Anil Bansal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IAB, said, “We believe our loyal Indus-American Bank customers and shareholders will greatly benefit from this merger. BCB is a true community bank, with a history of a very strong commitment to its customers and the communities it serves.

This merger will bring expanded lending capacity, supplementary retail and business products and added capital, which should enable our combined organizations to better serve our customers, to continue growing in our marketplaces, and to further enhance shareholder value.”

Thomas Coughlin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the company and the Bank, added, “BCB is excited to be partnering with IAB and Indus-American Bank. Indus- American Bank’s branch locations complement BCB’s current locations. BCB will continue Indus-American Bank’s commitment of service to its customers and its communities. The existing Indus- American branches will operate and be known as “BCB-Indus-American Bank, a division of BCB Community Bank,” in recognition of the strong identity forged over the years by Indus-American Bank.”

The merger will add approximately $235 million to the Company’s asset base, based on IAB’s assets as of March 31, 2017. Following completion of the merger, the Company will have total assets of over $2 billion, based on IAB’s and BCB’s respective assets as of March 31, 2017. The merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals and IAB shareholder approval. The merger is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Gov. Cuomo orders probe after NRI asks immigration status of tenants

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Jaideep Reddy, an Indian American landlord in Queens, New York, has apologized for having sent letters to the tenants in his building demanding they prove they are in the country legally or risk eviction, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

State Sen. Jose Peralta, furious upon learning about the letters, filed a complaint on June 19 with the state attorney general’s office, the report said. When confronted by media, landlord Jaideep Reddy apologized. “That’s wrong,” he said. “I’ll retract that. I’m sorry.”

Peralta said the owners of the property in Corona violated the rights of the tenants by sending the letters. “This is unreal, and sadly, it seems that it’s open season against immigrants since the election of Donald Trump,” he said. “I am not going to tolerate this, or any other form of discrimination.”

City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito told media the letter is “abhorrent.” “We knew that something like this was bound to happen when people feel emboldened in this climate to defy the laws and intimidate people,” she said. “At the end of the day, what this is about is probably getting people out of the apartment so they can raise the rent.”

Reddy, a physician who lives in Glen Head, Long Island, told The News the letter was the result of over a year’s frustration of trying to gain access to the apartments to make electrical repairs following a fire, and said his electrician drafted the letter. “Each apartment has 12 people in there—is that safe?” he queried.

Gov. Cuomo, meanwhile, became involved in the story when on June 19 he directed the state Division on Human Rights as well as other departments to investigate the actions, adding that the probe would seek to determine if the problem exists elsewhere in the state, according to The News, which reported exclusively on the issue June 18.

Amazon unveils 1st Indian original series ‘Inside Edge’

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Amazon has unveiled a teaser for its first Indian original drama series, Inside Edge, which seeks to capitalize on the country’s national sporting obsession, cricket. The series will launch on July 10 and will stream on Prime Video worldwide in over 200 countries. Inside Edge follows the ups and downs of the fictional Mumbai Mavericks professional cricket team through a season of the Powerplay League, a fictional version of the lucrative Indian Premier League. According to Amazon, the series is set “in a landscape of conflicting interests, where selfishness is almost a virtue, where sex, money and power are mere means to an end.”

The series is executive produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar who head leading Bollywood banner Excel Entertainment. Its credits include Dil Chahta Hai, Lakshya and last year’s Raees starring Shah Rukh Khan, among other titles.

Inside Edge is created by Karan Anshuman and stars Vivek Oberoi, Richa Chadha, Sanjay Suri, Angad Bedi, Tanuj Virwani, Siddhanth Chaturvedi, Sarah Jane Dias and Amit Sial.

Prime Video has 18 Indian originals at various stages of development via deals signed with a range of producers. In addition to Inside Edge, Excel has also been signed on to produce two other shows, Mirzapur and Made in Heaven.

Since the video giant launched in India last December, Amazon has been building on its local content offerings via a slew of licensing deals with leading banners to offer blockbuster movies covering Bollywood to regional cinema. In addition, Prime Video also offers a wide range of homegrown comedy content via stand-up specials featuring some of India’s leading comics.

Meanwhile, rival Netflix has also commissioned its first Indian series, Sacred Games, produced by Phantom Films, whose founders include well-known film-maker Anurag Kashyap. Phantom has also been signed by Amazon to produce two shows, Stardust and The Family Man.

Sree Sreenivasan resigns as Chief Digital Officer in New York Mayor’s Administration

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New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration took another hit recently with chief digital officer Sree Sreenivasan leaving his post. The Indian American’s May 12 departure marks the eighth high-profile exit from City Hall within the past year, according to a New York Post report.
The former Metropolitan Museum of Art chief digital officer joined de Blasio’s team in October last year. He didn’t give a reason for his sudden resignation, the Post reported. Mayoral spokesman Ben Sarle declined to discuss the circumstances surrounding Sreenivasan’s departure in the Post report, but said the move was in line with a reworking of the City Hall tech team.
“We wish Sree all the best,” Sarle said in a statement cited by the report. “Moving forward, it was a natural fit to centralize digital strategy under the chief technology officer, Miguel Gamino.” Sreenivasan was appointed to the post in New York City in August 2016, with de Blasio praising the Indian American co-founder of the South Asian Journalists Association’s experience that would help “move our city’s digital ecosystem into the 21st century” At the time, Sreenivasan said about being named to the post, “It’s a real honor for me to serve as the CDO of the world’s greatest city.”
Prior to his work at City Hall, Sreenivasan served for three years as the first Chief Digital Officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he led a 70-person team to increase the museum’s digital presence. In October 2015, he was appointed by Mayor de Blasio to the Commission on Public Information and Communication (COPIC), where he worked to increase access to, and education about, City information online. Before his work at the Met, he spent 20 years as a member of faculty of the Columbia Journalism School and a year as Columbia University’s first Chief Digital Officer. He was a founding member and contributing editor at neighborhood news site DNAinfo, and throughout his career, he has written for various publications, including the New York Times, and was a popular technology reporter on WABC-TV, WNBC-TV and WCBS-TV.
An immigrant from India, Sreenivasan was born in Japan and lived in Bhutan, the former Soviet Union, New York City, Myanmar, India and Fiji before receiving a Bachelor’s degree in History from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi and receiving a Master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University in 1993. He is a proud graduate of P.S. 6 in Manhattan and also attended St. Joseph’s of Yorkville. He and his wife, Roopa Unnikrishnan, a Rhodes Scholar and innovation consultant, live in Manhattan and are parents of twins who study in a NYC public school.
Sreenivasan replaces Jessica Singleton, who stepped down last month, according to govtech.com, to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School. Days after he had to resign from his $328,900-a-year job at Met, Sreenivasan described in an interview to Quartz magazine how he pulled off turning “a public firing into a masterpiece of personal branding” —and how his methods might work. “He demonstrated a deft, natural mastery of his medium, social media, and gave his network the ammo they would need to help him out of his predicament,” the magazine wrote.
The City of New York is dedicated to improving engagement with residents and businesses by developing tools that will enhance government transparency, improve delivery of City services, and promote civic engagement. The Office of Digital Strategy (NYC Digital) works closely with the Mayor’s Office of Operations, Mayor’s Office of Data Analytics, NYC Economic Development Corporation, NYC Law Department, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, NYC & Co, Mayor’s Office of Technology and Innovation, Department of Small Business Services, and the Mayor’s Communication’s Office to help develop forward-thinking policies and usage for digital tools to better serve the public and support the growth of New York City’s tech ecosystem.

Vegetarian Vision celebrates 25th anniversary celebrations

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Vegetarian Vision founded in 1992 by H.K. and Malti Shah is organizing its 25th year International convention, a two day event on September 9th and 10th in the heart of Manhattan at Penn Pavilion Convention Center opposite Madison Square Garden, 401 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 1001.

Chairman H.K. Shah and President, Chandra Mehta along with the entire team started the preparations a year ago to execute various activities planned for this mega event including a dozen world renowned speakers on ” Healthy Life / Healthy Planet ” plant based diet’s effect on health and planet by world renowned physicians, nutritionists, environmentalists, animal protectionists, vegetarian and vegan dignitaries.

Various food demonstrations and recipes will be displayed by celebrity chefs throughout the two day event. All ethnic mouthwatering food items will be available at various stalls and booths. About 100 exhibitor booths have been planned. World famous yoga gurus have been invited to speak and  demonstrate.

For many, this will be a fun filling  weekend enjoying the fashions shows, comedy, Mr. and Mrs. Vegetarian Pageant, Bollywood/Hollywood entertainment. Various dignitaries have been invited from all over the world. There will an appreciation Gala dinner on Saturday evening.

Vegetarian vision organizes multiple events every year. World renowned speakers are invited to discuss benefits of plant based diets on human health and the planet. Turkey free thanksgiving, vegetarian pageants, cruises are organized involving the community on a larger scale. . The organization also strives to work with hospitals, airlines, schools, restaurants to introduce vegetarian food / add more options. Yoga, meditation, stress management are also significant part of organization’s activities.

Past Presidents Kenny Desai, Animesh Goenka, Naveeen Shah, AIA president Sunil Modi, Vinod Shah, Flora Parikh have been working tirelessly. Nitin Vyas has been working side by side with H. K. Shah and Chandra Mehta on daily basis. Over 25,000 attendees are expected to participate in this event.  Registration, Sponsorship, exhibitors and detail activities could be found on the website www.vegetarianvision.org

Nexus Social Adult Day Care Center inaugurated

Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Nexus SOCIAL ADULT DAY CARE  Center, a company dedicated to providing non-medical services to Medicaid recipients who qualify for managed long term care program, was inaugurated in Floral Park, NY on June 8th this year.  NEXUS is dedicated to serving a diverse community of  Southeast Asian  and Caribbean communities have kick-started our campaign and the results have been astounding.

This Grand Opening Event was attended by more than 120 seniors, HOME CARE AGENCIES, and community leaders from the metropolitan area.

A special guest attendee was Senior Advisor of Nassau County Comptroller Hon. Dilip Chauhan. In his speech Chauhan stated that it was a need for the community to have Social Adult Day Center in this area, “I am delighted to have a senior center for our elders where they can have health education, checkups, exercise programs and other activities.  Mr. Chauhan also presented  Citation on behalf of Nassau County Comptroller Hon. George Maragos on the occasion of Grand Opening.

Owner of Nexus Senor Center  Gurdeep  Singh stated that he is very excited about the opportunity to provide the  senior community with such services and he is grateful for everyone support. Also he thanked Nassau County Comptroller Hon. George Maragos as well as Senior Advisor Dilip Chauhan for their support. There were traditional Bhangra Dance, Bollywood dance and many more entertaining program with delicious food.

Surendran Nair, a Cuckoonebulopolis: (Flora and) Fauna at Aicon Gallery

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Aicon Gallery is presenting Cuckoonebulopolis: (Flora and) Fauna, the first major New York solo exhibition by Baroda-based artist Surendran Nair. The exhibition is a collection of paintings and drawings inspired by The Birds, a play by the Greek playwright Aristophanes. In the play, a man convinces birds to establish their new city in the clouds, later named Cloud Cuckoo Land, which translates to Cuckoonebulopis. At the heart of Nair’s work is the notion of this nebulous utopia – he reflects on the strange, ironic, and sometimes improbable possibilities that humans dream of when designing a utopia.

The cycle of works, Cuckoonebulopolis, has grown immensely since early 2000, when Nair first took on the project. He draws and paints his imagined actors from The Birds, dressed in elaborate costumes and masks, taking on the identity of various birds (flamingos, owls, sparrows and pelicans, to name a few). His loose, long, and whimsical titles hint at his initially lighthearted and humorous approach; however, as he realized the nuances between the “cuckoo” birds and their utopia, Nair clarified their relationship to the clouds with his unique iconography, drawing from traditional performing arts, history and mythology, and the real and imaginary.

The works, however, are not in any way meant as arguments against or in favor of any particular manifestation of utopian desires. Nair’s interest in utopia stops at the very basic threshold, where and when it makes one compelled to imagine something other than what is already in existence. It is not the proposal for an alternative future that interests him, but the critical engagement with the present. This idea is then employed as a backdrop, a theatrical device, to sharpen the contours of Nair’s images whilst they are at play, to accentuate the tenor of whatever they may address.

“Nair regards painting as no less interactive a medium than the installation or the digital interface: a coded yet inviting communication around which artist and viewer choreograph a productive dialogue. The act of painting is, for Nair, an offering of metaphors to his viewers: metaphors from which they can gauge the curve of the artist’s imagination while also staging their own imaginative departures. Accordingly, the emphasis shifts between the artistic imagination and the viewerly one, from one painting to another. The artist indicates that some of his works are programmed in a relatively open-ended fashion; they function as scripts, around which viewers can improvise their own performances: some of Nair’s paintings dedicated to the figure of the actor, such as I Beg Your Pardon: The Scorpion Act II – an actor meditating on a character of an imaginary play (Cuckoonebulopolis, 2002), function in this manner.”

Surendran Nair studied Painting at the College of Fine Arts in Kerala and completed a post diploma in Printmaking at the University of Baroda in India. He has had several solo shows of his work apart from participating in prominent group exhibitions. Recent solo exhibitions include Spatial Arrangements of Colors, Lines, Forms and Desires, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, India (2015), Surendran Nair: Drawings, Print and Watercolours (1970s-1990s), Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi, India (2015), Neti Neti, Frey Norris Gallery, San Francisco, CA, U.S. (2010), and The Bad Behaviour of Singularities, presented by Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, India (2006).

Prominent group exhibitions include Whorled Explorations curated by Jitish Kallat, Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Kochi, India (2015), Looking Glass: The Existence of Difference, Twenty Indian Contemporary Artists presented by Religare Arts Initiative, New Delhi in collaboration with American Centre; British Council; Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi, India (2010), Anxious, Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Mumbai, India (2008), Horn Please: Narratives in Indian Contemporary Art, Kunnst Museum, Bern, Switzerland, Edge of Desire: Recent Art In India, Asia Society Museum, New York (2005), Capital and Karma – Recent Positions in Indian Art, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, Austria (2002), and The 1st Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan (1999).

The exhibition will run from June 29 – August 5, 2017, with the press preview on Thursday, June 29th, 2017, 6:00 – 8:00pm at the Gallery on 35 Great Jones St., New York NY 10012.

Sanjeev Kulkarni appointed dean of the faculty at Princeton University

Staff ReporterEducation 0

 

President Christopher L. Eisgruber recommended the appointment, which the Board of Trustees approved at their June 5 meeting. Kulkarni will succeed Deborah Prentice, who will become University provost on July 1.
“Sanj Kulkarni has served with distinction as dean of the Graduate School, and I am delighted that he has agreed to take on this new role,” Eisgruber said. “His own interdisciplinary research, his wide-ranging service to the University and his leadership of the Graduate School have given him a deep appreciation for the values shared throughout our University and the scholarly practices that distinguish our departments.
“Sanj is a wise counselor and an effective administrator who is dedicated to ensuring our faculty’s quality and well-being. I am confident that he will be an excellent dean of the faculty,” Eisgruber said.
Kulkarni, who became dean of the Graduate School in April 2014, is an associated faculty member in the Department of Operations Research and Financial Engineering (ORFE) and in the Department of Philosophy.
Kulkarni said he is delighted to have the opportunity to serve the University in this new role. “Faculty are the foundation of any great university, and it will be a pleasure and an honor to work with and support Princeton’s outstanding faculty. I look forward to working with scholars, teachers, and researchers across the full range of academic departments and programs at the University,” he said.
As dean of the Graduate School, Kulkarni led the strategic planning Task Force on the Future of the Graduate School, implemented a sixth-year funding program for graduate students in the humanities and social sciences, and with the dean for research implemented tuition matching funds for faculty who support fourth- and fifth-year graduate students on sponsored research.
Under Kulkarni’s leadership, the Graduate School created an assistant dean position for professional development and developed a number of new programs including the University Administrative Fellows, opportunities for collaborative teaching between Princeton faculty and graduate students, and a partnership with Mercer County Community College to provide teaching opportunities and mentorship for Princeton graduate students.
Over the past three years, the Graduate School also increased the diversity of entering graduate student cohorts, enhanced student life activities, boosted the integration of graduate students into the University community, and advanced discussions on housing for graduate students as part of the University’s campus planning effort. Kulkarni has also been active in alumni engagement, hosting events on campus and visiting alumni groups across the country and abroad.
Kulkarni has had a distinguished career as a researcher, educator and administrator at Princeton, where he joined the faculty in 1991. He served as associate dean for academic affairs in the School of Engineering and Applied Science from 2003 to 2005; was the head of Butler College, an undergraduate residential college, from 2004 to 2012; and from 2011 to 2014 was director of the Keller Center, which has the broad aim to “educate leaders for a technology-driven society.”
Kulkarni holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics, all from Clarkson University. After completing a master’s degree in electrical engineering at Stanford University, he earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
His research interests include statistical pattern recognition, machine learning, nonparametric estimation, information theory, wireless networks, signal/image/video processing, and econometrics and finance. He has worked extensively with colleagues in philosophy, computer science, psychology and ORFE.
Kulkarni received an Army Research Office Young Investigator Award in 1992, and a National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award in 1994. He has also received several teaching awards at Princeton, including the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2007, and seven awards from the Undergraduate Engineering Council for courses on computer vision, image processing, and signals and systems.
Kulkarni is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and he has served as an associate editor for the IEEE Transactions on Information Theory. He is on the Board of Trustees for Clarkson University.
He has served as a trustee of Princeton University Press, and has been on the Healthier Princeton Advisory Board, the Frist Campus Center Advisory Board and the Alcohol Coalition Committee. He currently serves on the Sustainability Steering Council, the faculty advisory committee for Labyrinth Books and the Princeton Entrepreneurship Council.
Prentice, Princeton’s Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs, was named dean of the faculty in 2014 after serving for 12 years as the chair of the Department of Psychology. As provost, she will succeed David S. Lee, a professor of economics and public affairs who is returning to the faculty.
Prentice will lead a committee to search for a successor to Kulkarni, and its work will begin immediately. During the interim, Cole Crittenden, deputy dean of the Graduate School, will serve as acting dean.

American Muslim Council hosts 6th Interfaith Ramadan Dinner

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The American Muslim Council hosted their 6th Annual Grand Interfaith Ramadan Dinner or Iftar at the Royal Albert Palace in Edison, NJ on Thursday, June 15th, 2017 with theme, “Standing United for Humanity.” Various Faith Clergy Members spoke on the topic of “Standing United For Humanity'”, the theme of the Interfaith Ramadan Iftar event.

American Muslims from across New Jersey and around the world have been observing the holy month of Ramadan where they fast from dawn to sunset in an effort to reconnect spiritually and to be grateful for their many blessings. It is a time to better one’s character, to ask for forgiveness, to be more compassionate through acts of kindness and charity. The breaking of the fast at sunset is called the Iftar. The Annual Interfaith Ramadan Iftar to be held on June 15th, 2017 will bring over 700 people together from diverse faith communities across New Jersey to celebrate the blessed month of Ramadan with New Jersey Muslim leaders.

“American Muslims are part of the fabric of American society,” said American Muslim Council Founder & Chairman, Sam Khan.   “The purpose of this Iftar is for our community to break bread with our various faith communities during the month of Ramadan so we can come together to honor those who share our values of community service and work for the good of humanity.”

The event was attended by numerous elected officials. Confirmed representatives including Senator Linda Greenstein, Senator Samuel Thompson, Senator Raymond Lesniak, Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak, Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin, Mayor John McCormac, Mayor Thomas Lankey, Mayor Brad Cohen, Freeholder Assad Akhter, Freeholder Brian Levine and others.

There were representatives from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation who will be speaking at the event. The keynote speaker was Dr. Wahy-ud Deen Shareef, the Imam of Masjid Waarith ud Deen of Irvington, NJ., and Essma Bengabsia, President of the Muslim Network.

The American Muslim Council presented awards to some individuals and organizations including  Dr. Ali Chaudry, Senator Raymond Lesniak, Make the Road NJ, NJ Muslim Lawyer Association, Muslim League of Voters, and the New Jersey Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations.

The American Muslim Council recognized the American Muslim Action Network, the NJ Muslim Voter Project, Masjid-E-Ali and Action Together NJ, for their service to the community. There was a prayer and a moment of silence observed for all victims of hate at the event.

The MCs were Azra Baig, a South Brunswick Board of Education Member and Community Activist, and Ahmed Al-Shebab, Board member of CAIR National and CAIR-NJ. The American Muslim Council is a New Jersey-based organization that promotes Muslim civic participation in the United States of America. The Mission of American Muslim Council is to organize the American Muslim Community in mainstream public affairs, civic engagement, party politics and community outreach.

Honor Oak Creek Through Seva

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This year, the nation is commemorating the fifth anniversary of the tragic August 5, 2012 shooting in the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Gurdwara (Sikh house of worship). The Sikh Coalition has encouraged all to join the many cities organizing National Day of Seva (selfless community service) events across the country.

“As we honor the six Sikh community members who lost their lives and continue to pray for those who were critically injured, we recognize that preventing and combatting hate must remain our top priority,” a statement issued here said.

On August 5, 2017 the Coalition will hold its annual National Day of Seva to commemorate the lives lost and pay tribute to the Oak Creek community that is forever impacted. These National Day of Seva events are an opportunity to show the Oak Creek community and the American public that your sangat stands in solidarity with communities impacted by hate. It’s also a chance to build interfaith bridges with other community partners, educate neighbors about Sikhism through media work, and pay tribute to the innocent lives needlessly taken on August 5, 2012.

“This year, we’re expecting enormous turnout across the country in our shared effort to make sure that no American forgets what happened in Oak Creek,” said Executive Director, Sapreet Kaur.  “Hate in America is on the rise and impacts so many communities, but we have an opportunity to stand up and lead out in pushing back on this problem.”

Recycling Pencils and Water are Projects winning PEYA Awards

Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

Aryan and Om Mulgaokar, now living in Ridgewood, N.J., are among the national winners of the 2017 PEYAs announced in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1971, the awards program recognizes young people for their outstanding efforts to protect the nation’s air, water, land and ecology. Nebraska-based 6th grader Aryan Mulgaokar and his brother, kindergartener Om, have been awarded for their project, “REVIVE Go Green — Reuse and Recycling of Pencils.”

Every year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gives special recognition and a presidential plaque to the President’s Environmental Youth Award regional winners. This year, among the many winners whose outstanding environmental projects have been recognized, there are at least four Indian American students.

The national award is presented each year to K-12 students who demonstrate the initiative, creativity, and problem-solving skills needed to address environmental problems and find sustainable solutions.

After realizing how many of their partially used pencils were left over each year, the Indian American brothers decided to implement a project to promote environmental awareness and a habit of reusing and recycling school supplies, like pencils. The students named their project “REVIVE Go Green” to reflect the completion of the life cycle of a pencil, when composted pencils can be used to grow or revive new trees.

Though the brothers won the PEYA regional award for EPA Region 7, they recently moved to New Jersey, where they plan on expanding the project to their new school district.

“Today, we are pleased to honor these impressive young leaders, who demonstrate the impact that a few individuals can make to protect our environment,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “These students are empowering their peers, educating their communities, and demonstrating the STEM skills needed for this country to thrive in the global economy.”

The brothers are being recognized for their recycling project at Aldrich Elementary in the Millard School District in Omaha. The project focused on recycling used pencils, partnering with the school, classmates, and a local landscaping nursery, Mulhall’s Nursery, to collect discarded and broken pencils and either sharpen them for reuse or recycle them (as shavings) for use in the nursery’s compost.

Aryan stated, “What caught my attention was that two boxes of pencils appeared on the school supply list every year. I realized that so many pencils get thrown out in the trash every year at homes nationwide and trees are cut down for them. I knew I could find a solution to this problem.”

The brothers encouraged their elementary and middle-school classmates to volunteer their time to collect damaged pencils. At the end of the school year, more than 4,000 pencils were returned to the school stockroom for reuse during the next school term, a cost savings of approximately $850. The brothers also started a student group and engaged many throughout the two schools to participate and learn more about how to recycle.

Thirteen-year-old Shreya Ramachandran, of Fremont, Calif., will receive the honor for her study of grey water use in water conservation. Having seen firsthand the effects of drought in California and in India, high-schooler Ramachandran formed “The Grey Water Project” to encourage people to conserve and reuse water. Over three years of research into water conservation, the Indian American student has particularly focused on the possibility of reusing grey water, which is lightly used water, especially from laundry.

Arya Bairat, an Indian American student from Connecticut, is also part of a group of 9th graders who have won the regional award for EPA Region 1 with their project, “Synthesis of Low Cost, Biodegradable Masks/Bags Using Novel Material Combinations: A Sustainability Project.”

The PEYA program promotes awareness of our nation’s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. It celebrates student leadership in service projects to protect the environment and build a livable, sustainable global community. Fourteen projects are being recognized this year, from 12 states (Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, California, and Washington).

Additional projects include a wide variety of activities that range from developing a biodegradable plastic using local agricultural waste product; designing an efficient, environmentally-friendly mosquito trap using solar power and compost by-product; saving approximately 2,000 tadpoles and raising adult frogs and toads; repurposing more than 25,000 books; organizing recycling programs to benefit disaster victims and underserved community members; and promoting bee health.

Indian basketball player Kavita Akula signs with Grand Canyon University in Kansas

Staff ReporterSports 0

Kavita Akula, an Indian basketball player aged 21, has become the first Indian-born female basketball player to get a full scholarship to a Division 1 (D1) college — Grand Canyon University — in the United States.D1 is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the US. D1 is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the US.

Akula is born in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, India and comes from a family of basketball players with her aunt and stepbrother being two of them.She was just 10 years when she made the winning shot for her state defeating Kerala and was then tutored by Rajesh Patel, India’s leading basketball coach making her one of the best female players in the country.

“I want her to stand on her own feet and lead a great life and that would be hard in this small hometown,” her mother said, hinting at the educational opportunities that her daughter wouldn’t receive in their hometown.

At the age of 14, Akula was one of the eight Indian recipients of a basketball scholarship to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida where she received the opportunity to be in one of the best sports training programs in the world and received an exceptional education.

Under the coaching of WNBA player Shell Dailey at IMG, Akula has learned that in the United States there are many more opportunities for female basketball players than back home.

Dailey said that she was impressed by Akula’s outside shooting skills and after a game of H-O-R-S-E, a shooting game in which participants earn a letter for each shot made, she appointed Akula from point guard to shooting guard. “I could see why [her coaches in India] would want her to play point guard, because she has excellent leadership skills and she is very clear in her directions,” Dailey said.

She was just 10 years old when she made the winning shot for her state defeating Kerala and was then tutored by Rajesh Patel, India’s leading basketball coach making her one of the best female players in the country. Akula had always wanted to either play the sport professionally or coach it in India but her mom wanted more than that. “I want her to stand on her own feet and lead a great life, and that would be hard in this small hometown,” her mother said to ESPN, hinting at the educational opportunities that her daughter wouldn’t receive in their hometown.

Rep. Tom Suozzi joins Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans

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Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-L.I., Queens), who earlier this year honored his campaign pledge to join the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, was greeted by nearly 60 supporters from the Indian-American community on June 3 at a reception in Albertson, Long Island. The gathering was organized by the Indian American Voters Forum, a bipartisan body of community activists.
Nearly 60 prominent members of the Indian community gathered at the reception to applaud Suozzi, including Dr. Dattatreyudu Nori; Dr. Ajay Lodha, President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin; H K Shah, Founder of Vegetarian Vision, Chandra Mehta, President of Vegetarian Vision; Dr. Urmilesh Arya, Sunil Modi and Rohit Vyas, all three former Presidents of the NY Chapter of the Association of Indians in America.
Also present to lend support to Suozzi were Naveen Shah, President and Chief Executive of Navika Group of Companies, a real estate investment group; Kanak Golia, President and CEO of the Perfume Center of America; and Dr. Nirmal Mattoo, former CEO of Wyckoff Hospital.
In April 2016, at a reception for the incoming Consul General of India, Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, hosted by the Indian American Voters Forum, Tom Suozzi, then a candidate for election to the US Congress, had announced that if elected, he would join the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.
On June 3rd, the Forum honored Congressman Suozzi at a special reception held after he enrolled himself in the India Caucus, in Long Island, New York. Suozzi, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said at the reception that as part of the India Caucus he hopes to play a special role in enhancing the relationship between India and the U.S.
“India and the United States share a special bond based on the shared values of democracy, the rule of law and belief in the intrinsic value of every human being,” he said. “It is essential that during these times of globalization and accelerating technology as well as threats from common enemies the United States and India strengthen our bonds of friendship and collaboration.”
Nearly 200 members of Congress were part of the India Caucus at its founding in 1992 to strengthen bilateral ties. Since then, membership dwindled as some congressional leaders retired and others lost re-election to their seats.
“Unfortunately, in the intervening years, there was no initiative by our community members to connect with their representatives to join the caucus,” said Varinder Bhalla, chairman and founder of the Indian American Voters Forum.
Suozzi’s membership in the congressional caucus has seemingly galvanized the forum into persuading more members of Congress to join the caucus, with Yashpal Arya, a senior forum member, announcing at the reception that it will spearhead a drive like it did successfully with Suozzi to recruit more members of Congress into the caucus.
“Last year, we recruited Congresswoman Kathleen Rice to join the India Caucus and now we are proud to bring Congressman Suozzi into the caucus,” Bhalla said.
Dr. Yash Pal Arya, senior member of the Indian American Voters Forum, outlined its missions, including voter registration drives, screening political candidates running for elections, conducting their debates and, most importantly, spearheading a drive to recruit members of Congress into the India Caucus.
“Nearly 200 members of Congress were part of the India Caucus when it was founded in 1992, with a goal to strengthen ties between the world’s largest democracy and the world’s oldest democracy. Over the years, membership declined significantly as somecongressional leaders retired and others lost elections. Unfortunately, in the intervening years, there was no initiative by our community members to connect with their representatives to join the Caucus,” says Varinder Bhalla, Chairman and Founder of the Indian American Voters Forum.
“So we started the campaign to bring in congressional leaders into the India Caucus. In 2010, we connected with US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to join the Senate India Caucus. Last year, we recruited Congresswoman Kathleen Rice to join the House Caucus on India and Indian Americans and now we are proud to bring Congressman Suozzi into the Caucus,” he added.

Kavita P. Ahluwalia, Kavita Sivaramakrishnan awarded Innovation Grants

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Columbia University faculty members Kavita P. Ahluwalia and Kavita Sivaramakrishnan have been awarded grants from the President’s Innovation Fund for global research programs.
The Fund awards grants for faculty members to leverage and engage the eight Columbia Global Centers. The program supports projects within and across these sites, in order to increase global opportunities for research, teaching, and service. The 11 projects receiving awards this year were selected by a review committee of senior faculty drawn from both the Morningside and medical campuses.
The projects selected in this round all make use of the network of Columbia Global Centers and provide opportunities for faculty and students to address pressing global issues. Projects receiving awards focus on a diverse array of topics, ranging from religion and populism to wildfires and deforestation to urban poverty. Many are highly collaborative, with faculty members working across University departments and schools, and partnering with other academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and research consortia. The full list of funded projects can be found below.
“These projects play an essential role in realizing the potential of the Columbia Global Centers to create new opportunities for faculty and students, and in defining in tangible ways what it means for Columbia to explore new frontiers of knowledge,” a university announcement said. University Provost John H. Coatsworth announced the awards on June 1 to them and faculty in nine other projects.
Sivaramakrishnan’s project has an Indian dimension as it explores “Generativity in Deprived Urban Contexts? Older Adults’ Experiences in Slums in Mumbai, Nairobi, and among Haitian Immigrants in New York.”
Kavita P. Ahluwalia, an assistant professor of Sociomedical Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health, she works on the project with Ruth Finkelstein, an assistant professor of Health Policy and Management in the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center at the Columbia University Medical Center.
Ahluwalia’s project is on oral health. An associate professor of Dental Medicine specializing in Community Health at the Columbia University Medical Center and College of Dental Medicine, she collaborates on her project, “A Global Learning Laboratory for Oral Health Step 1: A Planning Grant to Create a Kenya-Brazil Cross-National Collaboration in Support of Research, Education and Policy,” with Stephen Nicholas, the professor of Pediatrics and Population and Family Health at the Columbia University Medical Center and College of Physicians and Surgeons.
The university said, “The (President’s Innovation) Fund awards grants for faculty members to leverage and engage the eight Columbia Global Centers. The program supports projects within and across these sites, in order to increase global opportunities for research, teaching, and service.”
A graduate of St. Stephen’s College and Trinity College of the University of Cambridge, Sivaramakrishnan received her PhD from New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Earlier Harvard University, she was the David Bell Research Fellow of Center for Population and Development Studies. Her research interests include aging and elderly, global bealth and history of public health.
Ahluwalia recveived her DDS degree from the School of Dentistry and MPH from School of Public Health, both at University of Michigan. She specializes in population based research focusing on oral health and oral health-related quality of life in the elderly.
Columbia University has nine global centers, including one in Mumbai. The university says the centers aim to “promote and facilitate the collaborative and impactful engagement of the University’s faculty, students, and alumni with the world to enhance understanding, address global challenges, and advance knowledge and its exchange.”

Shravan Kummar debuts fashion show in NJ

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Shravan Kummar, a Hyderabad based fashion-designer, made his North American fashion debut on Sunday, Jun 4th in New Jersey. His mission is to accomplish Social and Environmental Commitment to empower poor families by generating employment opportunities and by cultivating biodegradable and ecofriendly products.
In an effort to meet this objective, he has taken up the responsible initiative to promote handicrafts and workmanship from rural India – paying tribute to weavers, through “AN ODE TO WEAVES & WEAVERS’’, an annual show which showcases over a 100 weaves like the Phulia, Parsi, Srikakulam Khadi, Salem, Jamdhani, Paithani, Kerala, Kanchi, Gadwal, Pochampally, Dharmavaram, Mangalagiri, Venkatagiri, Uppada to name a few from the remotest locations of India every year. These are woven at a non-government organization called ‘The Society of Aalayam’ that Kummar personally chairs. ‘Aalayam’, not only succeeds in restoring various weaves of the country which are rapidly declining in their significance, but is also dedicated to bettering the lives of weavers in India.
It is so important to promote healthy and environmentally conscious fashion and by bringing this fashion to the United States we are able to share this fashion with a new audience. I am so grateful for Ram and all of the support he has given me to spread the creations of the weavers of India and bringing that message to the United States.” said Shravan Kummar
The event was sponsored by technology entrepreneur, Raman Chada of 6COM and Bridgetown Consulting Group; Chada believes in Shravan Kummar’s vision and wants to help profile and support designers from the motherland.
“What Shravan is doing in raising awareness of the unsung heroes of the fashion industry and bringing it to the United States is incredibly important and I am so happy that I am able to give him this platform to share the works of these hardworking weavers of India.” Stated Ram Chada. Shravan Kummar will be visiting more cities in his North American Tour and has his fashion collection available online at fashionthereligion.com

Judge Sabita Singh nominated to Massachusetts Appeals Court

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Sabita Singh, the first Indian American judge in Massachusetts, was nominated May 31 by Gov. Charlie Baker to serve on the state’s Appeals Court. Singh – who served as the president of the South Asian Bar Association from 2005 to 2006 and has also served as the president of SABA’s Greater Boston chapter – was appointed to the state’s District Court by Gov. Mitt Romney in 2006. The jurist was born in Bihar, and moved to the U.S. with her parents when she was three.
Singh was appointed to the District Court in 2006 by Governor Mitt Romney. Judge Singh is “well respected within the District Courts and come with decades of experience serving the Commonwealth,” said Governor Charlie Baker. Judicial nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Governor’s Council.
“Judge Singh and Attorney Kelley are well respected within the District Courts and come with decades of experience serving the Commonwealth,” said Baker, referring to a second nomination of Michelle Kelley as Clerk Magistrate of the Wrentham District Court. Both nominations will have to be confirmed by the Massachusetts Governor’s Council.
“If confirmed both the Appeals and District Courts will benefit greatly from their knowledge, commitment and skill,” said the governor.
Applicants for judicial openings are reviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) and recommended to the governor. Governor Baker established the JNC in February, 2015 pursuant to Executive Order 558, a non-partisan, non-political Commission composed of volunteers from a cross-section of the Commonwealth’s diverse population to screen judicial applications. Twenty-one members were later appointed to the JNC in April, 2015.
The Appeals Court is the intermediate appellate court to which most appeals from the Massachusetts Trial Courts and a number of administrative bodies are made.  The Court has one Chief and 24 Associate Justices. Singh is First Justice of Concord District Court.
She is also a member of the District Court’s Appellate Division where she hears appeals from District Court civil matters. She began her career as a law clerk to the justices in the Superior Court Department of the Trial Court. She then went on to serve as an Assistant District Attorney in the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, writing appellate briefs and arguing before the Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court.
Thereafter, Judge Singh spent seven years in the private sector with Bingham McCutchen LLP before returning to the public sector as Special Counsel for Criminal Civil Rights Enforcement at the United States Attorney Office in Boston.
She received her Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law in 1990 and her Bachelor of Arts in the Administration of Justice from Pennsylvania State University in 1987. She has served as an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern University School of Law and Instructor at Harvard University. She has also served as President of the South Asian Bar Association of North America and the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston. Justice Singh was born in India and now resides with her family in Lincoln.

2 NRIs charged with posing as DHS agents, defrauding immigrants of $6 million

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Three men, including two Indian Americans, were arrested on June 7 in connection with a scheme to allegedly defraud victims seeking immigration status in the United States. Prosecutors say as part of the fraud, two of the defendants – Hardev Panesar, 69, of El Cajon, California, and Rafael Hastie, 47, of Tijuana, Mexico – posed as officers of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and promised that they could obtain immigration status for people in exchange for exorbitant fees. Gurdev Singh 56, of Bakersfield, California is also charged with allegedly assisting his conspirators in the scheme.
The three have been charged on 31 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, false impersonation of an officer or employee of the U.S.; and structuring domestic financial institutions.
According to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed June 7, although Panesar and Hastie have never worked at DHS, they claimed to be DHS agents from at least 2014, claiming they had the authority to procure lawful immigration documents and legal status for individuals who lacked such status in the United States; The two also allegedly claimed they had the power to stop deportation proceedings.
The indictment alleges that Panesar, Hastie and Singh defrauded victims out of approximately $6,000,000 from the scheme, and used the money for their own personal use. They solicited and recruited victims across the United States, including California and Indiana, and Mexico, according to the Justice Department.
Panesar and Hastie convinced victims that they were agents, in part, because they showed fake agency credentials when meeting with the victims. The two also provided immigration applications to victims and took fingerprints supposedly for immigration forms. They often demanded more money to speed up the process or guarantee the immigration documents by a certain date. Panesar, Hastie, and Singh never delivered on their promise despite collecting thousands of dollars from each of the more than 150 victims.
The investigation into this case continues. The San Diego Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking more information of possible victims in this investigation from 2000 through 2017.

200 attend health fairs organized by Indian Health Camp of New Jersey

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Health screening and disease awareness and prevention fairs were held at Swaminarayan temple at Weehawken, NJ and Sri Venkateswara Temple (Balaji Mandir) at Bridgewater, NJ on May 21 and June 4, 2017. The health fair was organized by the Indian Health Camp of New Jersey in collaboration with both temples.   More than 200 people participated in the health fairs.  Indian Health Camp of New Jersey, a non-profit organization under tax exempt code 501© (3) held these health fairs for the 19th consecutive year to benefit needy people in the community.    Next year, IHCNJ will celebrate their 20th anniversary, a big milestone of their dedicated community service for south Asians.  IHCNJ will also hold health fairs at Durga Temple, Swaminarayan Temple, Secaucus and their newer location in Marlton, South Jersey in August, November and December 2017.
The health fair was open to all pre-registered participants above the age of 40 without any medical insurance.   The health screenings included blood test, EKG, vision screening for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, physical examination, cardiology and physical therapy counseling, various types of cancer screening and prevention education, chronic disease self-management via ask your doctor, diabetes and stroke education, HIV testing and education, dietary counseling, pharmacy counseling, mental health screening and many other ancillary services to more than 200 pre-registered qualified participants.
The physicians, specialists, dentists, mental health providers and other allied health care professionals from various specialties of internal medicine, cardiology, ophthalmology, gynecology, urology, physical therapy, psychologist, dietary and nutritional specialist, pharmacist, phlebotomists, EKG techs, medical assistants, nurses, social workers and medical students provided their services on this day to screen and educate patients on diabetes, hypertension, cardiac diseases, high cholesterol, various types of cancer screening and education and other chronic debilitating diseases specifically targeted to the South Asian population.   The blood test reports were reviewed by the physicians and mailed it to all participants with a counseling note for any abnormal tests.   The dedicated team from the State of New Jersey Commission for the Blind provided thorough eye screening to qualified patients on these days to promote their noble cause of preventing blindness in the community.   The blood test services were provided by Accurate Diagnostic Labs and Lab Corp.
Indian Health Camp of NJ and their dedicated committee members, students and other volunteers provided their self-less and dedicated service to support the health fairs on both days.   The management of both temples provided excellent resources to make these fairs a huge success.  The young student volunteers provided excellent services from early morning to the end.  The delicious breakfast, tea, coffee and lunch were provided by Balaji Temple for all participants and volunteers.
The next health fair for Indian Health Camp of NJ will be organized on Sunday, August 13, 2017, at Durga Temple in South Brunswick, NJ.   The registration form to participate in this health fair is available on organization web site at www.IHCNJ.orgor Gujarat Darpan and Tiranga magazines.   The completed registration form can be mailed to IHCNJ, P.O. Box 5686, Hillsborough, NJ 08844 on or before the deadline of July 31, 2017.

Joyalukkas announces Shop & Win 60 Kg Gold promotion

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The world’s favourite jeweller is gearing up for a sizzling promotion with a 60KG gold giveaway. Joyalukkas has consistently launched massive promotions during summer since it opened its doors 30 years ago and 2017 is no exception. This year’s promotion will see lucky shoppers go home with up to 1.5KG gold in USA through raffle draws.
“Opening showrooms in the USA is a dream come true for all of us at Joyalukkas Group,” said Mr. Joy Alukkas, Chairman and Managing Director of Joyalukkas Group. “USA is an exciting location and we are looking forward to providing the quality of jewellery and service Joyalukkas is known for to the cosmopolitan mix of customers here.
The response to the opening our showrooms in USA was heartwarming and we strive to return this great reception with the sizzling promotion, great value and quality service for all customers.”
Shoppers get 1 raffle coupon to enter the raffle draw for 60KG gold upon purchase of gold jewellery worth USD 200 and above. They also get 2 raffle coupons on purchase of diamond and polki jewellery. Adding to this exciting opportunity are generous offers.

Joyalukkas’s Shop & Win Upto 60KG gold giveaway is till July 31, 2017.

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The Joyalukkas USA showrooms show cases a mix of traditional, ethno contemporary and international designs that have won of hearts and following of customers around the world in exclusive Joyalukkas brands, such as Veda Temple Jewellery, Pride Diamonds, Eleganza Polki Diamonds, Masaaki Pearls, Zenina Turkish Jewellery, Li’l Joy Kids Jewellery, the Apurva Antique collection & Ratna Precious Stone Jewellery, along with exquisite pieces in gold, diamond, precious stones, platinum and pearl.
Joyalukkas Group is a multi-billion dollar global conglomerate, with varied business interests. The group operates its various business operations across UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, London, USA and India. The group businesses include jewellery, money exchange, fashion & textiles, luxury air charters, malls and realty. Joyalukkas employs over 8,000 professionals across the world, and is one of the most awarded and recognized jewellery retail chains in the world.

J. Rajkumar urges South Asians to take advantage of “NaturalizeNY”:

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Jenifer Rajkumar, New York state Director of Immigrant Affairs has urged South Asians to take advantage of the second round of “NaturalizeNY” launched last week. She is reaching out to various ethnic groups to encourage them to do so. The public-private partnership to encourage eligible immigrants in New York State to become U.S. citizens,
attempts to provide “comprehensive” support through the naturalization process – featuring free eligibility screenings, application assistance, naturalization exam preparation.
The newest addition in round two is a lottery for up to 1,500 vouchers for low-income citizenship-eligible immigrants. “Naturalize NY was launched last year and has been very successful,” Rajkumar told Desi Talk. “I want to especially make sure that the South Asian community takes advantage of this,” she added, pointing to the 1,500 vouchers which will help meet the fee for acquiring citizenship.
According to Rajkumar, there are approximately 1 million New Yorkers who hold a Green Card or permanent residency and are eligible for citizenship. “We find that if every Green Card eligible person became a citizen, it would be a huge boost to the economy. It would add $823 million to the City’s economy alone because when one immigrant becomes a citizen, it leads to a 9 percent increase in income,” she said, which then affects other aspects such as more taxes for the state etc.
“We want to make new immigrants feel welcome in these stormy times at the federal level,” Rajkumar said. “I will be reaching out to Indians, Bangladeshi, Pakistani communities to make sure they take advantage, not just through the media, but I’m also raveling around the state,” to meet community leaders and others, Rajkumar said.
She encouraged those interested in becoming citizens to apply “as soon as possible” as winners of the vouchers will be announced in August.
NaturalizeNY is administered by the New York State Office for New Americans in partnership with the Robin Hood Foundation, New York Community Trust, universities including Stanford University, George Mason University, and SUNY Albany, and media organizations.
Through its first six months after NaturalizeNY was launched in July 2016, it has helped more than 3,200 immigrant New Yorkers pursue United States citizenship, including more than 2,250 low-income immigrants, said a
press release from the Governor’s office.
Nearly 960 immigrant New Yorkers registered for the initial round of the randomized lottery in 2016, and 389 were awarded a fee voucher and submitted their application to the federal government last December. The number of fee vouchers being raised to 1,500 this year affords more low-income New Yorkers to avail of the service.
According to the press release, some 654,720 immigrants in in New York City are eligible to apply for citizenship.  A 2015 study conducted by the Urban Institute found that a main reason these individuals have not applied is the cost of the application, the release says. Eligibility depends on household size and income. For more information and to register for the lottery, visit NaturalizeNY.org. Additional information is available by calling the New Americans Hotline, at 1-800-566-7636.

Hirsh Singh loses primary for Governor of New Jersey

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Indian American Republican Hirsh Singh lost the opportunity of becoming the governor of New Jersey as he failed to win the primary gubernatorial election held on June 6. Singh lost by about 90,000 votes. He came in third with 23,611 votes. The winner was Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno on the Republican side with 112,867 votes and Phil Murphy the winner on the Democratic side with 239,189 votes.
Singh, an engineer from Atlantic City, had just released a 30 second TV Spot ad, a week before the primary, stating that being an engineer, he is a trained problem-solver and that “career politicians make empty promises and they think they’re entitled to run our state; they’re not. We need a conservative to fight for the rights of the people; a results-driven leader who can solve the problems in Trenton and not create new ones,” said a PR Newswire report.
According to his website http://singhfornewjersey.com/innovation-plan/, Singh aimed to do quite a bit as governor including lowering taxes, overhauling education, enacting the Pain-Capable Child Protection Act, protecting the second amendment, legalizing cannabis, making improvements in transportation and infrastructure and stopping medical malpractices.
Singh has always been passionate about making a difference exclaiming on his website that “New Jersey needs a problem solver. Not a politician,” and said in an interview with TV ASIA, that he was keen on putting Indian Americans in his cabinet.
According to PR Newswire, Singh is a native of Linwood, New Jersey; he graduated from Egg Harbor Township High School and earned a degree in engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Bangladeshi diplomat in New York charged with labor trafficking and assault

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Bangladesh’s deputy consul general in New York was indicted on charges of labor trafficking and assault for forcing his servant to work without pay through threats and intimidation, a New York City prosecutor said.
Mohammed Shaheldul Islam has limited diplomatic immunity and was ordered to surrender his passport when he appeared before Queens Supreme Court Justice Daniel Lewis, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown in a statement.
Bail was set at $50,000 bond or $25,000 cash. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. According to the indictment, Islam brought another Bangladeshi, Mohammed Amin, to New York between 2012 and 2013 to work as a household help for Islam and his family.
“Soon after Mr. Amin’s arrival, the defendant allegedly took his passport and required the man to work 18 hours a day … Even though Mr. Amin had a contract which outlines his compensation, it is alleged he was never paid for his work,” the statement said.
“If the victim disobeyed the defendant’s orders, Mr. Amin was allegedly physically assaulted by the defendant, who either struck him with his hand or sometimes with a wooden shoe,” it said. A spokesman for the Bangladesh embassy in Washington said it believed Amin had filed the case in bad faith and the allegations were “fabricated” and “baseless”.
Shahedul, 45, brought another Bangladeshi, Mohammed Amin, to the United States between 2012 and 2013 to work for his family in Queens as a household helper, an arrangement common among South Asian diplomats. “If the victim disobeyed the defendant’s orders, Mr Amin was allegedly physically assaulted by the defendant, who either struck him with his hand or sometimes with a wooden shoe,” it said.
Shahedul has limited diplomatic immunity and was ordered to surrender his passport when he appeared before Queens Supreme Court Justice Daniel Lewis, Brown said in a statement. The Queens grand jury hit Shahedul with a 33-count indictment last week that includes labor trafficking, assault and other charges. He was arraigned later Monday. His next court date is June 28.

2nd annual Kite festival held in New Jersey

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During the 2nd annual kite festival on June 4 2017 the entire Cliffwood Beach in Aberdeen township, NJ bloomed up with five  hundreds (500) kite flying lovers  of colorful Indian kites in this small town. This event organized by Gujarat Gaurav Fan Club of USA was sponsored by  FARMES INSURANCE  Seema Jagtiani,  Devji Wealth Management Al devji, Bish Mortgage Bish M, and Janak and Reshmi Bedi, who was the Mrs India New Jersey 2016 and Jenny’ hair & beauty salon   and   New York Life agent, Kam Patel.
Others who had supported the event included Bharat  and Induben Patel Thakor Bulsara, Kam Patel and Bharat & Darshna Mehta  and Dr Hetal Gor, Deepak Malhotra. The event saw the presence people aged from 5 years to 60 years old and enjoyed Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
The kite flying event was chosen to be a unique way of bonding kite fliers who have been missing flying kite in USA due to various reasons like non-availability of a platform. The weather on Sunday was smilingly windy and cloudy and was well attended by more than 500 individuals, kids and families from places like South Jersey New York Long Island Connecticut , Westchester, and beyond, Parsippany in NJ. Kite flying perfectly symbolizes fun, joy, hope, friendliness.
In India, Jan 14, every year is officially celebrated as International Kite Flying day. Therefore, to keep up the spirit of flying kite the event was organized. The event was organized and turned to be extremely successful as everyone wanted to have the event repeated  every year . Special kites and flying threads of special kind (FIRKI) were flown from India.
Shailesh Patel, President of Gujarat Gaurav Fan Club of USA, worked very hard to make this  event a grand success. His team comprised of Kamleshbhai (Kam Patel), Thakor Balsara. DJ and singer Rakesh Raj set the mood of the event with joyous music, ready announced regular annual events for years

Donald Trump’s ruling on H-1B visa is based on wrong data

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During the election campaign candidate Trump won support from the electorate by promising to bring back job sot America. Now, US President Donald Trump’s order for a comprehensive review of the H-1B visa program could well be based on wrong data.

A controversy raged in the US for months about low-paid H-1B visa holders, mainly tech workers hired by Indian companies, taking away American jobs. During the background briefing on Trump’s ‘Buy American, Hire American’ executive order, a Trump administration official had said that about 80 per cent of H-1B workers were paid less than the median wage in the sector.

Foreigners on H-1B visa who are paid less-than-median American salary provide cost advantage to employers who do not prefer American workers for same jobs. This leads to Americans losing their jobs to foreigners.

But a study by an American think-tank – National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) – claims there are too few low-paid H-1B workers in the first place by disputing the US government data which shows most workers on H-1B visas are paid less than the median wages in the sector.

According to the NFAP study, the data had wrongly counted more low-paid H1B visa workers than there actually are. “This statistic is misleading as it relies on a Department of Labor database that includes multiple applications for the same individuals since a new filing is generally required when an H-1B professional moves to a new area,” it says. Since mostly younger workers, who are paid less, are sent to multiple offices, they are counted double or triple. This skews the numbers towards lower-paid H-1B workers.

The NFAP study says the data that creates the impression that 80% of could be wrong on another count-understating of salaries by employers. “It may not reflect what employers actually pay individual workers, only the minimum required to be listed for government filing purposes,” says the study. “The wages listed in the DOL database are generally only the minimum that a company is required to pay under the law. Employers are required to pay the higher of the prevailing wage or actual wage paid to all other individuals with similar experience and qualifications for the specific employment in question. That means wages listed in the DOL database typically understate an individual H-1B visa holder’s actual salary,” says the study.

So, the huge number-80%-of H-1B workers being paid less than the median wage is actually a result of double or triple counting and understating of their salaries by employers.  If what the NFAP study says is true, then the whole case of low-paid foreign workers taking away jobs of Americans collapses. It would mean the decision of the Trump administration to review the H-1B visa programme is an attempt to fix a problem that does not exist but can end up damaging the US tech sector which requires foreign talent.

Padmalaya Nanda wins 3 titles at Little Miss Universe 2017

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Padmalaya Nanda from Odisha, India was bestowed with three titles at the 2017 Little Miss Universe  pageant held at the port city of Batumi in Georgia. She is the first Indian girl to win the honor in the spectacular finale.

The little diva also became the youngest girl to win the titles of ‘Little Miss Universe Grand Prix’, ‘Little Miss Universe Internet 2017’ and ‘Little Miss Actress’. Meanwhile, Miss Dayna Alimbayeva of Kazakhstan stole the Little Miss Universe 2017 crown.

Padmalaya Nanda stood first in the talent round and Royal Anthro Party she exhibited Indian culture by performing Sambalpuri Dance of Odisha. She will now be participating in Little Miss World 2017 that will take place in September in Greece.

The 12-year-old girl bagged the prestigious Golden Crown Little Miss Universe Internet 2017, Little Miss Universe Grand Prix and Little Miss Actress (popularly known Best Talent of the world) at the international beauty contest.

Although, she could not be crowned as the Little Miss Universe 2017, her achievement in three categories at the beauty competition in Georgia brought laurel for India. She is now eying for the crown at Little Miss World 2017 scheduled in Greece. Miss Dayna Alimbayeva of Kazakhstan won the Little Miss Universe 2017 title.

Why Trump Should Woo India

Staff ReporterIndia, U.S. 0

Last week, President Trump kicked off his first trip abroad with visits to Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories, signifying the importance that he places on the Middle East. This engagement followed a summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with whom Trump emphasized his admiration for, in April. Also that month, Vice President Mike Pence visited the Asia-Pacific region in a tour intended to reassure countries like South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia that the U.S. still stood beside them.

But one critical nation has been missing from the Trump administration’s Asian charm offensive: India. Since the president’s inauguration in January, no U.S. cabinet-level official has touched down in Delhi to start the process of guiding the crucial U.S.-India relationship.

The Asia Society Policy Institute has published a paper examining the Trump administration’s opportunities in India. Fortuitously, this period of neglect is about to end: In June, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reportedly scheduled to visit the United States. President Trump should use the occasion to signal to India that his administration is eager to make a major push in strengthening U.S.-India ties.

Bolstering ties with India would be advantageous for several reasons. First, as a fellow democracy and an emerging global power and economy, India represents significant opportunities for the United States. Next, India can be a critical partner in both the fight against terrorism and in navigating the complex geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific region. Lastly, in Prime Minister Modi, President Trump has a counterpart prepared to make compromises to take the relationship to the next level.

As an ascendant power within Asia and around the world, India is positioned to be a critical long-term partner for the United States. Today, it is the world’s fastest growing major economy with a rapidly expanding market and labor force that will be a critical engine of global growth. India is also a nuclear power, has the world’s third-largest military, is boosting its naval capabilities, and has become the biggest purchaser of international arms.

Indian leaders have extended their sights beyond South Asia to play a greater role in global development and governance. Delhi has developed friendly ties with critical countries around the world and increased its engagement with multilateral forums and groupings, partnering in initiatives likes the BRICS New Development Bank. Once a big recipient of foreign aid, India has become a donor nation, a welcome sight for a U.S. administration seeking greater burden-sharing by others.

Second, India is a natural partner for the United States in two of its core security challenges — countering terrorism and managing a peaceful Asia-Pacific region.

In Saudi Arabia, President Trump called for “a coalition of nations who share the aim of stamping out extremism.” Long a victim of terrorism itself, India has extensive experience in fighting radicalization. India has cracked down on terrorism but, except for in Kashmir, has done so without alienating its Muslim population (the second-largest in the world) and while maintaining friendly ties with countries across the Muslim world. U.S.-India counter-terrorism cooperation has been a critical component of the bilateral relationship and both countries are working to help Afghanistan in this area. If President Trump is looking for countries to join his “coalition,” he could benefit from looking to and learning from India.

India is an equally appealing partner in the Asia-Pacific, where it can play a positive role in managing stability, enhancing prosperity, and serving as a successful model for democratic development. India has started to echo Washington’s concerns about maritime disputes in the South China Sea and the need to sustain a rules-based regional order. Delhi’s growing engagement with the region’s institutions is also a welcome development. By supporting India’s inclusion in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the United States can fill out India’s East Asia institutional resume, which already includes ASEAN, the East Asia Summit, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Even as India has stood up to China, it has managed a collaborative relationship with Beijing in certain areas, showing how a peaceful relationship can be sustained despite lingering mistrust and a border dispute. Above all, by signing a Logistics Exchange Memorandum in 2016, which the U.S. long sought, India signaled its intention to enhance military cooperation with the U.S. in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Finally, Delhi is also eager to strengthen bilateral ties. As one of the few countries spared Trump’s criticism during the presidential campaign, India remains cautiously optimistic about working with the Trump Administration — a trait not shared wholeheartedly by some U.S. partners in Asia. Though Delhi is concerned about President Trump’s immigration policies and American companies remain skeptical of India’s position on trade and intellectual property rights, areas of mutual interest dwarf areas of potential disagreement.

In Modi, Trump has a reliable partner who has already tilted India closer to the United States than any previous Indian leader. Modi, who shares Trump’s pro-business and nationalist inclinations, enjoys robust political standing after recent victories in state elections and is positioned to win a second term in 2019. This is fortunate because his vision for India aligns well with U.S. interests. Modi’s economic reforms have eased restrictions on foreign investment and made way for a national market through a Goods and Services Tax. And his Act East policy aligns well with U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific.

The timing is right for the Trump administration to elevate the relationship with India and forward U.S.-India ties. The challenge will be dedicating the requisite diplomatic time and attention in the midst of the challenges confronting the administration. If Modi visits the United States in June, it will be the perfect opportunity to send a signal that the United States is committed.

Astronaut Raja Chari on NASA’s top 12 list

Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

NASA introduced 12 new astronauts in a tweet on June 7 and among them is an Indian American named Lieutenant Colonel Raja Chari. Chari is from Iowa and he graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1999 with Bachelor’s degrees in Astronautical Engineering and Engineering Science. He then went on to earn a Master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated from the US Naval Test Pilot School.

Chari, 39, is a commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and also the director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California, reported the Huffington Post.

The candidates were introduced by Vice President Mike Pence and Robert Lightfoot, NASA’s acting administrator, in a ceremony held at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. According to a CBS report, Pence described himself as a “lifelong NASA fan,” and said, “I can’t tell you how privileged and honored I feel today to be able to congratulate the newest class of American heroes, the 2017 class of America’s astronauts.”

He also assured the new astronauts that the Trump administration will remain “firmly committed to NASA’s noble mission — leading America in space.” “We couldn’t go anywhere without the extraordinary men and women of NASA,” Pence added.

The 12 were chosen amongst over 18,000 applicants and soon will begin their two-year intensive training course at the Johnson Space Center before they can qualify for any assignment to future space missions and join the 44 other active-duty astronauts already there.

CBS said that some possible assignments may include flights to the International Space Station aboard new commercial crew ferry ships and eventual flights the vicinity of the moon and eventually Mars using NASA’s Orion spacecraft and heavy-lift Space Launch System rocket.

“These women and men deserve our enthusiastic congratulations,” said Ellen Ochoa, director of the Johnson Space Center and a veteran shuttle astronaut. “We here at NASA are excited to welcome them to the team and look forward to working with them to inspire the next generation of explorers.”

As CBS reported, the new class includes a physician, a surgeon, two geologists, an oceanography engineer, an electrical engineering professor, a SpaceX senior manager, four veteran test pilots and a nuclear engineer. Of the 12 candidates, three of them hold degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and three have graduated from military academies.

Along with Chari, the new candidates are: Kayla Barron of Richland, Washington; Zena Cardman of Williamsburg, Virginia; Navy Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Dominick of Wheat Ridge, Colorado; Bob Hines of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Warren “Woody” Hoburg of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Jonathan Kim of Los Angeles, California; Robb Kulin of Anchorage, Alaska; Marine Maj. Jasmin Moghbeli of Baldwin, New York; Loral O’Hara of Sugar Land, Texas; U.S. Army Maj. Francisco Rubio of Miami, Florida and Jessica Watkins of Lafayette, Colorado.

US Labor Department to ramp up fraud probes of H-1B visa program

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The U.S. Labor Department is stepping up efforts to root out potential fraud in its visa programs for foreign workers, a move that will include increases in both civil investigations as well as criminal referrals. The announcement by Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta follows President Donald Trump in April ordering a review of the U.S. visa program as part of his “America First” campaign pledge.

The April executive order specifically entailed a review of the H-1B visa program, which is routinely used by technology firms like Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp and Infosys Ltd to bring skilled foreign workers, such as engineers, to jobs in the United States.

Critics of the program, including Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller, have argued the laws governing these visas are lax and make it too easy for companies to replace U.S. workers with less-expensive foreign labor.

The U.S. Labor Department and Department of Homeland Security each play a role in reviewing the applications for foreign guest workers.

In April, Homeland Security said it was planning to take steps as well to prevent fraud in the H-1B visa program. Labor Department officials said, the increased enforcement efforts will involve all of the foreign visa worker programs, including H-2A and H-2B visas.

Those steps include directing the department’s wage and hour division to “use all its tools” to conduct civil probes, ramping up criminal referrals to the department’s inspector general and instructing the employment and training office to propose changes to the H-1B labor condition application that companies file when they seek to hire foreign skilled guest workers.

“Entities who engage in visa program fraud and abuse are breaking our laws and are harming American workers,” Acosta said in a statement. A senior Labor Department official acknowledged there are legal limitations in the department’s authority over H-1B visas. Exemptions in the law, for instance, allow companies to skirt requirements to protect American workers, and the department’s authority to investigate is restricted.

The official said the department was looking into whether to ask Congress to amend the law. A bill introduced earlier this year by Republican Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa and Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois would give the department more powers to go after H-1B violators.

Mahant Swami Maharaj of BAPS arriving June end for North America

Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is awaiting the arrival of the current head of the organization June 22, for a North American tour. He arrives in Atlanta, GA on June 22, and over the next three months, he will visit mandirs and meet thousands of devotees in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Jose, New Jersey (and Robbinsville), and Toronto, Canada.  His visit will include traditional celebrations, spiritual discourses, various seminars, and special events open to the community, Asian Media USA reported.

Since the death of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Mahant Swami Maharaj now continues the lifework and legacy of Pramukh Swami Maharaj as the sixth and current spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.  He was born in 1933 in Madhya Pradesh, India.  In 1961, at the age of 28, he was ordained as a swami and given the name of Sadhu Keshavjivandas.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj, pleased with Mahant Swami Maharaj’s work and devotion, appointed him as his successor in July 2012. In the past year, as in other years, Mahant Swami Maharaj has continued the tradition of spiritual travels throughout the world, and has thus far visited almost every major BAPS mandir in India and Africa.  During his visit to the United States and Canada, he will attend numerous special celebrations including the ten-year anniversaries of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandirs in Atlanta, Toronto, and San Jose as well as a Murti Pratishta, a ritual to sanctify the murtis, for abhishekh in Robbinsville, NJ.  After his three-month journey, he will continue onwards to the United Kingdom and the Far East regions.

For more details regarding Mahant Swami Maharaj’s North America tour, please visit www.baps.org/msm17na or follow #MahantSwami on social media.

Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin visits Bronx students

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India’s ambassador to the United Nations gave Castle Hill Middle School students in the Bronx, NY a lesson on diplomacy on Monday, June 5. Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin talked to seventh-grade students who are part of the NYC Junior Ambassadors program about the challenges he faces as diplomat, imparting the message that young people don’t have to wait until they’re adults to change the world.

His visit started with an exciting welcome, the like of which he said he has never gotten before, “I’ve been to many schools, public and private, and I’ve never had a welcome like this,” he said. Akbaruddin told the students about his role at the UN and said that he alone represents a “country of one billion people with both sides”, good and bad.

“One of the things I love to do is interact with young people,” Akbaruddin said. “We don’t really get the chance to do that.” Another perk of being in the Junior Ambassadors program is a chance to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the U.N headquarters in Manhattan.

The Indian envoy said he does not get much time at home because he can be working any day of the week, including weekends, and even though there may not be much room for personal life, he still enjoys his work as he is contributing to the world.

He told the class that he was happy to be there as he never gets to interact with young people and mentioned the fact that 65 percent of India’s population is under 30 years old, stating that it is a young country. He then went around the room asking students: “In one word, tell me what comes to your mind when I say India?”

Answers poured in, with words like: dance, tradition, prestigious, Bollywood, colors, music, Yoga, food, movies, jewelry, culture and clothes. Akbaruddin also addressed the fact that June 5th is World Environment Day and asked students what they, as individuals, wanted to do for the environment.

One student said he wanted to help out in the medical field to make it easier for people to get the care they needed at a more affordable cost. Another said that she wanted to spread the message and teach other people what the environment should be like while another wanted to plant more trees to provide more air. A few other students said that the world “should come together as one” and “tackle global warming otherwise there will be no future.”

When the ambassador asked the students what they didn’t like about India, they listed: high poverty rates, air pollution, child marriage and arranged marriage, to which one student showed concern that not enough attention is given to women’s rights as well as men’s rights regarding this topic. It prompted the Ambassador to say that today, both men and women are equal unlike what it was years ago.

“Every time you think of India, multiply the U.S. by three,” he said, also mentioning that India is like an elephant, “we are slow but we will get there eventually.” He added: “English is spoken by about say 400 million people in India so there are 800 million or so still who don’t speak English so there are very interesting combinations happening of our Indian languages and English. So naan pizza is one of those combinations where you try to mix a local culture with an international approach,” he said. “Soon you will have words in English which were originated in India and you had never heard of,” he added.

He explained how he got to where he is today and said that “joining the Foreign Service was unheard of” noting that he came from a small city in India and that he wanted to explain to the world what India is all about.

Amma Sri Karunamayi conducts ‘Mahayagnam’ in Atlanta on North American tour

Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

Amma Sri Karunamayi, who is revered by tens of thousands of followers as the embodiment of “Divine Motherly Love”, is currently on tour in North America, her 23rd visit to the United States. Amma’s tour started on March 17, in Arizona, and will end on July 10, in San Francisco, California.

Each year she travels around this country giving free public programs and according to her organization, millions of Americans have come to Amma Sri Karunamayi to share their pain. She is also the founder of SMVA Trust, a global non-profit in association with the United Nations’ DPI, established in 1988, dedicated to humanitarian service projects, and to upholding Sanathana Dharma (Vedic Culture) by interweaving tradition and charitable service.

Amma is also the founder and spiritual head of Manidweepa Maha Samsthanam, an ashram which includes the Sri Lalita Parameshwari Devi Tri-Shakti Peetham. Born in 1958, Sri Karunamayi left the comfort and security of her parents’ home in 1980, and lived in relative isolation for ten years in the Penusila Forest of the Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh.

She then began her mission of providing relief to the suffering and underprivileged, particularly the hundreds of thousands of villagers living in the regions surrounding the Penusila Forest. She inaugurated the Sri Karunamayi Free Schools in 1994, where today, more than 650 students are enrolled for a rounded education that includes math, science, social studies, the arts, learning to read and write English, Hindi, Telugu (their native tongue)—all free of cost.

In 2010, she resolved to provide clean, potable water and to date, under Amma’s direction, SMVA Trust has opened 31 Water Treatment Plants across two states in India. In 2008, to commemorate her 50th Birthday, Amma initiated the Jubilee Free Housing Project— which to date, has handed over durable homes to hundreds of families in need.

She has opened a 100-bed free hospital to provide quality health care for a community of over 5,00,000 impoverished villagers, free of charge. A mobile medical van also travels to rural areas to provide care to patients too sick to walk or travel. Amma is also active in numerous charitable activities across the globe.

Umar Shah wins Lorenzo Natali Media Prize

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Umar Shah recognized by European Commission for story on church helping disabled in restive Kashmir. Freelance Indian journalist and regular ucanews.com contributor Umar Manzoor Shah has won a European Commission 2017 Lorenzo Natali Media Prize.

Shah, who won the prize in the Asia Pacific amateur category, was recognized for his story “Church in Kashmir offers hope to people with disabilities,” a story reported for ucanews.com from conflict-torn Jammu and Kashmir state on church efforts to help people with disabilities.

The Kashmir native said his experiences whilst growing up during the conflicts in India’s only Muslim majority state resulted in an early interest in journalism, and that he has been collaborating with radio and local TV stations since he was 15 years old. Shah, who was born in 1986 in Srinagar, the state capital, graduated in Journalism and Mass Communication in 2009 at the University of Kashmir and has since been pursuing a career as a freelance journalist.

Writing for several press outlets such as ucanews.com, Inter Press Service and the Doha Centre for Media Freedom, his stories cover mostly social issues in war-conflicted areas, giving a voice to affected populations.

His stories focus on giving a voice to those from deprived parts of society, such as mental illness among the people living in conflict zones like Kashmir, stories related to poor women and disabled children, and farmers struggling for survival. Shah collected his prize at the awards ceremony in Brussels on June 7.

Consulate General of India, in Association with 100 Community Organizations, will Host 3rd Edition of International Yoga Day in Chicago

Consul General of India in Chicago calls upon NRIs to participate in the event in large numbers

Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Consulate General of India in Chicago, in collaboration with the City of Naperville, is all set to host 3rd edition of International Yoga Day on 24th June, 2017 (Saturday) at Naperville Yard, 1603 Legacy Circle, Naperville, IL 60563.

City of Naperville issued a Proclamation and declared June 24th 2017 as International Yoga Day in the City of Naperville. Mr. Steve Chirico, Naperville Mayor will be Chief Guest at the International Yoga Day, which will be attended by dignitaries, elected officials, and community leaders from different walks of life.

Neeta Bhushan, Consul General of India in Chicago said that the program will commence at 10:00 am and end at 1200 noon, followed by a community festival and an array of cultural activities till 05:00 pm. Apart from the demonstration of common asanas (postures) under Common Yoga Protocol, breathing techniques, Meditation Workshop, etc., the Program will include a number of activities relating to yoga.

The event is free for all. However, as the space is limited, those interested in attending the event and knowing more about it are cordially requested to visit Facebook.com/IndiaInChicago. Participants are requested to bring their own yoga mats.

Ms. Bhushan said that about 2,500 guest, 100 community organizations, yoga and spiritual centers, business establishments, etc. will grace the occasion. She called upon Indian-Americans and all the nationalities to attend the event in large numbers in order to make it a resounding success.

GOPIO Africa business conference held

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GOPIO, the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (www.gopio.net), together with the Gopio Chapter of Durban South Africa held a very successful and enlightening business conference for 2 and half days where attendees from many countries gathered to network, exchange ideas and come with suggestions to help South Africa progress to greater heights through Cooperation, Guidance and Entrepreneurship.

Ishwar Ramlutchman, Convention Convener and International Coordinator along with his team of volunteers did a wonderful job of planning, hosting and welcome of the delegates visiting from many countries. He had a lineup of the Royalty and top Government officials who attended the various events and mingled with the guests.

May 19th. Durban – For the GOPIO visitors from other countries, the convention started right at the airport. A delegation dressed in traditional Indian clothes received us with folded hands saying Namaskar. Pictures were taken in front of the Gopio banners announcing the Gopio convention and creating quite a stir among the onlookers. This was an excellent advertisement besides the television, radio and print ads, which had been running in Durban for weeks ahead of the summit.

Later the same afternoon, Dr. Shashank Vikram, the Consul General of India in Durban, invited the whole international delegation and prominent community members for high tea at the Indian Consulate and met with each one individually and welcomed us to South Africa.

As if that was not welcome enough a reception was held for all GOPIO members and local Indian dignitaries and business people to meet with the GOPIO visitors and local members at the hotel.

Among the many welcome addresses the ones that hit the spot were by Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi, member of Parliament for Minority Front in Durban, South Africa. She brought forward the point that Indian Diaspora needs to be recognized and appreciated for the success they have achieved in foreign countries. And that GOPIO is a wonderful platform for PIOs/ NRIs for such acknowledgement and appreciation.

Dr. Udit Raj, Member of Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) who was visiting from New Delhi, emphasized that today India is a land of opportunity under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. He also extended the invitation to all Indians living abroad to come to India and his doors will be open to help them

Dr. Thomas Abraham, chairman GOPIO from the US made a power point presentation tracing the journey of GOPIO since its inception 28 years ago mobilizing the community as an activism group looking at the human rights violations to a group which is involved in all aspects of community development and contribution to India and other countries. GOPIO has now launched GOPIO International Chamber of Commerce (GICC) where the GOIPO members can successfully network and utilize their membership to meet with other likeminded business people and entrepreneurs from all over the world.

GOPIO Executive Vice President Noel Lal quoted Prime Minister Modi extolling diaspora Indians to commit and contribute to the countries they live in. Ishwar Ramlutchman Africa International coordinator and convener for the GOPIO Business summit finished off with a very emotional vote of thanks, specially to those who have traveled from far of countries to visit his South Africa. He thanked his team for their tireless work of last few months to put the convention together. He finished off with very important message,” Let us all take something from this convention”.

Many discussion panels were held covering the entire gamut of topics for helping Africa Grow through entrepreneurship and helping in the growth of Industries like Hotel and Tourism, Small Scale Industries, Micro Credit Financing to name a few.

Some of the local dignitaries who attended and spoke were Acting High Commissioner of India Dr. S. Janakiraman, Consul General of India Dr. Shashank Vikram, Deputy Mayor of Durban Fawzia Peer, and Ravi Pillay, MEC for Rural Development and Public Works.

In the afternoon, the business summit was honored by the presence of His Majesty the King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuZulu and his wife. The King was pleased to be attending the summit and to be among Indians in particular. In his speech, he emphasized that ALL RELIGIONS should live together in harmony. South Africa, he said that today his people are called, “The Rainbow Nation”. His majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini and her Highness, Prince MG Buthelezi MP, A.V, Mohammed of Jumma Masjid Trust and Deputy High commissioner of India Dr. S. Janakiraman and south African Member of parliament Aumsen Singh.

The Gala dinner was a display of warmth, love and hospitality of the South African Indians. It seems the clock may have stopped for them, 3-4 generations ago when their ancestors landed in Durban as indentured labor on a ship. Today the success and their achievement is noteworthy and something to be proud of.

From lightening the traditional lamp to welcome speeches to fabulous array of dishes on the buffet table was a sight to be seen. Highlight was the plaques of recognition to professional and business achievers, the host committee team and the people who needed to be recognized for their service to the community and the growth of Indian heritage in general. The King was presented with the Life Time Achievement Award.

His majesty the King Goodwill Zwelithini himself stood on the dais and presented each and everyone with the plaque of recognition with a smile and handshake. He was seen having quite a chat with some of the dignitaries and visitors. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

In his speech, he again reiterated his comments, “It is a great pleasure to have been invited to express my message of support to such a great celebration of unity among people of Indian origin that is kept intact by the leadership and members of the Gopio organization of the people of the Indian origin. We are aware that inculcating a culture of unity is difficult enough in a classroom or a community but when unity such as the one achieved by the Indian community on a global scale as pioneered by GOPIO has to be celebrated, Ubuntu dictates that I express my support.”

The highlight of the conference was a Visit to Mahatma Gandhi’s Phoenix Settlement, hosted by Mrs. Ela Gandhi, the granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi. The delegates got to see and read information they have heard about from the history books.

Original pictures and depiction of Mahatma Gandhi’s life has been recorded chronologically with very nice photographs and inscriptions on the walls. The delegation was served wonderful vegetarian lunch and a plaque of appreciation was given to Mrs. Ela Gandhi by GOPIO team.

Lawmakers reintroduce bipartisan legislation to retain foreign-born PhDs trained in America

Staff ReporterEducation, Travel 0

Congressman Erik Paulsen, R-Minnesota, and Congressman Mike Quigley, D-Illinois, reintroduced a bill that if passed by Congress would further smooth the path for highly educated Indian-Americans with degrees in the sciences from U.S. universities, to remain in this country.

The bipartisan legislation entitled, Stopping Trained in America Ph.D.s from Leaving the Economy (STAPLE) Act, would exempt foreign-born individuals who have earned an American Ph.D. in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) from the limits on the number of employment-based green cards and H-1B visas awarded annually. It was earlier introduced on April 30, 2015 House Resolution 2181), and reintroduced by the lawmakers on May 25 this year.

“It is no surprise that the brightest minds from around the world come to the United States to pursue their advanced degrees, and we should be doing all we can to ensure students we educate and train here use what they’ve learned to contribute to the American economy,” Congressman Paulsen is quoted saying in a May 25 press release introducing the legislation. “With thousands of high-skilled jobs going unfilled, the STAPLE Act makes sure American companies are getting the talent they need. By stapling a green card or visa to their diplomas, these professionals can invent and innovate new discoveries that grow our economy.”

“If we are serious about fostering innovation, spurring economic activity, and staying competitive in the global marketplace, we must encourage the brightest minds in the world to study, work, and stay in our communities,” said Congressman Quigley. “We cannot advance our technology or research if we continue sending foreign-born, but U.S. educated, students with advanced degrees away,” he added

H-1B visas, also known as high-skilled visas, are subject to annual caps that the lawmakers said, are “woefully” short of the number necessary to fill high-skilled jobs. Since April 1 when the U.S. began accepting H-1B petitions, the U.S. has received 233,000 applications for these high-skilled visas. Only 65,000 will be available this year, meaning that applicants will be subject to a lottery where two-out-of-three applicants will be denied a visa, they point out. Indian-Americans have the highest levels of education and income in this country.

They also contended that numerous studies have found H-1B visas end up creating jobs for native citizens. They quoted a 2011 study from the conservative think tank, the American Enterprise Institute, which found that “an additional 100 foreign-born workers in STEM fields with advanced degrees from U.S. universities is associated with an additional 262 jobs among U.S. natives.”

Paulsen, who describes himself as a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus.

Anand Jon to write about Ivanka Trump in book

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Indian American fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander, who is currently in prison serving a 59-year sentence for rape, is writing a book in which he talks about how what he did was “absolutely immoral, but not illegal.” He will also write about Ivanka Trump, whom he met when she was 14 years old.

Jon, who is in prison for the last seven years, is serving the 59-year sentence for rape and a dozen other criminal counts, including committing a lewd act on a child. “What I did was absolutely immoral, but not illegal,” he recently told a former acquaintance of a writer at pagesix.com. “I had a lot of sex, but it was not illegal. Everyone was over 17, except one girl who lied about her age.”

Jon, 40, preyed on aspiring models who hoped he would help their careers. But he said he was a victim of police racism. “This was about lifestyle,” Jon told my source. “The police saw a brown-skinned man having sex with white girls.”

Jon will talk in the book about dressing Janet Jackson and Mary J. Blige, and how he met Ivanka Trump when she was 14 and became the first designer to put her on the runway. “Ivanka did five shows for me. She’d take the subway to fittings,” Jon said, according to the pagesix.com story.

According to Inquisitr, in 2007, Jon pleaded guilty to forcing women to have oral sex with him in exchange for launching their modeling careers. “We were all searching for companionship. We were all searching for success,” he told The Associated Press. “The expectations were different. We got so caught up in the whole hype,” he added.

Inquisitr said that Alexander used to go online and lure young women to his apartment where he would make them strip and either sexually assaulted them or touched them without consent thereafter.  He also said that “everyone was over 17, except one girl who lie about her age.”

Jon is hoping that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit would write off or reduce his sentence. “I have 100 percent faith and confidence that I will be freed,” he told the New York Daily News.

Raja Krishnamoorthi says H1-B not responsible for U.S. unemployment

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Illinois Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi says unemployment in the U.S. cannot be laid at the door of highly skilled foreign workers employed in American companies. The Congressman was speaking at an interactive “Community Dialogue” series hosted by the US-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) recently, along with immigration lawyer Rajiv S. Khanna.

The interaction focused on issues surrounding Trump Administration’s immigration reform and its impact on US-India relations. In response to questions about the H-1B visa and family immigration, Krishnamoorthi emphasized that America was a country of immigrants. And while there is a shortage of skilled labor, reform would be needed to attract highly professional work force vital to the country’s economy, he said according to a press release from USINPAC. He warned that a hostile immigration environment might make IT companies move jobs offshore.

Skilled immigration should figure in the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump, during the impending visit of the Indian leader, Krishnamoorthi said. Congressman Krishnamoorthi did not think H1B visa program is to blame for massive US unemployment, the press release said. Regarding worker shortage in the Silicon Valley, the Krishnamoorthi said if President Trump wants to grow the U.S. economy at 3-4%, immigration reform must not be reckless, and should not fail to retain and attract high tech workers in sectors such as artificial intelligence and big data.

Khanna suggested a detailed economic, statistical and legal bipartisan study on the effects and benefits of the H1B program to close the gap between perception and reality. Krishnamoorthi agreed, the study would guide policymakers on how to grow the nation’s talent pool. Krishnamoorthi has co-sponsored a bill that calls for revoking the per- country caps for H1B visa, and favors both skill-based and family immigration.

World’s leading authority to lead luxury Jewish-India tour by Pacific Delight Tours

Staff ReporterTravel 0

My Second Home tour (hosted by leading Jewish-India scholar Professor Nathan Katz) features all the “must see” sights, while offering insights into the fascinating, little-known Jewish experience in India. Discover the dazzling cultural, historic and spiritual mosaic in a land where Jews have lived happily and made their mark for millennia. The itinerary is superb, the hotels are world-class, and the people you’ll meet spectacular.

His tour to South India with Nathan [Katz] was spectacular – “truly one of my favorite trips ever. We saw sights we never would have imagined. But the amazing thing was to have Nathan’s insights and historic perspective to gain a better understanding of the people and places we encountered. It gave such meaning to everything we saw and experienced. He imparted a love of India that is still with me today,” he said. Nina Piken, Boston, MA, who toured with Prof. Nathan Katz twice, to North India and South India

Abraham Pannikottu of AEG wins award for Developing Zero Pressure Tire

Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

Indian American Owned Company wins top team award for Developing Zero Pressure Tire for US Special Operations Forces Command (USSOCOM) Akron, Ohio, Akron based American Engineering Group received U.S. Special Operations Forces Small Business Team Award at the SOF Industry Conference in Tampa Florida on May 18th, 2017. USSOCOM Team Achievement awards are presented annually to recognize engineering product development team for top performance in the field of innovation & technology. The Team award is selected based on achievements and contributions to the overall goal of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

This award was presented at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC). SOFIC is the premier venue for the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community to interact with industry and to collaborate on the challenges, initiatives and way-ahead in delivering the most cutting-edge capabilities into the hands of SOF operators. This year more than ten thousand attendees were at 2017 SOFIC and 400 companies and organizations displayed their products and services in a sold-out exhibit hall at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, FL.

The conference theme was, “Win-Transform-People” reflects the USSOCOM Commander’s vision to win the current fight, transform current capabilities and equipment for future threats. This is the second year USSOCOM has had a Small Business Team Award to recognize a team for developing new product technology for the warfighter.  This year USSOCOM elected Akron, Ohio based American Engineering Group(AEG) for their SBIR Phase II project titled, ”Improved Tire Technology” developing a unique Pressure Zero Tire (PZT) for US special forces. The award was presented in the closing ceremony at the at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, FL by USSOCOM Acquisition Executive James Geurts.

 

“It’s an honor to receive this award on behalf of American Engineering Group(AEG) along with team of SOF technologists for the Light Tactical Vehicle Team,” said Abraham Pannikottu, Founder and Operations Manager of AEG. “AEG works tirelessly every day to provide our SOF warriors with the very best and most effective technology to do their job.”

Getting a flat tire is never convenient. In a war zone, it can be deadly. While special operations Tactical Vehicle have been loaded with extra armor to protect troops in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, the tires remain vulnerable to attacks by improvised explosive devices (IED). The unique carbon fiber multiple hoop tire design by American Engineering Group may be the key to a new Zero Pressure Tire that could keep military vehicles running after an attack.

American Engineering Group (AEG) received a Phase II project grant in 2014 from the Special Operations Forces to develop a runflat tire that would continue running even after being impacted by roadside bombs or gunfire. The main objective of the project,  “Improved Tire Technology for Special Operations Vehicles” was to develop a true off-road ballistic tire that could provide high off-road mobility and also provide improved tire survivability against terrain and ballistic threats. Though military vehicle tires are now equipped with run-flat inserts, SOF wants to upgrade to a tire that’s better at carrying heavier loads, has reduced weight, and can quickly move soldiers out of harm’s way.

When engineers at American Engineering Group began working on tire designs, they settled on a flexible multiple carbon fiber hoop structure which functions like air inside a tire. Along with carbon fiber multiple hoops for strength, the design allows shrapnel and high-caliber bullets to pass through the tire. From Phase I Testing in 2011 to completion of Phase II in 2017, the tires continued to run well – keeping the same functional road performance – even after receiving several rounds of gun shots.

Zero pressure tires have been around for a long time, with major drawbacks such as bumpy rides and overheating. The American Engineering Group (AEG) prototype dissipates heat and has the tire flexibility and strength to support the heavy military pick-up weight while providing a relatively smooth ride.

Though military vehicles outfitted with “run-flat” tires are supposed to travel at least 30 mph for 30 miles (the minimum SOF requirement), field performance of current run-flat tires hit by roadside bombs were reported to be much lower than this minimum requirement. The new AEG Zero Pressure Tire will withstand a minimum of 50 mph speeds more than 60 miles once it’s punctured based on results from Phase II.

“This level of load carrying capability and survivability surprised even me” says Dr. Jon Gerhardt, Technical Director of AEG. Defense vehicle weight requirements are increased so much that the current tires cannot support the load. SOF wants to create a tire that extends the mobility of the vehicle as well as the survivability and maintainability. AEG personnel fired a very large-caliber round with a high-velocity rifle into the tire several times. The damaged tires performed well and could perform at 50 mph speeds for 60 miles or more. The durability characteristics of this design was studied further in this Phase II on four different tire sizes for ATV Polaris, Toyota Hilux, and Toyota Land Cruiser & GMV 1.1. special operations vehicles.

American Engineering Group works on different combinations of metallic & polymeric materials to make the multiple composite carbon fiber hoops that are bonded to the carcass of the tire. Finding the right combination of hoop dimensions and materials is the challenge. A softer material provides good durability and flexibility but wears out sooner. A harder material lasts longer but also generates more heat.

“We were also able to utilize our suppliers’ experiences and knowledge to develop and manufacture this unique carbon-fiber–metal composite reinforced tire and we’re hoping to utilize this Pressure Zero Tire technology on various DoD tactical light vehicles,” said Dr Thomas Abraham, President of AEG

Zero pressure tires were tested successfully on the proving ground at Transportation Research Center (TRC Columbus, Ohio) an independent test facility owned by Ohio State University. This road test demonstrated that carbon fiber–metal spring hoops reinforced tread can provide a pressure zero tire performance as per USSOCOM requirements. This is based on vehicle tire tests completed at TRC on Toyota Hilux(figure 1)  & GMV 1.1 vehicles(figure 2) .  The Pressure Zero tire demonstrated good performance on the post ballistic zero pressure and tire durability tests.

This AEG innovative run-flat tire tested on vehicles provided the capability to move for at least 60 miles with a complete loss of air pressure in two tires on opposing corners. The 60 miles consisted of 30 miles (flat, hard, smooth gravel) at 30 mph, 9 miles (primary/paved road) at 30 mph, 9 miles (secondary roads) at 21 mph and 12 miles (cross-country) at 12 mph

The run-flat tire also survived the specified 30-mile test, after ballistic events of five (5) small arms shots to the sidewall and 2 small arms shots directly through the tread in accordance with the FINABEL 20.A.5 standard to cover both threshold and objective requirement.

The run-flat tire also survived the 30-mile test specified above after a 1-inch long gash on the sidewall. The final test was a 12,000-mile reliability, availability, maintainability, and durability test also performed on vehicles at TRC (Columbus, Ohio) an independent test facility managed by Ohio State University. Since the tire is still under development, there’s no price tag. AEG is expected to develop a tire that costs the same or less than current military tires. “AEG’s motivation and driving force for this project is that AEG gets the privilege to be of help to save lives our soldiers” Pannikottu added.

Trump Hotels collaborates with Chawla Brothers to launch New ‘American Idea’ Brand

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Trump Hotels announced on June 6th that it has teamed up with Chawla Pointe, LLC, to launch “American Idea,” a midscale brand of lodging in the Mississippi Delta area. Indian American hoteliers Suresh Chawla and Dinesh Chawla, whose late father V.K. Chawla founded Chawla Pointe in the 1980s, currently run the business. They will partner with Trump Hotels to initially build three hotels in the region.

American Idea hotels will build upon President Donald Trump’s pledge on the campaign trail to put America first. The three-star chain will feature artifacts of American culture in the hotels, such as an old Coca ­Cola machine in the lobby or American-­made sundries in the rooms, reported the New York Times.

When Suresh Chawla began construction on a luxury hotel in rural Mississippi last fall, he had no idea it would be the first in a series of new licensing agreements with The Trump Organization.

Chawla, who manages a small chain of hotels with his brother, Dinesh, envisioned an upscale offering to complement the 17 mid-scale hotels the family already operates. The new hotel, which is expected to be completed in first half of 2018, would be called the Lyric Hotel and Spa, and allow “guests from all over the world to immerse themselves in Mississippi culture.”

Now, some nine months after breaking ground on the hotel, Chawla Hotels is teaming up with President Donald Trump’s sons to make that aim a reality. It’s the same idea, the Chawla brothers say, but with the day-to-day operations turned over to the Trump Organization in a licensing deal the Trumps aim to replicate across the country. The new four-star chain, dubbed “Scion,” will be built by local partners such as Chawla Hotels that have agreed to pay royalties and other fees to the Trump Organization.

“The Trump Organization will be branding the hotel as a Scion hotel,” Suresh Chawla explained. “They will be managing and marketing the hotel. My brother and I are a board of directors that will consult them.”

In addition to the Scion-branded hotel, the Chawla brothers have agreed to move three of their existing hotels under a new brand called “American IDEA,” a more affordable, three-star option that Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Jr., announced Monday in New York. Unlike the higher-priced Scion option, which the Trump Organization will run, American Idea hotels will be managed by partners such as the Chawlas.

The Chawla brothers are the first publicly announced partners in both chains, which are expected to grow rapidly in the coming months. “We were developing our own hotel. We were going to go full-service boutique. We had no idea we’d be associated with the Trump Organization,” Suresh Chawla told Forbes Monday evening on his way to the announcement in New York. “Now, we are doing a whole new interior package. It’s going to be much higher quality.”

So how did a pair of Indian-American immigrants become business partners with the Trump family?

It began with a phone call in March. Suresh Chawla was on spring break, watching a tennis match with his family. He received a call was from an employee at the Trump Organization who had read about the Chawla’s new hotel and wanted in on it. “They read about our hotel and asked if we’d be interested [in partnering]. I had to Google ‘Scion’ to find out what it was,” Dinesh Chawla said, adding that he quickly realized he and his brother “shared about 80 percent of our goals” for the hotel with the Trump Organization. “We want it to be a great social enterprise, as well as a profitable enterprise. … I really felt they listened to us.”

The Chawla brothers declined to disclose the details of their financial arrangement with the Trump Organization. Mitch Garrett, a vice president of Acquisition & Development at Trump Hotels who helped broker the deal, did not respond to a request for comment.

“The only thing I can say for sure,” Dinesh Chawla said, “is on the Scion deal the Trump Organization will manage the day-to-day. And we hope they look out for our financial interests; I can’t imagine they wouldn’t. We have some leverage, too. We are their first hotel [under the Scion brand]. If we suck, there’s going to be a deflating effect.”

The hotel industry has seen several years of consecutive growth. But while Asian markets are demanding construction of luxury and upscale hotels, U.S. markets have skewed toward mid-scale and upper-mid-scale chains. Think: La Quinta Inn & Suites, Quality Inn, Holiday Inn and now–American IDEA. Overall in the US, the number of hotel rooms currently in construction is up 18% from last year. Mid-scale and upper mid-scale hotels are up 35% and 21% respectively, according to the research firm STR, Inc.

Prominent hotel operators have recently expanded their mid-scale offerings. Last month, Hilton opened doors on a new hotel brand dubbed “Tru.” The chain is expected to be Hilton’s largest brand by number of units, with more than 400 Tru hotels in development. Marriott, meanwhile, recently introduced “Moxy,” a budget friendly hotel chain with millennial travelers in mind, after a successful brand launch in Europe.

In the case of Chawla Hotels and the new American IDEA properties, the Chawla brothers said they will complete renovations prior to transferring the name in the spring of 2018. The hotels must adhere to standards set by the Trump Organization in the licensing agreement. While Donald Trump turned over management of his company to his sons upon taking office earlier this year, the president has been criticized for not doing enough to separate himself from the family business.

In March, Eric Trump told Forbes that he would provide copies of the company’s financial reports to his father on a regular basis.

That the Trump Organization is launching its new, cheaper hotel lines with a pair of socially liberal immigrant entrepreneurs isn’t lost on the Chawla brothers. The arrangement was kept under wraps until Monday afternoon, when The New York Times first reported details of the deal. But the relationship had been a long time in the making for the Chawla brothers, whose father cold-called Donald Trump some 30 years ago to ask for a loan. Trump declined, Suresh Chawla said, but offered his father advice that would stick with the family as it grew a modest hotel chain in the Mississippi Delta.

“This all started because of my father and his hard work 30 years ago,” Suresh Chawla said, adding that his parents came to the United States after falling in love at a refugee camp in 1947.

Suresh Chawla has come to support Trump as president–he donated to his campaign–but he initially favored Marco Rubio. While the Chawla brothers were raised in a staunchly Democratic household, they said politics did not get in the way of their current business partnership with the Trump Organization. “My father was a Bill Clinton fanatic. When he first moved here in 1977, he was a Jimmy Carter guy,” Suresh Chawla said. “Despite all that, he would still have loved to do this deal. … Associating with the Trump brand will be good for the Delta.”

What about President Trump’s stance on immigration, including his failed bid at temporarily blocking travel to the U.S. from citizens of a half-dozen mostly Muslim countries? Are the Chawla brothers concerned about possible political ramifications from doing business with the Trumps?

“I don’t even understand the travel ban,” Suresh Chawla said. “The whole concept of what’s going on there… I kind of stay away from all that. I do know this country was built by immigrants–including us. But I don’t know what to think as far as the politics of the travel ban.”

“The most important thing,” Suresh continued, “is we’re hoping that tourism will boom in the Delta as a result of [the deal with the Trump Organization]. That is the overriding issue here.”

Dinesh Chawla said he voted for Barack Obama in 2008. He supported Hillary Clinton last year, and said he encouraged his female hotel managers to study her preparation for public speaking engagements when dealing with challenging situations at work. “I liked Hillary a lot. If I had a daughter, she would be a role model.”

Still, the deal with the Trump Organization, he said, “is not a political thing. It’s purely business.”

4 Indians, 1 Pakistani Plead Guilty in U.S. Call Center Scam

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Four Indians and a Pakistani national pleaded guilty to charges for their role in a massive telephone impersonation fraud and money laundering scheme in the U.S. perpetrated by India-based call centers, the U.S. Department of Justice said, a scheme affecting hundreds of Indian Americans.

Indian nationals Rajubhai Patel, 32; Viraj Patel, 33; Dilipkumar Ambal Patel, 53; and Pakistani Fahad Ali, 25, each pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy before U.S. District Court Judge David Hittner of the Southern District of Texas. Indian national Hardik Patel, 31, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy before the same court June 2.

Sentencing dates were pending for all five defendants, the Department of Justice said in a June 5 statement. Based on the statements in his June 2 guilty plea, beginning in August 2012, Hardik Patel owned and managed the day-to-day operations of an India-based scam call center before leaving for the U.S.

While in India, he communicated extensively via email, text and other means with various India-based co-defendants to operate the scheme and exchange scripts used in the scheme. He also used to coordinate the processing of payments from scammed victims, obtain and exchange lead lists used by callers to target U.S. victims and exchange spreadsheets containing the personal identifying information of U.S. persons misappropriated by the scammers to register reloadable cards used in the scheme.

Hardik Patel also managed worker payroll and kept detailed records of profits and expenses for various associated scam call centers. He continued to communicate with India-based co-defendants about the scheme and assist with the conspiracy after he moved to the U.S.

According to his June 6 guilty plea, Rajubhai Patel operated as a runner and assisted a co-defendant in managing the activities of a crew of other runners, based primarily out of Illinois, who liquidated victims’ funds in various locales in the U.S. for conspirators from India-based call centers.

Viraj Patel first became involved in the conspiracy between April and September 2013, prior to entering the U.S, when he worked at and assisted with overseeing the operations of a call center in India engaging in scam activity at the behest of a co-defendant.

Dilipkumar A. Patel operated as a runner in and around Southern California, along with other co-defendants based in the region. To date, 56 other individuals and five India-based call centers have been charged for their roles in the fraud and money laundering scheme in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Texas on Oct. 19, 2016.

Pranav Kalyan’s Agoura Math Circle helps students with Math Skills

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An Indian American teenager who holds two honorary associate degrees and is already Microsoft certified has created a community service organization to help students enhance their math skills. Pranav Kalyan, 13, created the Agoura Math Circle, which is a student-run nonprofit that aims to provide students the mathematical problem-solving skills and confidence needed to succeed academically and in real-world situations.

Kalyan founded the program in 2015 that now serves hundreds of students. The Agoura Math Circle is a student-run, nonprofit community service organization. Agoura Math Circle is a free educational program focusing on the problem-solving skills that lead students to success in both academics and the real world. More importantly, thought, Agoura Math Circle gives students confidence and the skills to tackle any type of problem, academic or otherwise. Our Goal is to create strong foundation for kids to increase critical thinking and motivate kids to aim for top universities in a fun full environment.

The Agoura Math Circle is started by Pranav Kalyan. He is a 7th grader at Lindero Canyon Middle school in Agoura Hills. He is Pursuing the “Associate Degree in Astrophysics, Mathematics, Natural Science, chemistry and physics” at Moorpark college.

The students are taught by volunteer tutors — typically high school students in advanced math courses — who create lesson plans and teach a class of up to 50 students. The tutors then create and administer an exam based on the lesson and score them to ultimately assist students in correcting their errors and improving test-taking skills for future examinations.

According to an AMC news release, the classes students embark on are typically far more advanced than the material they are taught in elementary and middle school. Due to the advanced level of the AMC class, the students regularly excel in school. Dozens of parents affirm the influence of the Agoura Math Circle on their children, with several testimonials proclaiming that they have noticed a significant increase in “student confidence” and a newfound “passion for higher level math,” AMC said.

A controversial trial to bring the dead back to life plans a restart

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For any given medical problem, it seems, there’s a research team trying to use stem cells to find a solution. In clinical trials to treat everything from diabetes to macular degeneration to ALS, researchers are injecting the cells in efforts to cure patients.

But in one study expected to launch later this year, scientists hope to use stem cells in a new, highly controversial way — to reverse death.

The idea of the trial, run by Philadelphia-based Bioquark, is to inject stem cells into the spinal cords of people who have been declared clinically brain-dead. The subjects will also receive an injected protein blend, electrical nerve stimulation, and laser therapy directed at the brain.

The Philadelphia-based company along with an Indian orthopedic surgeon has said it will start a new type of stem cell therapy that claims it can bring people back from the dead. Bioquark, led by chief executive Ira Pastor, said it will begin conducting trials of the therapy later in the year in an undisclosed country in Latin America, according to a New York Post report.

Pastor and Indian orthopedic surgeon Himanshu Bansal had initially hoped to run tests in India in 2016 but the Indian Council of Medical Research pulled the plug on their plans and asked them to take the trials elsewhere, the Post reported.

Most countries officially declare someone dead when there is irreversible loss of brain function. The Bioquark therapy boasts it can reboot the brain. The company said it will begin testing on humans, with no plans to experiment on animals. Scientists plan to examine individuals aged between 15 and 65 who have been declared brain dead from a traumatic brain injury, the report noted, citing a published study.

The three-stage process starts with harvesting stem cells from the patient’s own blood before injecting them back into their body. Next, the patient is given a dose of peptides injected into their spinal cord. The final step is a 15-day course of laser and median nerve stimulation while monitoring the patient with MRI scans. Bansal practices in New Delhi.

Higher share of students than tourists, business travelers overstayed deadlines to leave U.S. Nearly 25,000 Indians overstayed in 2016

Staff ReporterTourism 0

By Pew Research

A higher share of foreign students and exchange visitors than international tourists or business travelers overstayed their permission to be in the U.S. last year, according to a new Department of Homeland Security report. Overall, about 629,000 foreign visitors who were expected to leave the country in fiscal 2016 were still in the U.S. when the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, out of about 50 million arrivals by air and sea.

The scope of the government’s report for fiscal 2016 is limited: It covers 96% of foreign visitors who arrived by air and sea, but not lawful arrivals over land borders from Canada and Mexico, which account for about 250 million arrivals a year. (The agency’s first partial estimate of fiscal 2015 overstays, published last year, covered 85% of air and sea visitors and did not include those with visas for students or temporary workers and their family members. The new report includes these groups.)

The number and share of foreign visitors who become unauthorized immigrants by overstaying their permission to be in the U.S. vary widely by visa type and by home country. Among all foreign visitors covered by the report, the overstay rate at the end of the 2016 fiscal year was 1.25%. The overstay rate was 2.74% for student and exchange visitors, meaning that about 42,000 were suspected to be still in the U.S. among the 1.5 million who were expected to leave in that year. Among the 47 million business and pleasure travelers due to leave, the rate was lower (1.18%) but the overstay number was higher (553,000).

The agency also reported data for a category that included mainly temporary workers and their families. Among the 1.9 million people in this category expected to leave in fiscal 2016, about 33,000 were still in the U.S. as of Sept. 30, a 1.76% overstay rate.

The largest number of overstayers came from Canada (about 119,000, a 1.3% overstay rate), followed by Mexico (about 47,000, a 1.5% overstay rate) and Brazil (39,000, a 1.8% overstay rate). As a group, countries with visa-waiver programs (such as the United Kingdom or Spain), where the U.S. does not require a visa for temporary visits, had lower overstay rates than Canada, Mexico and countries without visa-waiver programs.

Countries with the highest overstay rates tended to send smaller numbers of visitors. For example, 47% of students and exchange visitors from Burkina Faso who were supposed to leave in fiscal 2016 were still in the U.S. at the end of the fiscal year, or 327 out of 699 people.

Congress has been pressing the government for well over a decade to improve tracking of foreign visitors who overstay their deadlines to leave, in part because some of the plane hijackers on Sept. 11, 2001, were foreigners on expired visas. Another reason for the growing focus on overstays is that they may be a growing share of the nation’s unauthorized immigrant population: Decreased border apprehensions and other data point to a declining inflow of people crossing the border illegally.

The agency’s snapshot of foreign visitors who overstay their deadlines to leave differs from a portrait of the overall U.S. unauthorized-immigrant population of 11 million in 2015, derived from Pew Research Center estimates. Mexicans accounted for about half of the nation’s unauthorized immigrants that year, but they were just 7% of fiscal 2016 overstayers who had arrived by air and sea. Canadians, who accounted for 19% of fiscal 2016 overstayers who had arrived by air and sea, were about 1% of all unauthorized immigrants in 2014, according to the latest Center estimate.

Looking at changes from 2015 to 2016, the numbers of tourists or business travelers who overstayed their permission to be in the U.S. and were in the country at the end of the fiscal year rose by about 71,000, or 15%. The number of people who overstayed rose for all regions of the world.

In both fiscal years, the number of people who overstayed declined after the fiscal year ended because some left the country. The report said about 545,000 overstayers from fiscal 2016 were still in the U.S. in January 2017. The number of fiscal 2016 overstayers currently is estimated to be about 455,000, compared with 629,000 at the end of the fiscal year last fall, DHS official John Wagner told a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on May 23. The number of fiscal 2015 overstayers was 355,000 in June 2016, down from 429,000 the previous fall.

The government’s data on foreign visitors who leave the U.S. by air or sea comes from commercial airlines and passenger vessel manifests, but is not always accurate, according to a recent audit report by DHS’s inspector general’s office. DHS Inspector General John Roth said in the May 23 hearing that passenger manifests can be up to 95% accurate, but there are errors in both directions: People can falsely be listed as departed or not included on the list of departures. Congress has been pushing DHS to collect biometric data such as fingerprints or iris scans to ensure better exit information, and the agency has been doing so on a trial basis. Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced it has updated its website to allow some foreign visitors to check the status of their stay and see how many days they have remaining.

Compared with data about tourists or business travelers, records for foreign students, exchange visitors and temporary workers are more challenging to track, because many seek to extend their permission to stay or switch to a longer-term or permanent visa. Students may be admitted for a certain period, or for the duration of a program without a set timeframe. Data on foreign students relies heavily on schools, which report the information into the Student and Exchange Visitor Information database.

The largest number of fiscal 2016 student and exchange visitor overstayers came from China (about 8,000), followed by India (3,000) and South Korea (2,000). In the category that mainly includes temporary workers, the countries with the largest number of overstayers were India (about 6,000), the Philippines (6,000) and Mexico (2,000).

In addition to potential accuracy issues caused by faulty federal records or third-party data, the government’s overstay methodology and reported results have other potential weaknesses. The 50 million admissions counted in fiscal 2016 include some people who came to the U.S. more than once, for example, but the overstay number counts each person only once. If each visitor were counted only once, the admissions figure likely would be smaller than 50 million and the overstay rate would be larger than the one in the DHS report.

“Ekal Sur Ekal Taal” – A Splendor of India’s Rural-Tribal Artistry: Roopal Shah

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By Prakash Waghmare
Nine artists from tribal regions of India are currently touring the U.S. for five months as part of a dazzling stage presentation, titled – ‘Ekal Sur, Ekal Taal’ for “Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation”. It is a musical splendor of rural culture depicting epic folklore, devotional songs, and regional dances reflecting national unity. For the first time in its history, ‘Ekal’ has brought the best talent from Ekal-school alumni for fund-raising entertainment, in a series of concert, all across U.S. The main objective of this bold step is to connect with the people here to highlight the need for education in tribal India.
They are all travelling by bus accompanied by Ekal’s ‘Global Coordinator’, Ramesh Shah who was recently felicitated by the President of India for his community work. The trip is partially supported by the Cultural Ministry of India.
“Ekal Sur Ekal Taal” concert is on the East Coast in June (2017). They have already completed almost 50 shows out of 58 and they all have been runaway smash-hit, with audiences crazily mobbing the Artistes. In essence, this musical extravaganza highlights our traditional backwoods treasured artistry.
All the artists of this year’s troupe are from very small villages of India’s tribal belt. The artists, include Dileshwar Yadav, Sumitra Kakodia, Sandip Yadav, Gitmala Boraik, Tilak Chandra, Neena Pandey, Johan Singh Markam, Radheshyam Yadav, Sampa Shill and they are being cared, stage-managed by N.P. Amoli. They all hail from remote areas of Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Sikkim, and Assam and come from economically disadvantage background where basic sustenance is a challenge.
Although it is hard to tell from the artistic versatility of these artistes that they are not of professional cadre, it is, surprisingly, true. For this tour, they were trained, groomed and molded by the best professionals in ‘stage performance’, for 18 months in New Delhi. They not only endured rigorous coaching, but also, exhibited incredible potential of so many young dreamers of rural India. The artists also received fast-track training in ‘make-up’ and ‘costume’ designing to make them totally independent at event-preparedness while on this U.S. tour. Each one of them has unique personal story to tell which exhibit nothing but their resolve, resilience and courage to face the adversity to succeed in life. Let’s peek into senior artists Sampa Shill’s life.
Sampa Shill’s maternal and paternal grandparents were refugees from East Pakistan (modern day Bangladesh) who walked all the way to Assam with other villagers like them. A kind benefactor gave the family enough land to build a makeshift home and plant some crops. Sampa Shill is the fourth of five children. She was only 16 years old and in the 10th grade when her father died of cancer. The family struggled hard to make ends meet. Desperate to survive, Sampa’s brother left for a labor job in the neighboring state of Mizoram, leaving behind three women (mother and younger sisters) to ward off for themselves.
Sampa remembers long hungry passages of life when she had to survive on only one meager meal a day, which sometimes she had to pass-on to her younger brother who was always hungry. Sampa has been involved in ‘Ekal Abhiyan’ (an umbrella Organization of ‘Ekal’) for almost a dozen years. To make the long story short, she is a prime example of empowerment that Ekal has brought to women folks in villages. She is oversees many of the schools in Silchar, Assam region and guides the unfortunates to be successful by picking up skills at ‘Ekal Centers’. She says that Ekal has expanded her horizons so much so that even if she eventually gets married, she would continue to be a part of the Ekal family and groom others.
“Ekal Sur Ekal Taal” tour finishes on the East Coast with stops in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. This team has mesmerized audiences all over the country. What is equally notable is that no ethnic grass-root troupe has promoted the rustic Indian culture in U.S. so beautifully, the way this talented assemble has done. Avani Mehta from Chicago said, “Ekal Sur Ekal Taal is better than any Bollywood program, I have seen. Not only the artists have great voices, but also, there is intimate authenticity to this show which is unmatched”. For the tour and ticket information kindly refer to <www.ekal.org>

New York settles claims in Vishwaja Muppa’ death in Superstorm Sandy

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New York county officials have agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle lawsuits involving the accidental death of a 21-year-old Indian American college student during Superstorm Sandy. Stony Brook University student Vishwaja Muppa, of Edison, New Jersey, was killed and three other women — Jacqueline Dincil, Tanya Khan, and Disha Gupta — were injured in the 2012 storm. Officials say a Suffolk County police car crashed into their vehicle at a darkened intersection in the hamlet of Port Jefferson Station on Long Island. Police say the storm had knocked out the traffic light and the officer didn’t have his emergency lights on.
The three other women suffered severe and permanent injuries, and will also receive part of the settlement. The settlement was announced May 30. Newsday reports (http://nwsdy.li/2sfpEnD) the county legislature will decide a proposal to borrow $3 million for the settlement.
According to the Newsday report, Muppa was studying to become a physician. A biology major, she was described by friends as a hardworking scholar, who also worked for two years as a student assistant in the office of university president Dr. Samuel L. Stanley.
“Nothing makes up for the tragic loss of this beautiful young lady, but under the circumstances the best interest of the family was to put this behind them,” Anthony J. Emanuel, attorney for the Muppa estate, was quoted as saying by Newsday.
Others who are part of the settlement are Dincil who suffered multiple fractures of the pelvis and lumbar spine, some of which are permanent; Khan, who claimed “severe and permanent injuries”; and Gupta, who suffered permanent injuries to her spinal column and brain which required surgery and extensive medical treatment, according to court papers.
“The legislature is doing the right thing because the actions of the Suffolk County police officer were indefensible,” said Robert Sullivan, attorney for Gupta, who graduated from Stony Brook and is back in India but still in treatment.

New York: Muslims pray, break fast in a protest outside Trump Tower in Ramadan

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About 100 Muslims showed up for the Iftar event late Thursday, organized by immigrant defense groups. A similar number of non-Muslim supporters also attended. A crowd of Muslims kneeled to pray before breaking their Ramadan fast outside the Trump Tower in a protest against what they say is the US president’s Islamophobic rhetoric.
About 100 Muslims showed up for the Iftar event late Thursday, organized by immigrant defense groups. A similar number of non-Muslim supporters also attended. Participants sat on the edge of the avenue after prayers and shared a meal that included rice, chicken and pizza.
Police monitored the group closely, as they do with all groups near the building. Trump Tower in Manhattan is home to the Trump Organization, the heart of President Donald Trump’s business empire. First Lady Melania Trump lives there with the couple’s youngest son, Baron.
Fatoumata Waggeh, a 26 year-old Muslim-American woman with Gambian roots, said she had come to denounce the negative “rhetoric they are spreading around Muslims,” and to show solidarity.
Maggie Glass, a 31 year-old New Yorker active with a Jewish refugee association, said she was there “to support all our Muslim neighbors and friends. “I just thought it was an opportunity for us to come together as a community, to show that we are united.” Event organizer Linda Sarsour told AFP she was satisfied with the turnout.
She didn’t mind that unlike previous US presidents, Trump had not invited Muslims to the White House to mark Iftar. “To be honest with you, even if they did, I would ask Muslims not to endorse an administration that is acting so divisively,” she said. “So they are not inviting us, but we don’t want to go anyway.” During their protest, a small group of Trump supporters on the other side of the street chanted “USA, USA!” and “We don’t want sharia law!”

Rani George named Dean of Arts College at Albany State University

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Albany State University has announced that Prof. Rani George has been appointed dean of the university’s College of Arts and Humanities. George was among four people — Kerri Johnson, Rhonda Porter and Seyed Roosta — appointed as deans by the university.
“I am pleased to welcome four new deans to the university’s leadership team,” said university provost and vice president of academic affairs Tau Kadhi in a statement. “We conducted a thorough national search and these final candidates displayed outstanding professionalism and dedication,” Kadhi added. “I have the utmost confidence they are committed to ensuring a quality learning experience for all ASU students and the positive growth of the Albany community.”
George currently serves as interim dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and professor of statistics and research methods in the department of criminal justice. She previously served as a department chair, the dean of the ASU Graduate School, statistician/health planner at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany and assistant professor of psychology at Lady Doak College in Madurai, India.
George received a Ph.D. in measurement, statistics and evaluation and a master’s in applied human development from the University of Delaware in Newark. She also received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in psychology from the University of Madras in Chennai, India. George has several peer reviewed publications and has presented at national and international conferences.
Her areas of research interests include HIV/AIDS, behavioral health among college students and school violence. George has co-authored several multi-year research grants, including the SAMHSA Minority AIDS Initiative funding for Minority Serving Institutions Partnerships with Community-Based Organizations and the SAMHSA Campus HIV/AIDS prevention program.Her areas of research interests include HIV/AIDS, behavioral health among college students and school violence. She has co-authored several multi-year research grants, including the SAMHSA Minority AIDS Initiative funding for Minority Serving Institutions Partnerships with Community-Based Organizations and the SAMHSA Campus HIV/AIDS prevention program.

Himang Patel Graduates from Rutgers University’s Inaugural Future Scholars Program

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When the Class of 2017 graduates from Rutgers University in May, approximately 55 will walk with special distinction as the first Rutgers Future Scholars to earn university degrees. Including other universities, a total of 75 Future Scholars will graduate this spring. They were handpicked by the university when they were in seventh grade as part of the inaugural Rutgers Future Scholars class, including Indian American Himang Patel.
Patel of Piscataway, who will receive his degree in finance and accounting from Rutgers University-New Brunswick, has seen firsthand how the Future Scholars program paves the way to jobs, the report said.
After commencement, he will start work on Wall Street in Deutsche Bank’s regulation compliance and anti-financial crime unit. The India native emigrated from India at age 8, but found assimilating difficult.
“I was taking it one grade at a time, but when I entered the Future Scholars program, I saw all that was possible,” he said in the report. “When I got to college, companies took note of me because my involvement in the program and reached out to me for internships. That work helped me succeed beyond my dreams.”
Since 2008, the pioneering program has inspired and prepared 1,800 low-income, first-generation students to attend college. Conceived when the university noticed that few students from its host communities were enrolling at Rutgers, the program sought to discover promising students and invest in their futures.
Each year, Future Scholars, which is funded primarily through private and corporate contributions, accepts 215 seventh-grade students – 50 each from New Brunswick, Piscataway, Newark and Camden, plus 15 from Rahway – who remain in the program through their high school graduation. The students receive mentoring, tutoring and college prep courses, including required summer sessions. Upon graduation, if the student applies and is accepted to Rutgers, the university covers the cost of tuition.
On average, 90 percent of the students enroll at a college the fall after graduating high school; 70 percent are admitted to Rutgers and of those 50 percent attend. Of the 183 students who made up the first class, 163 enrolled in post-secondary institutions, 98 of them with full scholarships to Rutgers.
“We focus on the ‘if only’ students – those who teachers say could excel if only they had the opportunity or financial means,” says Aramis Gutierrez, the program’s director. “Beyond academic aptitude, we look for students with leadership skills or who are engaged in community service.”
To qualify for the program, students must be the first generation in their family to attend college and meet the Educational Opportunity Fund guidelines on income. “We ask them to write essays, which is how we get to know who they are and who they aspire to be,” says Kim Williams, associate director.
During the school year, college courses co-taught by a university professor and a trained instructor from the district are offered for high school and college credit. In addition, the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University-Newark offers courses after school. “Our Scholars, like their peers, have a lot of questions – ‘Am I smart enough? Will I fit in? Can I afford it?’ We provide answers by exposing them to college credit courses as early as the ninth grade, building a community of likeminded peers and educating them on how to pay for college and apply for scholarships,” Gutierrez says. Each summer, students attend courses taught by Rutgers instructors on the various campuses. Internships during their junior year allow them to earn college credit and get paid.

Nicki Minaj brings clean water to impoverished Indian village with charitable donations

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American rapper Nicki Minaj is gaining a reputation for philanthropy. And Nicki Minaj has revealed her charitable donations have helped bring clean water to an impoverished village in India. The 34-year-old shared a video on her Instagram page of a villager switching on one of the wells that was built using her money.
“This is the kind of thing that makes me feel the most proud,” she captioned the video. “The money I’ve sent to this village in India for the last couple years (via my Pastor Lydia Sloley), has gotten them a computer center, a tailoring institute, a reading program and 2 WATER WELLS.”
She went on to add that “we complain about the most ridiculous little things when some ppl don’t even have clean water. Blessings to India.” Though her act is positively impacting the lives of many people living there, Minaj noted that “Our work is far from done.”
She didn’t mention the name of the village that she is helping but told her followers that she’ll tell them more about her charity work in the “near future” in case they’d like to be a part of it.
The 34-year-old, whose father is of Indian and Trinidadian origin, also shared another photo showing women sitting on the floor as they listen intently to someone who appears to be a pastor.
“I’m so proud of our sisters in India. God is so good,” she wrote. “Their desire was to have water wells and places where they can worship, places where they can learn technology, computers, reading, etc. We’re just getting started. These women are us and we are them!”
Upon learning about her charitable endeavors, fans wasted no time in appreciating the singer for her generosity, some even offering to help in her humanitarian ventures. The list of Minaj’s philanthropic efforts is growing by the day. She recently shared another screenshot showing that she helped a few college students pay off their debts.
“This makes me so happy. (A few from the other day),” she wrote. “I’ll do another impromptu payment spree in a month or 2 but pls know that I’m launching my official charity for Student Loans/Tuition Payments VERY SOON! You’ll be able to officially sign up! I’ll keep you posted!”

Asian Heritage celebrated in NYPD headquarters

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New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner James O’Neill, fraternal organizations, NYPD members, and members of the community gathered at One Police Plaza to celebrate National Asian Heritage Month, last week.
The event honored some of the NYPD’s most prominent Asian members and celebrated the Asian diversity represented throughout the Department. Executives from the Asian Jade Society and the NYPD Desi Society organized the celebration, according to a press release.
Deputy Inspector Deodat Urprasad, commanding officer of the 102 Precinct in Queens, was honored for being the highest-ranking uniformed member of South Asian descent.
Thanks to trailblazers like Inspector Urprasad, the NYPD is one of the most diverse police departments in the country. Today, there are more than 2,000 civilian and 2,600 uniformed NYPD members of Asian descent, said the release.
In his remarks, Police Commissioner O’Neill emphasized that having a diverse police force is an important part of protecting and connecting with the people of New York City.
“This is beneficial for every part of the police department’s mission from fighting crime and terrorism to building real, lasting relationships with the City’s diverse communities,” said O’Neill.

NYU Hospitality Conference to Host AAHOA CEO for Industry Update

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The New York University (NYU) International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference will welcome Asian American Hotel Owners Association President and CEO Chip Rogers to the stage on Monday to deliver an industry association update.
Now in its 39th year, the NYU conference draws the country’s best and brightest industry leaders for three days of workshops, panels, and networking focused on current and projected realities in hospitality. Previous years have featured speakers including U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Down, Best Western Hotels & Resorts CEO David Kong, and Deloitte’s U.S. Leader (Hospitality) Stephen Jennings.
Rogers will speak alongside Katie B. Fallon, Hilton’s global head of corporate affairs, and Katherine Lugar, American Hotel & Lodging Association president and CEO, in a discussion focused on what is happening in Washington, DC that will influence the hospitality industry in the months and years to come. Loews Hotels & Co. Chairman and CEO Jonathan M. Tisch will moderate.
“I welcome the particular emphasis on the importance of advocacy at one of the preeminent conferences in the lodging industry,” Rogers said. “I look forward to hearing my fellow panelists thoughts on working with the new Congress and new administration and how we can work together to ensure American hospitality continues to thrive.”
The conference will be held at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City on June 4-6. For more information, please visit the NYU conference website. AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The more than 16,000 AAHOA members own almost 1 in every 2 hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community in the United States. As an association, AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American Dream.

Humans are ushering in the sixth mass extinction of life on Earth, scientists warn

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Humans are bringing about the sixth mass extinction of life on Earth, according to scientists writing in a special edition of the leading journal Nature. Mammals, birds and amphibians are currently becoming extinct at rates comparable to the previous five mass extinctions when “cataclysmic forces” — such as massive meteorite strikes and supervolcano explosions — wiped out vast swathes of life, including the dinosaurs.

The growing human population — which has increased by 130 per cent in the last 50 years and is set to rise to more than 10 billion by 2060 — and our increasing demand for resources as we become wealthier is ramping up the pressure on the natural world. Tens of thousands of species — including 25 per cent of all mammals and 13 per cent of birds — are now threatened with extinction because of over-hunting, poaching, pollution, loss of habitat, the arrival of invasive species, and other human-caused problems. But the researchers said it was not “inevitable” that this process would continue. There is still time for humans to turn the situation around by protecting habitats, changing our diets to less land-intensive food, and taking other forms of conservation.

In one of a series of papers in Nature, a team of international scientists wrote: “The ever-increasing and unprecedented extent and impact of human activities on land and in the oceans over the past few centuries has dramatically reduced global biodiversity. There is overwhelming evidence that habitat loss and fragmentation, over-exploitation of biological resources, pollution, species invasions and climate change have increased rates of global species extinctions to levels that are much higher than those observed in the fossil record.” And we are not immune from such problems.

This loss of biodiversity could “substantially diminish the benefits that people derive from nature”, they warned. In order to preserve such “ecosystem services”, policies should be designed to “secure the valuable and often irreplaceable benefits of biodiversity for future generations, even under conditions of rapid global change”, the paper added.
Another paper painted a bleak picture of humans’ long history of wiping out other animals. “Human-influenced extinctions began when modern humans moved out of Africa,” it said. “Successive waves of extinctions in Australia (50,000 years ago), North America and South America (10,000-11,000 years ago) and Europe (3,000-12,000 years ago) were driven largely by a combination of hunting by humans and natural climate change. By 3,000 years ago, Earth had lost half of all terrestrial mammalian megafauna species (with a mass of more than 44kg) and 15 per cent of all bird species.”
The researchers said that since 1500AD, human destruction of wildlife had “accelerated”. “Extinction rates for birds, mammals and amphibians are similar at present to those of the five global mass-extinction events of the past 500 million years that probably resulted from meteorite impacts, massive volcanism and other cataclysmic forces,” they wrote. The paper said “urgent” action was needed to ensure that “sufficient habitats will remain to preserve the viability of … species in the long term and to guarantee that such habitats are well managed”.
“All species could benefit from the intensification of current conservation policies, as well as from policies that reduce underlying anthropogenic threats,” the paper added. “Developing and enacting such policies, however, will require an unprecedented degree of engagement between stakeholders, policymakers, natural scientists and social scientists. Earth is capable of providing healthy diets for 10 billion people in 2060 and preserving viable habitats for the vast majority of its remaining species. The benefits for biodiversity and humanity of pursuing these goals are great, and with forethought and timely action, these goals can be achieved.”

Bollywood fans prepare for IIFA New York

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The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) has announced that this year’s IIFA Festival and Awards Weekend will be held 14-15 July 2017 at the MetLife Stadium just outside of New York City in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The IIFA Awards – also known as the “Bollywood Oscars” – is an international event bringing the biggest Bollywood celebrities together with fans and media in a different country each year. It has all the celebrity and pageantry of Hollywood’s Oscars ceremony, but with a decidedly Bollywood film flavor.

The IIFA Voting is already in motion where members of the Indian film industry cast their votes for nominees in the category of the Popular Awards. The IIFA Voting Weekend marks the advent of the IIFA celebrations each year.

With its “One People, One World” vision, IIFA is bringing the most awaited global event of the year to New York City this year. In an official press conference held on Thursday, June 1, at Taj Lands End in Mumbai, actors Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt expressed their excitement of performing for the IIFAs in the city.

Alia Bhatt said that she is “really, really thrilled” to perform at the IIFAs this year as she “has been trying to be a part of the IIFA journey but somehow it has not happened but I’m really glad that the year it has happened I have two nominations and it’s in New York.”

Bhatt also exclaimed that she can’t wait to come here and perform for the people; she has been dancing in her sleep. Kaif pointed out that it’s been about five or six years since she’s performed at IIFA. “I think they always have the most amazing set up, the most amazing stages and this particular stadium that we are going to be in, is one of the best in the world.” Kaif said.

She added that she is excited as New York is her favorite city as her sister used to study here and she had also come last year with Bhatt for the Dream Team Tour and will get to celebrate her birthday in the city as well.

“I’m really excited and looking forward to perform at the IIFA Awards this year. It is such a great platform that not only showcases the celebration of cinema globally, but also it’s a great opportunity for us to reach out to our fans worldwide,” said Kaif.

Salman Khan has “done about five or six IIFAs till now”, he said. “I’m not bored of it yet and I don’t think I’m ever going to get bored of it,” he said.

Viraf Sarkari, Director of Wizcraft International, the producers and creators of the IIFA movement, called it the greatest global Indian media event as it is the most highly anticipated event each year. MetLife Stadium, which seats 40,000, will be the biggest venue that IIFA has ever been to.

“For the first time in the Big Apple, IIFA will be a truly memorable experience for the audience with a mix of music, dance, culture and cinema. Capturing the very best of India with the use of world class production and a lineup of some of the most sought after Bollywood celebrities, IIFA promises to be a great show at the spectacular MetLife Stadium,” said Sarkari. “We are grateful for all the support and cannot wait for fans to see the Bollywood extravaganza come to life in July,” he added.

Other than Khan, Kaif and Bhatt, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon will also be performing at the main event. Supporting these stars will be dancers from Arya Dance Academy, based in the US. Arya will also be hosting a dance competition called the IIFA Dance Off, in which two winners will be selected to perform on the stage. To enter the competition, visit bollyshake.com. The main event will be hosted by Karan Johar.

Commenting on the occasion, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio explained, “We are thrilled to welcome IIFA to New York! Our city is home to both a thriving film industry and a dynamic, growing Indian American community. This is an event that will contribute enormously to both the cultural and economic life of our city. We welcome the artists and fans of Indian cinema, and encourage everyone to experience the rich cultural life across the five boroughs while celebrating these groundbreaking films.”

AAHOA Promotes Rachel Humphrey to COO

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Humphrey will build upon AAHOA’s record-setting year as chief operating officer

ATLANTA – The Asian American Hotel Owners Association announced today the promotion of Rachel Humphrey to chief operating officer. Humphrey’s promotion comes as AAHOA is reaching historic heights for the organization. After hitting a record 16,655 members in 2016, AAHOA’s 2017 convention featured a record 6,689 attendees, the largest trade show in the hotel industry and a mainstage roundtable discussion with 11 hotel brand executives—a first for any industry event.

“We’re extremely happy to announce Rachel Humphrey’s promotion to COO and are thrilled to have her leadership and vision on our executive team,” said AAHOA President and CEO Chip Rogers. “Since joining AAHOA in 2015, Rachel has been dedicated to growing our organization’s footprint in the industry. Her exemplary work has not only been reflected in a record-breaking year for AAHOA but also in terms of building meaningful, productive relationships with every brand in the industry. As the representative of owners, Rachel has always fiercely and respectfully advocated for their best interest and the best interest of the industry at large. I know she’ll bring that drive and determination to her new role.”

Humphrey previously served as vice president and managing attorney for franchise relations with AAHOA, responsible for strategically developing relationships with brands. In addition, she fielded hundreds of AAHOA member inquiries annually on a wide variety of hotel ownership issues and managed AAHOA’s education department, which saw a record 7,125 members attend education in 2016.

“Rachel has been integral to AAHOA’s success and growth, and her leadership specifically in relating to our partners and brands has been tremendous,” said AAHOA Chairman Bhavesh Patel. “On behalf of the AAHOA Board of Directors, I welcome her to her new position as COO. Her unique vision and ability to bring people together make her supremely qualified to oversee the operations of our ever-growing association. Together with President and CEO Chip Rogers, AAHOA has never had stronger leadership.”

As COO, Humphrey is charged with executing the day-to-day activities of the organization, which includes achieving its strategic and long-term goals, serving on the executive leadership team, spearheading growth strategies and improving all operational systems. She will report to the president and CEO.

“I’m honored to take on this new duty and responsibility,” said Humphrey. “Working with our staff, members, partners and brands over the last two years has been a great opportunity, and I’m excited to take on the new role of overseeing the organization’s operations. In the last few years, AAHOA has grown not only in terms of raw numbers, like our record 16,655 members, but also in our stature in the industry. As the voice of America’s hotel owners, AAHOA has a big role to play in the future of hospitality, and I’m excited to contribute to that. I thank our CEO Chip Rogers, Chairman Bhavesh Patel and the entire AAHOA Board of Directors for this opportunity.”

Before joining AAHOA, Humphrey spent 20 years in private practice as an attorney. She received a bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College and a Juris Doctor from the Syracuse University College of Law.

AAHOA is headquartered in Atlanta with a government affairs office in Washington, D.C. AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The more than 16,000 AAHOA members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community in the United States. As an association, AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American Dream.

Deepika Padukone tops Maxim’s Hot 100 list

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Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra recently made it to Maxim’s list of the Top 100 Hot women from around the globe for the year 2017. Though the list didn’t reveal the position of India’s desi girls still the fans of the two actors were left excited. Now a day after the list was released, it has been revealed that Deepika has beaten Priyanka in the race of being hot and sensuous and has become the Hottest Woman Of The Year. The list also includes names such as Hailey Baldwin, Emma Watson, Emma Stone, Dakota Johnson, Kendall Jenner and more.

After releasing the list, the International Men’s Magazine, MAXIM ran a poll survey across its global audience base to arrive at the woman who topped the list. As the poll results came, Deepika emerged as the clear winner. Sharing the result of the survey, MAXIM tweeted a video with the caption, “Over a million votes later, here’s a little sneak peek at our No. 1 on the #MaximHot100! Stick around for more 😉 #MaximIndia #DPForMaxim.”

According to Maxim, these Indian actresses are “beautiful and bold women who use their platforms—whether Instagram or celebrity megaphone—to define and express themselves.” The list features actresses, athletes, musicians, and models, yes, but also brand builders, entrepreneurs, and voices of a generation, adds the magazine.
The magazine describes Chopra as a former Miss World “who was already a huge star in her native India before she set her sights on the States. Now, with television series ‘Quantico’ and the ‘Baywatch’ movie behind her, she’s out to conquer the world.”

Padukone, who topped the magazine’s India edition, is described as the “Bollywood transplant, who made her debut stateside earlier this year in ‘xXx: The Return of Xander Cage,’ alongside Vin Diesel.” The description goes on to add that she ranks number 10 on Forbes’ 2016 list of the world’s highest paid actresses. Padukone also sizzles on the cover of the latest issue of Maxim India.

Supermodel Hailey Baldwin takes the numero uno position on the list, also appearing on the coveted cover of the international issue. The list includes other famous names like Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid, Alexandra Daddario, Cara Delevingne, Chrissy Teigen, Adriana Lima, Emma Watson, and Dakota Johnson.

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