Hindus urge California’s Leaf Group withdraw items disrespecting Hindu gods

Hindus are urging Santa Monica (California) headquartered Leaf Group Limited to immediately withdraw some of the products sold on its marketplace Society6 which mock-distort-disrespect various Hindu deities, calling it highly inappropriate. They are also urging its Board Chairman James R. Quandt and Chief Executive Officer Sean Moriarty to offer a formal apology.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that such depicted Hindu deities—Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Krishna, Durga, Lakshmi, Kali, Saraswati, Parvati, Radha, Manasa Devi—were highly revered in Hinduism and were meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be mocked at or to put your feet on or touch with your feet or sleep on. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the faithful.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that products like Kali as “Mistress of Chaos”, Shiva as cartoon character Popeye, Lakshmi like a belly-dancer, Kali as “Collie Kali”  with dog-face and dog-feet, “Funky Female Shiva”, “Pink Krishna”, “mutant Ganesh”, Shiva with a nose-ring, Krishna as skateboarder, “Ganesh Loves Selfies – Two at a Time!” showing Ganesha taking selfies with two cell-phones,  “Durga Carrying Tiger” instead of traditional riding on the tiger, Ganesha holding cowboy lasso, cartoonish Lakshmi, Ganesha in cropped trousers, etc.; highly trivialized the greatly revered Hindu deities. There was a print of Hindu Sloth also.

Other products, deemed disrespectful by Hindu devotees, included: yoga mats, bed sheets, rugs and duvet cover depicting Hindu deities Shiva, Balaji Vishnu, Ganesha, Krishna, Durga, Saraswati, Parvati, Radha and Manasa Devi; Rajan Zed stated.

Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Zed indicated.

Moreover, distorted images of Hindu deities created further misinformation and confusion among non-Hindus regarding Hinduism; Rajan Zed noted. Zed further said that such trivialization of Hindu deities was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the followers, Zed added.

Leaf Group Limited, listed in New York Stock exchange, claims to be “a diversified Internet company that builds platforms across its media (eHow andLIVESTRONG.COM) and marketplace (Society6 and Saatchi Art) properties to enable communities of creators to reach passionate audiences in large and growing lifestyle categories”.  Society6, which claims millions of “products from Wall Art and Apparel to Tech Accessories and Home Décor” designed by “artists from around the world”, was founded in 2009

As foreign students fear new US regulations, varsities try calm Indian students’ fears

Saaedah Shiravany, an Iranian MBA student at a top US business school, says news of President Donald Trump’s executive order banning citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US left her feeling “empty”.

Shiravany (not her real name) worries that she will be unable to graduate because the ban, covering Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Yemen and Somalia as well as her homeland, would prevent her from participating in an overseas corporate assignment that is a requirement of her course. She fears that if she were to leave the US for the assignment, she may not be able to re-enter the country to complete her studies. “This ban has robbed me of the experience I came here to have,” she says. Leaving the US would mean saying goodbye to completing her MBA next year.

Shiravany is only one among the thousands of students in the USA from abroad, who have expressed and experienced such fears in the past week. Allaying fears of such international students following US President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order targeting immigrants, several American universities are mailing prospective students to let them know that that they are welcome to their campuses, regardless of what the Trump government says.

While these mails are an attempt to reassure immigrant students, these may have also become necessary since the US remains the hub for Indian students. Mubarak Kader, who applied for the engineering management program at Duke University in North Carolina, received a mail from the university this week. “We know many members of the global community are… concerned about the new policies,” wrote the university, adding links to statements from the institution president who promised to bring these concerns “to the attention of policymakers and public”. The president of our university sent out a similar message to us, international students, on the campus. He told us how the university will always be a place for people of different cultures to come together and engage in dialogue,” said a student pursuing law at the University of Miami. Other institutions, like the

University of Michigan and Northeastern University, too, have sent out similar mails to students who may be apprehensive about being subjected to discrimination while at university or being detained at immigration points as witnessed at several US airports over the week.

Anupama Vijay, an education consultant, said: “Indians pursuing professional courses will have no issues as their student visas entitle them to a five-year optional practical training period. Only after this period does securing an H-1B visa become a concern. Their status as students in the US will be untouched by the new policy,” she says.

Subba Rao Kolla, Puneet Ahluwalia to make bids to Virigina Assembly

Subba Rao Kolla, an Indian-American Republican from Washington DC, announced he will run against incumbent Democrat John Bell for the Virginia House of Delegates 87th District seat, the media reported.

Another Indian-American Republican leader from Virginia Puneet Ahluwalia is contesting for Virginia’s House of Delegates for the 34th district against incumbent Kathleen Murphy. Ahluwalia, 10th District Representative on the Virginia Republican State Central Committee, served as a financial chair of the Asian American presidential inaugural ball in January.

Kolla, a real estate businessman and a community activist, if elected, will become the first Indian-origin member of the Virginia House of Delegates, American Bazaar reported. Kolla immigrated to the U.S. in the 1990s and became an American citizen in 2008.

“Whether helping new citizens navigate the area and become citizens or volunteering as I have for the past three years on the Loudoun County Board of Equalization, I understand the importance of having accessible, hands-on help from our elected officials.

“My top priorities as a member of the State House will be education, transportation and working with small businesses and taxpayers to reduce government interference and regulation. As a conservative Republican, I believe the government that governs least, governs best,” he added.

The success of our community demands us to be active and participate in mainstream politics. It is our responsibility to strengthen the diversity of our nation,” he said. “We should be supporting President Trump and Republican leadership in creating and promoting American jobs with strong emphasis on balanced trade between US-Indo Pacific Region. We should not lose focus on eradicating terrorism and enemies of democracies,” he added.

Ahluwalia said that he would work to strengthen the Republican Party’s base in Virginia, among other things. “We will watch our allies’ back and it is important that communities, including the Indian-American community that has benefited most from this great nation, play a pivotal role in the revival process. I had a choice but I chose to stand up and participate in the political process and serve the public of 34th district,” Ahluwalia said. “Our nation is at a crossroad where we will take new positive direction as we embark on a journey to make our nation stronger.”

He added: “I have the support of my wife, kids and friends, and supporters and very importantly the leadership of the Republican Party, especially Barbara Comstock.” A Delhi Public School (DPS) alumni, Ahluwalia heads consultancy and IT businesses in the Washington DC area, along with active participation in the US politics, since 1998-99.

Kolla is a realtor in Loudoun County, having worked in real estate for over 10 years, and is well-known among the local Telugu community. He holds an M.Tech degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and owns his own real estate firm, Advin Realty.

He is also engaged with the Indian-American community, both at the local and national level. His work with the community has been lauded by former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell as well as by the Telugu Association of North America (TANA). Kolla was one of the delegates during the Republican National Convention held in Cleveland last July.

‘Visa denial to Kashmiri athlete not linked to US ban’: US Embassy

The U.S. has said that denial of visas to a Kashmiri athlete and an official accompanying him has nothing to do with President Donald Trump’s executive order banning immigrants from Muslim-majority countries and was “a standard adjudication based on the merit of the case”, a senior Indian government official said Feb. 2.

“We have seen reports about the denial of U.S. visas to the two Kashmiri sports persons,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in his weekly media briefing .
“The US Embassy in Delhi has categorically denied that it has any linkage to the executive order. We have also been told that it was a standard adjudication based on the merits of the case,” he stated.

Kashmiri snowshoe athlete, Tanveer Hussain Parra, on Jan. 31 claimed he was denied a visa by the U..S Embassy here, with officials citing the “current policy” under the Donald Trump administration.

Parra, 24, was scheduled to attend the World Snowshoe Federation (WSSF) World Championship on Feb. 25 in Saranac Lake, New York.

President Trump last week signed an executive order banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations and placed Pakistan under “extreme vetting”, an action which has led to widespread protests.

Parra told media that he was denied the visa despite having completed all formalities, and that his documents were in order and checked by a US embassy official. “However, the official later told me she was ‘sorry’ and added that ‘under the current policy, we cannot issue you visa’,” Parra said.

Parra said he had got invitation letters for the US event from WSSF and the Mayor of Saranac Lake Village, New York. He was being accompanied by Abid Hussain Khan, Secretary General, Snowshoe Federation of India, for the US event. Last year, Parra represented India at the World Snowshoe championship that was held in Vezza de Ogglio, Brescia, Italy, where he finished 31st in the senior category.

Evelyn Sharma prays for unity and peace at ‘National Prayer Breakfast’

Bollywood actress Evelyn Sharma, who represented the Christian faith at President Donald Trump’s ‘National Prayer Breakfast’ at the Hilton’s International Ballroom in Washington, D.C., on February 2nd, prayed for unity and peace. The annual event attended by the leaders of the nation, representing all major faiths and political affiliations in the nation and from around the world, was attended by more than 3,000 guests, including politicians, religious leaders and other international invitees from over 130 countries.
She addressed the august gathering after King Abdullah of Jordan and was followed by Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe from Uganda. Sharma was probably one of the few Indian faces at the event. In delivering her first international speech, Sharma, of Indian and German descent, joined the high ranks of leadership from various countries and religious backgrounds, who gave inspirational speeches, at the massive event hosted by members of the U.S. Congress and organized on their behalf by The Fellowship Foundation, a Christian organization.
“Evelyn shared the story of her own faith, urging the world for acceptance, unity and peace, which brought her a standing ovation by the thousands of guests present at the event,” said Dale Bhagwagar, her publicist. “From a PR point of view, the Indian actress has bypassed many, by opting for an intellectual speech at an event for world unity of religions, instead of a flashy photo-op.”
The actress, who has starred in films like “Main Tera Hero” and “Yaariyna,” later took to Twitter to share her “overwhelming experience.” She wrote: “What an honor and humbling feeling to be standing in front of the world’s leaders of all kind in Washington DC to share my story of faith ❤ Thank you so much for inviting me! Praise God!”

National Sikh Campaign Plans New Strategy to Reach Conservative Americans

The National Sikh Campaign Jan. 30 announced it has partnered with marketing firm FP1 Strategies to raise awareness of the Sikh religion in the United States.

The firm will develop and implement a strategy to improve the perception of Sikhism throughout the country, the Sikh organization said in a statement.

NSC and FP1, a Washington-based marketing firm with clients such as Facebook and Ford, will launch a major marketing campaign that will focus on increasing the Sikh American community’s presence in national and local news outlets, as well as social media.

FP1’s relationship with conservative media and organizations will also help NSC reach and educate Republican and right-of-center audiences, the NSC said.

AKPD, former President Barack Obama’s media team founded by David Axelrod and the Hart Research Associates, whose clients include the World Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Harvard University, have already been working closely with NSC to develop a media strategy to create awareness about Sikhs and the Sikh identity in America, the organization noted.

The marketing campaign is scheduled to launch in the spring through television advertisements, an innovative website, public relations efforts, targeted digital media and community events to affect change, it added.

“Engaging FP1 was a crucial decision in making our entire strategy complete, and their expertise in reaching conservative Americans will be valuable in expanding our reach beyond our target audience of millennials and progressives,” said NSC co-founder and senior adviser Dr. Rajwant Singh. “This is perhaps the first time that any U.S. Sikh community has undertaken a major, proactive effort to reach out to Americans nationwide.”

NSC was created to reduce the hate crimes and violence Indian Americans of the Sikh faith have faced since 9/11, and their mission has become increasingly important in today’s political and social environment.

Through research conducted in early 2015, it has been verified that when Americans learn about the key tenets of the Sikh religion, their feelings become far more positive, the NSC noted.

“The professional approach of our different advisers to tackle this difficult issue facing the Sikh American community is very impressive,” said NSC national outreach director Inderpal Singh. “Hiring agencies like FP1 Strategies is offering us a new way to understand and explain our religion among our neighbors.”

The National Sikh Campaign has continued to gain momentum in the past few months as it steadily reveals its sophisticated ads, website and cutting edge research to select cities across the country, it added. These materials will lay the foundation for their new, public education initiative set to launch in 2017.

FIBA Announces Positive Step in Headwear Policy

February 3, 2017 (Washington, D.C.) – FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, has announced that it will reconsider and possibly eliminate its ban on religious headwear. This week’s announcement is promising for observant Sikh athletes and other religious minorities who have been forced to choose between their faith and their professions.

For years the Sikh Coalition has been publicly pressuring FIBA to lift its ban on religious headwear. Together with our allies, the campaign to update the discriminatory rule received worldwide support and attention. On January 30th, the basketball organization issued a statement saying it “favored a modification of the rule and issued a mandate for the Technical Commission to come forward with a proposal” for further review.

“We look forward to reviewing the policy and the steps for approval, and we’re optimistic that this announcement represents positive progress,” said Sikh Coalition Senior Religion Fellow, Simran Jeet Singh. “If approved, this policy will set a powerful precedent that opens doors for religious minorities including Sikhs and Muslims.”

The revised policy will be presented to a FIBA body in May. “I’m thrilled that the board has endorsed a change that, if adopted, will let Sikhs and other athletes who wear articles of faith play,” said Congressman Joe Crowley.  “There is no evidence that turbans or religious headgear pose a threat to players, and FIBA’s policy has been not only outdated, but discriminatory.”

LION ROARS WITH SIX OSCAR NOMINATIONS INCLUDING BEST PICTURE

The film earned nominations for Best Motion Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Cinematography

January 24, 2017 – New York, NY – The Weinstein Company’s (TWC) film LION was nominated for six Academy Awards® this morning by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the following categories: Best Motion Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Dev Patel, Best Supporting Actress for Nicole Kidman, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Cinematography. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will hand out their awards at the 89th Academy Awards on Sunday, February 26th, 2017.

LION marks the 26th Best Picture nomination for legendary film producer Harvey Weinstein, and has been hailed as this year’s crowd pleasing awards contender. The six nominations for the studio, across major categories, put them back in the awards race.

TWC plans to expand the film on February 3rd in the hopes of benefiting from the historical boost in box office typically associated with an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

Dev Patel made history today with his Best Supporting Actor nomination, a first for the actor, and the third ever for any actor of Indian decent. Patel, who plays the adult Saroo, is currently back in India filming his next project, HOTEL MUMBAI, for TWC.

Patel commented: “Ok, so I just received a call to say that I’ve been nominated for an Academy Award…To be totally honest, the news hasn’t made its way into my brain yet, but I’m looking at these beautiful smiling faces around me… Faces of the ones I love. And I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. What makes this moment so much more poignant is that I’m in India right now. This enthralling country holds such a deep place in my heart, and it is where Saroo’s journey was born. This film would be nothing without Garth Davis. Without his love, commitment and vision this “Lion” wouldn’t have been able to roar. To that extent I want to share this incredible feeling with Luke, Grieg, Jenny Kent, Iain, Angie, Emile, Sunny, Nicole, David, Rooney, Divian, Priyanka, the Brierley family as well as the Weinstein Co. team. Lion reaffirms the message that love is not dictated by the color of your skin, not by race, gender, sexuality, social status, or origin. It is a message I am proud to be spreading during these uncertain times. This will forever be one of the most memorable experiences of my life.”

Nicole Kidman, who received her fourth Academy Award nomination this morning, commented: “I want to tha

Republic Day Celebrations at Indian Embassy

​The Embassy of India in Washington, D.C. observed India’s 68th Republic Day at its premises. Ambassador Navtej Sarna paid floral tribute to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in front of the Embassy, after which he unfurled the national flag.

Ambassador Sarna addressed the guests and read out the address by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee. This was followed by singing of patriotic songs by a young Indian American. Over 200 members of the Indian-American community attended the celebrations. Documentaries titled “A Day in the Life of India” and “INDIAN ARMY: An Instrument of National Power” were screened on the occasion.

Picture Caption: Ambassador Navtej Sarna reads out the Republic Day message of President Pranab Mukherjee at Republic Day celebrations at the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., Jan. 26.

Indian American partnership with Capitol Hill continues

Indo-American Community Services (IACS), a national non-profit supporting the South Asian Community is continuing its annual partnership connecting collegiate students with Congressional internships in Washington, D.C. The non-partisan organization places exceptional students in Congressional offices on both sides of the aisle. This program continues the organization’s efforts to encourage civic and political engagement within the Indian-American community.

For eight weeks, both graduate and undergraduate students are exposed to policy making in the nation’s capital, firsthand. Along with gaining unparalleled insight into public service, legislation construction, and constituent care, selected interns are awarded a $2000 stipend after successful completion of the program. Congressman Bill Foster, Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, Senator Dan Sullivan Senator Mark Kirk, Congressman Danny Davis, and Congresswoman Robin Kelly advocate for and hosted IACS interns in their D.C. offices.

IACS is excited to see the growth of Indian-American service in government, with this year’s election of five Indian-American representatives to Congress. In its sixth year, the IACS internship program is looking to expand the reach of this enriching opportunity to more students across the country. “We have already begun outreach efforts to Indian-American student groups across the country, in hopes of shedding greater awareness to this program,” said Joy Dhar, co- IACS internship liaison. “Sruthi Rao and I are looking forward to continuing our correspondence and helping place candidates with an interest in public service in Congressional internships.”

The summer 2017 internship program application is live & will be accepted through January 31st, 2017. For more information, please visit www.iacsinfo.org

Shantiniketan Tavares, FL

By Rajeshwar Prasad

ShantiNiketan (SN), a retirement community based in Tavares, Florida, about an hour Northwest drive from Orlando. This is an age-restricted community where at least one of the residents should be above 55 years of age. Guest of any age can visit and stay with the residents. Children below the age of 18 can stay only for a maximum of 30 days in a year. Phases one and two of SN are operational with 174 condos – 54 in phase one and 120 in phase 2. The two phases are within a mile on the same boulevard. The gated complex with full security was initiated around 2011 though the concept of developing such a community was floated by Iggy Ignatius, Founder & Chairman, ShantiNiketan Retirement Communities, in 2004. The complexes are closer to shopping area, hospital, YMCA, and about an hour drive to Disney World, and it is about 45 miles from the Orlando International airport.

This is the first retirement community where Indian Americans can spend their golden years among the peers; get rid of loneliness; have clear conscience not to burden their children; and live free of daily chores around the house and if desired to avoid cooking and maintaining kitchen décor. It does not mean that you have no role in SN! Besides the full-time staff, such as cook, landscaper, manager etc. the SN depends heavily on volunteers to keep the residents involved. In short, Condominium Owners Association runs the project through a duly elected Board of Directors under a non-profit entity. The Board is also responsible for the upkeep of the complex and to undertake number of religious, cultural and social activities throughout the year. Celebration of festivals, national days such as Independence Day and Republic Day of India and USA; special presentations on matters of interest such as wills; Durable Power of Attorney etc., presentations by special guests on diversified subjects covering management of assets, pharmaceutical services, transportation services, rehabilitation services etc. are routinely arranged. SN also carries many indoor activities for residents to take advantage of and keep them occupied: these include pool table, table tennis, playing cards, carom, chess, yoga, daily exercise on treadmill, meditation and prayer in the prayer room and discussion groups on pertinent subjects such as Home Health Care. There is also an informal arrangement in case bereavement services are needed and residents in such situations, in particular, consider SN as a large family.

Moving forward, the future plans include development of five more ShantiNiketans. The land has been purchased, and work on phase three has already commenced. So far about half of the condos have been sold in phase 3 & 4. This complex of five SNs will be called ShantiNiketan Village with all amenities on an100 (one hundred) acre area. There will be one SN with single bedroom with no garage where frail elderly people can stay; and in most of the cases free of any charge with their Supplemental Security Income paying for expenses. It will be called ShantiNiketan and will be developed under Tax-exempt Corporation. It will provide seniors a dignified, peaceful and happy environment where they can spend their golden years. The Ashram will help seniors who are unable to support themselves financially, in part or full, and will seek donations from philanthropists and in addition seek financial support from residents if they get Supplemental Social Security (SSI) and Medicaid.

Protest March at Austin Airport against President Trump

By Tania Romero & Seema Govil

The protest on Sunday this week against President Trump’s executive order at Austin Bergstrom International Airport began with a Facebook post.  The night before, activist John Burleson saw that only 19 people were interested in going.  But by Sunday morning, that number had reached almost 300+ people on the Facebook page. At the start of the protest at 2pm, a near 500 protesters gathered outside of the arrival area, as an outcry against president Trump’s executive order, imposing temporary restrictions on immigrants and refugees entering the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The mass shockwaves of disapproval could be seen in the assembly of diverse crowds at international airports across the nation.  Attorneys and local political leaders were among protesters who perceive this present mandate as a violation of the first amendment in the Constitution, fueling the increasing discriminatory fervor against Islam religion.

Several crowd members at the protest in Austin took turns speaking into a megaphone to share their own stories. A young Sudanese Muslim-American woman, with her child strapped across her chest, recounted her uncertainty as to whether her husband visiting family in Sudan will return safely next Friday.   She told the crowd “No ban on Muslims.  No walls.  We need to be united.”

Her words struck a chord with other participants, who proceeded to share their own immigrant family stories in solidarity.  One man held a sign in support that read “6thGeneration Immigrant”, and a retired Army officer stated, “this is not what my family fought for in this country.”

The Austin community continues to deliver a welcoming message to Muslims and refugees, by organizing a gathering at the First English Lutheran Church on Monday night and at the Texas Muslim Capitol Day on Tuesday, January 31st.

 

Trump’s ban on 7 Muslim nations affects businesses across US

Using his newly-acquired executive fiat, President Donald Trump declared a ban on immigrants from seven Muslim majority nations, including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen blocking all refugees from entering the US for 120 days. In Syria’s case, the suspension is indefinite.

The Executive Order on “Protecting the Nation from Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nationals,” by President Donald J. Trump has been described by many as a war on Muslim refugees around the world. While civil libertarians reacted with fury to what was seen as a strike against American ideals of welcoming refugees and immigrants, concern in Silicon Valley centered on the fallout of the executive order on its globalized work-force, particularly if the orders are enforced randomly.

In television interviews explaining the ban, Trump said travelers from Muslim-majority countries left out of the ban — Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia — will face what he called “extreme vetting,” while dismissing concerns that his actions will inflame tensions in the Muslim world.
“The world is as angry as it gets,” the President countered. “What, you think this is going to cause a little more anger?”

The US tech industry, substantially staffed with immigrants, was thrown into a tizzy last week. Immigrants make up much of the workforce in Silicon Valley, including many executive roles, and the tech industry has long advocated for more open immigration laws in the U.S., saying they need more skilled foreigners to fill technical jobs.

The new restrictions will have a major impact on American technology companies that hire skilled staff from all over the world on special H1B visas, mostly used by Indian IT firms.

“There have already been reports of green card holders, who are allowed to work in the U.S., being prevented from getting on flights. However, green cards are not specifically mentioned in the executive order,” the Wall Street Journal said. After pressure from across the nation, the White House has stated that Green Card holders will be allowed entry into the country.

Although the move appeared to affect the tech industry only marginally, it was criticized among others by the chief executives of Facebook and Google — Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai — besides many lawmakers and civil liberties activists because of possible wider fall-out.

As per reports, Google recalled scores of its immigrant staffers from foreign travels who are from countries cited by the Trump administration, amid reports of US-bound passengers being off-loaded from planes in some of the affected countries.

“We’re upset about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the US,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai, an immigrant from India himself, wrote in a “Get Back to US Now” memo to employees. “It’s painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues… We’ve always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, at least 187 Google employees who normally live and work in the US have been affected by the ban. “Our first order of business is to help Googlers who are affected,” Pichai wrote while recalling employees who are currently abroad and might be at risk. “If you’re abroad and need help please reach out to our global security team.”

Facebook’s Zuckerberg also wrote in a post that that he’s “concerned about the impact of the recent executive orders,” while recounting that his great grandparents came from Germany, Austria and Poland, and his wife Priscilla’s parents were refugees from China and Vietnam.

“We wouldn’t wish this fear and uncertainty on anyone—and especially not our fellow Googlers,” he wrote. “In times of uncertainty, our values remain the best guide.” Microsoft has also warned its shareholders that curbs on immigration could have a material impact on its business.

Hindu mantras to open both Wyoming Senate & House

Both Wyoming Senate and Wyoming House of Representatives in Cheyenne will start their day with ancient Hindu prayers on February third. These invocations will contain verses from Rig-Veda; the oldest existing scripture of the mankind still in common use.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed will deliver these prayers from Sanskrit scriptures before the Senate and House. After Sanskrit delivery, he then will read the English translation of the prayers. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages.

Zed, who is the President of Universal Society of Hinduism, besides Rig-Veda, will also recite from Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures. He plans to start and end the prayer with “Om”, the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work.

Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed plans to say “Asato ma sad gamaya, tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, mrtyor mamrtam gamaya”, which he will then interpret as “Lead us from the unreal to the Real, Lead us from darkness to Light, Lead us from death to immortality.” Reading from Bhagavad-Gita, he proposes to urge the legislators to keep the welfare of others always in mind.

Zed is a global Hindu and interfaith leader. Bestowed with World Interfaith Leader Award; Zed is Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, on the Advisory Board of The Interfaith Peace Project, Spiritual Advisor to National Association of Interchurch & Interfaith Families, etc. He was invited by President of European Parliament in Brussels (Belgium) for a meeting to promote interfaith dialogue. He also leads a weekly interfaith panel “Faith Forum” in a Gannett publication for the last nearly six years.

According to “Dress Code in the Chambers During Sessions” (as described in Management Council Policy 12-03), “Business formal (for men is defined as a suit, or dress slacks, jacket, tie, dress shirt and dress shoes or dress boots. Boots must be polished.) dress is expected on the chamber floor during legislative sessions”. But Rajan Zed’s attire; who wears saffron colored robes, a ruddraksh mala (rosary), and traditional sandalpaste tilak (religious mark) on the forehead; has been reportedly approved by the Wyoming Senate President for February three.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

In the 64th Wyoming Legislature, Eli D. Bebout is President of the Senate, which has 30 members; while Steve Harshman is Speaker of the House of Representatives, which has sixty members. Matt Mead is the Governor of Wyoming, whose nickname is “Cowboy State” and tagline is: “Some things can’t be explained. Only experienced.”

Sen. Kamala Harris leads women’s march in DC

Women march globally for rights for everyone

 

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) was “walking on a cloud” after speaking to thousands at the women’s march in Washington, media reports here stated. Her message: All issues are women’s issues. We will not retreat when being attacked. We will stand up and we will fight.”

California’s newest Democratic senator reflected on Trump’s inauguration speech just the day before, calling it a “dark” message for Americans.”

As the Women’s March on Washington had swelled in support, attracting attention and supporters in the lead-up to Saturday’s demonstrations on January 21, its name has become something of a misnomer. Women traveled from all over the country to be at the D.C. march, including many from across the nation. To them, and all people who were hoping for a different outcome, she expressed hope and the need to fight for equality and justice around the world.

Similar marches have been organized in all 50 states, several U.S. territories and countries around the world. They have tried to express solidarity with the aims of the original march: opposition to President Trump’s agenda, and support of women’s rights and human rights in general. In Sydney, London, New Delhi, and other cities, demonstrators broke out their signs and pink hats before even their compatriots in D.C. could.

While some protests were principally marching to express solidarity with the demonstrators in the U.S., others are directly raising issues of misogyny on a more local level. In New Delhi, protesters carried signs reading “I will go out,” to protest sexual harassment in public spaces.

“I am concerned that we are on a path to appeal to our lesser instincts instead of our better selves,” the first ever Senator of Indian origin, said. She went on to echo something Trump emphasized in his inauguration speech: The people have the power.

“There are thousands and thousands of people here today. And I think everyone should take note, that this is a very powerful voice – they’re activated and they must be taken seriously.”

The senator spent about 45 minutes backstage greeting people before her speech. Along the way she said she ran into someone who was best friends with her mother when they were students at UC Berkeley during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. “This is absolutely personal to me. This is absolutely personal to me.”

“The fight for civil rights will be fought and won with each generation. Whatever gains we make will not be permanent,” she said. “That’s the nature of it, so let’s not be dispirited.… Let’s just get up, pick ourselves up and get out there and fight. Fight for equality, fight for fairness, fight for justice.”

Trump talks to Modi

Donald Trump tells Narendra Modi he considers India a ‘true friend’

President Donald Trump is reported to have invited Modi to visit the United States later this year, during a phone call on Tuesday, four days after the Republican President took oath as the 45th President of the US. During the call, “President Trump emphasised that the US considers India a true friend and partner in addressing challenges around the world,” the White House said in a readout of the call.

Trump spoke with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a call last week, one of the few world leaders the new US President has spoken to since taking office on January 20th.

According to a White House statement, Trump emphasized that Washington considers India a “true friend and partner in addressing challenges around the world.”  The new US leader also said he was looking forward to welcoming Modi in the US later this year.

Modi’s a frequent visitor to the US; he’s made four official visits since he assumed office in 2014. Last June marked the seventh time he had met former President Barack Obama.  On the call, Trump and Modi were said to have discussed opportunities to strengthen their partnership on the economy and defense, though no details were given. They also discussed security in south and central Asia, a region that encompasses Pakistan and Afghanistan, and resolved to “stand shoulder to shoulder in the global fight against terrorism.”

The leaders discussed economic and defense co-operations and regional security issues, the White House said in a statement. He was the fifth word leader President Trump spoke to after coming to office. The two men expected to find common ground going forward on terrorism and security, particularly in regard to the terrorist threat from neighboring Pakistan, experts said.

PM Modi was one of the first leaders to congratulate President Trump after his victory in the November elections and the inauguration last week. In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister had said he looked forward to working with President Trump to “further deepen” India-US ties and “realise the full potential of our cooperation”.

President Trump, whose “Buy American, Hire American” policy and plans to clamp down on H-1B visas has caused some unease in the Indian IT industry, has so far been positive about India. During his election campaign, he mentioned India as the only other nation besides Israel, with which he wanted to strengthen ties. Expressing personal admiration for PM Modi, Trump had called him a “great man” who was “very energetic in reforming India’s bureaucracy”.

Trump also said he had “great confidence” in India. “Generations of Indian and Hindu Americans have strengthened our country…your values of hard work, education and enterprise have truly enriched our nation.”

 

Dimple Ajmera to become city’s first Asian-American Charlotte City Council member

Dimple Ajmera was named to Charlotte City Council on Monday night and will become the city’s first Asian-American on the council.  Ajmera, 30, was appointed to finish the term of Democrat John Autry in District 5, which covers much of east Charlotte. Autry stepped down from the seat in January to become a member of the North Carolina House.

The Charlotte City Council appointed Dimple Ajmera to the District 5 seat vacated by John Autry. The Charlotte Housing Authority  Ajmera works at TIAA in University City as a project manager. Without knowing English, she immigrated with her family to the United States from India when she was 16. She graduated from Southern High in Durham and then the University of Southern California. She has served on the Charlotte Housing Authority board.

Five other people applied for the position: Ariel Chambers-Woodruff, Johnell Holman, Marjorie Molina, Matthew Newton and Queen Thompson. Ajmera was a unanimous choice.

But before the vote, Democratic council member Al Austin nominated Matt Newton, an activist who has worked to reform the Citizens Review Board. Democrat Claire Fallon said Newton was her choice, but that she was going to support Ajmera because she would “go with the majority.”

Newton came to the meeting with a vocal group of supporters. Austin told him that Monday’s vote was “not the end but the beginning.”

Ajmera will be sworn in later this week. Her term ends in December.

In deciding whom they should appoint, council members said they preferred someone who would not run for the seat this year.

“I told them I will fill the term for 11 months,” Ajmera said. “I’ll support whoever decides to run for the district.”

Chicagoans robustly represented at Global Indian Diaspora conference in India

Chicago’s Indian American Business Council’s [IABC] domineering presence at Pravasi Haryana Divas [PHD] was manifestly conspicuous with four prominent Chicagoans Poonam Gupta-Krishnan, Harish Kolasani, Keerthi Kumar Ravoori and Chacko Kurian actively participated and interacted as official representatives at this glittering global diaspora conference hosted on a grand epic scale with all the fanfare at the Kingdom of Dreams venue in Gurgaon in Haryana near Delhi.

The enthused Chicagoans of the Indian American Business Council actively interacted with ministers and several high ranking government officials to complement their efforts and discussed laying out of a preliminary road map on ways to inspire investors to make India the investment destination.   Poonam Gupta-Krishnan, CEO of Iyka International and IABC Chairperson said the Pravasi Haryana Divas served as a momentous opportunity for Chicago’s IABC to serve as an effective catalyst to garner investors in Haryana and other states in India from the United States — that which seeks to benefit both the countries. Poonam Gupta-Krishnan led the team to interact with the officials, corporate heads and other entrepreneurs in forging this alliance of collaboration.

Harish Kolasani, IABC President IABC said Pravasi Haryana Divas has opened sluice gates of investment opportunities in wide range of sectors and added that IABC would play a substantive role in leveraging its organizational business-acumen capital to build bridges of partnerships to encourage a mutually-beneficial business opportunities especially in the area of information technology.

Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, IABC Vice President outlined several initiatives to be undertaken by IABC with a goal of serving as ambassadors promoting business and investments opportunities between India and the United States and enable a robust exchange of business prospects between the two countries.

Connected by roots and united by vision, the state of Haryana in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry [CII] hosted this grand scale 2-day diaspora summit that was replete with sectoral sessions and business seminars on information technology enabled service, education, sports, tourism, media and entertainment to usher a paradigm shift in the development of the state of Haryana. The 2-day conference also encompassed colorful cultural programs in the evening culminating with a grand awards presentation attracting the diaspora elite showcasing the best of Haryana and its global class city making the city as a ‘Preferred Investment Destination’

Earlier, the executive team of IABC also actively participated in Pravasi Bharitya Divas [PBD] in Bengaluru, India. Chairperson Poonam Gupta -Krishnan and President, Harish Kolasani held high level trade discussions at Pravasi Bhartiya Divas in Bengaluru. Discussions with Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah and his high-level team was productive especially the meeting with B. K. Shivkumar, MD Department of Industry and Commerce; Gaurav Gupta, Commissioner for Industrial Development ; Dr. K. Muralidhara, Secretary, NRI Forum, Government of Karnataka.

Other well-known Chicagoans who joined at this global Indian diaspora conference include Dr. Sanhita Agnihotri, Dr. Hyder Mohammed and Hina Trivedi.

DuPage Senior Citizen Council celebrates 68th republic day

Chicago IL:  DuPage Senior Citizen Council organized 68th Republic Day Celebration at Shahi Banquets, North Avenue, Lombard IL. Various local artists entertained the seniors and celebrated republic day. Program started with US and Indian National anthem.

Prachi Jaitly, Director, Bollywood Arts Academy performed semi-classical dance on a Bollywood medley paying tribute to the legendary actresses Asha Parekh and Saadhna. She performed on Raat Ka Sama, Khat Likh De Sawariya Ke Naam and Jhumka Gira Re.

A famous local singer Ishaan Ahmed sang patriotic songs like Ye desh hai veer jawano ka, Mere desh ki dharti.  Another singer, Avni Khanna sang beautiful numbers like Chalta Chalte from Pakeeza and Dama dam Mast kalander. Another local artist Hema Shastri danced on Yashomati Maiya se bole nand lala. The program featured flag hoisting and cake cutting by the founding president of FIA Sunil Shah. The entire program was very well coordinated by Moneek Khan.

Indian Consulate In New York celebrates Republic Day

The Consulate General of India in New York celebrated India’s 68th Republic Day with a flag hoisting ceremony held Jan. 26 morning at the consulate premises. Consul General Riva Ganguly Das unfurled the Indian tricolor and read Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s address to the nation. In the evening, the consulate hosted a reception for members of the community. Ganguly Das highlighted India’s development initiatives and the India-U.S. relationship and their strategic partnership. “No country can come close to the range, quality and intensity of the partnership between India and the U.S.” she said.

In attendance was Shashi Kant Sharma, the comptroller and auditor general of India, took over as the chairman of the United Nations’ Board of Auditors from Jan. 1 for a period of two years.

The world’s biggest stock exchange, NYSE lists more than 2,400 companies with a market capitalization of over $19.3 trillion. Eight Indian companies, including Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Wipro, InfoSys and ICICI, are listed on it. Nine India-oriented exchange traded funds also trade there.

Ganguly Das rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, marking the end of the day’s trading. With the President of the exchange, Thomas Farley, standing next to her and members of the Indian-American community gathered around them on the balcony overlooking the trading floor, Das brought the day’s trading to a close by banging the gavel after sounding the bell.

New York Asian Women’s Center (NYAWC) Changes Name to Womankind

(New York, NY – January 26, 2017) The New York Asian Women’s Center, a leader in providing innovative and award-winning multilingual and culturally responsive services to survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual violence and later in life abuse, officially changed its name to Womankind at a press conference in Manhattan on Tuesday.

“We changed our name to create an identity that speaks to the power of our unique ways of thinking and doing – changing paradigms, building and healing,” said Larry Lee, executive director of Womankind. “And to show that we are more inclusive and transforming. We changed because we had outgrown our name.”
For 35 years, Womankind has helped Asian women and their children rise above trauma and build a path to healing through counseling, safe and confidential emergency housing, immigration and legal services, economic empowerment programs and so much more.

Representatives from the organization also revealed the trailer of a short film by director Benjamin Ross called “Rise Above,” which premiered during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, last weekend. The virtual reality (VR) film focuses on Brittany, a South Asian youth survivor of sexual violence, and was produced by Oculus’ “VR For Good” initiative.

“It was great to be able to tell my story of abuse through the medium of virtual reality and to be able to share the film through social media,” said Brittany. “I hope the film encourages more people from my generation to report abuse and speak out against violence.” The “VR for Good” initiative will make its rounds through the film festival circuit and will, eventually, be available to view in its entirety on the organization’s recently revamped web site, www.iamwomankind.org.  The organization also announced the opening of a new community office in Brooklyn, which will allow advocates to provide services for double the number of victims from that community. The Brooklyn Center makes for a total of THREE community offices and TWO emergency residences that Womankind manages in New York.

Indie rock artist Queen V ended the press conference on a high note by performing her rendition of “Broken Wings,” which is now available on I-tunes. Proceeds from the sales will benefit Womankind.

The India Association of Greater Boston hosts Antakshari competition

 

As part of the Republic Day 2017 event, an intensely contested Antakshari event resulted in four teams consisting of Surili Iyers, Burmaniacs, Lets Nacho With Cheese and Atom Bomb competing in the finals. Congratulations to Namita Deshpande and Parag Singh of Atom Bomb, who won the competition.

This was the first time competitive Antakshari was conducted at this scale in the New England region. Kudos to the IAGB team lead by Aditi Taylor to create and execute a wonderful event. It was professionally done.

Grand Finale Teams are: Team Atom Bomb – Namita Deshpande and Parag Singh – Winner; Team Burmaniacs – Anish Desai and Krishna Desai – 1st Runner Up; Team Let’s Nacho With Cheese – Santosh Rao and Yogitha Parayil Team – 2nd Runner Up; and, Team Surile Iyers – Vidya Iyer and Prakash Iyer – 3rd Runner Up.

 

Habib Chaudhry arrested in $200 Million Credit Card fraud scheme

Habib Chaudhry, a New Yorker, has been detained after remaining a fugitive for nearly four years in a case alleging to have been involved in more than $200 million credit card fraud schemes, one of the largest ever charged by the Justice Department.

U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman made the announcement on January 23, stating that Chaudhry, 49, of Valley Stream, New York, was initially charged by complaint in February 2013 and then by indictment in September 2013. He was expected to make his initial appearance Jan. 23 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court, Fishman said.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court. Fishhman said in a press note, Chaudhry was indicted as part of a conspiracy, led by Tahir Lodhi, Babar Qureshi, Ijaz Butt, and others to fabricate more than 7,000 false identities to obtain tens of thousands of credit cards. Since then, 19 people have pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme.

The scheme involved a three-step process — the defendants would make up a false identity by creating fraudulent identification documents and a phony credit profile with the major credit bureaus, then pump up the credit of the false identity by providing bogus information about that identity’s creditworthiness, and finally borrow or spend as much as they could without repaying the debts. The scheme caused more than $200 million in confirmed losses to businesses and financial institutions.

The scope of the criminal fraud enterprise required the conspirators to construct an elaborate network of false identities. Across the country, the conspirators maintained more than 1,800 “drop addresses,” including houses, apartments and post office boxes, which they used as the mailing addresses for the false identities.

 

Nita Ambani honored in New York

Nita Ambani, Reliance Foundation chairperson, has been honored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) here for her philanthropic efforts. Ambani’s philanthropic work in the areas of education, sports, healthcare, rural transformation, urban renewal, disaster response, women empowerment and promotion of the arts, has been recognised with the honour. She is said to be be the first South Asian to receive the accolade.

Delighted and humbled by the honour, Ambani said in a statement: “It is truly gratifying that our efforts, especially in education, sports, health and rural transformation, are bringing smiles to millions of people.

“This recognition from a distinguished global institution like The Met is a tribute to our commitment towards sustainable development and social empowerment, and will inspire each one of us at Reliance Foundation to constantly do the best to make the world a better place for the next generation.” The Met is recognized as one of the most iconic museums, and it houses over 5,000 years of art from around the world.

NYC charges firm with discrimination against Muslims​

The New York City Commission on Human Rights filed religious discrimination charges against a wheelchair assistance service company on January 25 for allegedly discriminating against Muslim employees by repeatedly denying their requests for break time to pray and break fast during Ramadan.

The company, Pax Assist Inc., providing service at JFK International Airport was charged Jan. 25 with violating NYC Human Rights Law. The complaint also alleged that supervisors at Pax Assist Inc., which serves 32 airlines and employs more than 250 workers at Terminal 4 at JFK, publicly harassed Muslim employees over a radio system when they requested break time.

The commission has notified Pax Assist Inc. of these charges and is awaiting its response.
“Discrimination does not just happen on the street, it can touch every part of our daily lives, including in the workplace,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

“Now more than ever, it is important for everyone to stand up against discrimination and hate, and to protect the rights of Muslim Americans. The Commission is working hard to ensure that every community understands their rights and is legally protected against discrimination and bigotry,” the mayor said.

“As New Yorkers, we must all must be vigilant and stand up for what is right.”

The commission, which filed the religious discrimination charges on behalf of the City rather than requiring individual victims to file claims, also alleged that the company’s employee break policy has a disparate impact on employees of every faith who may be deterred from requesting religious accommodations to pray at work consistent with their religious practices.

Babar Qureshi from NJ sentenced for role in Credit Card scam

TRENTON, N.J.: Babar Qureshi, an Iselin, New Jersey, man of South Asian origin, was sentenced Jan. 25, to 46 months in prison for his role in one of the largest credit card fraud schemes ever charged by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Babar Qureshi, 63, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge at a Trenton federal court Anne E. Thompson to Count One of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. In addition to the prison term, Judge Thompson sentenced Qureshi to five years of supervised release.

He was originally charged in February 2013 as part of an 18-person ring which fabricated more than 7,000 false identities to procure tens of thousands of credit cards. The scam spanned at least 8 countries including Pakistan, India, China, Romania, and Japan, and spread over some 28 states in the U.S., and about 80 fake companies.

Several of those accused and charged were of South Asian origin. The scheme involved a three-step process that included making up a false identity by creating fraudulent identification documents and a fraudulent credit profile with the major credit bureaus; pumping up the credit of the false identity by providing false information about that identity’s creditworthiness to those credit bureaus; and finally, run up large loans.

His co-conspirators and Qureshi constructed an elaborate network of false identities and maintained more than 1,800 “drop addresses,” across the country which included houses, apartments and post office boxes, which they used as the mailing addresses of the false identities.

Qureshi’s role in the conspiracy was to take the phony cards and charge large amounts at complicit merchants, who would then pay him a portion of the charge. He used phony bank accounts to conceal his involvement and receive proceeds from the fraud, which he used for personal expenses, including his mortgage, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman.

FBI questions Rutgers student about massive cyber attack

 

The FBI has interviewed a Rutgers University computer science student who has been identified by a well-known cyber security blogger as the likely author of the malicious code that caused a massive Internet disruption in October. The expert said the student also may be linked to repeated attacks on Rutgers’ computer system starting in late 2014.

While he says he does not know who may have actually launched the massive “denial of service” or DDoS attacks last fall, the security researcher said the coding language used and other anecdotal evidence seemed to point to the 20-year-old-student, Paras Jha, as an author of the malware used to shut down hundreds of computer servers.

The student’s father, Anand Jha, confirmed that federal investigators have questioned his son, but he adamantly denied he had any knowledge of the attacks or was involved in any way.

In an interview with NJ Advance Media at his Fanwood home, Anand Jha said his son is one of the principals at ProTraf, a company he said helps clients avoid online attacks. But he said his son had nothing to do with the attacks that caused widespread disruptions.

“I know what he is capable of,” Anand Jha said. “Nothing of the sort of what has been described here has happened.” He said the FBI has been in touch with his son more than once. Initially, the family believed authorities were trying to help their son, but they now believe the FBI is trying to build a case against him.

“It is tough. He is just a college kid who doesn’t know what is going on,” the father said. ‘The truth will come out.” Attorney Robert Stahl, a former assistant U.S. attorney who has been retained by the family, said the younger Jha has not been charged with any wrongdoing and was innocent. He said the focus on the student largely stemmed from the apparent findings of Brian Krebs, a former Washington Post reporter who writes a highly influential computer security blog.

“The Krebs alleged investigation makes several leaps of logic,” Stahl said. “We’ll be conducting our own investigation and are looking forward to clearing this young man’s name.”

A Rutgers spokeswoman, Karen Smith, said she could not comment on the status of the investigation.

“We continue to cooperate with all appropriate law enforcement authorities in connection with the ongoing investigation of the DDoS attacks,” Smith said. “This is a very serious matter and we will have no further comment while this matter is under investigation.”

Neil Patel expected Trump Administration job

Neil Patel, an Indian American White House veteran who worked as a policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney during the George W. Bush presidency, is in talks with President-elect Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner about a potential role in the White House.

As per a CNN report, the discussions between Patel and Kushner Jan. 19, citing sources with knowledge of the transition. The source told CNN that Kushner informally offered Patel a position, and both agreed it’s contingent on them meeting in person to discuss the details, the report said.

Additionally, a transition official said that Patel had met with Kushner, but it was one of many meetings Kushner has had. Patel, a lawyer, is considered by members of the GOP Party as “extremely smart and capable,” and said he is a “serious policy person” who would be an asset to Kushner and the Trump White House, CNN reported.

Following his time as adviser to Cheney, Patel co-founded conservative news blog “The Daily Caller.” He also previously served as Cheney’s adviser Scooter Libby’s deputy. He was also nominated by the Bush White House to run the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, but he was not confirmed.

A graduate of Worcester Academy, Patel received his Bachelors’ from Trinity College. Patel also has a Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was an associate editor of the Journal of Law and Policy in International Business.

These were the two best years in India-US ties, says Ambassador Richard Verma

US ambassador Richard Verma described the period he has been serving as US Envoy in New Delhi as “the two best years we’ve ever had. Our leaders have met nine times, held three summits, rolled out 100 new initiatives and over 40 government-togovernment dialogues,” Verma told the media. “This has led to big things – the Westinghouse nuclear contract, Paris climate agreement, major defence partner elevation… We are doing more with each other than ever before.”

As outgoing US President Barack Obama and PM Narendra Modi held their last official conversation on phone reviewing the progress in bilateral relations since the BJP-led government came to power last week.

After clearing the nuclear liability hurdle, India and Westinghouse are on the verge of signing the commercial contract for nuclear reactors, Verma said. “We have set a goal for this summer to complete commercial contract with Westinghouse. Thus far, we have met our milestones to submit commercial offer, teams met to discuss financing … Now it’s a matter of getting the final terms of the contract signed. The land has been allocated, we’re excited,” the outgoing ambassador said.

However, NSG membership for India has eluded the grasp of bilateral diplomacy .”This is part of a larger commitment President Obama made in 2010, that India should have a seat in international institutions and regimes that is consistent with its role … This is not 1945 any more.We have worked with India to get entry into MTCR, the membership process to Australia Group and Wassenaar Arrangement are moving well,” he said.

The NSG talks may slow down due to the transition in the US, but the Rafael Grossi process (former NSG chief ‘s initiative to facilitate India’s membership) is more or less complete. “It looked at how to handle non-NPT countries entering the NSG process …We have come to a consensus on the criteria,” he said.

He said in the past few years, the defence relationship has jumped to a whole new level. “Prime Minister Modi told the US Congress last year that it is in America’s strategic interest for India to be strong and prosperous. President Obama believes in it. We are trying to bolster capabilities across sectors like cyber, defenc etc. These are engines of job creationboth in India and the US,” Verma said.

“Secretary Ashton Carter proposed new projects – one for vertical lift helicopter that we would co-develop and a ground combat vehicle. Now, with the LEMOA signed, our two militaries can interact with each other with greater ease,” he said. The US, Verma said, is consulting with India on an aircraft carrier.

The Indian Ocean strategic vision document signed by Obama and Modi in January 2015 changed the strategic outlook for India. Verma said, “It’s foundational to the work we’ve done. It’s actually a collective vision for the Asia-Pacific, where we see a leadership role for India. As a result of this statement, the governments of India, Japan and US elevated their trilateral to the ministerial level, Japan was re-inducted into Malabar exercises, there has been greater intelligence cooperation and sharing of information, we have stood up together for free flow of commerce, respect for UNCLOS, freedom of navigation.”  The movement against terrorism, the US ambassador said, has continued apace.

Rupen R. Shah confirmed to be judge in Virginia

Rupen R. Shah, an Indian American prosecutor who was the chief deputy of the Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office in Virginia, has been confirmed as a judge of the 25th Judicial District. According to a report on newsvirginian.com, Shah’s six-year term will begin Feb. 1.

Making the announcement Jan. 19, the local assembly delegation noted that Shah is the first Indian American judge elected in the Commonwealth, according to a report in the Augusta Free Press. “It was an honor for us to put forward for consideration and to vote for the confirmation” of Shah, the delegation said in a statement, adding, Shah’s “commitment to serve the people of the Commonwealth in this manner is to be commended.”

Tim Martin, the Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney, said Shah is deserving of the judgeship. “The bottom line is he is an excellent choice,” Martin was quoted as saying on the website. “I will miss him both personally and professionally. Our office’s great loss is the judiciary’s gain.” Shah has worked as a prosecutor in Augusta County for more than 20 years, Martin said.

In 2015, Shah was named a “Leader of the Law,” an award from Virginia Lawyers Media that recognizes attorneys for serving their community, changing the law, and improving Virginia’s legal system, according to a report on nbc29.com.

Shah said at that time he was proud of the work he has done to change laws for synthetic marijuana and making financial institutions more open to law enforcement. Shah has served on the executive committee and council of the Virginia State Bar and also as chair of the Diversity Conference of the Virginia State Bar.

He was recognized by the State Bar as a local leader of the year 2009 and also served as president of the Augusta County Bar Association from 2008-2009. The Indian American also has extensive experience in teaching law. Shah, who has a law degree from New York’s Syracuse University, founded the non-profit Valley Children’s Center, which helps law enforcement and Child Protective Services workers interview abused and neglected children.

Dr. Sanjay Kumar charged with drug trafficking

Dr. Sanjay Kumar, a 50-year-old Indian-origin doctor in North Carolina has been charged with drug trafficking and money-laundering, according to federal authorities. According to reports,  Kumar was charged with conspiracy to unlawful distribution of opioids such as oxycodone and alprazolam, which can be misused as addictive drugs, the federal prosecutor’s office for Eastern North Carolina announced on Jan. 17.

As per prosecutors, Kumar conspired to illegally dispense Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Hydromorphone and Alprazolam. The charges were filed against him after a grand jury, a panel of citizens that makes the initial determination to prosecute, indicted him. That is the first stage in the U.S. justice system and he will next be tried in court.

If convicted, the maximum penalties for each charged drug count are imprisonment for 25 years and a $1 million fine. Kumar is from Bern in North Carolina. A local newspaper Sun Journal said he was a specialist in physiatry and headed a sports medicine practice.

He was arrested in June at a traffic stop and according to authorities “trafficking levels” of drugs were found when his house was searched with a warrant. According to the newspaper, when Kumar was produced before a judge at that time he said: “I am going to fight all these charges, humbly and boldly.” He has also faced charges of stalking his neighbors, Sun Journal said.

Priyanka Chopra wins People’s Choice Award

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra made India proud yet again when she was chosen as the Favourite Dramatic TV Actress over American actresses Ellen Pompeo, Kerry Washington, Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis at the People’s Choice Awards 2017.

It is Priyanka’s second People’s Choice Award as she bagged her first one in the Favourite Actress in a New TV series category last year for “Quantico”, in which she plays Alex Parrish. The role has given her unprecedented popularity in the US as it even paved the way for her to become a star presenter at the Oscars and Golden Globes ceremonies.

Looking subtle and elegant in a peach tube dress with minimal make-up for the gala, Priyanka was overwhelmed when her name was announced as the winner in the Favourite Dramatic TV Actress category here on Wednesday night.

After winning, the 34-year-old former Miss World, who was recently injured on the set of “Quantico”, said: “Every single woman that was nominated with me today… All of these incredible actresses were the reason that I joined television.

“They were the reason that I wanted to be the actor that I am here today, receiving this award, and being in the same category as them is just so overwhelming.” The actress also thanked the entire cast and crew of “Quantico”, her first Hollywood project.

“I am really psyched. Can I do a little wiggle? I am sorry it’s the concussion talking… This (award) means the world to me,” added the actress, whose “Baywatch” co-star Dwayne Johnson cheered for her.

The People’s Choice Awards, held at the Microsoft Theater and hosted by actor-comedian Joel McHale, celebrated the best and the brightest in music, film, television and social media.

Singer Britney Spears and 2016 3D computer-animated film “Finding Dory” emerged as the big winners at the gala, where popular Indo-Canadian online personality Lilly Singh also won an honor.

Rupen R. Shah confirmed to be judge in Virginia

Rupen R. Shah, an Indian American prosecutor who was the chief deputy of the Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office in Virginia, has been confirmed as a judge of the 25th Judicial District. According to a report on newsvirginian.com, Shah’s six-year term will begin Feb. 1.

Making the announcement Jan. 19, the local assembly delegation noted that Shah is the first Indian American judge elected in the Commonwealth, according to a report in the Augusta Free Press. “It was an honor for us to put forward for consideration and to vote for the confirmation” of Shah, the delegation said in a statement, adding, Shah’s “commitment to serve the people of the Commonwealth in this manner is to be commended.”

Tim Martin, the Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney, said Shah is deserving of the judgeship. “The bottom line is he is an excellent choice,” Martin was quoted as saying on the website. “I will miss him both personally and professionally. Our office’s great loss is the judiciary’s gain.” Shah has worked as a prosecutor in Augusta County for more than 20 years, Martin said.

In 2015, Shah was named a “Leader of the Law,” an award from Virginia Lawyers Media that recognizes attorneys for serving their community, changing the law, and improving Virginia’s legal system, according to a report on nbc29.com.

Shah said at that time he was proud of the work he has done to change laws for synthetic marijuana and making financial institutions more open to law enforcement. Shah has served on the executive committee and council of the Virginia State Bar and also as chair of the Diversity Conference of the Virginia State Bar.

He was recognized by the State Bar as a local leader of the year 2009 and also served as president of the Augusta County Bar Association from 2008-2009. The Indian American also has extensive experience in teaching law. Shah, who has a law degree from New York’s Syracuse University, founded the non-profit Valley Children’s Center, which helps law enforcement and Child Protective Services workers interview abused and neglected children.

UAE-based Kehkashan Basu wins Children’s Peace Prize

An Indian schoolgirl based in UAE has won this year’s International Children’s Peace Prize for her fight to save the planet. Kehkashan Basu, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, was presented the award by Nobel Peace laureate Mohammad Yunus at a ceremony held in The Hague Dec. 3, Gulf News reported.

At the age of eight, Basu organized an awareness-raising campaign for the recycling of waste in her Dubai neighborhood. In 2012, she founded her own organization, Green Hope, which carries out environment-focused campaigns. Basu went on to become the youngest ever Global Coordinator for the Major Group for Children and Youth of the UN Environmental Program.

Basu has addressed various international conferences and her organization Green Hope was now active in ten countries with more than 1,000 young volunteers.

“It is a great achievement for such a young person to already have such reach and impact with her important message,” said Yunus. “Kehkashan teaches us that we all have a responsibility to work towards a sustainable future,” he added.

The schoolgirl won because she had proved her ability to start a movement with real impact, said Marc Dullaert, the founder of the Kids Rights Foundation. The Amsterdam-based global children’s aid group runs the award program, which started in 2005.

After receiving the prize, Basu said she would “keep campaigning to encourage children and adults to create a more sustainable future.” Basu currently divides her time between the UAE and Canada, where she has moved to study.

“I call upon everyone to think of how they can contribute to the preservation of the environment… Time is not on our side – we have to act now, or we will have polar bears under palm trees,” she said.

GOPIO Convention in Bangalore a huge success

The two-day convention of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) in Bangalore, India struck the right note in articulating the problems faced by the Diaspora. PIOs/NRIs from over 60 countries who gathered in Bangalore under the shadow of demonetization had the opportunity to exchange views on the diverse issues dogging Pravasis. Speaker after speaker mentioned the problem of cash crunch following the demonetization of Rs.1000 and 500 notes.

Through several sessions GOPIO managed to put across to the government the difficulties faced by NRIs/PIOs due to note ban. A resolution passed by GOPIO specifically requested the government to make the exchange of demonetized notes held by NRIs trouble-free.

Another issue that figured prominently in the discussions was the inadequate representation of GOPIO in the PBD event. GOPIO President Niraj Baxi and Global Ambassador Sunny Kulathakal aired GOPIO’s disappointment over the development. Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar who inaugurated the two-day convention promised to look into the complaint.

The idea ‘GOPIO Means Business’ got a boost in Bengaluru, brightening the prospect of broadening the business linkages of the Diaspora with the Motherland. Two sessions on start-ups while touching on the emerging scenario in the fastest growing sector, explored the possibilities of partnerships and investments by NRIs. The participants got a thorough briefing on the impending launch of GOPIO International Chamber of Commerce (GICC).

Minister M. J. Akbar inaugurated the convention on January 5. Addressing the gathering, Akbar appreciated the role of non-resident Indians (NRIs) and person of Indian origin (PIO) in strengthening relations between India and other countries. “India will have its first-ever strategic discussion with UAE on January 20 and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, will be our guest at the Republic Day,” he said.

The external affairs ministry will soon launch portals to help Indians who are travelling abroad in search of jobs, he said. On demonetization, Akbar said, “A single, historic move by the Prime Minister has converted black money into white and this will now be used for the nation’s development.” Highlighting the significant role that global Indians had played in strengthening international relations, Akbar said, “Once, we had the song, ‘Mera jota hai Japani’. India no longer buys shoes from Japan. We are, in fact, in talks with Japan to build high-speed railway corridors. Nor is India buying Lal Topis (Red hats) from Russia. Instead, we are strengthening our defense, space and nuclear ties with Russia, besides becoming a major defense partner for America. This has materialized largely because of the global Indians in these countries,” Akbar said. He also referred to the bilateral agreements signed with Gulf countries to ensure a better deal for Indian workers. In this connection, he lauded the initiatives taken by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to solve problems faced by Indians abroad.

Thomas Abraham, chairman of the organization, raised the issue of provisions for NRIs to exchange old currency. “We are thankful that the deadline has been extended to June 30. However, notes can be exchanged only in certain branches of the Reserve Bank of India. For a few thousand rupees, people cannot travel to a different city.” To ensure that the money does not go waste, he requested the government to make provisions for NRIs to exchange notes in other banks.

President of GOPIO Niraj Baxi told Akbar that the body had played a vital role in helping the government formulate the idea of PBD. “We have requested the government to allow our members to speak on this occasion, since we will be able to present the problems faced by the Diaspora in a more convincing manner,” Baxi added. Akbar said that he had received a complaint in this regard, and would look into the same.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar MP, in his keynote address, said that non-residential Indians (NRIs) were a powerful asset to the country. “The process of institutionalizing the NRI and PIO communities is a long one. Many problems they are faced with today are very old. However, the principle of ‘leaving no Indian behind’, which the Centre has espoused is starting to yield results,” Chandrasekhar added.

Justice Gopala Gowda too called for empowering the Indian Diaspora, which, he said, would, in turn bolster the country. Raj Purohit, MLA and Chief Whip of the BJP in Maharashtra, used the occasion to praise demonetization which he described as a fight against corruption. He wanted the expatriate Indian community to back the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his efforts to transform India through various programs like Make in India and Swach Bharat.

Describing himself as a soldier for the GOPIO, motivational speaker and author Shiv Khera stressed the relevance and importance of the three P skills – people skills, persuasive skills and prioritizing skills. Khera opined that the reservation policy in the country had outlived its utility and needed to change. “Reservation should not be based on caste, but education and economy. GOPIO should work with the government, and press for these changes,” said Khera.

On January, 6 there were different sessions devoted multiple topics of interest to the Diaspora. Sessions on women empowerment, social Indian with focus on rural India, underprivileged, GOPIO Chamber of Commerce, Start-up India and Startup pitchathon saw interesting presentations.

The winner of the Pichathon was Siddartha Goel from Bengaluru. At the valedictory function, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented the GOPIO community service awards to six eminent NRIs who have excelled in their professions and/or contributed substantially to the cause of Indian community and society at large. They are Dr. Abraham M George (USA and India), Chandu Patel (USA), Naliandra (Jay) Naidu (Durban, South Africa), Dr. Ram Buxani (Dubai), Dr. George Cherian (Bahrain) and Vinod Patel (Fiji). A special recognition Pravasi Mitra Award was presented to Karnataka Police DGP Om Prakash for his service excellence in helping and recovering money of NRI’s cheated by a real estate developer in Bengaluru.

While appreciating GOPIO’s role in promoting the interests of Pravasis, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged Non-Resident Indians to build schools and hospitals in their native states. He also referred to the new NRI policy unveiled by Karnataka government that aims to help residents from the state working abroad. Arathi Krishna, Deputy Chairman, NRI Forum of Karnataka Government extended all support to GOPIO convention.

GOPIO Convention passed resolutions including one on Demonetization in which NRIs/PIOs are left with over Rs. 15,000 crores of old currencies in small amounts at an average of Rs. 5000 per person. GOPIO resolution calls upon the Government of India to provide the NRIs and PIOs an opportunity similar to the one given to Indian nationals; that is, allowing them to deposit up to Rs. 250,000.00 of Indian currency in either the Reserve Bank of India or the State Bank of India or any bank where the NRIs keep their NRO account.

Both evenings, during the convention, had superb cultural programs students of Monisha Arts and other artists and put together by Monisha Arts director Sreedevi Unni. The meeting ended with an outing and a luncheon at a farm at the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The convention was hosted by GOPIO-Bengaluru Chapter and under the direction of GOPIO Global Ambassador Sunny Kulathakal with support from Convention Convener Dr. J. Alexander, GOPIO International Coordinator Shaji Baby John and GOPIO- Bengaluru Secretary George Varghese. Mr. Rajesh Johny served as the Chairman of Conference Program Committee.

Photo left: from l. to r.: Minister M.J. Akbar, Maharashtra Assembly chief Whip Raj Purohit, MLA, Justic Gopala Gowda, GOPIO Intl Coordinator Issac John, GOPIO Life Member Manu Kumar and GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham

Photo left: GOPIO Convention – Karnataka DGP Om Prakash is presented Pravasi Mitra Award for his service to the NRI community settled in Bangalore

GOPIO Convention passes resolution on demonetaization for NRIs

GOPIO officials have been receiving hundreds of telephone calls and e-mails from OCI and PIO card holders that they are being turned away from depositing their demonetized Indian currencies at the Reserve bank of India branches. Govt. of India had extended the date for depositing these notes to June 30th for NRIs. However, Diaspora Indians with foreign citizenship are not included in GOI’s definition of NRIs for depositing these notes. GOPIO plans to make a major campaign to include all OCI/NRI card holders and Diaspora Indians with foreign citizenship to be included so that they can deposit all their demonetized notes, press release issued here stated.

According to GOPIO leaders, Diaspora Indians with foreign citizenship and OCI/PIO card holders are being turned away by Reserve bank of India from depositing their demonetized currencies, although govt. had announced that it has extended the date for NRIs to deposit their currencies till June 30th. However, Diaspora Indians with foreign citizenship after standing outside the gate for several hours and when they reach the gate, they have been told that only NRIs with Indian passport can go inside. It is a major issue to be corrected. GOPIO has now taken up this issue and has sent an appeal to Prime Minister Modi. Please provide the maximum publicity so that Govt. must correct this situation.

“GOPIO (Global Organization of People of Indian Origin) Executive Council had an emergency meeting last week since GOPIO officials have been getting hundreds of telephone calls and e-mails about OCI/PIO card holders as well as Diaspora Indians with Foreign Citizenship not being allowed to deposit or exchange their demonetized Indian currencies at the Reserve Bank of India,” Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of GOPIO, said. “The Executive Council unanimously agreed to make an appeal to Prime Minister Modi to correct this issue.”

The appeal as follows: Global Organization of People Indian Origin (GOPIO) fully supports demonetization of the higher end Indian currencies so as to curtail black money and terrorism funding. However, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) requests that:

Diaspora Indians with Foreign Citizenship, and PIO and OCI card holders be given the same opportunity for depositing old and obsolete currency notes as given to NRIs (Indian Passport holders), allowing them to deposit up to Rs. 250,000 of Indian currency in the Reserve Bank of India instead of notified amount of Rs. 25,000;

Some of the NRIs, and PIO and OCI card holders have old currency notes safely kept in their residences in India for reasons such as education of their children in India, supporting old age parents, helping family members, etc., so allow RBI and Banks having NRO accounts to accept the old currency notes up to Rs. 2,50,000;

Diaspora Indians with Foreign Citizenship, and PIO and OCI card holders are not able to visit India and hence be permitted to deposit in their bank account in India through an authorized agent, the amount certified by the foreign branches of State Bank of India or Indian Missions in the country of their residence or in RBI / NRO accounts with various banks in India.

Finally, since all Diaspora Indians with Foreign Citizenship, PIO and OCI card holders may not be able to visit India prior toJune 30, 2017, they should be allowed to deposit old currency notes at either the Reserve Bank of India/NRO Accounts maintained with various banks in India up to December 31, 2017.

The esteemed GOPIO leaders have urged the Indian government, which has always acknowledged the role of NRIs/PIOs and expatriates in the resurgence of India and their record annual remittances to India which is the highest compared to any country in the world, to agree to the requested concession for goodwill of thirty million NRIs and PIOs and amend the Notification # RBI/2016-17/2005/DCM/(Plg) No 2170/10.27.00/2016-17 dated 31st December, 2016.

GOOD NEWS FOR PIO CARD HOLDERS

 

The Government of India is encouraging all PIO Card holders to convert it to OCI and has extended the deadline to June 30, 2017. If you convert your PIO to OCI before this deadline, you do not have to pay the Consular Fee of $275.

If you need assistance to convert your PIO Card to OCI, call 516.680.8037 or visit our website CLB Visa Center (www.CLBVisaCenter.com)

“ Until June 30, 2017, PIO cardholders can travel to India with their PIO and US Passport.

Please forward this email to all your friends who may benefit from this information.

If you do not wish to receive any more emails, please reply with DELETE in the subject line,” said Ratna Bhalla, Executive Director, CLB Visa Center.

GOPIO Washington DC welcomes Ambassador Sarna

GOPIO Washington DC region joined with other Indian American community groups to organize a welcome reception last month in Fairfax, VA for the newly appointed Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna and farewell to Deputy Chief of the Mission TaranJit Singh Sandhu.

Over 350 people packed the elegant ballroom of the Waterford at Fair Oaks on a Sunday evening for a sparkling community reception spearheaded by activist Dr. Yogendra Gupta. Ambassador Sarna extolled the Indian-American community which he noted forms only one percent of the US population, but its members make up 9 percent of physicians, 30 percent of start-up founders in Silicon Valley, and 50 percent of the hospitality industry. These are awe-inspiring figures given the size of the community.

GOPIO’s Washington DC Regional Coordinator Jaisingh Bhandari, in his welcome speech, complimented the outgoing DCM Sandhu and his contribution to strengthening relations between US and India. A plaque was presented to Ambassador Sandhu and well wishes for his tenure at SriLanka High commissioner.

Bhandari speaking at the occasion emphasized how Indian community supported the embassy in many occasions to bring both countries together. He further assured the Ambassador that Indian community will support, cooperate and do everything to make efforts in strengthening US-India relations.

Photo: – GOPIO Coordinator Jay Bhandari welcoming Ambassador Sarna. Sitting from l. to r.: DCM Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Ambassador Navtej Sarna and Dr. Yogendra Gupta; Bottom” Some of the organizers with Ambassadors Sarna and Sandho. From l. to r.: Sunil Singh; Satish Korpe; Jay Bhandari; Indian Ambassador Navtej Sarna; Dr. Yogendra Gupta; Kumar Singh; Ashok Batra; and DCM Taranjit Singh Sandhu

#LetSikhsServe Adds 5 New Accommodations

In 2017, the U.S. Army has granted five additional observant Sikh American soldiers enduring religious accommodations, permitting each of them to serve with their religiously mandated turbans and beards. This new wave of accommodations is the largest increase in Sikh soldiers since the Department of Defense banned visible articles of faith in 1981.

The decision comes just after the U.S. Army updated their rules governing religious liberty that significantly improve the standards for Sikhs and other religious minorities who seek to serve their country with their articles of faith intact. The new rules, made public on January 4th, eliminate bureaucratic hurdles that had previously discriminated against Sikhs.

Private Shabaddeep Singhjammu, an Infantry Recruit who was born and raised in Elk Grove, California, vowed to follow a path of service after tragically losing his brother in 2013.  “I’m thankful to the Sikh Coalition for securing my right to serve my country and faith because it has been a lifelong goal,” said Private Singhjammu. “I’m now honoring my brother while pursuing a career that serves our nation without compromising my beliefs.”

This development brings the new total to 14 Sikh Army soldiers for whom the Sikh Coalition has secured religious accommodations. Under the previous policy, these accommodations involved a burdensome case-by-case process; were brought up the chain of command to the secretary-level; and were subject to annual review and possible revocation. Now, they can be granted at the brigade-level and can only be revoked if the Army identifies a specific, concrete hazard. This policy does not apply to the other branches of the U.S. military.

Since 2009, the Sikh Coalition and pro bono counsel, Amandeep Sidhu, with his team from the law firm McDermott Will & Emery, have led relentless advocacy efforts to end religious discrimination by our nation’s largest employer. In 2014, we also added Becket Law to our legal team. In the last year, the Truman National Security Project has also been an instrumental partner on this campaign, adding critical government connections and policy expertise.

“After a 35-year presumptive ban on observant Sikhs, our nation’s largest employer has taken a vital step in embracing policies that reflect the rich diversity of our nation,” said Sikh Coalition Legal Director, Harsimran Kaur. “We look forward to permanent policy changes across all branches of the military so that all religious minorities can freely serve without exception.”

To learn more about why the Sikh Coalition continues to advocate for the policy change, please check out our military FAQ and blog post by Sikh Coalition Co-Founder and Board Member, Prabhjot Singh. As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

The Sikh Coalition is a community-based organization that works towards the realization of civil and human rights for all people. The Coalition serves as a resource on Sikhs and Sikh concerns for governments, organizations and individuals.

Flying 40, Sky Bird Travel Celebrates its 40th Anniversary in New York

“We have a great future ahead of us,” declared Arvin Shah, Chairman & President of SKY BIRD TRAVEL & TOURS, one of the largest national Airline Consolidators in the United States during his address to hundreds of airline industry executives at Sky Bird’s gala 40th anniversary and Holiday party celebration at the prestigious St. Regis Hotel in New York City on Wednesday, December 6th.

With total dedication, hard work, solid customer base, and visionary ideals, Sky Bird Travel & Tours is recognized as a world renowned award winning Airfare Consolidator working with more than 90 airlines around the globe. “We have been in business for over 40 years. We can truly say that we are your global partner. We value your needs. Our customer service team makes sure you come first,” Arvin confidently stated to the party’s attendees.

Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, served by nearly 300 employees, with 12 satellite offices in the US and many abroad, Sky Bird Travel & Tours has come a long way since Arvin and his wife, Jaya, first started their travel agency, Jaya Travel Inc., in 1974 in Windsor, Canada, working from home. “We literally worked from the kitchen table,” he recalls.

In 1976, the Shah family established Sky Bird Travel & Tours, Inc., alongside with Jaya Travel, in Southfield, Michigan, to cater to the growing South Asian ethnic community throughout the US and Canada by developing a full service leisure travel agency which offers airline tickets, hotels, car rentals and customized tour packages to valued customers.

In 1982, Raj Patel joined the family business as its Vice President. From there, the company was able to grow with its wisdom and experience coupled with innovative and creative ideas which became the hallmark of the success story of Sky Bird Travel & Tours. According to Raj, “We believe there are two elements vital to every company’s success: a great product and great service. Since our founding in 1976, Sky Bird has amassed active contracts with over 90 airlines which has given us the ability to offer you a wide range of options for our clients.”

Arvin’s son Akshay joined the business after his college graduation. Together father and son are working to build and grow more business, challenging all the negatives in the industry. “With Sky Bird Travel, it’s not just about maximizing profits—it’s about becoming a part of our team where we value your needs,” Akshay, while giving an overview of the company’s 40 years of journey through a beautifully made visual presentation, told the airline executives who had come in to celebrate the success story of Sky Bird.  “Our customer service is the reason for our success,” he said.

Within the first decade, Sky Bird Travel & Tours gained a reputation for quality and dependability and continues to provide its clientele with professional quality services along a diversified array of travel destinations, with the highest standards of excellence.

“We did not want to limit ourselves in business and wanted to handle the complete international airline ticketing to India and China, as well as Europe, the Middle East and Far East, Africa, Asia, South Pacific and Latin America from all major cities of origin in the USA”, said Akshay. From there, the Shah’s made the idea feasible and started to manage the task of expanding Sky Bird into the major global travel management business.

Not satisfied with handling just issuing tickets and making reservations, the company created its own tour company Sky Vacations.  Sky Vacations has formed preferred alliances with partners in destination management companies all over the world. It provides a “local presence” and infrastructure within various regions. “Our clients get the advantage of established land package rates combined with our competitive airfares which makes for a very well-priced experience for our customers. This has made us a one-stop-shop for virtually any type of travel program we wish to provide,” Akshay says.

Sky Bird Travel has grown with the changing times and the needs of the tech savvy customers and industry. Its fares database is updated daily to make it easy for travel agencies to provide their clients with instant quotes and to give them the flexibility of adding one’s own markup.

In order to constantly grow in the business, the company concentrated on new challenges in the new technology during a period of major upheaval in the travel business in the late 1990s. Sky Bird became a SolarNet LiveLinx client, which hosts a travel vendor’s database and information search capabilities and accessibility on the Internet as well as four Global Distribution System (GDS) networks: Sabre, Apollo/Galileo, Worldspan and Amadeus and online through its business-to-business web portals.  By embracing technology at an early stage, Sky Bird was well positioned to handle a greater amount and variety of business as well as serve customers worldwide.

With a view to better serve his large clientele and offer a competitive advantage through its customer-driven advanced technology solutions to optimize travel agents’ needs, Arvin and his management staff continue to make technology accessible and affordable to the greatest number of users, by delivering innovative, popular fare distribution systems that are easy to use and access for travel agents. Sky Bird offers fares less than 40-70 percent than most of the competitors, and its tickets are less restrictive than published and/ or web fares. .

With Sky Bird, travel agents also get access to ‘Wings’, their in-house booking system which searches the major GDS systems to give instant net fares on over 90 airlines. With the latest in technology along with a pure passion for helping travel agents, Sky Bird Travel Tours remains one of the top Airfare consolidators in the US.

As a first generation immigrant from the sub-continent of India, Arvin Shah and his company Sky Bird are a true story of the American Dream achieved through determination, hard work and persistence.  “It was no easy task and demanded grit, self-confidence and vision. It also meant working under a heavy load of management skills and taking financial risks to gamble in the unpredictable travel business”, he said. “We had our share of ups and downs, until we started thinking more seriously about taking a different approach in the competitive travel industry, while exploring other alternatives like the travel consolidator market. It was an expensive move and involved a lot of risk-taking challenges.”

“Whether it’s dealing with global events, changing economies, or even weather-related difficulties, Sky Bird has managed to consistently provide top-tier customer service, low net fares, and commission checks to travel agents on time. Our commitment to excellence, unparalleled customer support, and travel industry wisdom has undoubtedly helped take their

Arvin feels that Sky Bird success is more like the success of a travel management organization than a travel agency, with all of its various departments IT, customer services, analytics, finance, sales, marketing etc. working in sync. Arvin says, with a sense of joy and pride, “Thank God I came to America – this is the right place. The land of opportunities. I had nothing when I came here. If you work hard, you can achieve anything you desire.”

Arvin’s vision for Sky Bird is to make it into a Billion Dollar Company. “I am confident with the kind of dedicated staff we have and the continued support from our customers, airlines, and tours, Sky Bird will soon be a Billion Dollar Company.” business to new heights in recent years,” Arvin says with a sense of pride and optimism.

Arvin and his company have won the praises and laurels from across the travel industry.  “Congratulation to Mr. Arvin Shah on the success of Skybird Travel excellent customer service and its 40th year celebration,” stated Daryl Yu, Manager of Eva Air. “Standing strong against the competition and by the sides of its cherished partner – EVA Air, Skybird under the leadership of Arvin Shah has set a benchmark on travel experience with customized packages and tours.  A true consolidator that combines fares and savings in one.  We are very pleased to have Skybird Travel as our partner.”

Throughout its 40 years, Sky Bird Travel has been bestowed with hundreds of national and international awards by numerous airlines and leading travel industry platforms. This high standard was recognized early and rewarded by various segments of the travel industry, involving major awards and citations from numerous international airlines. Air India, Lufthansa, British Airways,  Delta Airlines, Air France, Singapore Airlines are just a handful of the many carriers who have recognized Sky Bird as one of the world’s best serviced for reaching their annual sales target consistently.

In addition to managing Sky Bird Travel and its entities, Arvin and his family are extremely active in the community.  The family has been in the forefront supporting numerous community events in Detroit. Whether it be natural calamities or man-made, they have spent substantial amount of resources to ease the needs of the South Asian as wells the larger society through its non-profit charitable organization, Jaya Foundation.

Jaya Foundation has been a major donor for the Jaya Rehabilitation Institute and Research Center at Bidada Sarvodaya Trust in Bidada, Gujarat in India has been doing amazing work in helping with the rehab process of thousands of people in the region. Jaya Rehabilitation Institute was awarded the Best Rebab Center Award by the President of India for its innovative and dedicated services to its customers.

Since 2005, Jaya Foundation has supported a Maternity Clinic in one of the most remote rural areas, providing much needed healthcare services to the local community. There are numerous other causes across the United States, the Shah family has promoted, including education, training and leadership.

For further information on Sky Bird Travel, please visit www.skybirdtravel.com.  You can learn more about Jaya Foundation atwww.jayafoundation.com.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy remembered on Long Island

Just as Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence and civil disobedience had changed the fate of India and shook up the British Empire in the same manner Dr. Martin Luther King’s movement had a profound effect on America and its people. Other parts of the world that changed the course of their country’s history include South Africa, Poland, Myanmar etc. and civil disobedience is used in many parts of the world on a daily basis with tremendous success.

Dr. King said no person is free until we are all free. He dedicated his life to create a just society where no one was discriminated based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, religious belief or political persuasion.

Hundreds of people came to pay tribute to Dr. King at the Marriott Hotel, Uniondale on January 16. 2017 so that his dream and legacy of a society free of human and civil rights violations can be achieved.

Many political, judicial,  religious and community leaders who came to pay their tribute included President and Founder Julius and Joysetta Pearse who pioneered Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration Committee in New York thirty two years ago, Bishop Phillip Elliott who also introduced  County Executive Ed Mangano who received standing ovation for his work to improve civil and human rights on Long Island.

Comptroller George Maragos, Justices: Anthony Paradiso, Gary Knoble and Andrea Phoenix, several legislators from County and towns, Executive Chairperson Mr. Rodney Mcrae, Board Director and Finance Chair Dr. Parveen Chopra who also served as Chairperson and Commissioner of Human Rights for twenty years and was previously awarded Dr. Martin Luther King Award, Rabbi Bruce Ginsburg who was Master of ceremonies, Rabbi Art Vernon, President Rabbinical Assembly of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens, Nassau County Police Commanding Officer Gary Shapiro, Mr. Mohinder Taneja,  Dr. Isma Chaudhry, President Islamic Center of Long Island, Dr. Hubert Keen, President Nassau Community College and many others were some of those who had participated and addressed the audience.

Dr. Martin Luther King Committee awarded several scholarship awards to winners who will attend universities this year of their choice and also honored distinguished civil and human rights leaders who have made significant contributions to society to realize the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King.

South Asians hold a fundraiser for New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy

Leaders of the South Asian business community in New Jersey joined together to hold a fundraiser for New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy. Murphy, who was recently the United States Ambassador to Germany under the Obama Administration and an executive at Goldman Sachs, declared his candidacy in 2016.

Murphy is viewed as the likely Democratic nominee for the position, and has been endorsed by a number of business, labor and community groups, as well as each of the 21 democratic county chairs throughout the State.

The event was held at the home of Jagdish Patel, an entrepreneur and business owner based in Colonia, who is a current trustee and past President of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA). Other co-chairs of the event were Prakash Shah, former chair of the New Jersey Development Authority and an appointee of President Clinton on the Southern Africa Enterprise Development Fund Board of Directors, and prominent South Asian American attorney Rajiv D. Parikh, Esq., a partner at Genova Burns LLC and General Counsel to the New Democratic State Committee.

Murphy spoke at length about his commitment to renewing economic growth within New Jersey and ensuring that all residents are treated fairly in every way.  He also discussed his many visits to India during his life in business and public service.  Most importantly, Murphy recognized that South Asians are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in New Jersey, and a group that contributes to the economy, education and culture of the State at every level and in virtually all professions.

Patel noted that he was “honored to host Ambassador Murphy in my home and proud to support a candidate that was committed to growing economic opportunities in our State.”  In introducing Murphy to the group, Shah stated that “Phil is the most qualified candidate to lead New Jersey after eight years of a lack of growth under Chris Christie’s Republican administration.”

Following the event, Attorney Rajiv Parikh discussed Murphy and his team’s vision for improving life and creating equality for all residents, concluding that “Ambassador Murphy’s energy, enthusiasm and progressive values are exactly what we need to improve things for our families, friends and communities.”

Also in attendance was Assemblyman Raj Mukerjhi from Jersey City, and Essex County Freeholder Brendan Gill, who also serves as the Chief Executive of Murphy’s gubernatorial campaign.  Assemblyman Mukerjhi noted Murphy’s support of the South Asian community around New Jersey and the country, and discussed Murphy’s own personal commitment to many of the same cultural values that are prevalent in the South Asian community, including family, education and hard work.

Prominent community members, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, H.R. Shah and Ramesh Patel were also part of the organizing committee. Dr. Parikh noted that he “has a lot of faith in what Ambassador Murphy can do for New Jersey and the community after failures of the Christie administration.”  Mr. H.R. Shah urged Mr. Murphy to ensure that his administration looks at all issues, including disproportionate revenue sharing for lottery vendors, many of whom are from the community.  Mr. Ramesh Patel, in his role as Chairman of FIA extended an invitation to Mr. Murphy to march in FIA’s annual India Day Parade in New York City, and Mr. Murphy expressed his gratitude and interest.

Over forty community leaders attended the event including members of law enforcement, the medical field, law, business and finance.  The hosts will be holding additional events with Mr. Murphy in the future.

Anita Bhat elected President of GOPIO-CT for 2017

 

Anita Bhat, a well known community activist has been elected new President of the Connecticut Chapter of GOPIUO. Also elected along with her are: Exec VP – Pradeep Govil, VP – Bhavna Jhuneja, Secretary – Prasad Chintalapudi, Treasurer – Biru Sharma, Trustees: Sanjay Santhanam and Varghese Ninan.

GOPIO-CT held its annual General Body Meeting and Holiday Party on Friday, December 9th at the Hampton Inn and Suites, Stamford, CT. President Shelly Nichani in his report said that GOPIO-CT had its most active year in 2016 with its Awards Banquet attended by US Senator Richard Blumenthal, Congressman Jim Himes, Stamford Mayor David Martin, Norwalk Mayor Harry Rillings and several other CT state legislators. GOPIO also hosted US Senator Chris Murphy. Consul General Riva Ganguly Das, Congressman Himes and Mayor Martin with interactive sessions.

GOPIO-CT also increased the scholarship from one in 2015 to four in 2016 and hope to increase it further in 2017. The Holiday Party followed which was also a fundraiser for Women’s Mentoring Network. A sum of $2,000 was donated to this organization which does mentoring service to single woman.

Contact: Anita Bhat, President, GOPIO-CT, TeL: 203-324-2935, e-mail: abnewyork71@gmail.com

GOPIO-CT holds Youth and Young Professionals Networking Luncheon

The GOPIO-CT Annual Youth and Young Professionals Networking Luncheon and Holiday Party was held on December 24th, 2016 at the Hampton Inn and Suites, Stamford, CT. The guest speaker at the event was Mr. Nitesh Banta, Co-Founder and CEO of B12, Forbes 30 under 30, who shared his path of career and his experiences in the business world.

Several young achievers including college students were also present and shared their experiences in college admissions. Speakers were Priya Gada (George Washington University), Mahir Nichani (Wake Forest University), Ashish Ramachandran (New York University) and Sanjana Chintalapudi (Lehigh University).

The event was organized by the Youth Coordinator, Siyan Shaikh along with the youth co-coordinators, Rahat Nichani, Amit Ramchandran, Vedant Gannu, Rahul Kahurana and Yuv Nichani.  The next annual youth networking event will take place on December 24th, 2017.

Contact: Louella D’Silva, Youth and Young Professional Coordinator, GOPIO-CT, e-mail: ldsilva@yahoo.com

Congrats To Trump For Excellent Speech, God Bless America!

(Editorial Note: “Where is the Capital of United States of America?” I remember asking this question, to kids and friends, pretending I knew a great deal. That was when I was studying journalism at Marquette in the 1950es. You all know where the capital is. And most of them, not all, told me: Its in Washington DC. Then I would retort and say: It is not! Then some would retort, some nicely, some furiously and ask: “Then where is it?” And my simple reply used to be: “It is all over the world!” America has been making the whole world rich! American capital took flight and got deposited itself in all the countries of the world. Now the new president Trump wants to bring back all that capital to US to make America rich again. That was the sum and substance of the President’s  inaugural speech. I don’t blame him at all for that. Instead to him, goes all my praise!

 In my question at the outset, by ‘capital’ I was referring to: “Das Capital” of the Commies, meaning, “wealth, investment resources in dollars”(Not the headquarters of US).  America has been and still investing in other countries to have a foothold everywhere, but  not so much, at least to the extend needed at home in US itself, in health, education, homes for homeless, poverty alleviation areas etc. of their other own people. Charity begins at home. Put your own home in order first, the homes of the poor in America first, before becoming the top Good Samaritan of the world, or the Super policeman fighting some one else’s war in foreign lands, or  an exporter of American version of Democracy to countries infested with illiteracy. Hasn’t this election prove beyond all doubt how faulty and crippling is American democracy trying to prop itself up on two crutches – electoral college votes and popular votes? Which country wants this kind of voting system?

 Of course  American Capital (wealth) must be shared but not at the cost of starving to death its own children, its own citizens, white or black, WASP or otherwise. On this point, is not the New President hundred percent correct? I quote from the President’s  own speech: “We’ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon. One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions upon millions of American workers left behind. The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed across the entire world.”(Recall what is said above:Capital of US is all over the world!)

The whole speech of President Trump could have  a come from the mouth of an Indian president or prime Ministers like Manmohan or Modi, with small changes of few names to suit India and the whole world would have applauded. The problems facing America and India are almost identical: a corrupt and corrupting political class looting the poor to fatten themselves! Three cheers to the newly elected President and congrats to his speech writer. Only one problem! Now the President is on record. He has bound himself in so many knots in public view of the whole world  with ever so many promises. He can’t now wriggle out  without performing, without implementing every one of his solemnly given promises, assurences!

 Here comes the  serious duty of all Americans which Obama your former president of beautiful mind and heart, reminded you in his farewell speech, quoting Thomas Paine: “The duty of a true patriot is to protect his country from its government.” So wake up all Patriotic Americans, your new government is President Donald Trump as unfolded before you in his inaugural speech. Each of you are to be the watchman/woman to make sure that he does not deviate one bit from the path he has marked out for himself and his government. That will make America  truly the greatest country in the world, truly the city seated on the mountain top, to the envy of nations! God bless the new president! God bless Great Ameria, the Greatest! james kottoor, editor)

President’s Speech

Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world: Thank you.

We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people.

Together, we will determine the course of America and the world for years to come.We will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.

Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.

Today’s ceremony, however, has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another — but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American People.

For too long, a small group in our nation’s Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished — but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered — but the jobs left, and the factories closed.

The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation’s capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.That all changes — starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you.

It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America. This is your day. This is your celebration. And this, the United States of America, is your country.

What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people. January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

Everyone is listening to you now.You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement the likes of which the world has never seen before. At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens.

Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are the just and reasonable demands of a righteous public.

But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge; and the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.

This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.We are one nation — and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.

For many decades, we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military; we’ve defended other nation’s borders while refusing to defend our own; and spent trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay. 

We’ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon. One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions upon millions of American workers left behind.The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed across the entire world.

But that is the past. And now we are looking only to the future. We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.From this moment on, it’s going to be America First.

Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

I will fight for you with every breath in my body — and I will never, ever let you down. America will start winning again, winning like never before.We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.

We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation. We will get our people off of welfare and back to work — rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor. We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and hire American.

We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world — but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first. We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to follow.

We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones — and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.  At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.

When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice. The Bible tells us, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.” We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.

When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.There should be no fear — we are protected, and we will always be protected.We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God.

Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger.In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving.We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action — constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.

The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action.Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America.We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.

We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the Earth from the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow.A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions.

It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag.

And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator. So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, and from ocean to ocean, hear these words: You will never be ignored again.

Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams will define our American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way. Together, We will make America strong again.We will make wealthy again. We will make America proud again.We will make America safe again.

And yes, together, we will make America great again. Thank you. God bless you. And God bless America.

FIA accords warm welcome to Ambassador Navtej Singh Sarna Envoy Lauds Community For Growing Ties With U.S.

 

FORDS, New Jersey: The Indian community in the tristate area accorded a ceremonial welcome to India’s new Ambassador Navtej Singh Sarna under the leadership of the Federation of Indian Associations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut (FIA) at the Royal Albert’s Palace on January 12.Representatives from several India-American organizations, as well as several community members attended the event held at the Royal Albert’s Palace here in Fords, N.J.

“So naturally all of you carry a weight much bigger than your pure numbers of three million,” India’s new Ambassador to the United States, Navtej Singh Sarna said here on January 12, at the reception hosted by the Federation of Indian Associations of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The strength and the standing of the Indian-American community has changed over the years and the community has come of age according to India’s new Ambassador to the United States, Navtej Singh Sarna. Although Indian-Americans make up only one percent of the population of the United States, they constitute about 13 percent of the start-ups, 50 percent of the motels, and 8 percent of the doctors, he noted.

Each one is invested in a different way in their adopted country, Sarna noted, adding that all of us will recognize that “the strength of the Indian-American community is the fact that it is a knowledge-based community.”

Prior to taking over from Ambassador Arun Kumar Singh, Sarna was the High Commissioner of India to Britain, He previously served in Washington, D.C. as Minister for Press, Information and Culture between 1998 and 2002.

Elaborating on the changes he’s seen in the last 15 years, Sarna noted that the India-U.S. engagement, as well as in politics, trade, security and defense had moved forward. “I can assure you the Government of India recognizes your strength, your excellence, “ he said.

In all his previous postings, Sarna said he has observed the increasing participation of the Indian diaspora in local and national politics. The recent swearing-in of five Indian-Americans to the U.S. Congress, was a “proud” moment for all Indian-Americans, he acknowledged. They include Kamala Harris of California the first India-American senator; Ami Bera, of California, who was the only Indian-American in the 435-member House of Representatives and re-elected in the November elections; Rep. Ro Khanna , also from California; Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois and Rep. Pramila Jayapal from Washington state.

Three important factors ensure a diaspora’s success outside its homeland, Sarna observed, including its engagement with its adopted country plus the success it achieves there; its engagement with the homeland; and the passion the Diaspora shows in bringing these two engagements together. “It is no doubt that if you take all these three standards, the Indian-American community is a huge success here,” he said. He also attributed easy travel, the media, and India’s development and technological advances as factors which have helped bring the two countries closer.

The Indian government is “very confident that the India-U.S. relations will be in a very good place as we move into the transition,” Sarna said, as the core logic of this relationship in imminent to everybody. “We will continue to seek your assistance, we will continue to solicit your inputs in getting across the India story,” he told the gathering, amid applause.

Andy Bhatia, Presidsent of FIA welcomed the Ambassador and the participants. FIA Executive Vice President Srujal Parikh, H.R. Shah, chairman of TV Asia, introduced Sarna, who is also the author of many fiction and non-fiction books, the most recent being ‘Second Thoughts: On Books, Authors and the Writerly Life’ that was released last year. Others who spoke at the event were FIA Chairman Ramesh Patel, Air India Regional Manager Vandana Sharma, FIA President Andy Bhatia, and Consul General of India in New York Riva Ganguly Das.

Dr Ajay Lodha, president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, spoke about the recent health summit held in India. Albert Jasani, of Royal Albert’s Palace, Philippose Philip, general secretary of Federation of Kerala Associations in North America (fokana) Kenny Desai, president TAK Group and vice chair of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Srujal Parekh, executive vice president of FIA, Dr Sanjay Gupta, Pyare Singh of the Carteret Gurdwara, Neal Modi, president of the Association of Indians in America, and Anil Monga, founder of heavenly Palace in Punjab and trustee of America India Foundation were among the speakers. FIA President Andy Bhatia introduced HR Shah, chairman of TV Asia and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Shah spoke about the many faceted personality of the ambassador – as a diplomat who served in UK and Israel and also as a renowned author.

Long Island Town Celebrates India Republic Day

 

North Hempstead, NY – North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth and the Town Board joined with members of the India Association of Long Island (IALI) and the India American Forum (IAF) celebrated India Republic Day on January 11 prior to the Town Board meeting at Town Hall in Manhasset.

India Republic Day, celebrated on January 26, is the day that marks India’s transition toward an independent republic. Aron Govil, CEO of Ducon Technologies, provided the keynote remark for the ceremony. Supervisor Bosworth recognized Govil and presented a proclamation and declared a special day of recognition in the Town for India Republic Day.

On Tuesday evening Town Hall at North Hempstead in Manhasset wad being decorated in green, white and orange., Occasion was the being > Town of North Hempstead celebrated First India Republic Day on January 10th, 2017 at Town Hall, Town of North Hempstead, and Manhasset New York. Town Supervisor Honorable Judi Bosworth and Council members Vivian Russell, Peter Zuckerman, Angelo Ferrara, Anna Kaplan, Lee Seeman, Dina De Giorgio and town Clerk Wayne H Wink, hosted this event. It was a moment of pride for all of us that Town of North Hempstead also started celebrating India Republic Day Several members of Indian American Forum and India Association of Long Island attended the event.

This event was made possible with the support of Mrs.   Indu Jaiswal Chairperson IAF and Bina Sabapathy, President of IALI. Program started with greetings from Honorable Supervisor Bosworth, followed with keynote speaker Aron Govil, Chairman and CEO of Ducon Group of Companies. Mr Govil spoke on importance of India Republic Day and Constitution of India, progress made by India American in USA. Several members  from the Indian American community Kirit Panchamia from Apna Ghar, Dr Yashpal and Urmilesh Arya, Executive Council of India Association of Long island, Mohinder Singh Taneja and many others from   main stream   attended the Republic Day function on January 10 evening at the Town Hall.

Supervisor Bosworth presented Proclamation to Key note speaker Mr Aron Govil and also declared January 10, 2017 as Aron Govil day in Town of North Hempstead… India Day Proclamations was also presented.

Chairperson of Indian American Forum Inc. Indu Jaiswal welcomed everybody, thanked the management of North Hempstead Town Hall and Hon. Supervisor Judi Bosworth for hosting the First Republic Day Celebrations in North Hempstead. On Long Island. Indu also thanked all volunteers and participants. Patriotic medley was presented by Jyoti Gupta and group. Program was followed with refreshments.

 

Aziz Ansari is set to make history as 1st South Asian American, hosting Saturday Night Live

 

Aziz Ansari, the co-creator of “Master of None,” is scheduled to make his “Saturday Night Live” hosting debut on Jan. 21, becoming the comedy sketch show’s first host of South Asian descent.  “Saturday Night Live” is scheduled to resume its 42nd season when it returns from its winter break on Jan. 14.

Comedian Aziz Ansari will host “Saturday Night Live” on Jan. 21, the NBC show announced Tuesday, and in doing so, he will make history as its first host of South Asian descent.

The gig comes on the heels of a big year for Ansari. The standup comic and television star won his first Emmy (outstanding writing for a comedy series) after earning a total of four nominations for his Netflix series “Master of None.”

His nomination for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series was the first for an Indian American. “I’m very happy but it’s a very specific accomplishment,” he laughingly told USA Today about the historic nod.

More than 90 percent of SNL’s hosts have been white, and only two celebrities of Asian descent — Jackie Chan and Lucy Liu — have hosted the show before, according to IndieWire’s demographic breakdown of all of the show’s hosts (that doesn’t include Fred Armisen and Bruno Mars, who both have some Asian ancestry). Most non-white hosts have been black, IndieWire found.

SNL has faced controversy in recent years over diversity issues. In 2013, the lack of a black female cast member led to executive producer Lorne Michael holding special auditions to hire one. He ended up hiring Sasheer Zamata, as well as Leslie Jones (who was initially brought on as a writer).

Melissa Villaseñor joined SNL this year, becoming the show’s first Latina cast member. Nasim Pedrad, on SNL between 2009 and 2014, was the show’s first female Middle Eastern cast member.

An argument in favor of increased racial diversity in SNL’s cast is that it better positions the show to effectively comment on and satirize pop culture, politics and whatever else is in the zeitgeist at the moment. It can be fraught to mount a Michelle Obama impersonation or present the biting and viral “Black Jeopardy” sketches without nonwhite cast members.

But the hosting gig is perceived differently; the hosts sometimes drive the sketches, but often they just slip into the flow of the show. Hosts come on because they’re plugging some new big project, like a show or movie. Or maybe they’ve just had a major star-making moment (Felicity Jones of “Rogue One” will host Jan. 14, for instance). Or maybe the host has such an outsized personality that he or she serves as a big draw. (Donald Trump hosted in 2015, earning big ratings and terrible reviews; Dave Chappelle’s eagerly anticipated 2016 episode marked his comeback to television.)

So if there are fewer Asians landing big roles or getting opportunities to see their stars rise to A-list status, it follows that there wouldn’t be as many booked to host SNL over the years.
But things are starting to change in Hollywood, as we’ve seen more and more Asians rising through the ranks of the entertainment industry and breaking typecasting molds. There’s Mindy Kaling’s books and TV series; Priyanka Chopra adding to her international fame with her role on the U.S. series “Quantico”; Constance Wu and Randall Park on “Fresh Off the Boat”; and Dev Patel starring in box office smashes.

Chicago Bids an Emotional Farewell to Dr. Ausaf Sayeed- An Exceptionally Successful Indian Diplomat

 

One of the Few Indian Diplomats to Receive a Number of Official Letters of Appreciation in the US Midwest

A large number of eminent persons from the entire Indian Subcontinent in Chicago, irrespective of nationalities, religions, and regions, including their community organizations, demonstrated a first-of-its-kind show of unity to bid a fitting farewell to Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, the outgoing Consul General of India in Chicago on January 13th, 2017, at 7:00 PM at Monty’s Banquets. The presence of leading Americans and their elected representatives at the event was very refreshing.  The function, which was attended by over 300 renowned persons from different walks of life, despite inclement weather, was a proof of Dr. Sayeed’s widespread popularity, considering the fact that in the contemporary society welcomes are common and farewells are rare.

In his address, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed paid rich tributes to the 500,000-strong Indian-American Diaspora in the US Midwest, who has been contributing magnificently in the domains of Education, Science & Technology, Trade, Culture, etc. He expressed his gratitude to them for their unflinching support to the Consulate and its activities during his tenure.

Dr. Sayeed stated that with the conceptualization and execution of such innovative flagship measures by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Digital India, Clean India, Make in India, Skills India, and Green India, and his commitment to bring about 100 Smart Cities and to lay down world-class infrastructure, India has witnessed an economic paradigm shift and thereby emerged as one of the hottest destinations for global investors.

Dr. Sayeed mentioned that the efforts of the Consulate during his tenure were directed towards strengthening the political, economic, cultural, educational, and people-to-people relationships between India and the US Midwest.  As part of this process, he added, the Consulate established a close working relationship with the offices of the Governors, Lt. Governors, elected representatives and Mayors, besides senior officials of the Economic Departments of various States and leading Chambers of Commerce. “This proactive networking resulted in a number of high level trade delegations, signing of a number of MoUs, and a boost to the volume of mutually beneficial business transactions”, he added.

Mr. Hardik Bhatt, Chief Information Officer, State of Illinois said that the charismatic leadership of Dr. Sayeed resulted in signing of MoU for Smart State cooperation between the State of Illinois and Government of Telangana. He said that Dr. Sayeed has been facilitating the State of Illinois for concluding similar agreements with the Governments of Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Mr Bhatt handed over the Official Letter of Appreciation from Governor of Illinois Bruce Rauner to Dr. Sayeed, Mr. Bhatt also praised Mrs. Farha Sayeed, who is an accomplished egg artist, a social activist, and a philanthropist – all rolled into one.

Mr. Mickey Straub, Mayor of Burr Ridge stated that Dr. Sayeed has succeeded not only in diversifying and enriching the Indo-US Midwest relations but also in establishing extremely cordial relations with people at large, across all religious denominations. “Building relations with Government as well as general public are two different ball games and success on both the fronts proves that Dr. Sayeed is an exceptionally talented diplomat”, he added.

Mr. Marijus Gudynas, Consul General of Lithuania in Chicago described Dr. Sayeed as a very close friend and “a brother in Sanskrit”. He said that despite the tenures of Consuls General being very short, the volume of achievements of Dr. Sayeed is really mind-boggling. 

Ms. Michelle Mussman, State Representative of the 56th District stated that the recognitions that are being showered on Dr. Sayeed are on account of the unique fusion of his competence and commitment. 

Dr. Gopal Lalmalani, Mayor of Oak Brook had great appreciation for the success of Dr. Sayeed in forging unity among different organizations run by the Indian-Americans. “The unity among the Indian-Americans turned out to be worth-emulating phenomenon for other nationalities in the US Midwest”, he opined and added that Dr. Sayeed has raised the bar too high for his successors to reach. Dr. Gopal Lalmalani thanked Dr. Sayeed for working closely with the Village of Oakbrook for introducing friendly Polo matches between Delhi Polo Club and Oakbrook Polo Club. He handed over a Proclamation of Oak Brook to Dr. Sayeed and Ms. Farha Sayeed for their services to the community.

Swami Ishatmananda, Minister-in-Charge, Vivekanda Vedanta Society of Chicago, who was one of the distinguished speakers in the event, said that he was greatly impressed by Dr. Sayeed’s deep knowledge on Indian history, culture and religion and recalled his participation in the Conference marking the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Swami Ishatmananda presented a book on Swami Vivekanda to Dr. Sayeed.

Mr.Sampath Ramesh, Adjunct Professor in Global Management, Kellogg School of Management, and Northwestern University said that the number of events that have been organized by the Consulate during the tenure of Dr. Sayeed is a record in its own right. “Through a rare combination of his technical, conceptual, and people-related skills, Dr Sayeed succeeded in successfully networking with the Government and corporate sectors for the Indo-US Midwest relations”, he added.

Mr. Syed Shanawaz Khan, Vice Chair, Council of Islamic Organization of Greater Chicago said that Indo-US Midwest relations present multiple challenges. “Dr. Sayeed succeeded in protecting the interests of India in a dignified and honorable fashion”, he opined.

Mr. Imran Dhatwani, President, His Highness the Aga Khan Ismaili Council for the Midwestern USA said that Dr. Sayeed provided ample opportunities to Indian-Americans to contribute their optimum best to further enriching the socio-cultural fabric of the US Midwest.

Mr. Rajinder Singh Mago, Community Outreach, Public & Media Relations Coordinator for Sikh Religious Society said that unlike the diplomats in general who confine themselves to the four walls of their chambers, Dr. Sayeed was a people’s diplomat. “His doors, ears, heart, and mind were always open. He followed the open doors policy of ‘Every Hour–Visiting Hour – (24 Hours)’”, he added.

Ashfaq Syed, Ms. Ayeisha Osman, and Key Speakers presented Plaques of Appreciation to Dr. Sayeed.  Dr. Ausaf Sayeed & Mrs. Farha Sayeed cut the cake prepared by Mrs. Huma Mirza. Earlier, the event kick started with the singing of the National Anthems of the United States and India by Dr. Narayan S, Tata, Mr.  Iqbal Mirza Baig, Vice President, Glory of Hyderabad and a childhood friend of Dr. Sayeed welcomed the gathering. Mr. Krishna Bansal, Planning and Zoning Commissioner, Naperville City and Chairman– Indian American Outreach, Naperville Mayor’s office proposed a vote of thanks. Dr. Prem Rupani was the Master of Ceremonies.

Kavita and Lalit Bahl donate $13.75 million to Stony Brook Cancer Research Center named after Indian American

 

Indian American couple, Kavita and Lalit Bahl had donated two generous gifts totaling $13.75 million, according to the university news release. And now, the Stony Brook University Cancer Center unveiled a transformative cancer research center, a state-of-the-art facility, named the Kavita and Lalit Bahl Center for Metabolomics and Imaging, last month at the Stony Brook University Hospital.

The new facility will enable experts to probe the metabolic dynamics of tumors and pioneer new approaches in cancer research, detection, treatment and prevention, the university said in a statement. Lalit Bahl is an employee of East Setauket, N.Y.-based Renaissance Technologies.

“Through continual research and discovery, Stony Brook is on the leading edge of discovering the next generation in cancer care,” said university president Dr. Samuel L. Stanley Jr. in a statement. “One of our most ambitious goals is to make significant breakthroughs in cancer research.”

Added Dr. Yusuf A. Hannun, director of the Stony Brook University Cancer Center, “Today is a momentous occasion for the Cancer Center.” Hannun, in expressing his gratitude to the Bahls, said the center is ideal “because it capitalizes on Stony Brook University’s strengths in three major areas: research, treatment and imaging.”

Lalit Bahl explained his family’s personal motivation for propelling cancer research forward in the unveiling, according to the report. “Cancer has claimed a very large number of people in my family,” he said. “It is really what drives us to get us involved in the center. In our lifetime, we have seen a lot of progress in cancer treatment but there is a still long way to go toward the final goal that nobody should die from cancer. It is really toward this goal that we hope and also expect this center to provide new discoveries and new treatments that will get us closer and closer to where we want to be.”

Hannun and Dr. Lina M. Obeid, dean for research at the Stony Brook University School of Medicine, will serve as co-directors of the Bahl Center. “Drs. Hannun and Obeid have a very long record of research in cancer, and we are thrilled to be able to support their work at Stony Brook,” said Kavita Bahl. “Our hope is that metabolomics and imaging research will result in significant progress toward finding new treatments.”

Current Stony Brook University School of Medicine laboratories and other university scientific laboratories will conduct research for the center. Permanent physical space for the center and its laboratories will be located in the Medical and Research Translation building upon opening of the MART in 2018.

Additional initiatives supported by the Bahls’ gift include an Innovation Award for pilot projects that study the role of nutrition in preventing and treating disease, and an Experimental Therapeutics Program that will focus on ways to accelerate the trajectory of research from the bench to the bedside.

NYAWC Marks 35th Anniversary By Revealing Transformative Brand Identity, Virtual Reality Film & Expanded Services.

 

The New York Asian Women’s Center is a leader in providing innovative and award-winning multilingual and culturally responsive services to survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual violence and elder abuse. For 35 years, it has helped Asian women and their children rise above trauma and build a path to healing through counseling, safe and confidential emergency housing, immigration and legal services, economic empowerment programs and so much more.

NYAWC representatives will make major announcements about the organization’s remodeled brand, expanded advocacy efforts and a virtual reality short film, produced by Facebook and Oculus, which will have its public premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, this month. They will also announce the opening of a brand new community office in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where they will be providing their innovative services to more women, children and families in need.

One-on-one interviews, photo opportunities and video clips will be provided upon request at this invitation-only press conference. Media RSVP is mandatory. You must present valid photo ID to building security.

New York Asian Women’s Center (NYAWC) Media luncheon featuring Larry Lee (Executive Director), Karen Elizaga (Board Chair), Benjamin Ross (Film Director), Queen V (Indie Rock Artist) and Brittany (South Asian survivor of sexual violence and subject of short film) is planned for Tuesday, January 24, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kirkland & Ellis Law Firm, 601 Lexington Avenue, 50th floor (between 53rd and 54th Streets in Manhattan).

Nakul Mondal’s solo exhibition in NYC

 

A solo exhibition from Indian artist Nakul Mondal: Ankita, on view from January 8 to February 9, with an opening reception on the afternoon of Sunday, January 15 at Gitler &_____ is located in Hamilton Heights, New York City. Ankita is Mondal’s third solo show with Gitler, as well as a clear departure from the previous two. Here the artist presents eight new portraits of girls and young women; vivid, up-close and melancholy, each one is a tender ode to the mother figure and a primal scream for peace in an unjust world.

Mondal’s devotion to his subjects is equaled by his love of country, yet there is a current of mourning that informs each portrait, made evident by his deft application of color – rich skin tones that appear fed by fire and gray-blues that lend some subjects a ghostly quality – and haunting gazes that seem both somber and contented. While each of Mondal’s subjects consumes the foreground, chaos dances on the horizons, floods of fire and smoke loom ominously, yet contented looks remain.

These women have been wounded. They are victims of a turbulent world, of men whose love and desire for women has been perverted. Ankita’s physical scar is an echo of the conflagration that commences behind her. “These people are not strangers,” says Mondal. “The pangs of destruction of this world have engrossed me.”

Nakul Mondal (b.1982, Burdwan, West Bengal, India) completed his MFA in painting from the historic art school Kala-Bhavana, founded by Rabindranath Tagore, where he was exposed to the rich traditions of India’s modernists.

Twenty-five percent of proceeds from Ankita will go to benefit the Indo-American Arts Council. For more info please visit www.iaac.us. Gitler &_____ is located in Hamilton Heights, NYC. The gallery is dedicated to showcasing rising artists from around the world. For more info visit www.gitlerand.com.

NYPD Announces Major Turban, Beard Policy Update

 

The New York Police Department (NYPD), the largest police force in the country, announced on Wednesday it will now allow Sikh officers to wear beards and turbans while in uniform.

According to NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill, officers who are granted a religious accommodation will be allowed to have beards that extend up to one-half inch from the face and wear turbans in place of the police cap. However, no written policy has been shared that specifies the beard accommodation and the guidelines for how it applies.

“We look forward to reviewing the written policy before determining whether this is a complete fix, but we’re hopeful about what this announcement represents in the way of progress,” said Sikh Coalition Legal Director, Harsimran Kaur.

Since 2003, when the Sikh Coalition first sued the NYPD over a Sikh Traffic Enforcement Agent’s right to wear a turban, we have been fighting to end religious discrimination in the NYPD. If this new policy fully allows for Sikhs to maintain their unshorn hair, then this will become a widely celebrated announcement. However, if this new policy specifies limitations that further restrict Sikhs from serving with their articles of faith fully intact, then we are prepared to continue the necessary work to end religious discrimination in the nation’s largest police force.

“The devil is in the details and we hope the NYPD recognizes that any trimming of the Sikh beard is in direct violation of the Sikh faith and would continue a policy that forces officers to make the false choice between their religion and service to our great city,” said Kaur.

The Sikh Coalition is communicating directly with the NYPD and other New York City officials as we seek a copy of the written policy. We continue to work closely with other public officials, Sikh community leaders and Sikh police officers who have worked tirelessly with us on this issue.

A special thank you to the NYPD Sikh Officers Association and the leadership at the Richmond Hill Sikh Cultural Society, Gurdwara Sant Sagar, and the Baba Makhan Shah Lubana Sikh Center, along with past and present Sikh Coalition staff and board members.

Culture of the Streets by 11 Indian Artists on display in New York

Aicon Gallery is presenting Culture of the Streets, an exhibition examining eleven artists’ interpretations of the role landscapes and cityscapes play in shaping the cultural history and contemporary lives of the people that inhabit them. The exhibition takes its title from an iconic series photographs on display by M. F. Husain, exploring the richly textured urban landscapes of the modern Indian city and its multiplicity of inhabitants. The artists included represent an eclectic mix of both Modern and Contemporary South Asian and diaspora artists working across a wide range of styles and mediums over the second half of the 20th century. The exhibition features work by M. F. Husain, Sanjeet Chowdhury, Abir Karmakar, Paresh Maity, B. Prabha, Raghu Rai, Jamini Roy, Bernardo Siciliano, Salman Toor, Santosh Verma, and Waswo X. Waswo.

The centerpiece of this exhibition is a selection of rarely exhibited yet iconic photographs done by M. F. Husain, perhaps India’s most widely-known modern artist, in conjunction with Chester and Davida Herwitz, who built the largest collection of Modern Indian art in the United States, and worked directly with Husain on many projects throughout their lifetimes.

The photography in this series is inspired by Husain’s early years as a billboard painter for Indian cinema during its explosion in the mid-20th century, and often present stunning, yet playful, juxtapositions with the large glamourous cinematic images forming a backdrop to the frenetic life and crowds of the modern Indian streets. Chester Herwitz commented on the revelations of these images by stating “there are discoveries to be made in Husain’s integration of the people beneath, beside, and in front of the hoardings, in the rich contrast of colors, the similarity of movement on the street and in the hoardings, in the contradictions that can be read in the scrawled graffiti…and the peeled and faded paintings.”

A second and similar cornerstone of this exhibition is the work of Raghu Rai, perhaps India’s pre-eminent photographer. Rai’s prolific and internationally acclaimed career has spanned nearly half a century and has focused on candid snapshots of India that masterfully capture the country’s continuing regional, cultural, and political transformations. Nominated to the world’s most prestigious photographers cooperative, Magnum Photos, by the legendary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, his work challenges viewers to confront a country where temporalities merge, and people, objects, animals, and buildings collide in a majestic visual symphony.

Following in the steps of Husain and Rai, Sanjeet Chowdhury began taking photographs during his college days in Kolkata in the late 1980s. A filmmaker by profession, he shoots on black & white film, but his involvement with photography, however, goes beyond taking pictures. He is a collector of albumen and silver gelatin prints, glass negatives and daguerreotype plates. His other interests include collecting 19th and 20th century Indian prints (lithographs and oleographs), which were exhibited at the Birla Academies of Art and Culture, Kolkata and Mumbai, in 2006.

Representing a more formal or journalistic approach to the camera, the internationally published photographer, Santosh Verma has shot for The New York Times, Bloomberg, International Herald Tribune and TIME Magazine, among others. Focusing on the collective experience of both subjective and objective elements, Verma is able to reveal a starkly intimate moment through his personal experiences.

Acting as a bridge in the exhibition between these photographic representations of cityscapes, and their counterparts in painting and the plastic arts, is the work of Milwaukee-born, Udaipur-based, artist Waswo X. Waswo. Over the past decade and a half, he has been amassing a vast personal collection of Indian prints, etchings, miniature paintings, linocuts and woodcuts. Part of his artistic process, which also includes complex, large-scale installation works, is working in collaboration with master artisans and miniature painters to meticulously layer and hand-color black and white photographs from the artist’s personal collections. The result are hypnotic and often haunting hybrids of both images and techniques from the past and the present.

Among a younger generation of Contemporary artists, all exploring urban cultures and cityscapes through the medium of painting are Salman Toor, Bernardo Siciliano, and Paresh Maity, whose subject matter spans the cities of the New York, Lahore, New Delhi, and many other cities throughout South Asia and Europe. Brooklyn and Lahore-based artist Salman Toor’s recent work consists of complex figurative paintings, depicting his split-existence between the urban cultures of the U.S. and Pakistan, and range in subject from autobiographical constructs to art history, post-colonialism, and pop culture. His paintings often depict surreal gatherings of people, romances and adventures in imagined homelands and scenes of conflict in places designated as both East and West.

The work of Indian master-painter Paresh Maity ranges from cloudy Calcutta streets, swollen rivers in Kerala, pastoral scenes in France and agrarian villages in Rajasthan all populate his work in saturated planes of color. While technically a resident of Delhi, Maity paints all over the world, spending a maximum of two or three months every year at his studio there.

Consummating his role as a nomad, the artist travels the globe armed with his paints, canvases and array of materials, to capture his response to magical and unpredictable experiences along his journey. The sand dunes of Rajasthan, the backwaters of Kerala, the canals of Venice, to the lakes of Geneva, Maity’s works capture everything in his distinctive style. Notably, Maity says that it was his time in Rajasthan that made his works explode with color, and there has been no looking back since.

Congressman Keith Ellison Pledges to Do More for Hindus in South Asia

Democratic lawmaker Keith Ellison, who is set to become the new face of the Democratic Party post-election, has pledged to highlight the persecution of Hindus in South Asia and do more to integrate the concerns and aspirations of the Indian American into his work.

Congressman Ellison, a top candidate for the Democratic National Committee chairman position, made the commitment in a letter to the Hindu American Foundation days after he participated in a conference call with Hindu leaders from across the country to listen to their concerns and answer their questions.

He said that he will ensure renewed outreach to the Hindu and Indian American communities to foster their greater participation. Ellison added that he will give the community “well-deserved” and “much-valued” representation in the Democratic Party.

“As we discussed, I will do more to integrate the concerns and aspirations of the Hindu community in India into my legislative work,” Ellison said in a letter to Suhag Shukla of the Hindu American Foundation.

“I also pledge to highlight the persecution of Hindu minority communities throughout South Asia. If elected DNC chair, I will ensure renewed outreach to the Hindu and Indian American communities to foster greater participation and more well-deserved and much-valued representation in the Democratic Party,” Ellison said in the letter dated Dec. 16, which was released to the press on Dec. 23.

The conference call on Dec. 12 included Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and representatives of nearly 30 Hindu and Indian American groups. Leaders on the call queried Ellison as to how, should he be elected DNC chair, he would work with the incoming four Hindu American Democrats in Congress to increase engagement and involvement of the broader Hindu and Indian American communities.

“It goes without saying that Hindu Americans and Indian Americans enrich our nation every day. I am proud to work with colleagues such as Senator-elect Kamala Harris, Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Representative Ami Bera, and Representatives- elect Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthy, who represent the best values of the Democratic Party,” Ellison wrote.

Responding to a question during the call regarding his focus on the Gujarat riots of 2002 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was governing the state, Ellison said that he viewed the issue as a “closed matter” since the Indian Supreme Court has issued its ruling.

Ellison stated that India is a key strategic partner and friend to the United States and he looks forward to build a “constructive and congenial relationship with the Indian government and Indian American community.”

He also said he will continue to urge Congress and the Administration to work with India on key areas of shared importance..

Mongol Foundation celebrates Holiday Spirit “Powered by Trust & Sponsored”

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: The Talented Mongol Foundation celebrated a cultural extravaganza on the evening of December 24th, 2016 at Meadows Club 2950 Golf Road Rolling Meadows, IL 60008. Gandalger Batjarga beautifully conceptualized the entire event with the goal of bringing the entire Mongolian community of Chicagoland together. Over 700 people attended the event during which a team of over 30 artists gave performances that were a treat to eyes. The audience was spellbound by the amazing stage set up which was put together by a construction crew which specializes in theater.

The foundation has organized three events so far since inception; the first being the volleyball championship supported by B. Batbaatar U. EnkhErden. The second was Senior Day Supported by B. Tserenbat B. Ganzorig and the current one, the third event which was “Bayariin Misheel” (Holiday Spirit) New Year celebration with help of B. Tserenbat D. Adilzaya B. Mijee. The foundation’s goal and vision for 2017 is to setup a community center where kids would learn about the Mongolian Culture. The envisioned community center would have a library comprising of books in Mongolian language. The community center would also provide a place for the elderly Mongolian community to sit and talk; and offer a time-honored tradition of storytelling to the young ones.

Gandalger Batjargal in his interview to Asian Media Staff Editor Prachi Jaitly said “I believe that together we are stronger.  The foundation wants to give back to the community by providing a community center for its members. Also, it wants to help people back in Mongolia facing serious health issues impacted from environmental hazards. I would like to thank the sponsors of the event – Express intel co., S.B. Express Inc., LCH Construction Inc., Amerifreight, KGI Group, American Family Insurance and Jackie QS Beauty Salon. I would like to thank Biju Varghese and Vishal Patel from The Meadows Club team for their help with the stage and audio/visual set up too”.

“Over 700 people attended the Mongolian Association’s spectacular dinner theater musical on Saturday. It is gratifying that The Meadows Club is fast becoming a hub for international music, culture and cuisine, a realization of the vision for this Club. We are looking forward to another year of celebration of international cultures”, said Madan Kulkarni CEO of The Meadows Club.

Partnerships for Sustained Growth in an Emerging Global Economic Order

By Sumani Dash, Director and Country Head, USA and Canada

CII in partnership with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the State Government of Andhra Pradesh is organizing the 23rd edition ofThe Partnership Summit 2017 from 27-28 January 2017 at The APIIC Grounds, Harbour Park, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Ms Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister for Commerce and Industry is the Chair of this most prestigious initiative and under the leadership of Shri N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, State Government of Andhra Pradesh will be the Partner State for the Summit.

India Inc. has been gathering at the Partnership Summit since the last few decades making it “the” forum underlining convergence of thoughts and ideas among Heads of States and Governments, Ministers, policy makers, CEOs, academicians and thought leaders paving the way for collective and inclusive global progress.

Resonating the constructs of all previous editions, the forthcoming edition of the Summit too will feature Policy Makers, CEOs, Academicians and thought leaders from all over the world. The programme includes Plenary Sessions specially designed for the Summit as well as ‘thematic’ interactions with G2G Ministerial Groups, Global and Indian CEOs to name a few. The presence of renowned Global Commentators, Economists and Global Social icons is also expected.

Plenaries will focus on discussions surrounding topics such as:  Towards Achieving Sustained Economic and Trade Growth: Can India Lead?; Innovating Partnerships for Sustainable Development; Industry 4.0: Leveraging for Efficiency, Adaptability, Productivity (LEAP); India-US Relations: What Does the New Administration Have in Store?; India’s Integration with South and Southeast Asia; Industrial Corridors along the Coast : Paving the Way for Special Blue Economic Zones; Going Sub-regional: Is it the new formula for unlocking potential?; Global Financial Architecture: Financing for Growth and Stability; Trade in Services and other Instruments for New-Age Trade Negotiations

There will also be sector specific deliberations and structured B2B meetings in the areas of Aerospace and Defense; Textiles and Apparel; Automobiles; Agriculture and Food Processing; Biotech and Pharma; Electronics among others. For more details regarding online registrations you may please log onto www.partnershipsummit.com

 Sikh Doctor Stands Up To Employment Discrimination

The Sikh Coalition filed a lawsuit last week in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on behalf of Dr. Jaswinder Pal Singh.  The suit alleges that Dr. Singh – an observant Sikh physician and father who keeps a religiously mandated turban and beard – was denied a neurology job after the employer and recruiter inquired into his religious appearance.

The suit further alleges that as part of the 2014 hiring process, the employer, Premier Medical Group, P.C., and its recruiter, Arthur Marshall, Inc., expressed interest and concern about the way Dr. Singh looked. Although in phone interviews the recruiter praised Dr. Singh’s credentials, he was abruptly denied further interviews after he submitted photographs of himself, along with additional information on Sikhs and Sikhism. The job then remained vacant.

“It was very clear to me that I was denied employment because of my ethnic background and religious appearance,” said Dr. Singh. “I contacted the Sikh Coalition because nobody is better at holding companies accountable for their discrimination.”

In 2015, the Sikh Coalition represented Dr. Singh in filing a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  After the EEOC issued a right to sue notice, we established a legal partnership with the reputable Tennessee plaintiff attorney, Douglas B. Janney III, to file the anti-discrimination lawsuit against the employer, Premier Medical Group, and its recruiter, Arthur Marshall.

“Whether you are a doctor in Tennessee or a truck driver in California, we will always protect and defend your right to practice your faith fearlessly,” said Sikh Coalition Legal Director, Harsimran Kaur.

Last month, the Sikh Coalition announced a massive legal victory on behalf of four Sikh truck drivers who were denied jobs by one of the largest trucking companies in America. This new lawsuit, on behalf of Dr. Singh, seeks to secure a court order requiring that both defendants implement anti-discrimination policies, practices and training to ensure that they do not discriminate against any future applicants.

“No Sikh in any job or profession should ever be denied employment because of their religion,” said Dr. Singh.  “By speaking out and taking action, I know that we will continue to hold employers directly accountable.”

Sikh Community of Chicago bids good bye to Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Sikh Community of Midwest Chicago organized a farewell evening for the outgoing Consulate General Dr Ausaf Sayeed on January 1st, 2017 at Viceroy of India Restaurant, 233 E Roosevelt Rd, Lombard, IL. Mr. Darshan Singh Dhaliwal was the host of the evening and Dr. Harjinder Khaira was the master of ceremony (MC). Mr. Sayeed joined Chicago office in 2013 and he was honored for being the most involved and most respected of all Consulate Generals in the history of Chicago. It was this love and respect that he had fostered during his stay in Chicago that had forced so many dignitaries of the Sikh and Indian community to thank him and wish him well. Some highlights of Mr. Sayeed’s contribution and support were shared with the audiences through a PowerPoint presentation that included his visits to various Gurudwaras and Sikh festivals.

Dr Balwant Singh Hansraj thanked the host Mr. Darshan Singh Dhaliwal, and the master of ceremony Dr Harjinder Khaira. “Mr. Sayeed’s contribution to the entire Indian community has been tremendous. He made several visits to Gurudwaras and through his service, made many Sikh lives better. The purpose of his role is to serve and with service comes contentment. He wholeheartedly lived up to the expectations of his role. I would like to quote a famous line here. It goes like ‘it is only by chance that we meet.’ Wherever you went you touched hearts. I extend my best wishes for your next adventure” Said by Dr Balwant Singh Hansraj.

Pakistan Consulate General Mr. Faisal Niaz Tirmizi also added grace to the evening with his presence. In the opinion of the Asian Media editor Prachi Jaitly, this may have been the first time that the Consulate General of India and the Consulate General of Pakistan were under the same roof for Sikh Community of Midwest Chicago event.  The presence of both the dignitaries turned it into one of historical events. It was the significance of the Sikh diaspora that had both dignitaries present.  Mr. Tirmizi praised Mr. Ausaf Sayeed and called him an embodiment of service who built bridges and brought people together. Dr Gopal Lalmalani, Mayor Village of Oakbrook was also one of the distinguished speakers at the event. He mentioned the amount of work Mr. Sayeed has done. Per Dr. Lalmalani, since 1973, the year he came to the USA, there has never been such an engaging and connected Consulate General.

Dr Lalmalani who is the current mayor of Village of Oakbrook talked about the Polo team and how Mr. Sayed facilitated in bringing the Indian team back along with captain Vikram Singh.  In Mr. Lalmalani’s words, Mr. Ausaf Sayeed brought many diverse organizations together. He also thanked Mr. Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Consulate General, Pakistan. Mr. O.P. Meena was also thanked for always supporting the community.

Mr. Ausaf Sayeed while addressing the audience, talked about his experiences working in the Chicago office. He assumed office in 2013 after serving as Indian Ambassador in Yemen from 2010-2013. He explained how he always emphasized the channelization of the Indian communities. He was a given standing ovation by everyone present. Mr. Sayeed quoted from the Holy book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib. He also talked about the sayings of many great saints specifying the role that Sikhism plays in being able to serve communities and their own diaspora at large. Teams from Indiana, Milwaukee were also present to say thanks and goodbye to the Consulate General.

In Mr. Sayeed’s words,” I am humbled by all the lovely words spoken about me. I have received so much love during my tenure in this office”. He talked about Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji and Baba Mardana. He quoted Guru Nanak dev Ji’s words “Vasde Raho” and explained how traveling across the world helps all of us in discovering new meanings of life. During his inspiring speech, Mr. Sayeed explained the significance of turban and Guru Granth Sahiband concluded his speech by saying “Wahe Guru ji da Khalsa, Wahe Guru ji di Fateh”.

Happy Singh, extended his vote of thanks with famous lines “Wo aaye hamare ghar, khuda ki kudrat……”. He thanked everyone including most the Punjabi Social and Sikh religious societies from all over Midwest that participated in this farewell dinner like Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago, Sher -E -Punjab Sports Club Midwest Chicago, Punjabi Americans Organization, Chicago, Punjabi Heritage Organization, Punjab Sports & Cultural Club, Crowne Pointe, Indiana, Palatine Gurdwara, Wheaten Gurdwara and so on. The beautiful event would not have been possible without the active help and support of Mr Jaskaran Dhaliwal and Dr Harjinder Khaira. The host of the evening Mr. Darshan Singh Dhaliwal presented memento to Mr. Ausaf Sayeed and the event concluded with a scrumptious dinner. Truly, the outgoing Consulate General will be missed by all the Midwest. During his tenure, he has changed the landscape of involvement of the Consulate General into the local Indian community and the heights of what a Consulate General can achieve for the community.

Dr. Krishne Urs Donates $500K to Richmond University Medical Center

Dr. Krishne Urs, a philanthropist and orthopedic surgeon made a hefty donation to a New York-based university medical center on December 16th. According to the University, the Indian American physician provided the Richmond University Medical Center with $500,000 for its emergency department construction project, according to an silive.com report.

Dr. Urs’ pledge, which will go toward the medical center’s $65 million project, was made during a ceremony in the hospital’s MLB conference room. Daniel Messina, president and CEO of the hospital, accepted the donation from Dr. Urs, and thanked him for his generosity. “We would like to celebrate a very dedicated physician of the RUMC family and recognize Dr. Krishne Urs,” Messina said.

Dr. Urs received his medical degree with distinction from the University of Mysore in India. He arrived in New York City in 1962 and studied to become an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Urs began his practice at St. Vincent’s Medical Center — now Richmond University Medical Center — in 1970. From 1986 to 2001, he served as chief of orthopaedic surgery at St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

Richmond University board chairwoman Kate Rooney, and Joe Torres, who chairs the capital campaign for the ER project, discussed Dr. Urs’ passion for philanthropy.

“Those of us who know Dr. Urs know that philanthropy and generosity are part of his soul and we at the hospital are so fortunate that he and his family have been so generous to our medical center,” said Rooney.

“I’d like to focus on what I feel is the greatest asset Dr. Urs has given us and that’s inspiration,” added Torres. “He told us, and I’m paraphrasing, when an opportunity arises to invest in infrastructure that is linked to such a vital community cause, it gives the donor an opportunity to have a lasting impact on the lives of their children and their grandchildren.”

Dr. Urs discussed the significance of the new emergency department project and what it means to give back to the community.  “As many of you know, our community continues to grow and demands have been put on our hospital, especially our emergency room,” he said. “We have been treating over 65,000 patients a year in a space originally designed for 22,000 patients.

“I have spent my entire career in this hospital and it has been part of the fabric of my life and livelihood and I’m so grateful to give back to this organization and the people that it serves.”

Arvin Batra, Hamza Rizvi die in  accident on Christmas eve tragedy

Arvin Batra of Hicksville and Hamza Rizvi of Bethpage on Long Island, NY were killed early Christmas Eve when Rizvi’s 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee crashed on Woodbury Road in Hicksville around 6 a.m. on December 24.

Arvin Batra, 19, is the son of Ajay Batra, the owner of IVSTV. Hamza Rizvi, is a Pakistani-American.  The young Batra was known as a local entertainer participating in cultural events and television.

The cause of the crash remains to be determined by a police investigation, a CBSLocal news report said. The Nassau County Police Department Second Squad said that the men were traveling eastbound on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 6:06 a.m. when Rizvi apparently lost control of the Jeep, which struck a tree and caught fire near Wilfred Road. Batra and Rizvi were pronounced dead at the scene.

Arvin Batra had St. Johns University and while still a freshman, started ArvinBatraPromotions (later renamed ABNYGroup) and started hosting various parties in New York City, later expanding around the tri-state area. Batra also started a clothing line, Pharaoh Threads, which drew inspiration “from the decadence and prestige of Ancient Egypt and street-hustle culture of New York today to create a line of clothing that symbolizes ambition and royalty,” which according to the profile, was Batra’s “philosophy and attitude to the masses.

The two young men of South Asian origin are being mourned by family and friends. As per reports, a large number of Indian American community members visited Mr. Ajay Batra‘s home in Hicksville” to offer their condolences. Also, many from the Indian American community as also a large number from Pakistani community visited Mr. Rizvi to share the family’s grief over the tragic and untimely death of Hamza.

Detectives continue to investigate the accident and ask anyone with information to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-8477. All callers will remain anonymous.

Bernhard Laufer sentenced for 20 years for attempted hate murder of New York Muslim

Bernhard Laufer, a 59-year-old man from Queens, NY has been sentenced to 20 years of prison for attempted murder of a Muslim man in 2012. Laufer had stabbed and bit the nose of a worshiper at a Flushing mosque. He was found guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of attempted murder as a hate crime by a jury at the defendant’s trial, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said on December 14. The sentence was announced by Queens Supreme Court Justice Barry Schwartz.

Brown said that he has reiterated many times in the past that crimes fueled by hate will never be tolerated in Queens County, the most diverse urban area in the entire nation.

Bernhard Laufer from a Rego Park neighborhood was described as a man who waged a war of terror against Masjid Al-Saaliheen Mosque. Before this vicious attack, he repeatedly “called the mosque and threatened to kill all Muslims,” the prosecutor said.

The man vandalized the door of the mosque, and when the victim was opened the mosque for morning prayer, he stabbed Bashir Ahmad, 57, in the head, arm, back, hand and bit his nose, leaving the victim with permanent scars and a daily reminder of the attack that was described by the attorney as heinous and unprovoked.

The defendant was convicted of second-degree attempted murder as a hate crime, first-degree attempted assault as a hate crime, second-degree assault as a hate crime, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime. Ahmad at the time was up the stairs leading into the mosque. As Ahmad unlocked the front door, the defendant stabbed him over and over again.

According to trial records, Laufer was arrested after dropping his eyeglasses at the scene during the attack, leaving vital DNA evidence behind. The defendant’s DNA matched that found on the spectacles. Investigators also testified at trial that the threatening phone calls made to the mosque in the days before the attack were placed from the defendant’s home phones.

New York Police Allows Sikh Officers to Wear Turbans, Restricts Beard to Half-Inch

The New York Police Department will now allow Sikh officers to wear turbans and beards, although it restricts the beard size to half-an-inch. Announcing the change in uniform and appearance policy, City Police Commissioner James O’Neill said: “We want to make the NYPD as diverse as possible.”

Welcoming the change, the Sikh Officers Association tweeted: “This is a proud moment for Sikh Community.” But because of the half-inch beard restriction, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, a human rights organization, appeared to give new policy a qualified welcome.

“We look forward to reviewing the policy in depth to ensure that Sikhs can serve with their turban and beards intact and with no limitations or restrictions to either,” said board member Kavneet Singh.

But Singh added: “We commend Commissioner O’Neill on this positive step to make the NYPD a fully inclusive department.” Till now Sikh NY police were allowed to wear only a small head covering, the patka, under their regulation hats or caps. Now they can wear a full blue turban.

“We’ve been working with the Sikh officers to try to make sure we get this done,” O’Neill said after a ceremony for graduating class of the police academy. “I had the opportunity to make the change and I thought it was about time that we did that.”

A group of Sikh officers wearing blue turbans with the NYPD badges accompanied O’Neill when he made the announcement. Two Sikhs, who were among the 557 graduates, had earlier received permission to keep their beards but not wear full turbans.

O’Neill estimated that there are about 160 Sikhs in the 34,500-strong force in the city of 8.5 million people. The new policy seemed to apply to traffic police who are officially called traffic agents and wear white hats. Last week a Sikh police traffic agent was seen directing traffic near the United Nations wearing a white turban.

In April, the U.S. Army expanded its policy of permitting Sikh personnel to wear turbans, although it was in the nature of a waiver rather than a policy change. It was restricted to non-hazardous duties because of concerns with using gas masks.

The U.S. Army was facing a lawsuit by a soldier alleging the ban on turbans amounted to religious discrimination. The change in NYPD policy on beards may also allow Muslims police officers to keep their beards. But Muslim officers are demanding that they should be allowed two-inch beards and one of them has filed a discrimination suit.

In 2012, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority which runs the city’s metro and buses allowed Sikhs to wear turbans without the agency’s medallion everywhere on the job settling a case against it by the Sikh Coalition and the federal government.

The MTA also agreed to pay $184,500 to eight current or former employees who had objected to wearing the MTA symbol on their turbans claiming it violated their religious beliefs. However, New York police officers will be required to wear the police medallion on their turbans and so far Sikh officers have not objected to it.

Comptroller Maragos’ Office Receives Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting

Mineola, New York – Nassau County and Comptroller George Maragos’ Office were presented with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA).  This prestigious GFOA award is for exhibiting excellence in the financial reporting of Nassau County’s 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), issued in 2016. This is the seventh consecutive year that the Comptroller’s Office under George Maragos has received this recognition.

The Certificate was presented to Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos as the individual primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning year-end financials (CAFR).  According to the GFOA, the Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

“I congratulate the accounting staff of my office for their expertise and dedication, who every year meet and exceed the highest professional standards in financial reporting,” said Comptroller George Maragos. “ I am proud that the GFOA continues to recognize their extraordinary efforts in  providing to the residents of Nassau County an accurate and timely accounting of how their money has been spent.”

Nassau County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) includes general-purpose financial statements, as well as the independent auditor’s report prepared by RSM US LLP. The Nassau County CAFR can be viewed at http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16924

Dr. Karthik Ram honored with Special Proclamation in New York

Dr. Karthik Ram, a leading plastic and reconstructive surgeon from India, recently appointed international member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, was honored with a special proclamation by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano on December 20th in New York.

The honor comes on the heels of Ram being recently appointed as an international member of American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Bina Sabapathy, a Long Island, N.Y., Indian American community leader, while presenting the Nassau County special recognition, said Ram’s induction into the American society was a proud moment for global Tamils, according to a news release.

At a Dec. 20 event organized by the America Tamil Sangam in Queens, a book for laymen, titled “Liposuction – Big Fat Story”, brought out by Dr Ram’s Chennai Plastic Surgery Group and authored by Sunitha Raj, was released by Dr. Rajivee Madan Raj, a Long Island gynecologist.

The book focuses on the advantages of undergoing liposuction for weight reduction. The first copy was given to John Joseph, chairman, and Jaya Sundaram, senior vice president of the Sangam. Raj is the CEO of Chennai Plastic Surgery Group and an expert in the field.

Presenting the Nassau County special recognition, Long Island community leader Bina Sabapathy said Dr. Ram’s induction into the American Society was a proud moment for global Tamils.

John Joseph said the honor was a proof that young Indian surgeons such as Dr. Ram have branched off into new areas such as plastic and reconstructive surgery and had indeed made a global mark. He also presented America Tamil Sangam’s Excellence Award for the recent recognition.

Dr. Ram answered questions from the audience in an interactive session and explained in detail on tummy tuck, liposuction, hair transplant, male chest reduction and said these treatments are available in India and on par with the same offered in the U.S.

Dr. Ram was in New York to attend the annual conference of American Society of Plastic Surgeons and interacted with surgeons across the US. He discussed with them the formation of Indian chapter to promote the medical discipline in India.

Dr. Ram is the Managing Director Cosmoglitz International Pvt. Ltd, chief cosmetic surgeon of Chennai Plastic Surgery among others. He did his DNB in Plastic Surgery with a gold medal from Apollo hospitals, Chennai, had his MRCSE from the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh; DNB (General surgery) from Stanley Medical College, Chennai, and MBBS from Dr. MGR Tamil Nadu State Medical University, Madras.

John Joseph, chairman, and Jaya Sundaram, senior vice president of the Sangam, added that the honor bestowed to Ram was proof that young Indian surgeons have branched off into new areas such as plastic and reconstructive surgery and had indeed made a global mark. Joseph received the first copy of the book, which covers the advantages of liposuction for weight reduction.

Mina Malik resigns from NYPD Watchdog

Mina Malik, the executive director of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, the New York Police Department’s watchdog group resigned from this crucial post here late last month. As per reports, no official reason was cited for resignation from the agency where she had spearheaded many initiatives, earning Mayor de Blasio’s compliments, but also drew flaks at times from others for different reasons.

As per an New York Daily News report quoting unidentified sources said, the underlying reason for her departure was a struggle with City Hall over control of the agency, but it added that the spokesmen for Malik and the mayor insisted that she left of her own accord. The report said that she was to take a teaching job at Harvard Law School and will advise the university’s Fair Punishment Project.

Malik released a statement after announcing her resignation in which she thanked the mayor for his support and commitment to civilian oversight and for his leadership on reform. “It has been an honor to serve the city during his tenure.” Mayor de Blasio praised Malik, saying she worked “tirelessly to ensure that the people of New York City had an advocate who listened and investigated any complaints they had against the NYPD.”

CCRB Chair Maya Wiley echoed the mayor’s comments. “Mina spearheaded many initiatives that improved the Agency broadly, including improved investigations, increased targeted outreach, better data collection and report writing, and the CCRB’s new Data Transparency Initiative. On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Mina for her commitment and service to the people of the City of New York. We wish her the best in the future,” Wiley said.

The report quoted two other sources as saying, however that Malik wore out her welcome by alienating employees and unfairly firing people. Several people filed complaints against her with the city Department of Investigation, the sources were quoted in the Daily News report as saying.

Appointed in early 2015, Malik’s tenure was largely overshadowed by her lawsuit against former board chairman Richard Emery. She accused him of using an expletive to describe her and a co-worker. The two sparred for months, with Malik trying to seize more power for herself, though her job required that she follows the board’s direction.

Malik and a second CCRB official Robia Charles filed the lawsuit against Emery in April, for the remark he allegedly made six months earlier. Emery stepped down from the chairman’s post a day after the suit was filed. Malik thanked de Blasio “for taking swift and decisive action in responding to our concerns” and the suit was dropped.

“She cast a pall on the agency,” Emery was quoted by the Daily News as saying. “Now that she’s gone, there should be a great sense of optimism because it should make a huge difference in the morale, creativity and energy of the people who work there.”

Vin Gopal seeks community support in effort to win NJ Senate seat

Vin Gopal, 31, who has been described as “a dynamic Democrat in a Republican Combat Zone” while announcing his candidacy for the New Jersey state Senate has sought Indian American community to support him in his efforts to win the senate seat.

Gopal, a rising star in the New Jersey Democratic Party was among those in the list of ‘40 Under 40’ by NJPolitico. Gopal, a small business owner will be facing off against Republican incumbent Jennifer Beck, 49, who was elected to the Senate ten years ago and has since won with resounding victories, including after the 2011 redistricting. Gopal hopes support from the Indian-American community around the state will bolster his chances.

“I hope Indian-Americans will get excited about my race,” Gopal told Desi Talk. According to his math and that of another Democratic source who did not wish to be named, Gopal’s chances are good despite a secure incumbent Republican (Beck won her last election with 60 percent of the vote). “Hillary Clinton won by 8,000 votes,” in the presidential race Nov. 8 Gopal says. Also, Gopal is credited with securing a victory against considerable odds in 2015, for the two current incumbent Democratic Assembly members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey in a Republican district, who will be running for re-election this November. “Also, there are South Asians who live in Freehold and Ocean Townships who could help,” Gopal said.

According to 2010 U.S. Census figures, District 11 has a population of 205, 526, of which more than 79 percent are of voting age. Unlike some other parts of New Jersey where Indian-Americans or Asian-Americans make up a sizable part of the population, District 11 is 76 percent White and barely 2.74 percent Asian. Blacks make up a little over 14 percent. While racial or ethnic breakdown of the population may have changed since 2010, Gopal will need outside help for what is expected to be a $2 million dollar campaign all-told for the three Democrats. An extra Democrat on the state Senate would be a definite plus for liberals.

“Indian-Americans and South Asians outside the district could also be a help,” said Gopal, a small-business owner, founder of the communications company Direct Development in Hazlet, N.J., which has 14 employees. In his statement announcing the candidacy, Gopal said he has gone without taking a paycheck in order to make the payroll.

Born and brought up in Monmouth County, Gopal says he has felt the impact of Trenton’s “over-regulation, suffocating taxation, and red-tape.” In his statement he lashed out at his GOP opponent and in so many words described Beck as an opportunist, a “lobbyist and professional politician” and Gov. Chris Christie’s “foot soldier,” who has  backed down on gun regulations, women’s access to healthcare and marriage equality, and has lost touch with her constituents, all of which he hopes to  overturn if sent to the state Senate which currently has a Democratic majority (24 of the 40 seats.)

Monmouth County Democratic chairman Vin Gopal, who has led his organization to some of the state’s most startling upset victories in recent years, saw disappointing returns for his Democratic county slate during this year’s presidential election, Democratic State Assembly members Joann Downey and Eric Houghtaling pulled off the most surprising victory of 2015’s sleepy Assembly elections when they unseated Republicans Caroline Casagrande and Marypat Angelini.

Beck has announced her intention to run for reelection, and has endorsed Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon’s State Senate bid in the neighboring 13th district. According to polling from the Monmouth County Democrats, Hillary Clinton won the 11th district’s presidential votes by roughly 7,000. Whether Gopal and the Democrats can drive that same turnout in a quieter gubernatorial year remains to be seen.

INOC, USA vows full support to Captain Amarinder Singh and the Congress Party in Punjab elections

New York: At an annual meeting comprising over forty  members held on December 30, 2016, at Sohna Punjab Restaurant in Queens, New York,  the Indian National Overseas Congress, USA unanimously adopted several important resolutions and other measures which would not only bring up to date its by-laws, rules, and procedures but also emboldened the hands of its leadership.  The promotion of several of its officers within the ranks and recruited from outside, including youth, is expected to bring new dynamism, energy and success to the Organization in the near future. This move, which was long awaited, has immediately invigorated everyone especially in the face of upcoming Punjab State elections expected to take place at the beginning of February 2017.

Recounting the accomplishments of INOC, USA, the Secretary-General, Mr. Harbachan Singh applauded the effort of all the leaders and its rank and file.   Playing a major role in hosting the visit of Capt. Amarinder Singh to New York was no small matter.  The words of praise and admiration received from the Captain made so many of his supporters happy, validated and inspired.  Similar recognition by visiting Congress leaders such as Hon. Sushilkumar Shinde during 2016 had the same positive effect of uplifting their mood and resolve.

In announcing the promotions, Mr. Mohinder Singh Gilzian, President of INOC, USA said that former President of Punjab Chapter, Mr. Tejinder Singh Gill was promoted to the rank of Sr. Vice President and in his place, Mr. Satish Sharma was designated as Chairman and Mr. Jasvir Singh Nawanshahr was designated as the Punjab Chapter President.  Mr. John Joseph, Ms. Malini Shah, Dr. Dayan Naik and Mr. Jagjeet Singh were each promoted to the rank as Vice Presidents.  Mr. Neil Trevidi. Mr. Prasad Kambhampaty and Ms. Megha Mehta were each promoted to the rank of Joint Secretary.  Mr. Koshy Oommen and Ms. Gunjan Rastogi were designated as an executive members of the National Council. Ms. Jaya Sundaram was designated Acting President of Tamil Nadu Chapter, Ms. Leela Maret was designated as Chairperson Women’s Forum and Mr. Sawaran Singh was designated as Chairman of Disciplinary Committee.  Mr. Girish Vidya was nominated to be a member of the Advisory Council together with Mr. Krishnan Arora.   No changes were made to the positions of other officials.  Both Mr. George Abraham, Chairman and Mr. Mohinder Singh Gilzian, President of INOC, USA congratulated those who received the promotions and wished them good luck.  Mr. Harbachan Singh stated that the decisions were reached after very careful review and that the candidates promoted were of high caliber and enjoyed respect in the society.

Two resolutions were also passed at this meeting viz: one to demonstrate INOC, USAs unflagging support and admiration of Captain Amarinder Singh as the most outstanding leader of the Punjab Congress Committee and vowed its full support to him and his designated candidates in the upcoming State elections in Punjab.

Secondly, INOC, USA deplored the format and unconventional manner the demonetarization  scheme was introduced which has not resulted in any significant results but instead has nevertheless caused untold misery and suffering to the masses of people in whole of India including reported deaths in the vicinity of hundreds and is continuing to have detrimental effects on the people.

A Cashless Society via Demonetization?  India’s uncertain future

By George Abraham

When Dr. Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India, criticized the ongoing demonetization program championed by the Narendra Modi Government as “organized loot” and “legal plunder”, it struck a cord with many of the skeptics including me, who felt initially that if this program could reduce corruption and eliminate black money, it would be well worth the effort. Then again, it was quite uncharacteristic of Dr. Singh to use such strong words without reason. He called the whole initiative a ‘monumental management failure.’ It is noteworthy that this rebuke comes from a person who had served the centre as chief economic advisor, finance secretary, the finance minister, deputy chairman of the planning commission, and RBI Governor.

There is little doubt that what is unraveling in today’s India is a near disaster probably not brought upon the nation with bad intentions but certainly with botched execution by the Modi administration. Today, India is reeling from the disastrous implementation of the demonetization program with no end in sight. The crisis started when the Prime Minister surprised the nation on Nov 8th with the announcement that he would withdraw two-highest Denomination Bank Notes, (500 and 1000). He injected an element of nationalism in his speech and exhorted Indians to join this endeavor to ‘make his contribution to the country’s progress.’

In a country where cash is used by 98% of the consumer transactions, a sudden unavailability of money has brought untold sufferings to people across India especially in the rural areas forcing factories to be idle; small retails shops to close and the farming industry to come to a near halt. Millions of people are now spending their valuable time waiting in line at the Bank branches or ATMs to exchange or withdraw their money under various restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India.

This whole effort was made under the assumption that the banknotes are a way the rich people have stored their wealth. The poor folks are made to believe that those corrupt rich guys are finally getting soaked for their past sins, though the real burden of this reform measure has mostly fallen upon them. It is quite delusional to think that the rich have kept all their black money in 500 and 1000 rupee notes in a pillow case somewhere under the floor.  The truth of the matter is that the ill-gotten wealth of the much rich may only be added up to 7% in cash, but the rest are invested in real estate, equities, and jewelry or other investments. With more than 13 lakh crores of rupees that already returned out of the 15.44 lakh crores and the rest is expected to be accounted shortly, Government is vigorously challenged to explain what happened to their assumptions on black money?

The biggest casualty in this regard appears to be the credibility of the banking system. Anand Sharma, senior leader, and spokesperson for the Congress party alleged that ‘crores and crores of newly printed currency notes are going out” from the “back doors” of the banks while ordinary people were denied their right to withdraw their hard earned money they have deposited in these banks. “People had faith in the banking system, however, today, people’s trust in the Indian banks is shattered, and the reputation of RBI is dented,” Mr. Sharma told reporters in New Delhi.

There are also stories of BJP leaders going on a buying spree of real estate just before Prime Minister’s announcement. A report by ‘Catch news’ alleged that the BJP had brought land worth crores before announcing that RS500 and RS1000 notes are no longer valid. They also claimed to have the deeds of ten such transactions done by BJP functionaries on behalf of the higher-ups in the party, including party president Amit Shah.

As many as 111 deaths are directly attributed to this crisis so far along with stories of struggles of daily laborers, shopkeepers, and farmers for their daily survival. P. Chengal Reddy, Secretary General, Consortium of Indian Farmers Association says that the country is divided into India and Bharat. ‘Farmers are like a living corpse in India’ he added. The ruling class that includes the bureaucrats, Industrialists and so-called City-based experts do not see their plight and the demonetization have amplified how detached they are from this vital sector.

The government has also decided to exclude co-operative banks from this demonetization process alleging that they are not trustworthy. There are those who suspect that it is a deliberate move to destroy these cooperative banks in favor of big commercial ones or to bring them under stricter reserve bank guidelines. In thousands of villages, people depend on these cooperative banks for their banking and unfortunately they are allowed to run dry with little or no infusion of new currency notes.

To any independent observer, it is quite amusing to watch how the Government is dealing with the crisis with ever changing terms of the scheme and daily issuance of new directives. Originally, the purpose was to expose black money and to stop the terrorist funding directed by Pakistan. Lately, the BJP leaders sound as if they had a hidden agenda for this program all along that is to transform India into a cashless society.  One doesn’t know whether it was the original intent or shifting of the goalpost since the game has started. If it is all about black money, one wonders why Modi has failed to take any action against the unaccounted fortune hidden in offshore accounts!

Any rational mind would know that most of the Indian villages are a century behind the urban centers. They still do not have necessary facilities for education, medical care or banking and it is preposterous to talk about digital transactions and cashless society with these folks before helping them to meet minimum goals in human development. I am not sure whether our political leaders are making these decisions based on the cost-benefit analysis with an ample input of the current capabilities of the target population or they are falling victims to the utopia offered by the titans of the service sector which are dominated by Tech companies.

It is a known fact that half of the Indian population does not have access to any credit or debit cards. Also, only 53 percent of the population has access to a bank account, and the Internet is unavailable in the remote areas of the country. Security is also of paramount concern to many as the country is still reeling from a massive leak of credit card information from a database of 3 million card holders.

Sweden, an advanced economy with 10 million people, is currently undertaking the cashless experiment and the latest report showed that Sweden’s central bank had put a brake on that effort in the interim. With only 20% of the retail payments in Sweden were made in cash, they were in a better position to make that effort. However, they are having second thoughts stating that ‘we welcome digital development, but cannot leave any group behind’!  Riksbank, Sweden’s central bank has recently advised all those online banking services to change their business model to include cash.

After all, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetization may have this ulterior motive of digitizing the Indian economy. If the demonetization is a step in that direction, the government needs to be deliberate and transparent in that process. The digital payment industry supported by the World Bank, multi-nationals, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID seem to be hard at work nudging world leaders who are susceptible to political opportunism and conscious of their inflated ego to demonetize and drain the liquidity of the banks. For those global elitists, there is a fortune to be made in the days ahead and if it takes leaving half of the population behind, so be it!

More than a month after demonetization, many city dwellers especially the working poor still support the policy. However, the country can’t wait any longer to get back on its feet and normalize the situation. If this is not resolved in the immediate future, some of the damages inflicted on the real economy from this protracted economic slowdown may end up being irreversible!

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

Rekha Nandwani to run for Jersey City Ward Council

Rekha Nandwani, a Jersey City, N.J., committeewoman, has announced her campaign in pursuit of becoming a Jersey City Ward C councilwoman. The Indian American candidate held her first fundraising event on December 15 at Curry On restaurant in Jersey City to get her campaign off the ground.
She has been involved in the local politics at the grassroots level for a long time, had drew a large crowd, including Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro, Hoboken Council President Ravi Bhalla, Woodbridge Councilman Viru Patel and former Mayor of Edison Jun Choi.
“I am humbled by the level of support I have received so far in my campaign to be the next councilwoman for Jersey City’s Ward C,” Nandwani said in a statement. “I am encouraged by the constituents I hear from throughout the ward that tell me they need a leader that will represent their interests in the community and that is exactly what I intend to do,” she added.
Dozens of community leaders joined in celebrating Nandwani’s candidacy, including Jersey City Council president Rolando Lavarro, Hoboken Council president Ravi Bhalla, Woodbridge Councilman Viru Patel and former mayor of Edison Jun Choi.
“Rehka is a friend, and an advocate on neighborhood issues and for Asian Americans,” said Lavarro. “She gets the community’s concerns and is a tireless worker.  I have no doubt she possesses the skills, determination, and community support that make for a formidable Council candidate.”
In addition to serving as a Hudson County Democratic committeewoman for Jersey City’s Ward C-1, Nandwani is also the president of her neighborhood association and a Steering Committee member within the New Jersey Democratic State Committee’s South Asian American Caucus.
The Ward C council seat is up for election in November 2017.

Rahul Anand is Rutgers “Student Entrepreneur Of The Year 2016”

After eight tries and 17 rounds of interviews, Anand was hired as one of the first members of the pilot team that created Google Knowledge Graph. Over time, the team grew to 17,000 globally, but as Anand was poised to move on, he realized his gastronomy degree would not help him advance in his career.
So he applied to undergraduate business programs near his sister in New Jersey and chose Rutgers. Anand, 27, arrived at Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick in the fall of 2013 to study marketing. After one quiet semester to adjust to language and cultural differences, he widened his world. He joined the Dean’s Advisory Council to help engage students and restarted a defunct, in-debt Indian Students Association. Classes were going well, he was getting to know more people, but something was lacking.
“I missed having problems to solve,” Anand says.
In need of a challenge, he decided to start a digital marketing services business in the competitive New Jersey-New York market while a full-time student. “I figured if I’m pursuing a degree in marketing, I should be able to market it, because if I can’t do this, I might be in the wrong field,” he says.
The first $450 he earned – for helping a car repair shop owner establish a web and social presence and gain market traction through banner ads — helped him buy the fledgling company’s first server. “It was the beginning,” he says. By spring 2015, a few more students joined, bringing sales and graphics skills.

By the end of that summer, there were six. A year and a half later, the staff of The Ideas Maker has been as many as 16 in the summer of 2016 to 11 now. They have worked with 18 clients and reached a goal of $50,000 in revenues by the end of the summer. The new goal: $75,000 by the end of the year.
“Rahul has the ability to rally a team and find ways to help everybody who is on his team,” says Alfred Blake, assistant director of undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the business school’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development. “He is a true entrepreneur who can draw people in by helping them see the value in it for them.”
Growing a successful student-run business is only one of the reasons why Anand was chosen Student Entrepreneur of the Year 2016. While building The Ideas Maker and pursuing his courses, Anand helped organize a Google I/O Extended event in May 2016, bringing Google’s well-known annual developer conference to Rutgers in Newark.
The next month, 90 people – entrepreneurs in and around Newark as well as students – turned out for an Entrepreneurship Summit planned by Anand and the student entrepreneurship organization he helped start. Serial entrepreneur and millennial branding expert Gerard Adams spoke at the event.
In October, Anand helped organize a two-day hackathon based on the recently released Google Cloud Machine Learning API. “We had over 60 people – 12 teams started and 8 teams made products over the two days,” Anand says. The winning team combined a vision API with an audio API to create an app that would allow a visually challenged person to scan another person’s emotions via a phone’s camera.
“Rahul has great analytical skills to begin with but he also couples these skills with outstanding intellectual curiosity, interpersonal rapport, and grit – that is a very powerful combination in any setting, and sets him apart,” says Can Uslay, associate professor of marketing and co-director of the RBS Center for Market Advantage.
Anand also was named to a Newark 30 Under 30 list recognizing young people who are collaborating with other organizations and individuals in Newark.
“I think he is unstoppable and has already made us proud at RBS with his current accomplishments,” Uslay adds, “but I think he is just getting started on a very bright career and his future accomplishments will amaze us all.”

Ravi S. Rajan, Dean at SUNY to lead California Institute of the Arts

Ravi S. Rajan, the dean of the School of Arts at Purchase College, State University of New York, has been named the president of the prestigious California Institute of the Arts December 13. Ravi S. Rajan, Dean of the School of the Arts at Purchase College, and a highly regarded artist whose work reaches across disciplines, has been selected as the fourth president of California Institute of the Arts.
Rajan will begin his tenure June 1, 2017, and succeed President Steven Lavine. “I’m humbled by this opportunity, excited to be a part of this great community, and I look forward to building upon the innovative pedigree of CalArts,” said Rajan.
After evaluating more than 500 applicants, Rajan was appointed in a unanimous vote by the CalArts Board of Trustees, who were advised by a committee encompassing the entire CalArts community.
Rajan will be the first Asian American president of CalArts, one of the world’s premier arts colleges. His innovative and thoughtful leadership, in addition to passion and vision for arts education, aligns with the CalArts community, said Tim Disney, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “Ravi shows the fiery passion for the arts that was at the core of CalArts founding,” continued Disney. “His commitment to excellence and exploration and innovation will help continue CalArts rich legacy and unbounded future.”
Rajan’s education included undergraduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, before going on to graduate work at Yale. He then launched into a dynamic career combining artistic practice and campus leadership. In addition to executive roles in higher education, Rajan is also a noted collaborator in the production of art, music, theatre/dance, and film/video. He is a member of the Tony Awards Nominating Committee, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London, and President of the Asian American Arts Alliance.
Abigail Salling, a student representative on the presidential search committee, said Rajan was impressive during the interview process. “He was dynamic and energetic, and talked about diversity, student debt, and artistic experience. I think CalArts will be strong under his leadership. I’m excited to see where our school goes.”
David Roitstein, faculty trustee from The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts, and also a member of the presidential search committee, echoed Salling’s assessment. “Ravi is exceptionally well-prepared for this role and I am very excited to work together with him.” Roitstein went on to compliment the search process, calling it “one of the highlights of my time at CalArts. It was open, diverse, and extraordinarily thorough.”
As Dean of the School of the Arts at Purchase, Rajan successfully proposed and guided a $100 million capital renovation of the Art + Design division’s facilities, the first such renovation in its history. His boundless advocacy helped strengthen the culture of philanthropy among supporters of the college, resulting in securing the largest individual donations to Purchase College since its founding. In an effort to foster change within the arts on a global scale, Rajan spearheaded the creation of a new MA in Entrepreneurship in the Arts, the first graduate degree of its kind in the world.
“Ravi brings the perfect combination of personal artistic commitment to interdisciplinary approaches, which is vital to CalArts, along with broad experience as an educator, and significant accomplishments as a senior administrator at Purchase College,” said CalArts’ President Steven Lavine. “I am thrilled he will be the person to lead CalArts into its future development as one of the great artistic and educational institutions in the world.”

Interfaith celebrations to forge unity held

In the midst of hatred, violence and divisions, especially after the recent elections in the United States, members of the South Asian community came together to unite people of different faiths. The New Jersey-based South Asian Community Outreach organization held an ‘Interfaith Holiday Party’ in Edison, N.J. on December 14th. Attended by leaders of different faiths, elected officials, and others, the highlight of the event was the coming together of the Indian and Pakistani communities, organizers said.
Exceptional elected officials, members of the community, and organizations were recognized at the event including Freeholder Sergio Granados (SACO Civic Award); and NAACP Rahway /CARTERET Chapter (SACO Martin Luther King Junior Human Rights Award); Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America (SACO Community Service Award); and Sparsh Shah and Phu Patel also received awards for service. Numerous other awards were also handed out to community members.
Among those attending the event were Consul General of Nepal Krishna Kumar Subedi, Consul General of Pakistan Raja Ejaz Ali, New Jersey State Senators Sam Thompson, Ray Lesniak, Pat Diegnan, N.Y. State Assembly members Nancy Pinkin and Raj Mukherji, Edison Mayor Tom Lankey, Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry, East Brunswick Mayor-elect Brad Cohen, and Somerset Freeholder Brian Levine.
Interfaith leaders attending included Rabbi Joel Abraham, Temple Sholom; Hindu leader Colonel Virendra Tavathia; Imam Syed Rizwan Rizvi, Masjid-e-Ali; Reverend Karen Johnson, The Unitarian Society; Sikh spiritual leader Giani Gurbachan Singh; and Buddhist spiritual leaders H .Kondanna chief monk of Staten Island.

North America’s Largest Sai Temple to Hold Grand Opening in July

By Upendra Mishra
GROTON, MA—With construction in full swing and the exterior wall and framing nearly complete, North America’s largest Sai temple is gearing up to hold its grand opening ceremony in July 2017. The two-story, 40,000-square-foot temple in Groton, MA, is being built by New England Shirdi Sai Parviaar, known as NESSP. Built on 28 acres of land, upon completion the temple will become the largest Sai Temple in North America.
“Even we cannot believe the progress we have made. We are very thankful and grateful to our supporters and volunteers, who have worked tirelessly on this project,” says NESSP President Mahender Singh.

Project architect B. D. Nayak of Braintree, MA-based B.D. Nayak Architects & Planners Inc., says the location of the temple is perfect. “The most important for a temple is to be on a higher ground and people should be walking up there,” said Nayak, who has designed six temples in New England. “This site is on high ground. Also, from a Vastu point of view, all the statues of Gods and Goddesses will have a perfect location.”

It all began in 2006, when 10 like-minded Massachusetts families got together and formed New England Shirdi Sai Parivaar, a non-profit organization for the growing Shirdi Sai Baba devotees in New England. “Our mission was very clear to promote the philosophy of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba and to support religious, spiritual, cultural and charitable activities in New England,” said Singh, adding that initially the group rented a tiny place for temple purposes and later expanded to a 7,200-square-foot rented facility.

When they outgrew this space, the devotees decided to take a giant step and build their own facility where they could fulfill not only their spiritual needs but also serve as a community center open to people of all faiths and communities.

“We have grown from 10 families to 1,500 families now,” said Singh. “We did not have any experience in building a temple. All we did was believed in the philosophy and teachings of Baba and worked hard to start this project.”

NESSP currently operates out of a 7,200-square-foot rented facility in Chelmsford, MA, and will relocate to the new facility when it is completed in July 2017. NESSP acquired the land for $1.14 million and plans to spend an additional $10 million to build the new complex. As of now, the temple has already raised over $7.5 million.

The temple has been receiving donations from across North America and from states like North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, California, and Atlanta in addition to being supported by devotees from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

When fully completed, the two-story temple will be largest Sai Temple in North America. The sprawling 28-acre campus is located in the two neighboring towns of Groton and Littleton in Massachusetts. Four acres of the land is located in Littleton.

Reading, MA-based NM Construction Corp. is the general contractor. The temple will be open to everyone and will hold weddings, ayengetrams and other community and cultural events. The temple complex will provide a great venue for poojas, learning and weddings where open-air havans can be held, where the barat (wedding party) can come with horses and full traditional festivities can occur.

Founded in 2006, New England Shirdi Sai Parviaar (NESSP) is a non-profit organization. Its mission is to promote the philosophy of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba and to accordingly support religious, spiritual, cultural and charitable activities. NESSP was formed by devotees who share their love for Shri Shirdi Sai Baba and are inspired by His teachings. For more information, visit www.NESSP.org.

Dr. Purvi Parikh serves in Zambia as part of UN Foundation’s vaccine initiative

Dr. Purvi Parikh, a New York-based pediatric allergist and immunologist for adults and children, recently traveled to Zambia as part of the United Nations Foundation’s vaccine initiative Shot@life. A passionate advocate for public health committed to good healthcare policy, Dr. Parikh cites her recent experience in Zambia to advocate for vaccinations.
As a clinical instructor of medicine and pediatrics at NYU-Langone Medical Center who practices at Allergy and Asthma Associates of Murray Hill, Dr. Parikh administers vaccinations daily, and often has to fight with passionate vaccination skeptics about its benefits. But what awaited her at Simonga Clinic in Zambia was unlike anything she had witnessed before.
As the sub-Saharan heat beat down on the team while it walked the few steps from the air-conditioned bus to the Simonga Clinic outside Livingstone, she thought of the Zambian women with their children in tow, sometimes making 18 km treks to clinics to vaccinate their sons and daughters. They occasionally encountered other obstacles such as monsoon rains and even animals such as elephants, zebras, and rhinos.
The Simonga Clinic works in the midst of major problems to deliver services to the thousands within its purview – dealing with labor and delivery amid power outages, no anesthesia, and of course, load shedding where power can go out for extended periods and solar power keeps vaccines from expiring.

Yet, miraculously, or rather because of the dedication of those serving and those receiving the services, the clinic manages to reach 98 percent of its vaccination rates! “That’s because of the motivation of mothers who have seen measles wipe out the children of entire villages,” Dr. Parikh says.
“They have seen the ravages of preventable diseases like pneumonia or the flu. Inoculation is a gift for them and even for new vaccines, there’s barely any skepticism.” Communicating with the population is through radio, TV, public service announcements, and texting on the cell phones, a boon in places where power is intermittent or non-existent. “God bless Martin Cooper, the inventor of cell phone technology, which can transcend socioeconomic classes, cultures, phone lines, power lines, and geography, and keep the world connected,” Dr. Parikh says.
Talking to women and children who come to the clinic, she and her teammates understand how critical the vaccine is for them – allowing some semblance of a normal life in extremely underserved areas. “It strikes me that things we take for granted such as going to school, studying, playing with our classmates, all are in jeopardy for these kids without their vaccines,” observes Dr. Parikh. Even mothers with no formal education cannot understand why parents would forgo this benefit and risk bringing back diseases considered eradicated, she notes.
That experience in Zambia has led Dr. Parikh, president of the New York Allergy and Asthma Society, to urge Americans to get behind Shot@Life (www.shotatlife.org) and donate it this holiday season. Even locally, for every vaccine received at Walgreens pharmacy, a vaccine will be donated by the company to shot@life.
Dr. Parikh is the national spokesperson for the non-profit Allergy and Asthma Network, and sigs on the health and public policy committee of the American College of Physicians.
She has published in scientific journals and presented research at national and international meetings. Dr. Parikh also sits on the advocacy council for the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

Bhairavi Desai-led union helps Uber Driver win Employee Status & Unemployment Benefits in NY

New York – “Uber’s refusal to own up to its responsibilities as an employer is hurting drivers across the board as the company seeks to replace full-time jobs with unstable gig work and part time pay,” said Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. “We are heartened that Jeffrey Shepherd has received his unemployment benefits and that the Unemployment
Jeffrey Shepherd, an Uber driver in New York found to be an employee by the New York State Department of Labor is possibly the first Uber driver in the country to receive unemployment benefits after he was forced to quit driving for Uber due to poverty wages. Jeffrey Shepherd sometimes brought home as little as a penny in a workweek, after Uber deducted its fees and leasing expenses from his paycheck.
“Uber promised that I could make a good living driving for them. But they took car payments straight out of my paycheck so that sometimes after working seven days a week, I was left with pennies in income,” said former Uber driver Jeffrey Shepherd. “My car was repossessed because eventually I didn’t even make enough money working for Uber to make my leasing payments. At 54 years old, it’s humiliating to have to depend on my 76-year-old father for support, but for a long time I didn’t have the money to buy food, pay my bills, or even to pay for gas to drive to a job interview. I’m still struggling to dig myself out of the hole of poverty I fell into working for Uber, but I am thankful to finally receive unemployment benefits. I’m speaking out now so that no one else has to go through what I did.”
Shepherd is the third Uber driver to be declared an employee by the New York Department of Labor for the purposes of unemployment – which has the narrowest threshold for employee status. In June, the Brooklyn Legal Services filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of the two other drivers, Jakir Hossain and Levon Aleksanian, and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance against Governor Andrew Cuomo and the state’s Department of Labor for not processing Unemployment claims by Uber drivers. In October, NYTWA announced that the two driver plaintiffs in the suit were determined to be employees of Uber.
In one email cited in the federal complaint a Department of Labor employee wrote, “The information we are being given is these claims (not just yours) are under executive review, which means the Dept of Labor is not making the decision whether or not this employment is covered.” The email was, according to The New York Times, “hinting at possible intervention by the governor’s office.”
“Appeals Board has consolidated the three unemployment cases,” Desai said. “We will keep fighting against Uber as long as it continues to treat workers as disposable. We know that Uber wants to replicate this model of exploitation and poverty pay across New York State and indeed the entire world. The company has a pattern of skirting labor laws and, when that fails, trying to change the laws themselves. We will continue to fight at every step of the way Uber and its lackeys continue their assault on workers’ rights by attempting to deregulate taxi services and destroy labor protections in our state.”
Founded in 1998, NYTWA is the 19,000-member strong union of NYC taxicab drivers, representing yellow cab drivers, green car, and black car drivers, including drivers for Uber and Lyft.  We fight for justice, rights, respect and dignity for the over 50,000 licensed men and women who often labor 12 hour shifts with little pay and few protections in the city’s mobile sweatshop.  Our members come from every community, garage, and neighborhood. To find out more visit NYTWA.org or like us on facebook.com/nytwa.

INOC, USA is lending a hand in Punjab election campaign

 Although the complete list of the candidates is yet to be released, Mr. Mohinder Singh Gilzian, President of the Indian National Overseas Congress, USA is already on the ground in Punjab and campaigning for Congress candidates. ‘We are committed to supporting Captain Amarinder Singh and the Congress party to return to power in the state where corruption and mismanagement under Akali rule have become the order of the day and negatively impacting the lives of the ordinary citizens’ said Mr. Gilzian. We want to see Punjab return to its glory days as a model state where we have achieved greater development in the social and economic realm’ he added.
It is expected that elections in Punjab will be held towards the end of January or early February. The political parties are already busy at creating alliances and selecting candidates who might give them an edge. The Akali government was derelict in not attending or inadequately attending to the host of issues people are concerned about.  Corruption, drugs, and unemployment were listed high on the list of grave concerns and fear of hooliganism was affecting the security level of the people.  In the villages, the number of suicides was increasing and Punjab being a border state with Pakistan was made to bear colossal damages and sufferings, as well as the residents, were being uprooted and displaced from their homes for indefinite periods.
 A worrisome fact was that Punjab was slowly buried under huge state debt. Lethargic government bureaucracy was using antiquated laws and procedures so much so that many Non-resident Indians were not willing to invest in Punjab and that some foreign companies were also closing down and moving out causing unemployment problems.  The YSL river water issue was also not solved properly.
INOC, USA strongly believes that only the Congress Party under Capt. Amarinder Singh can solve such problems well and that the Captain has a track record to prove it.  His new Congress Manifesto is full of descriptions of programs to successfully deal with each such problem.
INOC, USA promises to do all it can that include sending additional volunteers to Punjab to help the party win back the state for the sake of its citizens and the Congress party.

NRI youth arrested for painting Swastika Graffiti

Jasskirat Saini, a 20-year-old was arrested at Nassau Community College and charged in connection with a string of racist graffiti incidents at the Long Island, New York school over the last two months.

A Daily Caller report said quoting BC7 that swastikas were first found at Nassau Community College on a men’s bathroom Oct. 15 and later that month several more were found. In December there were two more incidents of swastika graffiti. Nassau County police found Saini writing two swastikas Dec. 21 on the exterior of a building and “KKK” on the floor of another. Saini is being charged with aggravated harassment and according to ABC7 the charge is in connection with 110 anti-Semitic drawings.

Police on Long Island say they have arrested a student in connection with a spate of racially-charged graffiti, including swastikas, at Nassau Community College. Nassau County police say 20-year-old Jasskirat Saini, of Plainview, was arrested Tuesday on charges of aggravated harassment.
Police say the man scrawled swastikas and KKK at two campus buildings on Tuesday. Earlier this month, police say swastikas were discovered written in black ink on a handrail and a wall on the campus. And in October, police say swastikas were written on the walls and urinals in various men’s rooms. One location also included an anti-Semitic comment. Saini is expected to be arraigned in Hempstead on Wednesday.

Pakistani Executive Charged In $140 Million Fake Diploma Scheme

The executive of a Pakistani company was charged in a U.S. federal court on Wednesday for his part in an alleged $140 million “fake-diploma mill” scheme, the latest step in a global crackdown touched off by arrests in Pakistan last year, according to a report by Reuters.

Umair Hamid, 30, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scam that impacted tens of thousands of consumers.

Hamid, an executive at software firm Axact, was arrested on Monday, according to a statement by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. Hamid’s lawyer could not be immediately identified. An email sent to Axact seeking comment bounced back.

Pakistan had asked U.S. authorities last year to help it investigate Axact, which had been suspected of earning millions of dollars from the sale of bogus university degrees online.
Hamid resumed selling fake diplomas, duping U.S. consumers into paying upfront fees to enroll in fake high schools and colleges even after Pakistani authorities shut Axact down in May 2015, according to Bharara’s statement.

“Hamid allegedly took hefty upfront fees from young men and women seeking an education, leaving them with little more than useless pieces of paper,” Bharara said.

Contemporary Artists Investigate the Plurality of Identity in 21st Century Iran at the Aga Khan Museum

Beginning February 4, 2017, a pioneering and insightful collection of post-revolution Iranian art will be presented for the first time at the Aga Khan Museum. Featuring works by 23 contemporary artists, the world-premiere exhibition Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet: Contemporary Persians showcases the many identities of today’s Iranians through 27 works selected from the private collection of Iranian-British financier and art collector Mohammed Afkhami.

The works of art featured in the exhibition confront such issues of today as gender, politics, and religion — topics familiar to those in the Western world — through quiet rebellion, humour, mysticism, and poetry. These paintings, videos, sculptures, and photographs created since 1998 present a different side of Iran, previously unseen by Western audiences, and yet very familiar in its medium and meaning.

“Despite the sanctions, isolation, and political unrest characterizing Iran in this millennium, the creative forces of Iranian artists have not been dampened,” says Dr. Fereshteh Daftari, curator of Contemporary Persians. “The narratives presented in the exhibition are woven out of genuine obsession and eloquent resilience. This is not the first exhibition on the subject, but it is the first to cast these artists and their works in light of their fortitude.”

Exhibition highlights include: A digital portrait from the Miss Hybrid series by Tehran-based artist Shirin Aliabadi; A fighter jet made from 32 stacked Persian carpets by Shiraz-born artist Farhad Moshiri; A painted fiberglass sculpture standing nearly two metres tall by renowned Iranian-Canadian artist and sculptor Parviz Tanavoli; and, A triptych from the Snow White series, which began just after the outbreak of the Iranian Revolution, by late photographer and filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami.

In addition to being renowned for his contributions towards preserving and promoting modern art from the Middle East as a collector, Afkhami is also well known for his art philanthropy – as he is a Founding Member of the British Museum’s ‘Middle East and North Africa Art Acquisition Committee,’ a member of the Guggenheim Museum’s ‘Middle East and North Africa Art Acquisition Committee,’ and a member of the Board of Patrons for Art Dubai.

“A passion for the arts of Iran, tinged with patriotic undertones, is part of Mohammed Afkhami’s family history,” notes Dr. Daftari. “In a little over a decade, Afkhami has acquired some 300 works, many of them now iconic, from 1961 to today.”

Exhibition-related programming includes an Artists’ Symposium, featuring scholars from both Iran and Canada, and performances by renowned Iranian artists, such as singer-songwriter Mohsen Namjoo and Tehran-born singer Soley Vaseghi. The Museum’s restaurant, Diwan, will be offering special menu items that celebrate the textures and flavours of Iranian cuisine.

Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet: Contemporary Persians is curated by Dr. Fereshteh Daftari in cooperation with the Mohammed Afkhami Foundation, and runs through June 4, 2017 at the Aga Khan Museum.

The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, has been established and developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The Museum’s mission is to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the contribution that Muslim civilizations have made to world heritage while often reflecting, through both its permanent and temporary exhibitions, how cultures connect with one another. Designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, the Museum shares a 6.8-hectare site with Toronto’s Ismaili Centre, which was designed by architect Charles Correa. The surrounding landscaped park was designed by architect Vladimir Djurovic.

Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin lauds Indian American community

 The achievements and success of the Indian-American community has contributed greatly to India’s diplomatic efforts at the United Nations and elsewhere, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin, said here on December 21st. The Envoy to the UN was speaking at a TV Asia question-and-answer session aired live, praised the diaspora for bringing attention to India.
“We are more effective now because of you, the community,” Akbaruddin said at the session attended by more than a hundred representatives of Indian-American organizations in the tri-state area. Akbarudding stressed that the community’s success in America had not only drawn more attention to India, but also made the job of diplomacy easier.
The Q and A session lasted more than an hour during which India’s envoy fielded questions on the changing political scene in the U.S. with an incoming Trump administration and whether the UN was effective in protecting the human rights of people across the world.
Akbaruddin indicated that while there may be some change, India was expecting new perspectives to be presented at the international body and was prepared to deal with the issues within the framework of the United Nations.
On human rights, a question asked by a 12-year old student, Akbaruddin said it was up to the member-nations of the U.N. to adhere to human rights in order for the organization to be successful. He also said India’s demand for permanent membership on the UN Security Council may take a while. “It was a very interesting and educational sesion and people got an opportunity to ask questions and meet the Ambassador personally,” said H.R. Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia.

Meanwhile, India has renewed its demand for international action against Pakistan-based terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Taiba(LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and “their shadowy supporters,” and Syed Akbaruddin, India’s envoy to the United Nations, today cited a quote from poet Rumi to send to warn Pakistan.

“Every leaf that grows will tell you: What you sow will bear fruit. So, if you have any sense my friend, don’t plant anything but peace,” Akbaruddin said, quoting the great Persian poet in a Security Council session on the situation in Afghanistan.

The UN envoy’s remark was an apparent reference to terrorist groups operating with support from Pakistan in neighbouring Afghanistan. He said that to bring sustainable peace to Afghanistan, groups perpetrating violence in the country must be denied safe havens in its “neighbourhood.”

“We need to address, as an imperative, the support that terrorist organisations like the Taliban, Haqqani Network, Daesh, al-Qaeda and its designated affiliates such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed which operate entirely outside the fabric of international law draw from their shadowy supporters outside Afghanistan,” Akbaruddin said.

United Christian Cultural Association hosts Christmas Banquet

 Chicago IL: The inclemency of the Chicago snow storm could hardly ebb the reigning festive spirit of the Christmas celebrations that were held with full compliments of melodious carols, dance presentations, canticles, inspiring remarks and yuletide sermon marking the Grand Christmas Banquet hosted by United Christian Cultural Association [UCCA] on Friday, December 16, 2016 at the Bristol Palace in Mount Prospects, Illinois.
The Christmas carols singing with an ensemble of musical accompaniments including sounds of traditional indian ‘Dhol’ with families and children relishing the joyous canticles of the Christmas augmented by the presence of Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General of India and Movie/TV Actress & Gospel Speaker Divya Vani from India enhanced the evening celebrations of songs, dances, music, worship and dinner.
The evening celebrations set off with the lighting of the Advent Lamp led by Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General, Telugu Movie Actress Divya Vani opened the evening accompanied by a graceful musical carol.  Addressing the guests, Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General   extolled the festival of Christmas and reflected on  the exceptional contributions made by Christians in India  in the field of education, health care, charity, social empowerment, emancipation of women socio-economic  conditions and participation in public life and added that Christianity has profoundly helped strengthen the social fabric in India.  Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Sayeed sincerely expressed his appreciation to the UCCA leaders for inviting him and his wife to Christmas celebrations and complimented them for showcasing the spirit and celebrations of Christmas.
Movie/TV Actress Divya Vani in her short yuletide sermon explained the significance of Christmas as a day of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ into this world and that which symbolizes Jesus Christ as the personification of Divinity.  Divya Vani ‘s message which was interspersed with singing said Christmas is a season of great joy as it emphasizes the incredible mystery of the Lord’s coming to earth in the form of a child and destined to offer salvation to the humanity. In appreciation of her presence and sermon, Divya Vani was honored with a shawl and a flower bouquet.
Earlier, Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Director of UCCA  welcomed the gathering  and introduced the chief guest Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General of India and later joined by UCCA leaders  honored the Ambassador and his wife by presenting traditional shawls and flower bouquets. Raju Enoch Pasumarthi, UCCA President thanked the gathering of the families. Emmanuel Neela Vice President, Vasanth Charles, Director. Suneeta Christina, Satish Dadipogu Austin D’Souza, Nandan Thogaru, Pravin Neetipudi & Karunakar Mondithoka offered the Christmas greetings and seasons compliments; while Renee Thogaru arranged the Christmas carol choir singing.
The event was emceed by Anitha Tandur and music was provided by Johnson Kodipally, Vijay & Athyun Nagelli.  Several church pastors were also present including Mrs. Subhadra Vipparathi, Rev. David Vidyasagar, and Rev. Samson Purohit who participated in the ceremonies. The evening celebrations concluded with entire hall shimmering in candle lights sang together the traditional Christmas carols “Silent Night” which was followed by the serving of the festive dinner.

Yoga’s benefits being researched in many govt. funded projects across USA

Various US universities-medical/clinical centers-hospitals are undertaking research projects exploring yoga’s possible help in treatment of various illnesses, according to a database published on US National Institutes of Health (NIH) website.
Funded/administered by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Cancer Institute, etc.—all part of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; cost for some of these projects is listed at over half-a-million dollars each.
Project titles listed include looking into yoga’s help in the treatment/relief/intervention/management/care of PTSD, sleep disturbance, chronic pain, symptom management for breast cancer, arthritis, antenatal depression, urinary incontinence, smoking cessation, substance abuse, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, depression, pain perception and pain control, anxiety disorder, etc.
These projects are being undertaken at Indianapolis Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, University of California-San Francisco, University of Minnesota, Duke University, NIH Clinical Center in Maryland, Providence Butler Hospital, Boston Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Rhode Island Miriam Hospital, Alexandria University of Pennsylvania, University of Rochester, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston University, etc.; as per as the website.
NIH website also points out that “NCCIH is currently supporting research on how practicing yoga may affect”:  HIV, immune function, menopausal symptoms, multiple sclerosis, diabetes risk, etc.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, welcoming these state funded/administered research projects looking into possible usage of yoga in various health/medical related issues, called it “a step in the positive direction”. Zed urged all major world universities/medical-centers/hospitals to explore various benefits yoga offered.
Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted.
Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.
According to NIH; yoga may help reduce low-back pain and improve function, relieve anxiety and depression and insomnia, improve quality of life, reduce stress, lower heart rate and blood pressure, improve strength and flexibility. According to a “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image.  Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.

GOPIO to honor prominent NRIs at annual Convention

The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) is hosting its convention on 5th and 6th of January, 2017 at Hotel Le Meridien, Bengaluru in conjunction with Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conducted by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. This convention in Bengaluru attracts investors, political functionaries, business leaders from India and abroad and would be an important milestone which will chart out a course of action for the future.
GOPIO, founded in New York in 1989, has been serving the 30 million global Indian community for the last 27 years. GOPIO serves as an effective platform to channel NRI/PIO talents and investments to India their motherland. Over the years, GOPIO has taken up issues of civil rights and human rights violations of the Indian Diaspora around the world and are pleased to say that our communities have joined the political mainstream in many of the Diaspora countries. The philanthropic and social causes undertaken by GOPIO among the needy and distressed NRIs and PIOs are acclaimed by one and all.
However, visitors from abroad are ill prepared for the sudden demonetization of high value currency notes in India.  “One group that will be hit hard by the government’s restrictions will be hundreds of delegates reaching Bengaluru for the Pravasi convention from all over the world,” said Sunny Kulathakal, Convention Convener and GOPIO’s Global Ambassador. He added that many of them have in their possession demonetized currency notes that they may find difficult to exchange on arrival in India. GOPIO has requested the government to facilitate the exchange of these notes at various Indian embassies or other means.
Earlier GOPIO President Niraj Baxi wrote a letter Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to extend by six months the cutoff date for depositing the demonetized notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations.
“NRIs and PIOs should be allowed to exchange whatever amount they have as long as they show the proof of past conversion of foreign currency to Indian currency in the last 10 years,” said Thomas Abraham, Chairman of GOPIO International.
GOPIO will discuss this and other issues at the convention in Bangalore on January 5 and 6, 2017 at Hotel Le Meridien, Bengaluru. Union Minister of State for External Affairs Shri. M. J. Akbar will inaugurate the Convention at 4 PM on 5th. The Chief Ministers of Southern States of India and other prominent personalities will attend.
On 6th morning Dr. Shashi Tharoor, MP will inaugurate the panel discussion on Diaspora issues. It will be followed by panel dialogue on philanthropy by Lord Dilgit Rana, Lord Raj Loomba and others. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien will be attending the valedictory function.
The Awards Banquet function at 7 PM on Jan. 6th will be attended by the Governor Vajubhai Vala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other dignitaries. GOPIO Community Service AwardS also will be presented at the Finale Banquet event. This year’s awardees are as follows:
Abraham M. George is engaged in several social projects including: Shanti Bhavan Residential School (www.shantibhavanonline.org) for children from socially and economically disadvantaged families; Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media (IIJNM – www.iijnm.org); Baldev Medical & Community Center to address the healthcare needs of over 15 villages in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. His work in the field of environmental health was instrumental for the removal of lead from gasoline tin India in 2000 and the creation of National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning. George is the author of four books in international finance and environment. His recent book was “India Untouched: The forgotten face of rural poverty.
Chandu Patel has set up the Sabarkantha Health and Research Foundation (SHRF) to augment the state’s healthcare system. He started Krishna General Hospital in Himatnagar and plans to upgrade it to a medical college. The SHRF has also set up Geeta Girls Hostel for 300 college students and C. K. Patel Mahila Arts College. Chandu has also contributed to projects for abandoned children, senior citizens and other marginalized sections of society. His donations helped the victims of the Gujarat earthquake (2001), the Odisha super cyclone (1999) and other natural disasters. Chandu has been bestowed with many honors and awards for his community service and philanthropy.
After a 25 year career in Neonatology that spanned 3 continents, for the last 7 years Dr. Cherian has taken leadership of the American Mission Hospital in Bahrain. The hospital has been providing high quality care regardless of the ability to pay for the last 120 years. The Indian migrants who cannot afford insurance for healthcare have largely been the beneficiaries of hospital’s policy.  A sustainable model of financing to provide this care has been created to enable us to grow and expand our reach. This model of not for profit care can be modeled in all economies of scale in both developed and developing economies.
Vinod Chandra Patel has served Town and District of Ba as a Councillor and Mayor and as an elected Member of Parliament of Fiji on two occasions. His contributions have been in the field of Education, Sports, Religion, Community Health, Local Government, and National Government and in Community and Philanthropy. He has provided outstanding service to business and commerce and in the field of sports especially in Soccer as the National Team Director and Vice President. He is the recipient of several awards given by the Government of Fiji and Sanatan Dharam Pratinidhi Sabha. His philanthropic contribution to education in Fiji and India are legendary.
Dr. Ram Buxani is a 3 time Forbes awardee.  He is the Chairman of the ITL-Cosmos Group, a diversified global business entity.  He is a visionary entrepreneur, endowed with unfailing business acumen.  His autobiography “Taking the High Road”, is now in its second edition.  He is often recognized as Mr. NRI in Gulf Region.  Truly multi-faceted, he is a community leader, spokesperson of NRIs, writer, theatre actor, cultural ambassador and social organizer. He has been conferred the Doctorate by Washington International University in 2004 and D.Litt Degree by D.Y. Patil University of Mumbai – for his contribution for NRIs and victims of natural calamity.
Jay is currently employed as group head (home care) for Amka, a major toiletry and household company in South Africa. He has been with Amka for 28 years. He studied marketing and sales at various business institutions in South Africa. He has been involved in various community and charity drives within South Africa. He is very passionate about the plight of women and has worked on training women and placing them in employment. He is currently setting up a training academy where abused and unemployed women will be trained and employed.

Share and Care Foundation raises $800,000 at 34th annual gala

The New Jersey-based Share and Care Foundation raised $800,000 at the 34th the gala with the theme “I Am Empowered.” The charity hosted its 34th Annual Gala and Fundraiser at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on December 10th. Singer Parthiv Gohil and Indian-American actor Omi Vaidya entertained the audience of more than 1,500 who came to enjoy and give to their favorite charity. Describing Gohil as the “son of Share and Care,” Chairperson Sharad Shah said both Gohil and Vaidya have pledged to support the foundation and its various endeavors.

“Our annual gala is not like anybody else’s,” Shah said. The gala consists of 80 percent fundraising and 20 percent entertainment, he explained. Shah said the foundation uses the event as a platform to interact with their supporters and the community in general. Copies of the financial report are distributed to the audience, Shah noted, and the report is also read out at the event. “Communication with the community, our supporters is key,” Shah said.

share-and-care-foundation-raises-800000-at-34th-annual-galaShare and Care’s signature projects were also highlighted at the event. Two of these programs – Women Empowerment and Nirmal Bharat – have done exceptionally well, Shah said.

Share and Care’s Women Empowerment Committee has been striving to find simple and effective solutions to completely empower rural women in India, Share and Care says, describing gender equality and women empowerment as a multi-faceted and deeply rooted issue in all countries.

Although there is not one single solution to promoting gender equality, small steps can be taken to create significant change, and impact the lives of women all around the world, Shah said, noting, “Equality and equity, both are important.”

The foundation works with women with limited education, who therefore have few skills that can translate to an income or self-sufficient life. They also come from traditional families, where women are not given the same importance or value as men.

The foundation works with these women to provide vocational training, such as fashion design and computer training, to provide skills for employment or starting a business; financial management skills, basic principles of budgeting and saving their own money for their futures; self-defense lessons to help them defend themselves physically when necessary; confidence training, to help undo the traditional mindset of inferiority their communities may have instilled in them and to help them become more confident and self-sufficient; a safe space and legal protection and education for those who have escaped from prostitution; and gender equality education, for both boys and girls starting at a young age, to change the way women are viewed in society.

Rutgers financial whizzes beat Ivy League teams to win championship

Standing in the boardroom where top economists chart the nation’s financial future, a team of Rutgers University students beat out competition from Princeton and Dartmouth Thursday to win one of the nation’s most prestigious economic competitions.

The Rutgers team, made up of five undergraduates from the New Brunswick campus, were crowned the winners of the 13thannual College Fed Challenge, a national competition about the U.S. economy and monetary policymaking.

The Rutgers competitors gave a 15-minute presentation analyzing economic and financial conditions, then answered questions from top federal officials at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C.

A five-member undergraduate team from Rutgers that included juniors Karn Dalal and Shivram Viswanathan, beat out teams from Princeton, University of Chicago and Dartmouth in competition to win the ‘College Fed Challenge’, a competition that encourages students to learn about the U.S. economy, and the role of the Federal Reserve System, in Washington, D.C. last week.

At the prestigious competition, the Rutgers students evidently demonstrated a grasp of economics that propelled them to the top of the tough national competition.

The Dec. 1 finals took place in the boardroom of the Federal Reserve Bank with five Rutgers undergraduates facing teams from prestigious and Ivy League colleges.

“It was an absolutely stunning moment,” said Jeffrey Rubin, an emeritus professor in the Department of Economics, School of Arts and Sciences (SAS), and the team’s adviser since the competition began in 2003. “There we were in this very imposing boardroom, where the Fed sets policy, and competing against students from these outstanding schools,” he said in a statement.

At the College Fed Challenge students deliver a 15-minute presentation, analyzing current economic conditions and conclude by making a recommendation on monetary policy. The students then respond to a series of questions from a panel of three top economists at the Federal Reserve System who serve as judges.

After defeating Columbia University, among other schools, during the New York Federal Reserve District regional competition in October, the team advanced to the finals feeling relaxed and confident. Shivram Viswanathan, a junior majoring in economics and mathematics, said the other teams’ presentations at the finals were very impressive, and included ambitious and sometimes esoteric references that demonstrated considerable knowledge of macroeconomics.

“But I think what ultimately allowed us to get the edge is our ability to make our presentation in a comfortable, cohesive, and cogent manner,” he said. “We’d tie in a lot of different aspects of the global and domestic economy all at once, working disparate ideas into a single, clear concept.”

But in the boardroom, as the results were announced, the students and Rubin found themselves in a state of disbelief. The judges called the honorable mentions first – ASU, Princeton, and Chicago. “I remember taking a deep breath after the three honorable mentions, and thinking I’d still be happy to get second place,” said Dalal a junior majoring in economics and biomathematics. “Then we hear that second place goes to Dartmouth. That took a moment to register. And then you get that rush in your head and it’s like: ‘Yes! We did it.’”

His teammates had similar reactions.

Sikh Realtor given FBI’s Community Leadership Award

Swaranjit Singh Khalsa, president of Sikh Sewak Society International and a resident of the state of Connecticut, has been awarded the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award last week.

In April, 2017, he will travel to Washington, D.C., where he’ll receive a tour of FBI headquarters and will be celebrated along with the other award recipients during a ceremony, according to a report in Sikh 24.com.

FBI Community Outreach Specialist Charles Grady said, according to the Dec. 10 report, that Khalsa was chosen for his work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI to help educate law enforcement officers about cultural differences in Connecticut.

“It’s all about the willingness of an individual to go over and above what’s asked and bring people together from all walks of life,” Grady was quoted as saying. “He was the clear choice.”

The vetting process for the award is extensive A community or law enforcement agency nominates the person after which a special agent narrows down the nominees. Members of the FBI conduct interviews to learn how much of an impact the person has made.

Khalsa came to the city of Norwich in 2010 after graduating in New Jersey. He also serves as a member in commission of city planning, while running his own real estate business and gas station.

He held Connecticut’s first ever Sikh Awareness Day at his gas station where dozens of people including historians, police officers and local residents, turned up. This became the ice-breaker for a number of community-based meetings.

“That was the start of my interaction with the community,” he said. “After that, people were coming in, helping out, asking me to tell them more about my religion and where I came from,” he was quoted as saying.

An award he received at the 10th annual Interfaith Spiritual Wellness Fair symbolizes how far-reaching his efforts have been in the years since. The recognition is granted yearly to 56 people – one for each of the FBI’s field offices. In Connecticut, the Sikh population has been growing for years, Khalsa said. The rise of hate crime against Sikhs and the Wisconsin shootings prompted Khalsa to become proactive. “Sometimes it’s just the fear of the unknown,” Khalsa said.

That’s part of why he got involved educating officers about not only Sikhs, but also Muslims and Arabs. “When people learn, they realize they’re no different than us,” said Khalsa.

“They might look different, but their values are the same. Once we have that feeling among everyone, I think it will be a good thing,” he said. Khalsa said he largely stays away from talking politics but said education is more important than ever, and that the leader of the country sets the tone, so if they are sending a message of hate, that’s what will be spread around.

Khalsa is serving as a Member in Commission of City Planning and has his own real estate and Gas station business. He also held first Sikh awareness day in Connecticut, right at his station. Dozens of people — local residents, police officers, historians — showed up. That, he said, was the “icebreaker. That was the start of my interaction with the community,” he said. “After that, people were coming in, helping out, asking me to tell them more about my religion and where I came from.”

NY Assemblyman Weprin condemns rising hate crimes at South Asian event

New York Assemblyman David Weprin (District 24) condemned the recent rise in hate crimes across the great city of New York and nationwide during a panel discussion at the 24th Assembly District South Asian Advisory Panel on December11.

Besides Weprin, the afternoon panel discussion was also attended by Councilman Barry Grodenchik as well as local leaders from the Muslim, Sikh and Hindu communities and representatives from city agencies and community organizations.

“A hate crime against one of us is a hate crime against all of us, and we must stand together against each one of these incidents” Weprin said. Grodenchik also addressed the audience and noted that there had been an increase in hate crimes against people of all races and religions through the election period in 2016, including incidents of anti-Semitism and crimes against people with a South Asian background.

According to Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows), whose district has the largest South Asian population in the city, there has been a spike in complaints about hate-related incidents since the presidential election last month.

The apparent uptick in hate-related incidents hasn’t been limited to just Muslims or those perceived to be of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent. Weprin said there have also been an increased number of complaints from the Jewish and LGBT communities, among others.

“Obviously, as far as I’m concerned there’s no tolerance at all for any form of hate speech or hate crimes, whether it be physical or verbal,” he said. “We all have to stand together because a hate crime against one community is really a hate crime against all communities.”

Launched in 2015, the South Asian Advisory Panel, inside the assemblyman’s Union Turnpike office, is composed of leaders in the Muslim, Sikh and Hindu communities. Organizers said the goal is to foster more dialogue between the South Asian community and their elected officials by offering a direct channel for communication.

Several of the 20 or so community leaders in attendance also inquired about IDNYC, the city’s immigrant-friendly municipal ID card program. There has been some concern that program data could be used as a deportation tool under the Trump administration.

Remarks from the elected officials were followed by presentations from Tanjila Rahman of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, Keerthana Nimmala of the Immigration Intervention Project at Sanctuary for Families, Ming-der Chang, of New York-Presbyterian/Queens Hospital, and New York City anti-violence project Equal Justice Works Fellow Nishan Bhaumik.

Mayor de Blasio has pledged the city would seek to shield the information from federal officials — something it’s being sued over — and Weprin encouraged people to continue participating in the program.

Some of the topics discussed during the meeting, the advisory panel’s fifth such session, were somewhat routine: traffic problems at an intersection, concerns about bus service near Hillside Avenue. A representative from the city’s Department of Consumer Affairs also gave a presentation about free tax services that will be available in coming months.

But the most pressing issue seemed to be hate-related incidents and the aftermath of the presidential election. Nishan Bhaumik, who leads South Asian outreach efforts for the New York City Anti-Violence Project, talked for several minutes about ways people can respond if they see someone being harassed on the streets, or in buses and subways. “You should always consider your own safety first, and figure out if it’s safe for you to interject yourself into the situation,” he said. “Just acknowledging the fact that it happened with that person might help them,” he said.

Trishla Jain Debuts “Thank Joy” Capsule Collection  at Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global Pop-Up Store in New York City (NYC)

 

NEW YORK, NY: Artist Trishla Jain is debuting a capsule collection of mementos for home and beyond at Thrive Global’s premiere retail experience as a pop-up store in New York. The Thank Joy capsule collection is inspired by the fine art, poetry, and spiritual reflections of international artist and poet, Trishla Jain.  Trishla Jain is an artist, a mother, and a spiritual devotee in service of life’s ultimate purpose: to elevate human consciousness.

Thank Joy will offer a selection of embroidered tapestries, decorative pillows, statement scarves and jackets. Each hints at the signature use of color, texture, play and spirit identified with artist Trishla Jain. The capsule collection will be available for sale from December 1, 2016 through January 15, 2017 at 491 Broome Street.

Every Thank Joy tapestry is derived from Trishla Jain’s original paintings and subsequently hand-embellished with centuries-old techniques of beading, stitching, and jewelling by artisans in India. Two to four artisans work simultaneously to complete the craftsmanship on the tapestries, using up to 108 unique materials. The artisans finish the edges of the tapestries with gold hand-block printing before stretching them on wooden frames. The tapestries vary in size from larger wall hangings to ‘minis’ – a perfect gift offering versatile room adornment for a cozy corner, the boudoir, mantle, personal desk, and the like.

Thrive Global was founded by Arianna Huffington with a mission to lead a cultural shift from surviving to thriving. “We are a company deeply rooted in science and dedicated to helping people go from knowing what to do to bring more well -being into their lives, to actually doing it. I am so excited about the amazing collection of products, services and technologies we’re featuring at Thrive Global that will help people improve their well-being and productivity and lead healthier and more joyful lives.”

Trishla Jain, founder of Thank Joy, stated, “I’m honored to be part of my dear friend Arianna’s bold vision: consciously moving away from default-survival-mode to a full-blossom-thrive way of life. Fueled by daily meditation, my art aims to thank joy and remind us to walk towards the Self with every step.”

Thank Joy’s capsule collection of mementos for home and beyond is a sneak peek of the company’s formal launch in the Bay Area in early 2017 and eventual flagship stores in India.  Thank Joy by Trishla Jain At Thrive Global’s Pop-Up Store from December 1, 2016 – January 15, 2017 491 Broome Street New York, New York 10013 www.ThankJoy.com

Pennsylvania Indian American Physician Couple get humanitarian award

Drs. Neelima and Mukul Parikh of Mechanicsburg were recently honored with the 2016 Humanitarian Award from United Way of the Capital Region’s Tocqueville Society for their outstanding commitment to improving lives throughout the region during a special reception, sponsored by M&T Bank, Wilmington Trust, Clarion Hotel Partners and The JDK Group.

The society said that the Indian American physician couple, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., were honored for their outstanding commitment to improving lives throughout the region.

The Humanitarian Award is presented annually to a local leader, or leaders, who meets the criteria of having a commitment to voluntary systems of human services; having a creative approach to serving the community; are outstanding in providing leadership and working with others; provide sustained service over a period of years; are inspirational in encouraging others to serve; their actions have had or will have a major impact on changing and saving lives; and, produce results that are clearly visible and tangible.

Neelima and Mukul have practiced anesthesiology since 1984 at West Shore Anesthesia and Riverside Anesthesia Associates respectively and both have served in leadership positions within their profession.

Since the 1980s, Neelima and Mukul have used their medical talents, as well as their spirit for philanthropy to take medical mission trips to parts of Africa, Haiti, India, the Philippines and Thailand. These trips are financed using personal vacation time as well as personal funds. The couple strives to complete two mission trips a year.

In 2013, Mukul and Neelima founded Operation Medical, a nonprofit organization comprised of trained professionals and volunteers committed to providing high quality medical care and education to the most at-risk communities around the globe. Mukul, president of Operation Medical, along with Neelima, conduct surgeries, help secure financial resources, medical supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals, and inspire others to join in this life-changing work.

Both Neelima and Mukul are very active with the Hindu American Religious Institute (HARI). Neelima served as the first female president of HARI and on its board of directors. Mukul has served as chair of the board of HARI, where he also taught Sunday school for 25 years and coordinated youth group activities for a decade.

Longtime donors to United Way, Neelima and Mukul have continued to grow their generosity. In 2015, they donated $100,000 to our United Way – the largest gift from individual(s) last year. In 2005, the couple established a private foundation to help support the many educational, health care, religious and community service activities they ardently support.

Emerald Media leads $35 Million in Amagi Media Labs

By Arun Joseph

Emerald Media, the Pan-Asia company backed by leading global investment firm KKR for investing in the media and entertainment sector, today announced that it has acquired a significant minority stake in Amagi Media Labs (‘Amagi’), the leader in targeted TV advertising and cloud-based TV broadcast infrastructure. Premji Invest, the investment arm of Azim Premji, (an existing shareholder) is also participating in this combination of primary and secondary US$35 million Series D round. Mayfield India and Nadathur Holdings will continue to remain invested in the Company.

Headquartered in Bengaluru with offices in New York City, London, and Hong Kong, Amagi is a next-generation media technology company providing cloud-based managed broadcast services and targeted advertising platforms to customers, worldwide. Amagi enables TV networks to create a complete broadcast workflow on the cloud and deliver content over satellite, cable, IPTV or OTT (Over-The-Top) platforms. Using Amagi’s patented technologies, advertisers can target audiences at a regional level across traditional TV and OTT multiscreen platforms. Amagi has today scaled up to be one of India’s largest TV ad networks, playing around a million ad seconds every month on premium TV channels. With numerous installations of Amagi’s playout and edge insertion servers around the world, they are already a global force in the broadcasting technology domain.  Amagi has deployments in over 30 countries for leading TV networks and is India’s largest TV Ad network supporting more than 3,000 brands.

emerald-media-leads-35-million-in-amagi-media-labs-2The growth capital from this round of funding will enable Amagi to expand its targeted advertising platforms globally, enter new international markets for its cloud-based managed broadcast services and introduce a host of products to cater to the various needs of TV broadcasters and OTT networks.

Baskar Subramanian, Co-founder of Amagi, said, “Emerald Media, has a strong understanding of the TV Broadcast industry and the OTT space and we are very happy to partner with them. Their domain expertise and regional and global media relationships will help us further leverage the transition of the TV broadcasting industry to the cloud and expand our international footprint.”

Rajesh Kamat, Managing Director of Emerald Media, said, “Amagi has harnessed the transformative power of technology (both hardware and software) to change the way TV networks and brands perceive content delivery and monetization. Their cutting-edge technology is disruptive and the need of the hour. Emerald Media will assist Amagi in driving this change in the broadcast and digital industry by providing a distinctive combination of capital, domain knowledge and management bandwidth.”

Paul Aiello, Managing Director of Emerald Media, added, “Baskar, Srinivasan and Srividhya are the pioneers of targeted-TV advertisement in India. Amagi’s cloud-based managed services and monetization solutions, with high degree of workflow automation make TV networks efficient and future-ready compared to traditional broadcast models. With this investment, we expect Amagi to further expand its reach in the global market.”

Prior to this round, Amagi has raised US$25 million from Premji Invest, Mayfield India and Nadathur Holdings. Emerald Media is a Pan-Asian company backed by KKR to invest in the fast-growing media and entertainment industries across Asia for which KKR has committed up to $300mm from its KKR Asian Fund II. Emerald Media is led by industry veterans Rajesh Kamat and Paul Aiello, supported by an experienced team of investment and operating executives. Paul and Rajesh together have a combined experience of more than 30 years in the industry and bring a unique blend of operational and investment acumen to their business approach. Emerald Media has made key investments by acquiring significant stake in YuppTV, one of the world’s leading OTT video platforms for South Asian content, and now with this announcement, Amagi Media Labs, India’s leading targeted-TV advertisement solutions firm.

Emerald Media, primarily focuses on providing growth capital to media, entertainment and digital media companies. The company looks to invest approximately $15-75mn per investment to acquire control or significant minority positions in growing public and private media companies.

Amagi has been honored with the IBC Innovation Award for Content Delivery in 2015, for their work with AMC Networks International (Sundance Channel Global). Additionally, for their ad-tech solution to NDTV 24×7, and has won the ASBU BroadcastPro Middle East Innovative Project Award. Amagi has also been recognized as the winner in the media and entertainment category by Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific. The brand has also been recognized among India’s top 50 Brands in the country by Industry veterans and advertising and broadcasting fraternity in India.

Priyanka Chopra ‘Honored’ to be UNICEF Ambassador

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra, who has created waves with her stint in the American drama series “Quantico,” says she is honored to serve as Unicef’s Global Goodwill Ambassador.

Chopra on Tuesday wrote on Twitter: “Can’t believe it’s been 10 years! Honored to now serve as UNICEF Global Goodwill Ambassador along with this amazing group For Every Child.”

The former Miss World (she won the title in 2000), who will be seen making her international debut with the film “Baywatch” shared a photograph of herself along with football star David Beckham and actress Millie Bobby Brown on Instagram.

The “Bajirao Mastani” actress thanked Beckham and Brown for introducing her to the Unicef global family. “Thank you David Beckham and Millie Bobby Brown for inducting me into the UNICEF global family. Always delighted to meet like-minded people who believe that there is humanity left in us after all,” she wrote alongside the image.

Chopra, 34, also praised Brown for being a “superb host” and congratulated her for the “Golden Globes nod for every child” she is the only Indian in the USA to have been selected at the state level for the National Opus Honor Choir, extensive charity work back in India and the USA, and joined the CAF and CII in their literacy program and is their ambassador. Member of the support group for the Thalassemic children in U.P., India, participated in the adult education awareness program with the non-governmental organizations in the peripheral areas of Bareilly, joined the Indian Government-sponsored Polio Eradication Program as a volunteer. Raised funds for the destitute in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, by participating in a church program.

While shooting the song “Do Me A Favor, Let’s Play Holi” in the movie Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005), she stepped on a live wire and received a shock. She was hospitalized for a day. She did her schooling from La Martinière in Lucknow. She completed tenth grade in Boston and wanted to become a software engineer or a criminal psychologist.

Physicist Raju Venugopalan Honored with Humboldt Research Award

Raju Venugopalan, a senior physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory and an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University, has been awarded a Humboldt Research Award for his remarkable achievements in theoretical nuclear physics. This prestigious international award—issued by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Bonn, Germany—comes with a prize of €60,000 (nearly $70,000 U.S.) and the opportunity to collaborate with German researchers at Heidelberg University and elsewhere. Venugopalan joins 13 other Brookhaven National Laboratory researchers who have received this award since 1974.

“This is a great honor and I’m delighted to be in the company of other Humboldt winners over the past years,” Venugopalan said. “This award gives me a wonderful opportunity to build on and establish new collaborations with my colleagues in Germany, where I’ve been on sabbatical at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Heidelberg University for the past year. I look forward to widening and deepening these connections.”

Venugopalan’s work is focused on developing theories to explain and predict the behavior of extreme forms of nuclear matter—including the several-trillion-degree soup of quarks and gluons, known as quark-gluon plasma (QGP), generated in energetic particle collisions at colliders like Brookhaven Lab’s Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and Europe’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). He’s also explored the behavior of matter at the opposite temperature extreme, namely in ultra-cold atomic gases.

“Quark-gluon plasma has remarkable properties—like extraordinarily low friction, strong interactions among its constituent particles, and patterns of flow—that are different from what we observe in ordinary matter,” he explained. “And there are intriguing connections we see across different systems—from the hottest matter ever created in a laboratory to the coldest atomic gases. The microscopic interactions and particles that make up these systems are completely different, but the collective properties can be described by the same equations.”

This award gives me a wonderful opportunity to build on and establish new collaborations with my colleagues in Germany, said Brookhaven Lab physicist Raju Venugopalan.

For example, both systems undergo a similar sort of evolution as they expand from a vastly chaotic state toward equilibrium. “Expanding cold atoms behave the same way as QGP,” Venugopalan said, noting that the particles of each system momentarily get “stuck” in an eddy-like state along the way. “It’s as if you pushed all the particles in a room into one corner, then let them expand, but along the way, they get caught up in a swirling twister for a while before spreading to fill the room evenly,” he said. “How and why that is so is one of the big mysteries.”

The similarities suggest that studies of one system may help scientists better understand the other. “Can we reengineer tabletop experiments on cold atomic gases in ways that will offer insight into the much more complicated equations of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the theory that describes the behavior and interactions of subatomic quarks and gluons?”

Venugopalan will attend a workshop at Bad Honnef in Germany this December that will bring researchers worldwide together to discuss these ideas. He has also been exploring such topics as an external member of an interdisciplinary collaboration on Isolated Quantum Systems (ISOQUANT) at the University of Heidelberg. The Humboldt award will enable him to continue this work both in Germany and in the U.S. “The award gives me more flexibility to work with other people,” Venugopalan said.

Hindus urge Amazon to apologize & withdraw Lord Ganesha skateboards

 

Upset Hindus are urging world’s largest online retailer Amazon.com for the immediate withdrawal of skateboards, bed covers, duvet covers and bedspreads; carrying the images Hindu deity Lord Ganesha; calling it highly inappropriate.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that Lord Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to put your feet on or touch with your feet or sleep on it. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the faithful.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged Amazon.com and its President Jeffrey P. Bezos to offer a formal apology, besides withdrawing about few dozen of such products, as this was not the first time for the company to offer such products which were deemed offensive by Hindu devotees.

Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed indicated.

Zed further said that such trivialization of Lord Ganesha was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the followers, Zed added.

In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking. There are about three million Hindus in USA. Amazon.com, Inc., a Fortune 500 company founded in 1994, and headquartered in Seattle (Washington, USA), claims to offer earth’s biggest selection.

US wants a stronger India: US Ambassador to India Richard Verma

Condemning cross-border terrorism targeting India, U.S. Ambassador Richard Verma on December 14 said the Indo-U.S. ties are on a different plane compared to Washington’s “complex” relationship with Pakistan where the focus was on “counter-terrorism”.

“We have always maintained that cross-border terrorism has to end, and the perpetrators needed to be held accountable,” Verma told media persons here to a query on the export of terrorism from Pakistan to India. “Our relationship with Pakistan is complex, based on counter-terrorism. With India it is on a different plane,” the ambassador said at the Press Club in Kolkata. Iterating that the Indo-U.S. bilateral relations have been at their best over the past two years, he said: “We have relied on each other like never before (during this period).”

U.S. has emerged as India’s largest trade partner with the two-way trade touching $110 billion, with the two countries now setting a target to increase to $500 billion. “There are only a couple of countries which are both our strategic and commercial partners. India is one of them,” he said.

The final agreement for the India-U.S. Civil Nuclear Deal will be inked next year, while clean energy and climate as emerged as a single most important area of cooperation between the two countries. “The U.S. and India, the world’s to largest democracies, represent 1.6 billion people. if U.S. and India remain good partners, the world will be safe and prosperous,” he said.

Dr. Kiran Patel, Dr. Vijay Patel and Vijay Patel pledge to raise $3.1 million for Akshay Patra

By Suresh Bodiwala

Tampa Bay: The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA’s Tampa Chapter raised $2.5 million to build a new kitchen in Mota Fofalia, Gujarat, at its annual benefit recently.  Akshaya Patra is the world’s largest NGO-run school meal program, and provides school meals to 1.6 million children in 13,210 government schools across India.

Dr. Kiran Patel, a local Tampa doctor and community philanthropist, galvanized the event supporters with a $1 million pledge to build a new kitchen in Mota Fofalia, a rural village south of Vadodara.  Dr. Kiran Patel, says, “The gift of education is the best that somebody can give to anyone. Imagine a holistic approach where you also provide nourishment for the needy so you are providing health and education together”.

Dr. Vijay Patel, a local Tampa doctor, community philanthropist, and a member of Volunteer Committee pledged $500,000.  Dr. Vijay Patel, says, “I feel pride in joining with Tampa community and Dr. Kiran Patel to take the path of Akshaya Patra and build a kitchen in Gujarat in where over 50,000 children will be fed.”

Local businessman, Mr. Vijay Patel pledged $250,000 with an additional $250,000 pledged by Tampa bay community members.  Akshaya Patra Director of Development, Manisha Gandhi says, “It has been a remarkable experience to develop Tampa Bay Chapter. This was only the second event but the community is very passionate and came together to fund a kitchen in Gujarat. Dr. Kiran Patel, Dr. Vijay Patel, and businessman Vijay Patel are leading the project with highest in contributions. Dr. Kiran Patel is an inspiration for many in the USA with his Philanthropic efforts. It is heartwarming personally because this kitchen will provide meals for children in my home town of Dabhoi, Gujarat also.”  The Tampa Volunteer Chapter plan to raise a total of $3.1 million.

Dr. Kiran Patel, Dr. Vijay Patel, and Mr Vijay Patel created an appeal video for the Mota Fofalia fundraiser, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/dStQtsTSn0E

Desh Deshpande, Chairman of the Akshaya Patra Foundation USA and the event’s keynote speaker, congratulated the Tampa Chapter, saying, “The Tampa Chapter is an example of what a community can accomplish when they come together to improve the futures of children in a community a world away”.

Dr. Kaushal Chari, Chair of the Tampa Chapter, “I would like to thank Dr. Kiran Patel, Dr. Vijay Patel, Mr. Vijay Patel and the Tampa Chapter for bringing the Mota Fofalia kitchen to fruition. When completed, the Mota Fofalia will nourish the dreams of the 100,000 children the kitchen will serve every day. Their outstanding generosity and continued dedication to reaching their $3.1 million goal inspires our organization to reach greater achievements of impact and scale. For every $15 they raise, they are providing food for education”.

The 2016 Tampa Event Volunteer Committee was led by Dr. Kaushal Chari, Mr. Fazal Dasankop, Dr. Dilip Mehta, Dr. Ashok Modh, Dr. Vijay Patel, Mr. Vijaya Prakash, Dr. Raju and Anita Rao, Dr. Madhavi Sekharam and Mr. Sri Sridharan.

Akshaya Patra operates 26 kitchen facilities across India. Each of the 24 centralized kitchens utilizes state-of-the-art technology to freshly prepare 100,000 hot, nutritious meals daily. Each of the kitchens follows the highest standards of hygiene and food safety, and 13 of the kitchens have received already been certified as FSMS ISO 22000:2005 compliant, which means they meet the standards of the International Food Safety Management System (FSMS).  The International Organization for Standardization established the ISO 22000 certification to ensure the safety of the global food supply chain.  Akshaya Patra operates three other kitchens in Gujarat in Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Surat. These kitchens prepare meals for 407,992 children in 1,475 government schools. To support the Akshaya Patra Tampa Bay Mota Fofalia campaign, please visit: https://www.foodforeducation.org/campaign/mota-fofalia-kitchen

Sher -E -Punjab Sports Club Midwest Chicago organizes Annual meet and greet to thank its sponsors

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago, IL: Sher -E -Punjab Sports Club Midwest Chicago, the annual meet and greet was held at Cascade Banquets, 800 West Irving Park, Bensenville, IL 60106 on Saturday December 17, 2016. The party was held to honor the sponsors of the annual sports tournament. The club organizes kabaddi tournament on Memorial Day every year with much fanfare. This kabaddi tournament is considered to be the best in the Midwest states and is reflected in the organization and number of attendees in the event. Parminder Singh Walia and Amardev Singh Bandesha coordinated the event to acknowledge the support of all the sponsors and committee members.

The president of the club Gurdev Singh Gill welcomed the guests amid much fanfare. He thanked everyone for joining the celebration despite inclement weather. Jesse Singh started off the evening with his beautiful melody ” Jinne de Teri Jean …”. Mr Amardev Singh thanked all the distinguished guests in the audience including Nilesh Topiwala. He also thanked Prachi Jaitly, Staff Writer from Asian Media US for attending the event. Gurvinder Singh Chatha also thanked everyone for joining the occasion. Jaskaran Singh Dhaliwal congratulated the club and its teams for their hard work.

Other sponsors and supporters that were thanked were Balwinder Singh, Gurmit Singh Sallan, Jaswinder S. Gill, Hardeep S. Bandesha, Jinder S. Banipal, Najar S. Gill, Babbi S. Bath Baljit S. Tiwana, Kabul S. Bhullar, Parminder S. Walia, Lakhwinder S. Biharipur, Jindi S. Khangura, Amardev S. Bandesha Surinder S. Bhati, Amritpal S. Gill, Dharminder S. Jaswal, Harwant S. Grewal, Jaswinder S. (Jassie), Darshan S. Pamma, Rachhpal S. Khangura.

Happy Multani sang some very beautiful Punjabi numbers like “Soni Lagdi” providing a beautiful mood to the occasion. He also sang “Jidi kothi daane, ode Kamle vi siyane”. DJ was provided by Rishpal Singh who made the guest dance on some very famous bhangra songs.  Parminder Singh Walia mesmerized the audience with his spectacular Bhangra moves and his wonderful sense of humor.  After acknowledging all the 2016 patrons, everyone gave best wishes to the club and its members for the next tournament with a renewed focus on making the 2017 tournament even more successful

Sushma Swaraj Among Foreign Policy’s 15 Global Thinkers List

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has been included in Foreign Policy magazine’s 2016 list of 15 Global Thinkers “for fashioning a novel brand of Twitter diplomacy”. In a website posting, the magazine recalled how, when around 10,000 Indian workers in Saudi Arabia faced a “food crisis” earlier this year due to job losses, Sushma Swaraj tweeted about the issue to six million followers on the social media website.

“What followed was a weeks-long social media operation in which Swaraj posted information for migrants about rations provided by the Indian embassy, claims for unpaid wages, and government-organized transportation home,” it said.

Stating that this was not the first time that Sushma Swaraj used the internet to reach out to people abroad, the posting said: “From evacuating Indians from Yemen to helping replace lost passports, Swaraj has earned the nickname ‘the common tweeple’s leader’ for her aggressive use of Twitter.”

Swaraj was named in the ‘decision makers’ category along with the Democratic Party US presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon, German chancellor Angela Merkel and US attorney general Loretta Lynch among others. “Very proud to see our hardworking EAM @SushmaSwaraj part of the @ForeignPolicy Global Thinkers list 2016! Congrats,” PM Narendra Modi tweeted.

The magazine recalled how, when around 10,000 Indian workers in Saudi Arabia faced a “food crisis” earlier this year due to job losses, Swaraj tweeted about the issue to six million followers on the social media website. Sushma Swaraj is currently recuperating from a kidney transplant operation at the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.

GOPIO – INLAND EMPIRE CHAPTER IN CALIFORNIA INAUGURATED

On December 4, 2016, the opening of another New Chapter, in Southern California, GOPIO-Inland Empire Chapter, was inaugurated at the Mantra Indian Cuisine in Ontario, California. At the opening were present, the GOPIO Chairman, Dr. Thomas Abraham, The GOPIO Foundation Executive Trustee Mr. Inder Singh, and the Gopio-International Treasurer Mr. Kewal Kanda. There were many supporters and Presidents and CEO of various organizations, Corporations, President of National Federation of Indian Associations, Ashok Madan, President of Chamber of Commerce in Artesia Parimal Shah, President of Rajput Association of America Rajinder Dhunna, ASEI Foundation Chairman Subba Gopavarupa, President of County of Los Angeles Indian American Professional Association Ramesh Ramnani, Executive Member of Indian Cultural Society of Los Angeles Manmohan Chopra, Executive Member of BAPS Swami Narayan Temple (Chino Hills, CA) Kanaksinh Zala, Finance Director of City of Hawthorne Rickey Manbahal, Yogesh Patel of ICS-LA, IT Project Manager Sof uperior Court of California Venkateshwar Rao Peddi, and Franchisee, 7-Eleven Stores Tarlochan Rangi, Chief Marketing Officer of ICB International Inc. Dr. Gurmeet Multani, MD, Dr. Atul Karia D.D.S of Sierra Gateway Dental Office, Madhur Shrivastav of Sunbelt Systems and Dr. Devdat Maheshwari of Vedic Temple of Montclair, Award Winning Fashion Designer Shekhar Rahate, Chair of Inland Empire IARCA Rajbir Bagga and Founder of EVP Technology & Innovation Piyush Malik. There were over 50 attendees at the Event and majority of them were from the Inland Empire Region.

The Foundation Executive Trustee, Inder Singh, gave a scenario of what GOPIO Foundation is all about and the many accomplishments since the establishment of GOPIO in 1989. Dr. Thomas Abraham, the Chairman of GOPIO Foundation, gave the New Chapter members of GOPIO-Inland Empire Chapter, advice and explained what the goal of GOPIO International is “Think globally and Act Locally” and how GOPIO International does things differently from other Indian Organizations and is connected with the Indian Diaspora, throughout the World. He also discussed the GOPIO News Publications that reaches throughout the world.

GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham installed the New Gopio Inland Empire Chapter, along with Inder Singh. Executive Committee members are as follows: President: Vasu Pawar, Executive Vice President: Dr. Kanan Modi, Secretary: Ramesh Ramnani, Jt. Secretary: Dinesh Sharma, Treasurer: Rickey Manbahal

Executive Members included Rajbir Husson, Dr. Gurmeet Multani, Baljit Kaur Toor. Venkat Peddi, Shyamal Leonard, Taneja Husson, Bharati Lunagaria, Raj Lunagaria, Raj Bagga, Suren Sabkota, Atul Karia, Tarlochan Rangi, Chanel Beery. Deepicka Mehta

Vasu Pawar, shared information on the Inland Empire region of S. California, which covers approximately 27,000 square miles. All of West Riverside County, S. West San Bernardino County, and E. Los Angeles County, Cities like Pomona Valley through Palm Springs. Inland Empire has a population of approximately 4 million and in the 19th century was predominantly a major agricultural region, of Citrus, Dairy Farms, and Wine making. Now it’s more of a Residential, Industrial and Commercial Development.

Pawar said that that our strength lies in the inexhaustible resources of our people. It is important that we renew that strength and create energy, to secure our Indian heritage, the pride of our nation and the people of Indian Origin. Our voices have to be heard. When we work together with our common values and principles and with confidence, we must reach our destination.

Pawar plans to make GOPIO-Inland Empire Chapter, to be the biggest and the most productive chapter in the History of the GOPIO Establishment. The President of GOPIO-Inland Empire Chapter, Ms. Vasu Pawar wishes to distinguish herself and her chapter, with uniqueness, and exceptional performance, and professionalism. She looks forward to the wholehearted support and participation of the community in the Inland Empire Region in making the GOPIO-Inland Empire Chapter, a Chapter to be remembered.

The GOPIO-Inland Empire Chapter President, Vasu Pawar, with a background in English Literature, Education, Finance, and Information Technology, started her carrier in the U.S., as a Systems Analyst and further transitioned into Finance.

She expressed that she has various projects on her mind, which address, Charity, Entertainment, Motivation and Strength to the Indian Diaspora. Pawar thanked everyone for attending the opening of the GOPIO-Inland Empire Chapter, to accomplish a very important task to focus and address issues of our fellow Indians and to help each other, to bring recognition and fame to each and every Indian in our community, and to address values and principles, which guide us.

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