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

November 1, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

November 1, 2016 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

November 1, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

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

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

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

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

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

Births Outside of Marriage Decline for Immigrant Women

November 1, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Climate Doomsday – Another Step Closer

November 1, 2016 Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

By Baher Kamal: Credit: UNEP

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

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

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

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

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

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

The ozone layer: protecting our atmosphere for generations to come

November 1, 2016 Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

Credit: UNEP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Renu Khator named to Department of Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council

October 28, 2016 Staff ReporterU.S. 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

USCIS Announces Final Rule Adjusting Immigration Benefit Application and Petition Fee

October 28, 2016 Staff ReporterTravel, U.S. 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chicago Andhra Association celebrates “Samskrutika Dinotsavam”

October 28, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Asian Media USA ©

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yoga Room at Miami Airport

October 28, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maanasa Mendu wins America’s top Young Scientist award

October 28, 2016 Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 28, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture/Religion 0

By Asian Media USA ©

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 28, 2016 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

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

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

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

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

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

By Prajith Menon

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

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

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

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

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

By Ashish Badshaw

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mirzya review: A colourful rendition of Shakespeare in Rajasthan

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deepika Padukone launches mental health awareness campaign

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterHealth 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

India promises to tackle climate change issues

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Religious Goddesses and Conditions of Women Today in India

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, India 0

By Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 27, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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

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

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

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

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

Diwali at Times Square 2016 lights up NYC

October 26, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

Princeton, N.J. holds Diwali Fair

October 26, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

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

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

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

Vikram Chatwal arrested for lighting two dogs on fire

October 26, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

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

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

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

Amit Kanodia convicted of insider trading

October 26, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indian American Teenager shot dead at sandwich shop

October 26, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 26, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aarzu Restaurant celebrates 1st Diwali

October 26, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

By Jitin Jingorani

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hartals in Kerala: a shameful exercise in futility

October 26, 2016 Staff ReporterEditorial 0

By George Abraham

Perspective of a Non-resident Keralite

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 24, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

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

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

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

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

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

BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Opens With Grand Ceremony In Long Island

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

INOC-I given warm reception to Ashwani Kumar

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

By Rajender Dichpally

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Congressional candidate Peter Jacob’s house vandalized

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

City Council Passes Three Key Data Equity Bills

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

CACF to honor Anurima Bhargava

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Midwest Akali Dal performed a mega rally in Chicago

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Asian Media USA ©

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 23, 2016 Staff ReporterHealth 0

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

The 10th annual Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) organized by the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs & Ministry of Health and the government of Gujarat, with participation from some of the world’s most well known physicians, and industry leaders will be held from December 28th to 30th, 2016 in Udaipur, Rajasthan,.

“In order to cater to its diversity of medical specialties, AAPI continues to use a multi-disciplinary conference format to provide ongoing education to its members. The essence of AAPI is educational,” Dr. Ajay Lodha, president of AAPI, while describing the purpose of CME said. According to Dr. Lodha, “That translates into numerous Continuing Medical Education and non-CME seminars by experts in their fields. CME will provide comprehensive and current reviews and guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of various disease states to reduce morbidity and mortality and achieve cost effective quality care outcomes. At the end of the activity, it is expected that attendees will gain an understanding of the causation, diagnosis and the best clinical practices for the management of the diverse group of diseases discussed during this program.”

“Many of the physicians who will attend this convention have excelled in different specialties and subspecialties and occupy high positions as faculty members of medical schools, heads of departments, and executives of hospital staff. The GHS offers an opportunity to meet directly with these physicians who are leaders in their fields and play an integral part in the decision-making process regarding new products and services,” Dr. Lodha added.

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

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

According to Dr. Lodha, who has just returned from India, after a series of meetings with several Ministers and government officials in New Delhi, Rajasthan, and Mumbai, said, “This year AAPI Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) at Udaipur will be many new initiatives and also will be carrying the torch of ongoing projects undertaken by AAPI’s past leaders. In addition, several prominent leaders both from India and abroad will be addressing the Summit.”

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

The Forum will also offer insights into managing efficiently the growing costs in the delivery of healthcare services. “With the changing trends and statistics in healthcare, both in India and US, we are refocusing our mission and vision, AAPI would like to make a positive meaningful impact on the healthcare delivery system both in the US and in India,” Dr. Lodha said.

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

This international healthcare summit is a progressive transformation from the first Indo-US Healthcare Summit launched by AAPI USA in 2007. “Providing a forum for innovative opportunities for learning, networking and giving back to our motherland that have now enabled us to plan ahead and prepare for an outstanding event that will be over 300 very prominent and talented physicians and surgeons from abroad, in addition to the hundreds of physicians from India, who are very passionate about serving their homeland, mother India,” Dr. Gautam Samadder, President-Elect of AAPI, says.=

“This Summit will display how well the Indian doctors have shown themselves as an effective force in the medical world in USA,” Dr. Naresh Parikh, Vice President of AAPI, says. GHS 2014 will include a scientific programs developed by leading experts with contributions by the Scientific Advisory Board and International Scientific Committee, which will includes high priority areas like Cardiology, Diabetes, Oncology, Surgery, Mental Health, Maternal and Child Health, Allergy-Immunology and Lung Health, Health Information Technology (HIT), and the impact of co-morbidities, Dr. Samadder explains.

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

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

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

October 22, 2016 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

António Guterres appointed next UN Secretary-General by acclamation

October 21, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 21, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indian Americans are the highest paid community

October 21, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity, India 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nearly three fourth of Indian Americans support Hillary Clinton

October 21, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterTourism 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

Global Citizen Festival joins Miracle Foundation to raise funds for orphans

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Asian Media USA ©

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sikh Civil Rights discussed on Capitol Hill

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

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

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

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

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

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

Chicago Tribune Endorses Illinois Candidate Krishnamoorthi For Congress

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abraham Verghese receives National Humanities Medal

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterHealth 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vinaya Manchaiah named ‘Future Leader of Audiology’

October 20, 2016 Staff ReporterHealth, Science & Technology 0

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

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

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

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

Antonio Guterres: New UN Secretary General

October 18, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verandah announces start of construction in Schaumburg area

October 10, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

By Suresh Bodiwala

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

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

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

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

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

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

Preliminary Injunction in Mike Honda’s lawsuit against Ro Khanna

October 10, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anushka Naiknaware wins Lego Education Builder Award at Google Science Fair

October 10, 2016 Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 10, 2016 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 10, 2016 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 10, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The newly adopted resolution also affirms the right of journalists to use encryption and anonymity tools. Journalists often rely on such mechanisms to safely impart information anonymously online. They are also used to encrypt their communications in order to protect their contacts and sources.

Radsch noted that these tools are essential for journalists “to do their job in the 21st century.”

The resolution also addresses the specific risks that women journalists face in their work, condemning all gender-based attacks.

Earlier in September, freelance journalist Gretchen Malalad and Al Jazeera Correspondent Jamela Alindogan-Caudron were subject to severe social media attacks, receiving threats of rape and death due to their coverage of the Philippine government’s controversial anti-drug war.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NJUP) Ryan Rosauro expressed his dismay of the state of journalism in the country, stating: “We will never take any threats, whether of physical harm or to silence us, lightly for we have lost far too many of our colleagues and hardly seen justice for them,” he said.

In a joint statement with NJUP, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) stated that the government must take social media threats to journalists seriously and should penalise perpetrators to ensure the safety of journalists.

In their 2016 World Press Freedom Index, RSF ranked the Philippines 138th out of 180 countries in press freedom making it one of the most dangerous countries for practicing journalists.

As in previous years, the UNHRC also highlighted the need to end violence against journalists and to combat impunity for attacks. CPJ found that over 1,200 journalists have been killed since 1992, the majority of whom were murdered with complete impunity. Other organisations speculate that the numbers are higher, with IFJ reporting that at least 2,300 journalists and media staff have been killed since 1990.

In 2009, prominent Sri Lankan journalist and editor Lasantha Wickramatunga was beaten to death after his car was pulled over by eight helmeted men on motorcycles. Often critical of the government and its conduct in the country’s civil war, the editor had been attacked before and received death threats for months prior to his death. He even anticipated his own fate, writing an essay shortly before his death about free media in the South Asian nation.

“In the course of the past few years, the independent media have increasingly come under attack. Electronic and print-media institutions have been burnt, bombed, sealed and coerced. Countless journalists have been harassed, threatened and killed. It has been my honour to belong to all those categories and now especially the last,” Wickramatunga wrote.

Most recently, Jordanian journalist Nahed Hattar was shot dead while on his way to face charges for sharing a cartoon deemed offensive to Islam.

“The killing of Mr. Hattar is appalling, and it is unacceptable that no protection measures had been put in place to ensure his safety, particularly when the threats against him were well known to the authorities,” said UN special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression David Kaye.

Kaye urged authorities to bring the perpetrator to justice and to ensure legislation that allows a culture of diverse expression. However, both Radsch and Ewen noted that the resolution is only the first step as it must be translated to action on the ground.

“We continue to see the failure of states to adequate investigate the murders of journalists…so while resolutions are important, we need to see actual concrete actions to accompany these normative statements,” Radsch told IPS.

Ewen stated that UN resolutions are “strong and strongly worded” but it still remains to be seen for states to implement measures to protect journalists and the right of freedom of expression. She pointed to RSF’s campaign to create a Special Representative to the UN Secretary-General for the safety of journalists as a way to ensure states comply with their international obligations.

Led by RSF, the Protect Journalists campaign has brought together over a 100 media organisations and human rights organisations including CPJ, the Guardian and the United Nations Correspondents Association to push for the establishment of a special representative.

During a press conference, RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire noted that a special representative could act as an early warning and rapid response mechanism to give journalists, when threatened, access to authorities and protective measures as laid out in the resolution. He also added that a special representative with political weight can make sure the safety of journalists is integrated in all UN programs and operations.

“Every week, there are new names on new graves in journalist cemeteries…we cannot let anymore journalists be killed because of this lack of political will,” Deloire told press.

The 47-member state council adopted the resolution on the safety of journalists by consensus, expressing a deep concern for the increased number of journalists and media workers who have been killed, tortured and detained. Nations beyond the UNHRC including Austria and the United States also joined the initiative as cosponsors.

Second October –A Day of Peace and Harmony

October 10, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

Ravi P. Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service

Most people know that Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. The day is celebrated all over India as well as in several parts of the world as Gandhi Jayanti — a day to remember the concepts of truth and non violence that this great soul (Mahatma) practiced all his life. Unfortunately this man of peace and non violence died a violent death on 30 January 1948 when he was shot dead by a man who wrongly felt that Gandhi was partial to Muslims in India.

Few people outside India would know that this day is also the day when another simple and self effacing man Lal Bahadur Shastri was born in 1904. From his simple beginnings Shastri rose to become the second Prime Minister of India when Jawaharlal Nehru died in 1964. Unfortunately Shastri had a very short stint in this important office. He had gone to Tashkent in Uzbekistan to negotiate with his Pakistan counterpart. But on January 11, 1966, he suffered a stroke and died in Tashkent itself.

Although there is a generation gap between the two leaders, there are some unusual similarities. I will only illustrate one common element of simplicity and truthfulness. Gandhi was a prolific writer; he used to write with a pencil. One morning when he awoke he found his small pencil missing. On enquiring he was told by his son that since the pencil had been used often and was very small, he had taken it away and replaced it by a new one. Gandhi felt otherwise and felt unhappy; he felt he could write with it some more. Ultimately the small pencil was found and brought before him so that Gandhi could use it for some more time and not waste it.

Shashtri had never gone outside India. He had few clothes and no woolen jacket. When he had to go Europe during the time he was in Nehru’s cabinet he was told that he needed a jacket to ward off the cold weather in his proposed trip. But he did not have a jacket and due to his simple life style he did not wish to buy a new one. Ultimately Nehru came to his rescue and loaned him his jacket so that Shastri could travel abroad without purchasing a new one.

Like Gandhi, Shastri also preferred travelling by train not in a first class cabin but in a third class coach. Why? To remain in touch with ordinary men and women. Such are the attitudes and practices of great souls.

October 2: Nonviolence Day, Gandhi’s Birthday

October 10, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

TMS PEACE JOURNALISM

“The International Day of Non-Violence is marked on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.” — un.org

Thus starts the UN Resolution that on 15 June 2007 formalized the legacy of one the most prominent figures of the 20th Century, born 1869 dead 1948 and still ahead of his time in 2016. Yet, in the short span of 9 years this celebration has already become merely symbolic, ceremonial, practically meaningless. Gandhi Jayanthi as it is called in India. Myths can be useless and also misleading. So let me stick to the man and his meaning to humans.

Let’s remind ourselves of the worldwide wars, proxy-wars, invasions, occupations, terrorisms (State and private); slaveries/tortures of various kinds, human trafficking, forced human mass displacements, persecutions of minorities, economic exploitation, and cruelty to animals. Governments, TNCs, the arms industry, and the top 1%—the elites– profit from all of the above across religious, political, cultural, national, ideological, geographical divides (the globalization).

Such elites will provide narratives for why they have to kill, mutilate, exploit, and cause pain & suffering. And the masses will swallow their vile interpretations and rewritings of reality with a religious apathy and disconnection from reality. And that despite Internet, cell phones, social media, instant communications, and all the gimmicks that supposedly bring info, knowledge, culture, literacy to them. Pessimism? Realpolitik? Realism? Take your pick. History at its best.

But it doesn’t matter the amount or prevalence of violence employed or practiced anywhere anytime. It was from within a violent environment, which oppressed him both in South Africa and in India, that the Mahatma, born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, gave birth to his philosophy of nonviolence. Yin-Yang. The world is readier than ever for it. Nevertheless, besides a philosophy NV can be many things for many people depending on contexts.

Gandhi reminded us that conflicts are natural occurrences. “Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.” They may arise from incompatible goals (Galtung). Or from pathologies. Nonviolence is one way of responding to conflicts whether at a personal, familiar, social, or political level (Micro- Meso-Macro-Mega levels: Galtung). Another response is the use of violence. Nonviolence is therefore a means to conflict resolution or transformation. Peace by peaceful means.

Because conflicts are symptoms of damaged relations, it is in the relationships that they are to be addressed, not in the parties–as a starting point. For if you steal my bicycle, and we fight over it, before ‘making peace’ you must return the stolen bike: common justice as a prerequisite.

Nonviolence can also be a political strategy to achieve a public goal or set of goals. The difference between strategy and tactics is that strategy is done above the shoulders whereas tactics are done below the shoulders, someone said. NV can be used as both, in tandem, defensively or offensively, a tool, a skill, an art: Civil Disobedience. Besides being a way of life, ahimsa.

“Non-Violence,” a sculpture by Karl Fredrik Reutersward, sits permanently outside UN Headquarters in New York. A most popular quote of Gandhiji is: “Be the change you want in the world.” The change starts in the person; nonviolence starts here—a design for living.

In his only book, The Story of My Experiments with Truth: An Autobiography, a collection of articles he wrote for Young India around 1927, Gandhi repeats many times the maxim that guided his actions throughout his life: Truth is God. Not God is truth, which would be a mere attribute, like God is love, God is light, God is the father. In his consciousness, Truth comes before God. Not mere semantics or a slogan but a principle to live–and die–for. Aptly, he named his movementSatyagraha (satya “truth”; agraha “insistence” or “holding to”).

It was this depth of commitment to truth and principle that Gandhi brought to the table and to his nonviolent interventions, which resulted in the retreat of the biggest empire of the time from India. Independence was not granted; it was conquered, but without bloodshed of the oppressors.

Sir Winston Churchill gave this unflattering description of Gandhi: “It is alarming and also nauseating to see Mr Gandhi, a seditious middle temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir of a type well known in the east, striding half-naked up the steps of the viceregal palace, while he is still organising and conducting a defiant campaign of civil disobedience, to parley on equal terms with the representative of the kingemperor.” (India Today)

As the resistance and instances of civil disobedience swelled, Churchill announced: “I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion, breeding like rabbits.” Such was his hatred for the successful nonviolent uprising and Gandhi.

God was never separated from Gandhi’s actions. His understanding of nonviolence implied the need for virtue in the satyagrahi, the practitioner of NV. A few quotes of his:

“Nonviolence is the greatest virtue, cowardice the greatest vice—nonviolence springs from love, cowardice from hate. The weak will never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

“My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at His feet.”

“Fearlessness is the first requisite of spirituality. Cowards can never be moral.”

“Faith is not something to grasp, is a state to grow into.”

It was here that Gene Sharp and others diverted from Gandhi’s approach to NV. Sharp tried to transform nonviolent actions into mere instruments that could be carried out by any party seeking any objective however lowly either could be. This is not the place to elaborate on this, but I encourage readers and students to research further.

Gandhi gave a new meaning to the concept of civilization. In the 19th Century, the British spuriously classified peoples and races as Civilized, Barbarians or Savages insofar as their ‘evolution’ vis-a-vis Darwin’s theory of the survival of the fittest. They placed themselves, the white Anglo-Saxons, at the top of this food chain as the civilized ones. Barbarians were all non-Europeans such as Arabs, Indians, Asians; and Savages were the sub-Saharan Africans, natives from the Americas and Islanders. All non-white.

Gandhi redefined, imparted a new meaning to the term ‘Civilization’ with his concept of ‘Nonviolence’ as the way of truly civilized persons and cultures, of relations, mediation of conflicts; a necessary first step for the abolition of war as institution. For by eliminating the violence (smoke) mediators can look into the source of conflicts (fire)—and work on them. The soft side of all religions mandate nonkilling of humans, but Gandhiji expanded it to all forms of life: ahimsa.

Gandhi’s legacy was felt also inside of India with the abolition of the caste system by law. He renamed the Untouchables as Harijans or children of God. But, like racism in the USA, also outlawed, it had little impact in society. Laws cannot and do not erase traditions and customs ingrained in people’s minds and in deep culture. His own wife, Kasturba, would not agree in sharing their table with harijans, as he wished.

He did everything in public, with the masses he loved. He ate, prayed, fasted, slept, worked in their presence. His stomach was the weakest part of his body as he suffered from a chronic diarrhea that forced him to use diapers at times.

The Mahatma did not win a Nobel Peace Prize despite being nominated. The excuse was that he was not a man of peace, he fought against the British Empire [and dared to win—I’d say]. He was rather of the naïve persuasion, as many of us are; not a hawk, a personality trait essential for success in business and politics today. Case in point, the rat race we witness to the White House.

Last act: Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead on Jan 30, 1948 by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic nationalist who asked forgiveness before pulling the trigger. He wouldn’t accept what in his view was Gandhi’s partiality toward Muslims in the partition of India into India/Pakistan. Upon falling, Gandhiji uttered his last word: “Rama.” One of God’s name in India.

India inks pact with Metropolitan Museum

October 9, 2016 Staff ReporterTourism 0

India’s Ministry of Culture and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, signed a Memorandum of Agreement to continue the Indian Conservation Fellowship Program after a pilot project proved successful. The pilot project conducted from 2013 to 2016, provided training for Indian personnel in the latest methods of conserving artifacts and planning exhibitions etc.

The agreement was renewed for the next five years until 2021, and under it the MET will work with the Ministry of Culture to impart a broad range of knowledge on modern operations of museums.

For marking this occasion, the Consulate General of India organized a small reception with the Met Museum officials on Sept 27, where India’s Consul General Riva Ganguly Das welcomed the initiative and hoped the learning would enrich both sides, and help Indian conservationists adopt scientific western methods of conservation and management.

Carrie Rebora Barratt, deputy director for Collections and Administration at the MET, spoke about the need to conserve the rich cultural heritage of India and the mutual learning that will result from the initiative. Mariët Westermann, executive vice president for Programs and Research at Mellon Foundation, the chief sponsor of the program, expressed the same thoughts.

Raghubar Das urges NRIs to invest in Jharkand

October 9, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

Raghubar Das, the Jharkand chief minister has appealed to Indian Americans to invest in the state of Jharkand, calling especially upon NRIs from Jharkhand to be partners in the development of the state that has since its creation 15 years ago failed to realize its full potential thanks to political instability.

At an investment road show at the Taj Pierre Hotel in New York on September 28, Das noted that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always said ‘Make In India’ but ‘Make in India’, actually started with ‘Make in Jharkhand by Jamshedji Tata way back in 1907 with the founding of the Tata Steel plant which then was the largest private sector investment in Asia.

The New York luncheon meeting, “Investment Opportunities in Jharkhand”, hosted by the USIBC and CII, was attended ,among others, by industrialist Prakash Hinduja, and some NRI entrepreneurs from Jharkhand, a few of whom expressed interest in setting up solar projects in the state.

On 29th September 2016, the Chief Minister addressed a gathering of investors at a roadshow organized by Govt. of Jharkhand in support of National partner Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in association with US India Business Council (USIBC). At this session, the Chief Minister raised awareness about the investment opportunities in Jharkhand as a powerhouse of India’s Manufacturing Sector (Make in India) and priority areas like, food processing, metal sector, Automotive sector, film industry, textile & apparels, tourism and others. Hon’ble Chief Minister also deliberated various investment opportunities and key business reforms carried out in the recent past by his government. The Summit is aimed at establishing Jharkhand as a premier investment destination for both foreign as well as domestic investors. Shri Sunil Kumar Burnwal, Secretary, Dept. of Industries, Mines and Geology made a detailed sectoral presentation on the investment opportunities in Jharkhand.

The Chief Minister had a series of one-one meetings with investors and interacted with entrepreneurs from Clutch Group, Medtronic, Gilead Sciences, Claudio Lilenfeld, etc. who are looking for high growth consumer markets. Healso met with members of American Association of Physician of Indian origin (AAPI). Shri P.P. Hindhuja Chairman Hinduja Group expressed interest to set up commercial vehicle assembly unit in Jharkhand and representatives of the group will visit Jharkhand in October 2016 to explore further in this proposal. Simile Train, a NGO, working in health sector also met the delegation and assured that they will further strengthen their presence in Jharkhand.Hon’able Chief Minister also met the president and other officer bearers of Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America.

Hindu American Foundation Gala Raises $550,000

October 9, 2016 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

The Hindu American Foundation Northern California gala helped raise more than $550,000 to benefit Hindu American advocacy in the areas of education, policy, and community, a Sept. 28 press release from HAF said.

Held on September 18, at the Indian Community Center in Milpitas, California Nearly 450 people attended the event, which included Hindus, members of other faiths, business leaders, and elected officials, and had featured Los Angeles-based comedian and host Rajiv Satyal.

The event was emceed by Suhag Shukla, founder, executive director and legal counsel at HAF, and Ravi Kapur, founder and CEO of DiyaTV. Featured speakers included, Barbara McGraw, director of the Center for Engaged Religious Pluralism, director of the Interfaith Leadership Program, and professor of Social Ethics, Law & Public Life at Saint Mary’s College of California; Murali Balaji, director of Education and Curriculum Reform at HAF, and Mohak Shroff, vice president of Engineering, Consumer Products of LinkedIn.

Among those honored at the event were D. Andrew Kille, chair of the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council who received the 2016 HAF Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Advancement of Religious Pluralism; and Sanjay Patel, writer and director of Pixar’s short film, Sanjay’s Super Team was bestowed the 2016 HAF Pride of the Community Award. Two Indian-American Olympic medalists, Rajeev Ram, silver medalist in doubles tennis, and Akash Modi, bronze medalist in parallel bars, were also recognized for their achievement.

Vilas Nayak, a speed painter from Ukire in Mangalore District, delighted the audience with two sessions of speed painting accompanied by lively music. Surplus food from the event was donated to Copia, an organization that distributes meals to communities in need.

Send Passwords Securely Through Your Body Instead of Wi-Fi

October 9, 2016 Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

NEW YORK — A team of Indian American engineers has devised a way to send secure passwords through the human body using smartphone fingerprint sensors and laptop touchpads — rather than over the air where they’re vulnerable to hacking.

The two University of Washington doctoral students have found a way to send secure passwords through the human body. The “on-body transmissions” use what they call “benign, low-frequency transmissions generated by fingerprint sensors and touchpads on consumer devices”, according to a press release.

The students used smartphone fingerprint sensors and laptop keyboards. “Let’s say I want to open a door using an electronic smart lock,” said co-lead author Merhdad Hessar in the release. Hessar is a UW electrical engineering doctoral student. “I can touch the doorknob and touch the fingerprint sensor on my phone and transmit my secret credentials through my body to open the door, without leaking that personal information over the air.”

The pair is a part of the UW’s Networks and Mobile Systems Lab. They found 30 megahertz transmissions can travel through the human body, but not in the air, the release said.

Sending a password or secret code over airborne radio waves like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth means anyone can eavesdrop, making those transmissions vulnerable to hackers who can attempt to break the encrypted code.

Now, computer scientists and electrical engineers from the Seattle-based University of Washington have devised a way to send secure passwords through the human body — using benign, low-frequency transmissions generated by fingerprint sensors and touchpads on consumer devices.

“Fingerprint sensors have so far been used as an input device. What is cool is that we’ve shown for the first time that fingerprint sensors can be re-purposed to send out information that is confined to the body,” said senior author Shyam Gollakota, assistant professor of computer science and engineering.

These “on-body” transmissions offer a more secure way to transmit authenticating information between devices that touch parts of your body — such as a smart door lock or wearable medical device — and a phone or device that confirms your identity by asking you to type in a password.

“Let’s say I want to open a door using an electronic smart lock,” said co-lead author Merhdad Hessar, an electrical engineering doctoral student. “I can touch the doorknob and touch the fingerprint sensor on my phone and transmit my secret credentials through my body to open the door, without leaking that personal information over the air.”

The research team tested the technique on the iPhone and other fingerprint sensors, as well as Lenovo laptop trackpads and the Adafruit capacitive touchpad. In tests with 10 different subjects, they were able to generate usable on-body transmissions on people of different heights, weights and body types.

The system also worked when subjects were in motion — including while they walked and moved their arms. “We showed that it works in different postures like standing, sitting and sleeping,” said co-lead author Vikram Iyer, an electrical engineering doctoral student. “We can also get a strong signal throughout your body. The receivers can be anywhere — on your leg, chest, hands — and still work.”

The technology could also be useful for secure key transmissions to medical devices such as glucose monitors or insulin pumps, which seek to confirm someone’s i
dentity before sending or sharing data.

The new technique was described in a paper presented at the 2016 Association for Computing Machinery’s International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp 2016) in Germany this month.

Global competitiveness: Pakistan stands last in South Asia, India jumps 16 spots

October 6, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

Pakistan has been ranked at 122, last amongst its South Asian neighbours, in the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The forum has ranked India at 39th spot, followed by Sri Lanka 71, Bhutan 97, Nepal 98 and Bangladesh at 106 at the GCI, reports the Business Reporter, a financial daily of Pakistan.

The Global Competitiveness Report 2016-17 competitiveness ranking is based on the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), which was introduced by the WEF in 2005. Defining competitiveness as the set of institutions, policies and factors which determine the level of productivity of a country, the calculations of the GCI scores are made by drawing together country-level data covering 12 categories — the pillars of competitiveness — that collectively make up a comprehensive picture of a country’s competitiveness.

The 12 categories, or the pillars of competitiveness are-institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, health and primary education, higher education and training, goods market efficiency, labour market efficiency, financial market development, technological readiness, market size, business sophistication, and innovation.

Among 114 global competitiveness indicators, Pakistan this year showed improvements on 54 key indices, whereas on 50 indices the country lost its previous position, while 10 indices remained same as last year.

According to the report, Pakistan has shown recovery on the economic front, where the country has been successful in improving its macroeconomic framework to improve its global competitiveness.

Pakistan improved from 119 in 2015-16 to 111 in 2016-17 on the institutions pillars, while infrastructure improved only one point and stands at 116 this year.

Corruption, followed by crime and theft, tax rates, access to finance and government instability and coups, has been identified has the most problematic factor for doing business in Pakistan.

The report also indicates that a ten-year decline in the openness of economies at all stages of development poses a risk to countries’ ability to grow and innovate.

One of the World’s Most Viewed Sports Will Arrive in US

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterSports 0

The United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) announced exclusive licensing rights for a Franchised T20 Professional Cricket League to Pennsylvania-based sports development company Global Sports Ventures, LLC, on September 29th bringing and professionalizing the world’s second most popular sport to the United States, and the world’s largest sports economy.

“USACA is thrilled to announce a commercial partnership with Global Sports Ventures, LLC to bring this long adored sport stateside, and are confident in their ability to grow the sport in the United States,” said Gladstone Dainty, President of USACA. “This multi-year, multi million-dollar licensing agreement will change the way the sport is played, followed, watched and administered, and we’re excited to provide for the first time ever annual contracts to our players – both male and female.”

Through a $70 million licensing agreement, Global Sports Ventures, LLC takes the first step in growing the beloved sport in the United States, which boasts the second highest viewership of Cricket in the world behind India – with more than 1.4 million people tuning in to view the ICC World Twenty20 competition earlier this year. Based on the high demand of the sport, the development company is prepared to generate hundreds of millions of dollars through partnerships, significantly impacting the sports economy.

Jignesh (Jay) Pandya, president and CEO of Global Sports Ventures, LLC said, “The professional sports landscape is a notoriously tough market to break into, but we’re confident in the strength of the consumer demand in the US. This agreement allows us to grow the world’s second most popular sport right here in our own backyard.”

Cricket is a bat and ball game played between two teams of 11 players each on a Cricket field. At the center of the field is a 22 yard long pitch with a wicket (set of 3 wooden stumps) at each end. One team is designated the batting and the other side bowls (pitches) and fields. The batting team attempts to score as many runs as possible within 120 (T20) legal pitches. Whoever scores the most runs wins.

Benjamin Franklin formalized the rules of Cricket in 1754. George Washington used to play Cricket (which they called Wicket) in Valley Forge, PA in 1778. The first ever International game (in any sport) was a Cricket match between USA vs. Canada. Abe Lincoln attended Chicago versus Milwaukee match in 1849. Cricket was the American sport before the Civil War. Baseball Hall of Famers George and Harry Wright both played for the USA Cricket Team. Babe Ruth played Cricket in London in 1935.

The deal between the USACA and Global Sports Ventures, LLC will professionalize the game of Cricket in the U.S., providing American athletes the opportunity for a professional career in Cricket.

USACA is the national governing body of Cricket in the United States formed in 1965. They are an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the world governing body for Cricket. Global Sports Ventures is dedicated to acquiring, building, and strengthening a network of branded participatory and experience-based businesses engaged in sports, training, education, entertainment, and consumer lifestyle. Global Sports focuses on emphasizing a positive consumer experience and instilling the core values of discipline, teamwork, safety, respect and integrity.

Umiya Mataji Sanstha Chicago Midwest (UMSCM) celebrates Shree Umiya Mataji Garba and Jyoti Rath welcome ceremony

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Chicago IL: In the presence of over 3,500 devotees, including dozens of distinguished community leaders, generous sponsors, committee members, super donors, and committed Boards of Trustees and volunteers, Umiya Mataji Sanstha Chicago Midwest (UMSCM) presented a signature event of honoring and celebrating Annual Navratri Garba celebration & Chariot or “Rath” welcome ceremony Saturday October 1, 2016 opening 1:30 pm to 11:30 pm at Odeum Expo center 1033 N. Villa Avenue, Villa Park, IL.

The event started with hot breakfast, including masala tea, followed by one of the main attractions of the colorful event of exhibition and Darshan of Jyoti Rath in the South Hall. Following Shree Ganesh Stuti, Board members and invited guests and dignitaries performed ‘Deep Pragatum.’

A renowned Sadguru by the name of Shri Madhavdasji Maharaj travelled all the way from his home town of Sayla (Lalji Maharaj) in Gujrat to attend and bless the event. He was amalgamated by Shri Arvindbhai Shashtriji residing in New York area. He is also renowned devotee of Shri Umiya Mataji and attends at every such inauguration event, where ever it may be. Both of them were adorned with fresh flower Garland and Shawl wrapping ceremony formality by Lalbhai Patel. In their respective speeches, both encouraged crowd to not only volunteer but donate generously now and in future.

Devandra Patel (Secretary) of UMSCM welcoming all invited guests and community members, briefed the audience about the over view of mission of the Shree Umiya Dham. The project will start with construction of Umiya Mataji Mandir, with a large community hall and eventually adding a sports complex, and a retirement home- all of which should serve the needs of communities for decades to come. This will provide a forum to gel all generation of our community members and will contribute a platform to bring religious, cultural, social and educational events under one roof.

Despite pouring rain almost all participant took active role in Umiya Mataji’s Sbobha Yatra (parade) in Mataji Palkhi, in outdoor perimeter of the great hall. Subsequently Uchamani or auction items brought in over $51,000 pledges with each pledge followed deafening cheers and expressed chant of “Shree Umiya Mataji ki Jai.” by jubilant crowd. Encouragement of Shri Madhavdasji Maharaj and Shashtriji (along with Ashvin & KK Patel) played a pivotal role for the Uchamani and the cause. Grand total of whopping Sum of about $ 3.2 million contribution poured in at the conclusion of the event.

In his vote of thanks speech, Hasmukhbhai P. Patel (Jt. Treasurer) thanked all the Board members, volunteers, invited dignitaries, guests and media partners. .” He specially recognized and thanked all sponsors for getting the maximum number of advertisements and sponsorships for the event.

UMSCM executive board: Jayantibhai P. Patel (Chairman), Shailesh R. Patel (Vice Chairman), Lalbhai M. Patel (President), Dipal G. Patel (Vice President), Devandra Patel (Secretary), Jignesh H. Patel (Jt. Secretary), Saurabh Patel (Jt. Secretary), Ambalal P. Patel (Treasurer) and Hasmukhbhai P. Patel (Jt. Treasurer)

The curtain fell after the Maha Aarti and dinner/presidium and thrilling colorful Garba with live music provided by famous Rex D’souza and his orchestra. National promoter for this event was Manpasand. Singer performed on stage were Rex D’Souza, Aman shekh and Tejal Shukla. Swami, Rakesh and Vasant Solanki on Dhol, Ashwin yogi (Key Board), Vishal Solanki (Gitar) and Kewal Thakkar (Gitar). The whirling dancers, clapping hands, distinct sound of wooden sticks struck together, toe tapping music and people wearing vibrant colorful clothes marked the Navratri celebration at the Garba & Dandiya Raas dances held all over Chicagoland. This is part of the worship of Durga Mata who symbolizes the victory of good over evil; the Navratri celebration marks a festival of nine nights during which Hindus worship goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, the goddesses of health, prosperity and knowledge, respectively. While Navratri and Dussehra (the 10th day) are celebrated by Hindus with regional variations, the most famous one is from the state of Gujarat.

Management did wonderful job to handle this very large number of participants. From parking to registration to floor team to Stage to Kitchen to cleaning team, Volunteers team did excellent Job and made this event memorable.

India ratifies Paris Climate Deal

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterIndia 0

India deposited its Instrument of Ratification to the Paris Agreement under the convention on Climate Change on October 2nd, coinciding with the International Day of Non Violence. The day also commemorated the Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi who epitomized a lifestyle with the smallest carbon footprint. With this India became the 62nd country to ratify the Agreement taking the cumulative emission of the countries that have ratified the Agreement so far to 51.89%. This significant contribution towards the early entry into force of the Paris Agreement underlines Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s commitment to global cause of environmental protection and climate justice and reaffirms India’s responsive leadership in addressing the impact of climate change.

The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations organized a Special event to commemorate the International Day of Non-Violence on 2 October 2016, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The event is a reminder to Mahatma Gandhi’s unequivocal message to uphold values of peace, tolerance and understanding. 2 October was marked as the International Day of Non-Violence by General Assembly Resolution A/RES/61/271 of 15 June 2007.

Cosponsored by 140 countries the resolution established the commemoration of the International Day as an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness”. This year’s celebrations will be held at the ECOSOC Chamber of the United Nations on Sunday 2 October 2016 from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm. The President of General Assembly H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, Deputy Secretary General H.E. Mr. Jan Eliasson, Finance Minister of Bangladesh H.E. Mr. Abul Maal A. Muhith, and Prof. Barry L. Gan, Director of Center for Non-Violence, St. Bonaventure University, New York will address the gathering. The opening segment will be followed by a recital of songs emphasizing virtues of Peace and Non-Violence by Ms. Sudha Raghunathan a renowned Indian Classical singer in the Carnatic Music tradition.

As a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s focus on preserving the environment, India will submit its certification of Instrument of ratification of the Paris Agreement on 2 October 2016 to the United Nations. India had last year the same day, announced it climate action plan and declared its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution.

This October also marks the fiftieth anniversary of performance of Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi, India’s music legend and most celebrated singer in the Carnatic Music tradition at the United Nations on the eve of UN Day on 23 October 1966. The UN Postal Administration (UNPA) will release a postage stamp commemorating the birth anniversary and fiftieth anniversary of performance by Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi at the United Nations on 2 October 2016. Assistant Secretary General, Department of Management will release the stamp on behalf of UNPA. The stamps will be available for purchase at the UNPA website http://unstamps.org . Dignitaries, diplomats and officials from the United Nations and the Permanent Missions to the United Nations, civil society, academia, media and invited guests will attend the Event.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon offers to mediate between India, Pakistan

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterIndia, Uncategorized 0

With tensions mounting between the border of India and Pakistan, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has offered to act as mediator between India and Pakistan to defuse rising tensions over disputed Kashmir. The offer came after Pakistan’s ambassador met with the UN chief and urged him to personally intervene, while India said it did not want to aggravate the situation.

Ban called on “both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation,” a statement from his spokesperson said. The UN chief said India and Pakistan should address differences through diplomacy and dialogue, and offered to mediate. “His good offices are available, if accepted by both sides,” the UN spokesperson said.

Tensions between the two arch rivals have been boiling since the Indian government accused Pakistan-based militants of launching an assault on an army base in Kashmir earlier this month that killed 19 soldiers.

India had said it had carried out “surgical strikes” several kilometers (miles) inside Pakistan-controlled Kashmir on “terrorist” targets. “This is a dangerous moment for the region,” Pakistan’s ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told AFP after meeting with Ban at UN headquarters in New York. “The time has come for bold intervention by him if we are to avoid a crisis, because we can see a crisis building up.” Lodhi accused India of creating “conditions that pose a threat to regional and international peace and security”.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric earlier said the UN chief “would welcome all proposals” or initiatives aimed at de-escalation. Ban is following the situation “with great concern,” said Dujarric, citing the escalating rhetoric between the two countries and the increased tensions along the Line of Control that separates Kashmir between the nations.

A UN military observer mission (UNMOGIP) is looking into reports of ceasefire violations along the line of control and will report to Ban, he added. “UNMOGIP has not directly observed any firing across the line of control related to the latest incident,” he added.

In a statement to AFP, India’s mission to the United Nations said “India has no desire to aggravate the situation,” and that “our response was a measured counter terrorist strike. It was focused in terms of targets and geographical space,” the mission said. “It is reflective of our desire to respond proportionately to clear and imminent threat posed by terrorists in that instance. With our objectives having been met that effort has since ceased.”

The Pakistani ambassador said she had suggested to Ban that plans for a visit to India and Pakistan expected in November could be brought forward to avert a crisis. Lodhi also met this week with the current Security Council president, New Zealand ambassador Gerard van Bohemen, to ask that the top UN body keep a close eye on developments. India and Pakistan have fought three wars since they gained independence from Britain seven decades ago, two of them over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Amazon Prime Video Partners with S.S. Rajamouli, Graphic India and Arka Mediaworks to launch “Baahubali: The Lost Legends” a new animated series based on India’s massive blockbuster film, “Baahubali”

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Prime Video along with acclaimed filmmaker SS Rajamouli, Graphic India and Arka Mediaworks, today announced a partnership to extend the magnum opus ‘Baahubali’, a film that earned over ₹600 crores in worldwide box office collections, into a new multi-episode animated series titled – “Baahubali: The Lost Legends”.

“S.S. Rajamouli is one of the most visionary movie minds in current times and we are thrilled to have him launch this exclusive series, Baahubali: The Lost Legends,” said Nitesh Kripalani, Director and Country Head, Prime Video India. “The animation series will allow our customers to discover hidden stories and legends from the Baahubali world. And now for the first time, customers can watch the exclusive trailer first on www.Amazon.in”

“What we managed to showcase in the film was just the tip of the iceberg,” said director S. S. Rajamouli. “From the minute I started working on this story, I knew the world of ‘Baahubali’ can’t be encompassed into a film or two, simply because there’s so much more to tell and animation is another way to do that. We are happy to be collaborating with Graphic India and Amazon to bring the ‘Lost Legends’ to audiences through Amazon Prime Video.”

“Filled with political intrigue, betrayal, war, action and adventure, this animated series will take audiences on new adventures beyond the film, as we learn for the first time the events that shaped Baahubali from a young prince into a legendary hero,” added Graphic India Co-Founder & CEO, Sharad Devarajan. “Amazon Prime Video is the perfect partner to help us reach Baahubali’s millions of fans through their unparalleled digital reach.”

CEO of Arka Mediaworks, Shobu Yarlagadda said, “Having created so many iconic stories and characters, there is no one more equipped than Graphic India, to take the story of Baahubali forward. We are very excited for what’s to come.” As a part of festive celebrations, customers can watch the exclusive teaser trailer of Baahubali: The Lost Legends, the animated series, exclusively on www.Amazon.in only on October 1 and 2, 2016.

Baahubali: The Lost Legends is set before the Kalakeya invasion depicted in the movie, when Baahubali and Bhallaladeva are still both young princes of Mahishmati. Two brothers competing to rule the greatest kingdom of its age and the epic adventures they must endure to prove they are worthy to one day wear the crown. Under the watchful eye of Sivagami, and the warrior, Katappa, one shall rise to be King of the throne, while the other shall become King of the people. The animated series will feature new, never before revealed stories about the characters from the film including Prince Baahubali, Bhallaladeva, Kattapa and Sivagami as well as dozens of new characters that will expand the world of Baahubali and reveal hidden secrets for millions of fans.

The series will follow the relationship between the two cousins as they journey across the Kingdom of Mahishmati, uncovering hidden mysteries, stopping ancient terrors and defending their people from danger. The animated series was conceived by S. S. Rajamouli, Sharad Devarajan and Arka Mediaworks, who will all be Producers along with Jeevan J. Kang, Graphic’s EVP Creative and the lead character designer for the new animated series. Graphic’s senior animation writer, Ashwin Pande, will also be a Producer.

Amazon Prime already offers unlimited free One-day and Two-day delivery to over 100 cities on eligible items from India’s largest selection of products, 30 minutes early access for members on top deals and more benefits for an unparalleled shopping experience. Customers who are not already Prime members can learn more about the program at www.amazon.in/prime

The Amazon.in marketplace is operated by Amazon Seller Services Private Ltd, an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN). Amazon.in seeks to build the most customer-centric online destination for customers to find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online by giving them more of what they want – vast selection, low prices, fast and reliable delivery, and a trusted and convenient experience; and provide sellers with a world-class e-commerce platform

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

GRAPHIC INDIA is a character entertainment company focused on creating leading characters, comics and stories through mobile and digital platforms. Led by media entrepreneur Sharad Devarajan, Graphic India is owned by U.S. comic book Company, Liquid Comics and CA Media LP, the Asian investment arm of The Chernin Group, LLC (TCG). The Company’s mission is to create enduring stories and heroes that foster the imaginations and fuel the inspirations of a new globalized generation of youth in both India and around the world. www.GraphicIndia.com

Millions pay tribute to Hindu Guru His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Government officials, community leaders, devotees, and well-wishers gathered at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, IL to pay tribute to the life of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj on Sunday September 18, 2016. The fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha departed his mortal body on August 13, 2016, at the age of 95. From establishing mandirs (Hindu temples) across the world to humanitarian work to creating community infrastructure for education and healthcare in remote towns, Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s contributions to society have spanned across generations. Known by his motto, “In the joy of others, lies our own,” he dedicated his life to serve and inspire others for the greater good of mankind. Even today, this message resonates with millions of individuals from all walks of life and from around the world.

Special assemblies were held at 90 BAPS mandirs across the United States during the month of September to pay tribute to his life and achievements. Throughout his life, his selfless compassion and humble prayers uplifted countless people. He led thousands on the path of spirituality and inspired even more to live a morally pure life.

“He will always be remembered for his selfless services to society, impeccable commitment to the community, and profound devotion to the faith that earned him the respect and reverence of countless worldwide,” said Baba Ramdev, a yoga teacher known for his work in Ayurveda.

President Barack Obama shared a personal message for BAPS members and well-wishers. In honoring the legacy of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, President Obama offered this message: “Blessed with the kind of wisdom and faith that transcended boundaries, Pramukh Swami Maharaj spent his life using the power of his inner goodness to lift others up.”

President Obama lauded the late spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha by noting that Pramukh Swami Maharaj “was a trusted ear and revered voice for countless people, and the lessons of his humility stirred not only the hearts of his followers, but also of men and women across the globe who were fortunate enough to have crossed his path.” He added, “By paying tribute to a man who believed in the worth of all people and dedicated himself to serving those in need, we are reminded of the ways our common humanity will always bind us together.”

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Former U.S. President Bill Clinton wrote of their memories, “Pramukh Swami didn’t just teach virtues – he lived them every day…His example helped his followers find more harmony – both with others, and within themselves. And we hope that humanity will build upon his legacy for generations to come.”

Secretary Clinton’s thoughts echoed the sentiments from heads of states in all parts of the world, including British Prime Minister Teresa May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and HRH Prince of Wales. Speaking of Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life of service, Teresa May, Prime Minister of UK, added: “His legacy of selfless service will continue to benefit humanity for a long time to come.”

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, visited Sarangpur, Gujarat from New Delhi and addressed saddened devotees before the funeral rites saying, “Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a stalwart among humans who embodied compassion and humility… Today you have lost a Guru, but I have lost a father.”

Attendees at the assembly in Bartlett, IL shared memories of their uplifting interactions with Pramukh Swami Maharaj, reminiscing upon the heartfelt connection that cemented his influence and wisdom in their lives. Through memorable life experiences shared by these individuals, attendees were able to reminisce upon Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s compassionate and equipoised nature.

John Lagattuta, Human Resources/Labor Director – Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, said “In 2007, I was fortunate to meet Pramukh Swami Maharaj onboard the airplane in which he had arrived to Chicago on. The atmosphere was surreal.” Mr. Lagattuta further spoke about Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s emphasis on education for youth and how that has played a role in the community and also in his own children’s lives.

Other guest speakers at the event included, Village President Kevin Wallac – Village of Bartlett, Consul Vishav Pal – Indian Consulate Office, Chicago, Consul General Aviv Ezra – Consulate General of Israel, Chicago, Dr. Bharat Barai, Dr. Umang Patel, Mr. Niranjan Shah, Mr. John Millner.

Millions of people across the world honored Pramukh Swami Maharaj through a program themed “Timeless Tributes to the Life & Legacy of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj”. The program concluded with inspiring video blessings from Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s successor, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj.

EEOC releases new online resource center for small businesses

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released last week a new online resource center designed to help small business owners comply with the laws enforced by EEOC. The Small Business Resource Center (SBRC), located on EEOC’s public website at www.eeoc.gov, provides a user-friendly one-stop source for information on federal employment anti-discrimination laws.

The Resource Center was designed for the busy small business owner who needs information both quickly and in a format that is easy to understand. In addition to providing general information on EEOC’s laws and ways in which EEOC can assist small businesses, there are also answers to frequently asked questions, guidance in making employment decisions and tips for small businesses on a variety of potential workplace discrimination issues.

EEOC is also launching the first in a series of short videos for small business owners on frequently asked compliance questions. The videos feature EEOC employees from across the country addressing topics, such as responding to an EEOC discrimination charge, and many helpful strategies for small businesses to follow when they start the hiring process.

The Resource Center is a product of EEOC’s Small Business Task Force, which is led by Commissioner Constance S. Barker. Launched by Commissioner Barker in 2011, the task force addresses the needs of small businesses by providing ready access to information through the use of the internet, social media and other sources that is plainly written and easy to understand. It focuses on the needs of startups and companies that may not have the ability to afford human resource professionals or lawyers. It is the first in a series of products the task force is currently developing. A one-page fact sheet was issued in March and is available in 30 different languages. It was designed to help small business owners better understand their responsibilities under federal employment anti-discrimination laws.

“Small businesses are engines for economic growth,” said EEOC Chair Jenny R. Yang. “The release of this new resource is part of the agency’s continuing efforts to ensure that small business owners have the tools they need to ensure equal employment opportunity in their workplaces.”

Commissioner Barker said, “On behalf of EEOC’s Small Business Task Force, I am very pleased to announce the release of the SBRC. Startups and other small businesses continue to play an integral role in the strength of our nation’s economy. It is our responsibility as a federal government agency to help businesses understand their legal obligations under the complex and ever-changing laws and regulations we enforce. We want small businesses to be able to quickly and easily access the information they need to comply with the laws. It is our hope that the Small Business Resource Center will help them do just that, so that they can focus their time and efforts on growing their businesses and creating new jobs.”

EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Additional information about the Commission is available on its website, www.eeoc.gov.

Global competitiveness: Pakistan stands last in South Asia, India jumps 16 spots

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

According to the report, Pakistan has shown recovery on the economic front, where the country has been successful in improving its macroeconomic framework to improve its global competitiveness.

Pakistan improved from 119 in 2015-16 to 111 in 2016-17 on the institutions pillars, while infrastructure improved only one point and stands at 116 this year.

Corruption, followed by crime and theft, tax rates, access to finance and government instability and coups, has been identified has the most problematic factor for doing business in Pakistan.

The report also indicates that a ten-year decline in the openness of economies at all stages of development poses a risk to countries’ ability to grow and innovate.

H-4 Visa holders are able to work legally: DC Court

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterTravel 0

A Washington, DC district court judge ruled against Save Jobs USA, saying that the organization’s lawsuit, which attempts to curtail the Department of Homeland Security from giving work authorization to H-4 visa holders, was invalid, according to reports here.

In its lawsuit filed last year, Save Jobs USA claimed American workers would be forced to compete with 180,000 more applicants who are eligible to work under a new rule which came into effect in the Spring of 2015. Further, noted the organization, H-1B visas are allotted to those with specialized skills, whereas H-4 visa holders with work authorization can apply for any job.

But U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan found in her ruling that giving work authorization to certain H-4 visa holders did not unfairly impact the American work force.

Save Jobs USA announced Sept. 28 that it intended to appeal the ruling. H-4 visas are allotted to the spouses of H-1B – foreign skilled labor – visa holders.

Approximately 80 percent of H-4 visa holders are from South Asian countries, primarily India. Many have skill levels equivalent to their spouses, but until last May, H-4 visa holders were not allowed to work in the U.S. But USCIS issued a memo last May, which allowed certain H-4 visa holders – whose spouses had applied for green cards for permanent status in the U.S. – to apply for work authorization. More than 180,000 people – largely women – were eligible to apply.

Save Jobs USA was founded by a group of former information technology workers who had worked for Southern California Edison but were laid off in February 2015 and allegedly replaced by H-1B visa holders. The group claimed at the time that Edison was bringing in “cheap labor” from abroad.

New Dawn at “Ekal Vidyalaya”

October 5, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity, Education 0

By Prakash Waghmare

‘Ekal is pulling all stops on village development in India and adopting ground-breaking methodology in the way it operates in rural-tribal areas’ … That’s the profound message that came out of Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation’s (EVF) recently concluded “International Conference” in Orangeburg, N.Y. This 3-day conference, meant for national committees of USA, India, Canada and other countries, was convened not only for brain-storming sessions to critically assess the progress made so far, but also to charter EVF’s course for 2017.

Until now, ‘Ekal’ (as it is popularly known), had targeted 100,000 villages as its ‘goal’ for integrated development. Now, Ekal wants to reach out to all 600,000-plus rural/tribal areas in India. Considering it is already in 62,000 villages, this was inevitable. Another reason for this ambitious undertaking is that it has picked up tremendous momentum in recent years in terms of enterprising entrepreneurs joining its fold everywhere with innovative ideas and actively pursuing various rural projects. At the conference, Himanshu Shah, CEO of ‘Shah Capital’ and ‘Mohan Wanchoo’, CEO of ‘EC Info systems’ each pledged $100,000 to $200,000 per year, for the next several years to uplifting rural lives.

Inspired by PM Modi’s ‘Swachchh Bharat’ initiative, Ekal’s ‘clean environment’ pilot project is already making its mark in some rural and tribal areas. Moreover, water conservation, organic farming, cottage industries that could empower young girls and women-folks are in full swing in most of the villages. There are 53,000 Ekal schools in operation throughout rural India that benefit 1.5 million children – half of which are girls. Lalan Sharmaji, Village Development Field Director for “Ekal-India”, presented numerous examples of Ekal Alumnus, with full details, who have distinguished themselves by obtaining prestigious district and state-level jobs, after graduating from Ekal schools.

There are plans under way to carry out impact-studies by collecting and analyzing data on all Ekal alumni. It is widely known that Ekal renders all assistance without any credence to caste, creed and religion and its overhead is just 10%. What is more! When Ekal-Team met PM Modi this year, he not only applauded Ekal Vidyalaya’s efforts all across rural India, but also, termed it as an extension of ‘Skill India’ campaign.

Bajarang Bagraji, CEO of ‘Ekal Abhiyan’ (umbrella Orgz of ‘Ekal’) unveiled an ambitious plan of multifaceted development of villages for 2017 at this Conference. According to him,’ Ekal will add 5,000 new schools specifically in conflict-zones and enhance the quality of training by resorting to digital technology. For youths, 5 more ‘Ekal-on-Wheels’ digital training-vans are being added, bringing the total of such facility to 9.

Each of these ‘modern-technology’ labs have capacity to train 5,000 youths each year. He further added that ‘Anemia’, which is so prevalent among rural women-folks, would be expressly addressed in 300 villages and soon a pilot project of ‘tele-medicine’ would be started in West Bengal. As for agro-projects, 15,000 nutritional gardens and 25,000 acres of organic farming are being added next year. Currently, a ‘Gramotthan Resource Center’ (GRC) at ‘Karanjho’, Jharkhand is the only encyclopedic information ’citadel’ for villagers to learn modern techniques. It caters to 100 surrounding villages, directly benefitting 100,000 rural folks, and indirectly, affecting almost one million people. Bagraji elaborated that 11 such ‘GRC’s are under way for next year.

The Event-Committee, headed by Dilip Kothekar and Prajna Khisti, is taking a departure from engaging Bollywood ‘Song & Dance Troupe’ for annual ‘Fund-raising Concerts’. For the first time, an innovative group of a dozen talented Artistes from Ekal-villages will be presented in most amazing one-of-a-kind entertainment program consisting of regional folk-songs & dances of India, skits from Ramayan-Mahabharat, folklore episodes etc. Curretly, they are all being guided and trained by the best professionals in stage performances.

Ekal believes this pioneering effort to bring ordinary but talented, village-folks to the forefront of this continent in 60-plus Ekal events will promote their ethnic artistry and will give them consistent patronage at national and international level. Starting with this conference, Ekal-USA is entering into ‘Social-Media’ arena with vengeance. The technology-savvy team, headed by Akshay Joshi includes Avinash Agarwal, Vinita Dogra, Arti Aggarwal and Sheetal Gupta. It will be guided by Prashant Shah, a new member of Ekal-USA ‘Board of Directors’ and shall be advised by Prakash Waghmare and Ranjani Saigal, as necessary. In short, there is new dawn at ‘Ekal Vidyalaya’ on every level.

India calls for isolating nations supporting terrorism

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterIndia 0

Aiming at Pakistan, Sushma Swaraj, India’s Minister for External Affairs told the UN that the world must isolate Nations exporting terror. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday, September 26th gave a stinging response to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s “tirade” on Kashmir at the UN General Assembly and asked him to look at what is happening in Balochistan.

Calling for global isolation of Pakistan, Sushma Swaraj said that “countries that nurture, peddle and export terror should have no place in the comity of nations. In our midst, there are nations that still speak the language of terrorism, that nurture it, peddle it, and export it. To shelter terrorists has become their calling card. We must identify these nations and hold them to account,” Swaraj asserted in her nearly 20-minute speech. “These nations, in which UN designated terrorists roam freely, lead processions and deliver their poisonous sermons of hate with impunity, are as culpable as the very terrorists they harbour. Such countries should have no place in the comity of nations,” Swaraj said, in essence making a call to the international community to isolate such nations. “The terror apparatus that was behind 26/11 and Uri was also behind a number of terror attacks all over the world,” she said.

In a strong rebuttal of the “baseless allegations” made by Sharif from the podium of the General Assembly about human rights violations by India in Kashmir, Swaraj said, “I can only say that those accusing others of human rights violations would do well to introspect and see what egregious abuses they are perpetrating in their own country, including in Balochistan. The brutality against the Baloch people represents the worst form of state oppression.”

Swaraj, speaking in Hindi, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended the hand of friendship to Pakistan by inviting his counterpart Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony in May 2014, and also visiting Lahore last December in a goodwill gesture.

“But what did we get in return? Pathankot, Uri, Bahadur Ali,” she said, referring to the January 2 terror attack on an air force base in Pathankot that left seven soldiers dead, and the Uri attack of September 18 in which 18 soldiers died, and the capture of Pakistani terrorist Bahadur Ali.

Taking aim at Pakistan’s role in nurturing terrorism, India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a stirring call Sept. 26, in her speech to the United Nations General Assembly, for isolating Islamabad if it does not join a global strategy against the “malevolent” force threatening the world.

Warning the world that “we do not know who this Frankenstein’s monster will devour next”, said Swaraj, delivering her speech in Hindi. “If we want to defeat terrorism, there is only one way: that we unite across our differences, add steel to our resolve and inject urgency in our response. And if any nation refuses to join this global strategy, then we must isolate it,” she said.

Outside the UN the Pakistani protest against India over Kashmir failed to materialize in time for Swaraj’s speech. Only three protesters were at the barricades while she spoke. One of them said that they were expecting “two to three hundred protesters” from Washington and other places later in the day.

Swaraj also hit out against what she termed as Sharif’s “baseless allegations about human rights violations in my country. I can only say that those accusing others of human rights violations would do well to introspect and see what egregious abuses they are perpetrating in their own country, including in Balochistan,” she said. “The brutality against the Baloch people represents the worst form of State oppression.”

While speaking of terrorism – “the biggest violation of human rights” – and its facilitators, Swaraj said, “It is important to ask, ‘Who is behind this and who benefits from it?’ Terrorists do not own banks or weapons factories, so let us ask the real question: who finances these terrorists, who arms them and provides sanctuaries?”

“Despite the blood and tears of innocent victims, attacks this year alone in Kabul and Dhaka, Istanbul and Mogadishu, Brussels and Bangkok, Paris, Pathankot and Uri as well as daily barbaric tragedies in Syria and Iraq, remind us that these malevolent forces are yet to be defeated,” she added. Swaraj spoke on the last day of the annual Assembly summit. The order of speakers is determined by the hierarchy of leadership and foreign ministers are among the last on the roster.

She also emphasised India’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which she said, were “matched by the development vision of my government, which is geared towards the achievement of these same objectives”. Several schemes of the Indian government dovetailed with the SDGs, such as the Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Make in India and Digital India campaigns.

While India will play a leading role in combating climate change through measures such an international solar alliance, it expects developed nations to hold up their end of the bargain by providing finance and technology transfers.

India to ratify Paris Agreement on climate change on October 2

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterUncategorized 0

During her address at the United Nations, Sushma Swaraj, India’s Minister for External Affairs, declared that on Oct. 2 – Gandhi Jayathi – India will deposit the instrument of ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change.

India, one of the largest polluters on earth, will bring this global deal to fight the menace of global warming closer to enter into force later this year. India had, in fact, announced its ‘climate action plan’ (to fight the challenges of climate change) on October 2 last year. It had submitted its ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the UN body on October 1, 2015 and later made it public the next day coinciding it with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. So far,

60 countries including the world’s top two polluters – China and USA – have ratified the Agreement which was adopted by 195 countries in Paris last December. While China and USA had ratified it on September 3, as many as 31 countries had formally joined the Agreement through formal ratification or acceptance at a special event, hosted by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York, on September 21.

The Agreement will enter into force 30 days after 55 countries, representing 55% of global emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification, acceptance or accession with the UN Secretary-General. Though the national ratification has already crossed the threshold of 55 countries, it has so far only accounted for nearly 47.62% of the global emission.

Decision of India, which accounts for 4.1% of the global emission, will now bring it closer to the emission threshold of 55%. The magic figure of 55% will certainly be reached this year as 14 more countries, accounting for 12.58% of the global emission, had on September 21 committed to join the Agreement this year most probably before the beginning of the next UN conference on climate change (COP22) in Morocco in November.

The Paris Agreement calls on countries to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future, and to adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change.

It mandates regular meetings every five years, starting in 2018, to review progress and to consider how to strengthen the level of ambition as countries recognised that the present level of climate actions, pledged by individual nations, were still not sufficient to save the world from the adverse impact of climate change.

Besides India, the other countries who have announced to join the Paris Agreement through formal ratification this year include Austria, Australia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Poland, and the Republic of Korea.

International Engineering Congress Confers Lifetime Achievement Award to Professor Somasundaran

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

By Tina Abraham

Professor P. Somasundaran was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award at an International Engineering Congress at its Banquet in Quebec City in Canada on September 12. Attended by about 1500 attendees, the award presented by Prof. James Finch, Chairman of the International Engineering Congress and its president Dr Cyril O’Connor.

Dr. Somasundaran is currently the La von Duddleson Krumb Professor, Director of Langmuir Center for Colloids & Interfaces, and Director of the National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center at Columbia University Author of 15 books and 700 scientific publications, Somasundaran is a 1985 inductee of the National Academy of Engineering, the highest professional distinction that can be conferred to an engineer at that time, and later to the Chinese National Academy of Engineering, the Indian National Academy of Engineering, the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and the Balkan Academy of Mineral Technology Sciences. More recently he was the sole Foreign Fellow elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 2010. His list of professional awards include SME Antoine M. Gaudin Award, Mill Man of Distinction Award), AIME Publication Board Award, Robert H. Richards Award, Arthur F. Taggart Award best paper award, Distinguished Achievement in Engineering” award from AINA, Distinguished Alumnus (1989 sole award)from the Indian Institute of Science, Engineering Foundation’s Aplan award , AIME Mineral Industry Education Award , MEANA Engineer of the Year Award , Fellowship of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers .

In addition, he was awarded the “Ellis Island Medal of Honor” in 1990. In March 2010, the President of India awarded him the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honors. He was appointed to the EPA Board of Scientific Councilors in 2014 and chairman of its Chemical Safety and Sustainability committee as well as Hazardous risk committee. More recently he was awarded the National Science Foundation Alex Schwarzkopf award for Technical innovation and the Columbia university “World-class Scholarly Achievement award” from Raj Center of School of International and public affairs. He has worked on many problems in collaboration with Indian scientists at IISc, IIT, TCS/TRDC, NCL etc. He has been serving in the Board of the “Volunteers in Service to Education in India” to assist needy students.

Trump’s New Asian Pacific Committee has Indian Americans

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterPolitics 0

Four Indian-Americans are among the 31 Asians from around the country, who have been appointed to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s newly formed Asian Pacific American Advisory Committee, according to a Sept, 25 announcement from the campaign.

The four Indian-Americans include Puneet Ahluwalia of Virginia, K.V. Kumar from California, Shalabh Kumar of Illinois and Harry Walia, Florida. “Donald J. Trump is pleased to announce his Asian Pacific American Advisory Committee,” a statement issued by the campaign stated. “The women and men on the committee are elected, appointed and grassroots leaders who will engage Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) on relevant issues to these important and vibrant communities. Governors Eddie Calvo and Ralph Torres of Guam and Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) respectively, will serve as the Council’s Co-Chairs.”

The committee members will support and strengthen ties to each community and provide recommendations on how best to ensure AAPI voices are heard and included in the Campaign. Furthermore, the committee’s formation represents Mr. Trump’s and Governor Pence’s commitment to AAPI communities. Mr. Trump and Governor Pence will meet with members of the committee and AAPI leaders to discuss growing concerns over educational opportunities, employment and the economy, which are of paramount concern to AAPI families across this nation. Mr. Trump understands the critical role Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders play in the growing and providing for an energetic economic base which has been lacking over the past eight years of Obama/Clinton policies.

“Mr. Trump’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Advisory Committee is a great addition to the vibrancy of his campaign,” said Brunswick, Ohio Mayor Ron Falconi. “His ability to connect with everyday Americans is a testament of his character, and what he wants to do to bring America forward from the past 8 years.”

Dr. Lisa Shin said, “The Trump/Pence ticket will bring meaningful change to Washington. No longer will DC bureaucrats decide what’s best for Asian American and Pacific Islander families. Supporting Mr. Trump and Governor Pence will allow AAPIs to truly have a voice in how we want to educate our families and raise our children.”

“We are on the cusp of history. It is a movement that I am witnessing this presidential election. I am confident that Trump would be the next president of the United States,” Shalabh Kumar+ , founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition said.

“Under Trump administration, India-US relationship would reach a new height,” he said. Puneet Ahluwalia is a member of Virginia’s Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Advisory Council, while K V Kumar has earlier worked with the World Bank.

“It is my great honor and a privilege to be part of Trump AAPI Advisory Committee. This is a pivotal election which impacts the future of our nation and its people,” Ahluwalia said. “Trump understands the critical role Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders play in the growing and providing for an energetic economic base which has been lacking over the past eight years of Obama/Clinton policies,” the campaign said.

Ahluwalia is a lobbyist and international business adviser at the Livingston Group, specializing in energy, defense, cyber security, and infrastructure issues. Kumar or ‘KV’ is the managing partner at Kumar & Talvadkar, LLC, and serves on the boards of several companies. Walia, a businessman and Republican activist for several decades, also tried and lost a race for Mayor of Venice, Florida, his hometown, a few years ago.

“The committee members will support and strengthen ties to each community and provide recommendations on how best to ensure AAPI voices are heard and included in the Campaign,” a press release from the Trump-Pence 2016 campaign. The two candidates will meet committee members “to discuss growing concerns over educational opportunities, employment and the economy, which are of paramount concern to AAPI families across this nation.”

“Bringing the Worlds Together,” raises funds to educate girls & build a better world

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterEducation 0

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago, IL: Nearly 200 people assembled in to Sonia Shah Organization’s “Bringing the Worlds Together,” a multicultural fundraising event on Sept. 17 at the Museum of Contemporary Art-Chicago. Notable guests – including author and humanitarian Greg Mortenson and the consul generals of Pakistan and Macedonia – flowed onto the outdoor terrace on the beautiful late-summer evening, enjoyed Mediterranean cuisine, wandered the open galleries and were treated to hours of traditional Sufi qawwali music performed by the Fanna-Fi-Allah ensemble.

Sonia Shah Organization (SSO) board members Zahir Lavji and Dr. Saira Alvi began the program. Saira recited poetry and Zahir set the stage for updates on SSO’s progress and plans.

“At the tender age of 17,” Sonia was tenacious about providing “basic education to girls in the world who are denied this fundamental human right,” Zahir said. Although Sonia died suddenly in a car accident in 2012, her dream lives on through her mom, Iram Shah, extended family, and a dedicated team of volunteers who run the Chicago-based nonprofit organization.

“Sonia was a gift who keeps giving and tonight I want to share what we have achieved with your generosity and support,” Iram said. “We have come a long way. We have now 75 children in the school. Our filtration plant continues to provide clean drinking water to the village. “Schools are being bombed and destroyed” across Pakistan and Islamic militants have twice attacked school the Kangra village, he said. “But at the Sonia Shah School in the same village is fully functional, due to excellent security, with round-the-clock guards and new closed-circuit TV cameras.

Additionally, all three major initiatives announced in 2015 are complete or well under way: Solar panels will be installed on the Sonia Shah Memorial School by the end of this year, “which will provide uninterrupted electricity and security at night.” A vocational center for women, “where we are teaching women skills that can give them economic independence,” opened in June and “to our surprise 40 women registered the first day. Today we have a wait list of 100 women.” SSO’s first two scholarship recipient students, Aimon Wadood and Zuleyma Codero, started college in Chicago this fall. “These girls are not giving up on their dreams. They are strong and we are all going to help them have a new life,” Iram said.

Zuleyma said the scholarship has made what she thought were impossible dreams a reality. “It is just a whole new experience for me. It gives me hope that I can ensure financial status for my family.” Mortenson in his speech remarked how “I first met Sonia at the Northshore Country Day School, where she was a student” and he was talking about his work in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Sonia “came up to me and told me how she wanted to help change the world.” This remarkable young woman spoke five languages, was the youngest intern on President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, and took a gap year between high school and college to spend time in Kangra in Pakistan, her mother’s ancestral village. “This is a remote area, plagued by poverty and violence,” said Mortenson, an SSO board member and author of Three Cups of Tea. Sonia Shah’s determined works on behalf of girls’ education make her a part of what humanitarian Greg Mortenson Saturday called “the greatest revolution of our time.”

When Sonia’s life was cut short, her family and friends decided the Sonia Shah Memorial School and other programs would be her legacy. “Schools are being abandoned” across Pakistan, “but at the Sonia Shah School, the lights are on.” SSO’s continued success is due to people like 13-year-old Ruby Writer, who along with her friends brought the film “Girls Rising” to her Chicago school. “We invited parents and friends and explained how hard it is” to promote girls’ education in these remote areas. “We raised $600.”

When she heard Iram interviewed on WBEZ, Chicago’s public radio station, Ruby knew SSO would be the perfect beneficiary of the funds, she said. All money raised at the event helps SSO to continue its life-changing work on behalf of “young girls in Pakistan who otherwise would never have gone to school, young adult women who had given up on higher education, and mature women learning skills to be economically independent,” Iram said.

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

A Celebration of the Goddesses with Garba by Legendary Atul Purhohit

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

Chicago, IL: Hemant Brahmbhatt publisher of HI India and Ketan Patel from Shakti group presented’King of Garba’ Legendary Atul Purhohit on Saturday, September 24 2016 at spacious Odeum Sports and Expo Center, 1033 N. Villa Ave, Villa Park, IL. The event was completely sold out. Thousands of participants enjoyed dancing Raas Garba.

The whirling dancers, clapping hands, distinct sound of wooden sticks struck together, toe tapping music and people wearing vibrant colorful clothes marked the Navratri celebration at the Garba & Dandiya Raas dances held all over Chicagoland. This is part of the worship of Durga Mata who symbolizes the victory of good over evil; the Navratri celebration marks a festival of nine nights during which Hindus worship goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, the goddesses of health, prosperity and knowledge, respectively. While Navratri and Dussehra (the 10th day) are celebrated by Hindus with regional variations, the most famous one is from the state of Gujarat.

The name needs no introduction! The living legend, Atul Purohit, from Baroda is a world renowned master of Folk music and Garba singer who redefined the lines of classical music. He has evolved from a kid who identified his own talent in music and moved to Baroda to a storm that has swept the fans of his music off their feet. His classical style mixed with Hindustani, Bhajan and Sufi acted in his favor as he continued to win many more laurels to his name. His album Tara Vina Sham which become a very big hit and propelled him in the rank of the most famous Garba singer of all time. His events in the USA or any other place in world, attract a large crowd. It is not uncommon to see up to record 100,000 people attend his Navaratri Garba event Baroda. Purohit is well-regarded in the realm of “Sunderkand” and devotional songs. The “King of Garba,” as he is known, has been recognized by the Limca Book of World Records. Purohit’s music was graceful, and his intonation was smooth and did not need any exaggeration of loud instrumental beats. Many participants sang along to the famous lyrics.

The reason people love him could be perhaps “because I am sing from my heart and soul. The songs that I select are very old and original folk songs. I do give little variation in notes, but keep the soul, the ‘atma’ of the song,” adding, “The accompanying instrumentals are soft and just enough to keep a melodious pulse, so the fundamental harmony is still there.” said by Atul Purhohit

The singer was accompanied by Nrupesh Vora (Tabla), Rajendra Solanki (Dholak), Magan Raja (Dhol), and Jayesh Patel (Side on rhythm) Iqbal Mir was the composer, music arranger and on the keyboard. Dr. Kairavi Buch and Ms. Purhohit was the female singer.

The event started with prayers and bhajans to the Goddesses. Garba started with dancer revolving around ‘Mataji’s Garbi’ the idol of goddess Durga was seated in center of Odeum Sports and Expo Center with flowers, around which the traditional “Aarti” was performed. Most of the crowd present was downstairs dancing, while others were on the bleachers watching the grandeur from above.

While many took to the floor dancing until the wee hours of the morning, some sat on the bleachers either taking a break or just watching the energetic and graceful dancers. Near the entrance were stalls were set up to sell jewelry (Pragati International and Mahavir jewelers), clothes (Pose Mumbi) and decorative items.

He added that this massive celebration was successful because, “Preparations started months prior to the event as decisions regarding the invitation of World Renounced Singer MR. Atul Purohit and his party, with his orchestra, venue and sponsors had to be made well in advance for such a huge successful event

The sponsors for the event were Sponsors Hemanth Shah (ACCU Tax), Nirav Patel (7-11), Sanjay Bhatt (7-11), Bhavesh Patel (Vision Service) and Mahir Barot (HI India) and Jasbir Suga (Suga Builders). The event was successful to due extreme hard work from Hemant Brhambhatt publisher of HI India. Ketan Patel from Shakti group, financial support from all the sponsors and hard work from all the volunteers.

India urges UN to adopt global treaty on terror, UNSC reforms

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterIndia, Uncategorized 0

India urged world leaders gathered at the 71st General Assembly of the United Nations to urgently adopt a long-pending global treaty on terrorism as well as implement the UN Security Council reform, while stating that the world today needs a more contemporary approach to combating terrorism and a Council that is less outdated. The Permanent and non-Permanent membership of the UN Security Council must reflect contemporary realities is an urgent necessity, India told the world leaders on Monday, September 26th.

Sushma Swaraj, India’s External Affairs Minister, while addressing the World Body, said, “We will be judged by our action and equally by our inaction. What goals have we achieved and what objectives remain unfulfilled?,” she said. As a result, we are unable to develop a norm under which terrorists shall be prosecuted or extradited. Therefore it is my appeal that this General Assembly acts with fresh resolve and urgency to adopt this critical Convention,” she said.

Swaraj appealed to the Assembly to act on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism that India proposed in 1996 but is still languishing. Because of this failure, “We are unable to develop a norm under which terrorists shall be prosecuted or extradited.”

On Security Council reform, Swaraj said just as the world needs a more contemporary approach to combating terrorism, there is also need for a Security Council that is less outdated and that continues to reflect the world order of an earlier era. “The vast majority of nations share the belief that the UN should not remain frozen in 1945, just to serve the interests of a few. Whether it is institutions or issues, we must come to terms with present day realities and the challenges that confront us,” she said.

Swaraj added that an expansion in “We must move forward substantively towards text-based negotiations. If both these long pending issues are addressed during your Presidency, the success of this Session will be ensured,” she said.

“The 21st century has begun in the shadow of turmoil, but we can turn this into a golden age in the history of civilization through united and concerted efforts. But what happens tomorrow will depend on what we do today,” she said.

AARP Provides Free Interactive Tool to Search and Visualize Data

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

A Customizable Tool to Find AAPI Data on Issues Relevant to Older Populations

WASHINGTON, D.C., The AARP Public Policy Institute launchedAARP DataExplorer, its free interactive search and visualization tool for data on the 50-plus population. AARP DataExplorer allows users to browse and search for data on issues like demographics, health, financial security, housing and transportation by indicators including age, race/ethnicity, state, income, health status, and languages spoken.

“Data is critical to understanding the issues and needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy. “AARP DataExplorer is an easy tool for those looking for data on AAPI older adults to find relevant facts and figures which can be customized to fit their needs—whether it’s researching trends or patterns at the state or federal level, or driving policy solutions.”

Users can create their own, customized visualizations of the data that can be turned into PDFs or PowerPoint slides and downloaded as images to use in reports or projects. The AARP DataExplorer site also offers a “Storybooks” feature that provides context for some of the data and helps users understand the story behind the data.

AARP DataExplorer presents the most current data and indicators and add new ones as soon as new data are available. No data programming skills are needed. To use AARP DataExplorer and watch a video tutorial to learn how to customize the data and visuals, visit dataexplorer.aarp.org.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams into ‘Real Possibilities’ by changing the way America defines aging. With staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and promote the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare security, financial security and personal fulfillment. AARP also advocates for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world’s largest circulation magazine, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. To learn more, visit www.aarp.orgor follow @aarp and our CEO @JoAnn_Jenkins on Twitter.

Padma Lakshmi sizzles in long black skirt with thigh-high split for AdWeek talk

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

The 46-year-old former model, Padma Lakshmi looked chic as she added her own twist to the little black business suit as she arrived at Advertising Week, the annual celebration of the industry people, beginning Sept. 26 in New York. The beauty, who hails from India, sizzled in a black sleeveless crop top and a black midi skirt with a thigh-high split. With her raven black tresses smoothed back into a pony tail, she completed her ensemble with over-the-knee boots – in sexy black leather, of course – and a black handbag.

Padma Lakshmi is the host of TV hit Top Chef, a best-selling cookbook author and an entrepreneur. All good reasons why Padma Lakshmi was invited to speak at the CEO Connectors panel at the TimesCenter stage in Times Square, Manhattan, during Advertising Week on Tuesday, September 26th.

The event was packed with A-list thought leaders and a star-studded evening roster of special events. Annually hosted in landmark venues throughout Times Square, Advertising Week has added the iconic Town Hall to its list for 2016, where headliners, including Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg and Snapchat’s Imran Khan, who are scheduled to speak in a special content series. An opening gala for The Week’s 13th anniversary in New York, hosted in the spectacular and highly anticipated new Oculus building in lower Manhattan, will be among the special events.

Lakshmi has her own line of home decor at Bloomingdale’s and food products under the Padma’s Easy Exotic brand. Padma took to Instagram to share the details of her outfit saying: ‘About today! Wearing a @jw_anderson top, a @pleinsudfaycalamor skirt that I bought in Paris when I was modelling 20 years ago, bag: @hermes and shoes: custom made boots by my dear friends the capazzo brothers of @costumenational.’

Aside from her gig as Top Chef host, Padma launched her first jewellery line, called simply ‘Padma’ in 2009.

NRIs from New Jersey/New York admit to immigration fraud

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Harpreet Sachdeva, 26, of Somerset, New Jersey, and Sanjeev Sukhija, 35, of North Brunswick, New Jersey, have pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to separate information charging them each with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. The conspiracy to commit visa fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing for Sachdeva and Sukhija is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2017 and Jan. 10, 2017, respectively.

On April 5, 2016, 22 brokers, recruiters, and employers, including Sachdeva and Sukhija, were charged with enrolling foreign nationals in the University of Northern New Jersey, a purported for-profit college located in Cranford, New Jersey (UNNJ). UNNJ was created in September 2013 by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was not staffed with instructors or educators, had no curriculum, and conducted no actual classes or education activities. It operated solely as a storefront location staffed by federal agents posing as school administrators.

According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Sachdeva and Sukhij – Indian citizens who are present in the United States on foreign worker visas – were each employed at Right OPT, a purported international student recruiting and consulting company located in Somerset, New Jersey. Sachdeva was Right OPT’s business development, marketing, and operations manager. Sukhija was the company’s business development manager.

UNNJ represented itself as a school that, among other things, was authorized to issue a document known as a “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status – for Academic and Language Students,” commonly referred to as a Form I-20. This document, which certifies that a foreign national has been accepted to a school and would be a full-time student, typically enables legitimate foreign students to obtain an F-1 student visa. With the visa, they can enter or remain in the United States while they make normal progress toward the completion of a full course of study at a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) accredited institution.

Sachdeva and Sukhija told Right OPT’s foreign recruits that for a fee, they could enroll at UNNJ without having to attend any classes and that their enrollment would enable them to fraudulently maintain their nonimmigrant status. With full knowledge that the recruits were not bona fide students and would not attend any courses, earn credits, or make academic progress toward any legitimate degree at UNNJ, Sachdeva and Sukhija caused Forms I-20 to be issued to the foreign nationals.

Sachdeva and Sukhija also caused the foreign nationals to be reported in government databases as legitimate foreign students. In order to deceive immigration officials, Sachdeva, Right OPT’s foreign clients, and others obtained and created fraudulent student documents, including attendance records and transcripts.

Sowrabh Sharma, 31, of New York, is charged – along with SCM Data Inc., a New Jersey corporation, MMC Systems Inc., a Virginia corporation, and Shikha Mohta, 33, of Jersey City, New Jersey, the head of finance for the companies – with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and to obstruct justice and one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens. Mohta was previously arrested in May 2015 on a criminal complaint and was released on a $100,000 bond. The U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Paul Fishman, announced the charges.

If convicted, the visa fraud and obstruction of justice conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The alien harboring conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to the indictment SCM Data and MMC Systems offered consultants to clients in need of IT support. Both companies recruited foreign nationals, often student visa holders or recent college graduates, and sponsored them for H-1B visas that allow businesses in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers with specialized or technical expertise in a particular field, such as accounting, engineering or computer science.

SCM Data, MMC Systems, Sharma, Mohta and others, recruited foreign workers with purported IT expertise who sought work in the United States. The conspirators then sponsored the foreign workers’ H-1B visas with the stated purpose of working for SCM Data and MMC Systems’ clients throughout the United States.

When submitting the visa paperwork to USCIS, those indicted, allegedly falsely represented that the foreign workers had full-time positions and were paid an annual salary, as required to secure the H-1B visas. However, the foreign workers were only paid when they were placed at a third-party client who entered into a contract with SCM Data or MMC Systems.

Asia Society: Equipping Students for the ‘Head-Spinning Changes’ of Globalization

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

The first 16 years of the 21st century have seen an explosion in technological innovation, rapidly connecting and integrating our world. This ongoing trend has created many winners — but also losers. “We live in a world of head-spinning change,” said Angel Gurría, secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). “Not all of this change is for the better.”

Gurría was speaking Thursday at the launch of Asia Society’s Center for Global Education, a new center focused on transforming education to give students around the world better global competence, which refers to a skillset needed to thrive in an internationalized and multicultural world. It plans to do this by bringing together influential educators, businesses, and government officials to commission research, publish insights, and partner with schools and education systems to change policy and practice.

Introducing the Center for Global Education — moving global competence from the margins to the mainstream. Gurría noted that emerging economic, digital, cultural, demographic, and environmental forces, combined with unprecedented access to information and communication, are bringing big opportunities for young people. But these same forces are also aggravating problems like income inequality and intolerance among those who’ve been unable to capitalize. “In order to participate in an interconnected world, you need to have learned the value of cultural differences,” Gurría said, noting that people from very different backgrounds are increasingly coming into contact and having major social and economic influences on one another. “You need to be able to process digital information critically and you need to understand the complex world of market integration and cultural exchange.” Understanding and tolerance are crucial, he added, noting that the key to realizing these ideals is global education.

Irina Bokova, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and honorary chair on the Council for the Center for Global Education, linked the rise of nationalism, extremism, and terrorism in many regions to the side effects of globalization. She said that without the proper support to learn the skills to thrive amid technological disruption and embrace internationalism, young people will feel excluded from society and risk being “lured” by radical tribalist ideologies. “Nowadays, confronting challenges of climate change, challenges of extremism, [and] challenges in increasingly diverse societies, we have to look at the education, curricula, teachers, and values,” she added.

Ido Leffler, co-founder and CEO of the school supply company Yoobi and advisory co-chair on the Council for the Center for Global Education, echoed the idea that teaching students from all socioeconomic backgrounds 21st century skills effectively and promoting the acceptance of diversity go hand-in-hand. He said that most of what young people learn today comes from outside the classroom — on smartphones, online videos, and peers. Thus, educators need to make what they teach relevant to this new reality. “So how do we bring relevance into the classroom so they can filter what they’re seeing on a day-to-day basis outside of what they’re learning in the classroom?” he asked.

He also noted that having diversity in the classroom at a young age goes a long way toward eliminating fear of different cultures and ethnicities — something that still seldom happens in the United States, where a child’s school is usually decided by their ZIP code. “We are more interconnected and interdependent in today’s world than ever before,” he said. “That is why each of us has a responsibility to ensure that students of today and leaders of tomorrow are not only equipped with the knowledge and understanding of global issues, but are also appreciative of people from different backgrounds.”

For years, Asia Society’s International Studies Schools Network has been setting model schools for teaching global competence. It’s a model that the organization hopes to scale up with the launch of the Center for Global Education. Speaking at the launch, Felix Ruano, a graduate of one of these schools who was raised in a low-income immigrant family, said that growing up, the idea of going to college seemed far-fetched. But the three years he spent being exposed to different cultures and ideas created a “dramatic transformation” which “completely validated” the concept of global education to him. He now studies at Harvard. “We live in dynamic times,” he said. “Young people like myself are no longer just witnesses to global challenges, but direct players with the ability to form opinions on groups and cultures that can be hard to shake as we enter the professional world.”

Bokova said that huge looming challenges like terrorism, climate change, and the refugee crises are why it’s important to get it right with the young generation. “Young people are leaders of change, but we see that they also carry the heaviest burden,” she said. “The world is globalizing quickly and the planet is under tremendous pressure, so young people have to be supported.”

To that end, the United Nations last year released its Sustainable Development Goals, recognizing the new skills needed to thrive in this changing world. Attendees at Thursday’s launch, many of whom are actively working to provide this kind of support to young people, agreed the challenges ahead were considerable. But as Asia Society Trustee and Center for Global Education Council Member Frank Brown put it: “Teaching global education is a fight worth fighting and worth winning.”

NY Tri-State Gala Raises Over $2.6 Million To Eradicate Child Illiteracy In India

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Pratham USA, one of the largest educational nonprofits in India that provides quality education to underprivileged children, hosted their annual New York Tri-State Gala at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on September 16th. Attended by roughly 600 guests, the gala raised more than $2.6 million for Pratham’s innovative, award-winning educational programs, according to a press release.

The gala resonated deeply with the night’s keynote speaker, Nikki R. Haley, Governor of South Carolina, who engaged the crowd with her personal story about growing up as an Indian immigrant in the deep South. She also drew attention to the problem that Pratham is trying to solve: “A demoralizing statistic facing India today is that it is the world’s 10th largest economy, yet less than half of the nation’s 250 million children can read adequately,” adding, “A child who can’t read is a child who can’t learn, and a child who can’t learn is a child without hope.”

In her speech, Pratham CEO Dr. Rukmini Banerji explained why Pratham is successful: “According to The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, which has assessed dozens of Pratham programs, the magnitude of difference that our 40- or 50-day learning camp makes in the life of a child is unparalleled across the world. And so I think it’s OK for us to acknowledge that eradicating illiteracy is a hard job, but that we know how to crack it.”

State Head for Uttar Pradesh Nuzhat Malik, who overcame domestic violence and found solace in educating underprivileged children in her community, received a standing ovation after a passionate speech about her 20-year journey with Pratham.

The evening commenced with a soulful performance by Indie pop artist Vasuda Sharma and ended with spirited tunes spun by DJ Suhel. Guests enjoyed tantalizing appetizers from renowned Indian bistro, Bukhara Grill as well as an inspirational menu featuring locally sourced ingredients from the Waldorf Hotel.

Gala chair Rekha Kumar was delighted with the success of the gala: “We are thrilled that we were able to raise more funds than what we had initially expected thanks to the generosity of the guests in attendance. Pratham is truly a great organization. It’s incredible to see how many lives Pratham is touching. God bless all the people involved.”

The event’s success would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the gala committee, chaired by Rekha Kumar, Kumar Shah, Charu Sarma, and Sangeeta Sobti of Janak Events; the Pratham NY Tri-State board, staff and volunteers; and the generosity of the Pratham supporters.

2 NRIs win MacArthur Fellowship

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Two Indian Americans are among the 23 recipients of the MacArthur Fellowships for the yewar 2016, also popularly referred to as the “Genius Grants.” Each recipient receives a no-strings-attached grant of $625,000 in quarterly installments over the next five years, to pursue their passion.

Subhash Khot, 36, a theoretical computer scientist from New York University and Manu Prakash, 36, a physical biologist and inventor from Stanford University are the two who won this year’s prestigious award. Another South Asian on the list is a civil rights lawyer from California Ahilan Arulanantham, 43, of the California chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, a Tamil of Sri Lankan heritage.

“While our communities, our nation, and our world face both historic and emerging challenges, these 23 extraordinary individuals give us ample reason for hope,” Julia Stasch, president of the MacArthur Foundation is quoted saying in a statement. “They are breaking new ground in areas of public concern, in the arts, and in the sciences, often in unexpected ways,” Stasch added.

Khot’s work is providing critical insight into unresolved problems in the field of computational complexity, MacArthur Foundation said on its website. Khot contributed the Unique Games Conjecture (UGC), which proposes that for one specific problem about assigning colors to the nodes of a network according to a set of constraints, finding even an approximate solution is hard (NP=hard).

The UGC, even if restricted in its applicability, “has spurred novel and unexpected research,” the Foundation said, and “Even if the UGC ultimately is found to be false, efforts to prove it have led to new theorems in geometry, Fourier analysis, the mathematics of foams, and even the stability of different election systems,” it said, lauding Khot for his “continued ingenuity and tenacity.” A graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, with a Ph.D. from Princeton University, Khot is currently Silver Professor of Computer Science in the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University.

As a physicial biologist, Prakash is applying his expertise in soft-matter physics to illuminate often easy to observe but hard to explain phenomena in biological and physical contexts and to invent solutions to difficult problems in global health, science education, and ecological surveillance, the Foundation said, and praised him for his deep interest in democratizing the experience and joy of science.

Prakash’s has invented several devices that empower people in poor areas. Foldscope, a lightweight optical microscope that costs less than a dollar to produce, is assembled from an origami-based folding design from a single sheet of paper with integrated lenses and electronics. It has already been widely embraced in educational contexts, the Foundation said and thousands of volunteers are testing Foldscope to help refine it. Another recent project is a low-cost, sticker-like microfluidic chip that can collect thousands of nanoliter-volume droplets of saliva from mosquito bites that can be screened for pathogens. The chip would enable rapid, scalable, and low-cost collection of surveillance data that is critical for predicting and controlling mosquito-borne disease outbreaks, the Foundation noted.

“With remarkable breadth and imagination, Prakash defies traditional disciplinary boundaries in his coupling of basic research and fabrication of high-capability scientific instruments for widespread use in the field and classroom,” the Foundation said. Prakash is a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Bioengineering, a member of the Biophysics Program in the School of Medicine and the Center for Innovation in Global Health, Faculty Fellow of Stanford ChEM-H, and an affiliate member of the Woods Institute for the Environment. He holds numerous patents.

Arulanantham’s legal and advocacy work has focused on securing the right to due process for people facing deportation. He has successfully litigated some landmark cases resulting in expanding immigrant detainees’ access to legal representation and limiting the government’s power to detain them indefinitely, the Foundation said on its website . Some of his cases include Nadarajah v Gonzales; the class action suit Rodriguez v Robbins; and Franco-Gonzales v Holder. He is currently advocating for right to counsel for children placed in deportation proceedings in J.E.F.M. v Lynch.

Arulanantham received B.A. degrees from Georgetown University and the University of Oxford, Lincoln College, and a J.D. from the Yale Law School. He was an Equal Justice Works fellow (2000–2002) with the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, an assistant federal public defender (2002–2004) in El Paso, Texas, and lecturer in the University of Chicago Law School (2010) and the University of California, Irvine, School of Law (2015). In 2004, he returned to the ACLU, where he is currently director of advocacy and legal director of the ACLU of Southern California.

Dedication of Diwali Stamp in New York

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

The Consulate General of India, New York, in association with the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the Diwali Stamp Project is hosting the inaugural ceremony of Diwali Stamp on October 5, 2016, at its premises [3 East 64 Street, New York, 10065]. Following the inaugural ceremony, purchase and cancellation of the stamps, for collectors and customers will be facilitated at the Consulate.

With the release of the Forever Stamp, the U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the joyous festival of Diwali. The festive stamp that is aesthetically designed & features a traditional diya, an oil lamp, set on sparkling gold background. The photograph of the diya, which is symbolic of Diwali, was shot by Sally Andersen-Bruce of New Milford, Connecticut. The design is by Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, Virginia. William J. Gicker from Washington, DC, is the project’s art director.

The release of the Diwali postage stamp is a momentous occasion and the successful culmination of a long-sought goal of the Indian-American community. The decision by the U. S. Postal Service to issue the Diwali stamp is a remarkable step. This gesture is also another step towards the furthering collaboration between the two multicultural nations.

Indian Americans Launch Petition to Declare Pakistan a Sponsor of Terror

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

The Indian American community in the U.S. has launched a White House petition to designate Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism, days after a bill in this regard was tabled in the U.S. Congress by two powerful lawmakers.

“This petition is important to the people of United States of America, India and many other countries which are continuously affected by Pakistan sponsored terrorism,” the petition started on Sept. 20 said.

It requires at least 100,000 signatures to qualify for a response from the Obama Administration.

An initiative of President Barack Obama, “We the People,” the online petition service at the White House website, provides a window to American citizens to campaign before the administration on a particular issue. According to a report in the International Business Times Sept. 27, the petition has already crossed 100,000 signatures.

The move comes after Congressman Ted Poe, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, along with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, introduced HR 6069, the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act in the House of Representatives. The bill has been sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for necessary action.

Simultaneously, the U.S. India Political Action Committee on Sept. 23 launched a nationwide effort to canvass Indian Americans to get their local legislators’ support to HR 6069. “It is time we stop paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is, a state sponsor of terrorism,” Poe said after introducing the bill.

“Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted enemies of the United States for years. From harboring Osama bin Laden to its cozy relationship with the Haqqani network, there is more than enough evidence to determine whose side Pakistan is on in the War on Terror. And it’s not America’s,” Poe claimed.

If passed, the bill will require the U.S. president to issue a report within 90 days of passage detailing whether or not Pakistan has provided support for international terrorism, he said.

“Thirty days after that, the secretary of state must issue a follow-up report containing either a determination that Pakistan is state sponsor of terrorism or a detailed justification as to why Pakistan does not meet the legal criteria for designation,” he added.

Calling it an untrustworthy ally of America, Poe said for years Pakistan has been aiding and abetting the enemies of the U.S. “These are not enemies who simply profess to hate us. These are groups and individuals with American blood on their hands,” he said in his speech on the House floor.

In his remarks in the House, Congressman George Holding said, “Mr. Speaker, we must be honest about the evolving terror threat in front of us and confront this challenge with strong leadership and unwavering resolve.”

The bill requires the administration to formally answer this question. If it passes, it will require the President to issue a report within 90 days detailing whether or not Pakistan has provided support for international terrorism. Thirty days after that report, the bill requires the Secretary of State to issue a follow-up report containing either a determination that Pakistan is a “State Sponsor of Terrorism” or a detailed justification as to why Pakistan does not meet the legal criteria for that designation. “It is time we stop paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is: a State Sponsor of Terrorism,” Poe said in a statement after introducing the legislation.

Dr. Ajay Lodha leads AAPI delegation to meet with US Ambassador, Ministers, Officials in India and plan for historic Global Healthcare Summit in Udaipur

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterHealth 0

Dr. Ajay Lodha, President of AAPI, met with several Federal and State Ministers, Ambassador Richard Verma and high ranking Officials and leaders of Pharmaceutical companies as well as Healthcare and Educational institutions during a recent visit to India, in order to plan and organize AAPI’s 11th annual Global Healthcare Summit to be held in Udaipur, Rajasthan from December 28-30, 2016.

Leading a delegation of AAPI leaders, including Dr. Gautam Sammader, President Elect of AAPI, Anwar Feroz, Honorary Advisor of AAPI, Dr. Raj Bhayani, Chairman of AAPI Convention 2017, and Dr. Satish Mana, past Regional President of AAPI, Dr. Lodha described his meetings in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Udaipur to be “very fruitful” and the responses from “everyone we met were extremely encouraging as every one of them was enthusiastic about our upcoming Global healthcare Summit.”

This 11th international healthcare summit is a progressive transformation from the first Indo-US Healthcare Summit launched by AAPI USA in 2007. “AAPI, as an organization and AAPI individual members or Physicians of India origin have been engaged in helping address huge healthcare related needs of our former home land by organizing, supporting, partnering and collaborating with local groups in India and making a difference in their villages, cities or states,” said Dr. Lodha, upon his return from India after his successful meetings.

“Proud of the great work being done by American Phuysicians of Indian Origin in India and the United States – making a difference,” tweeted Ambassador Richard Verma, the US Ambassador to India, after his meeting with the AAPI delegation in New Delhi.

The delegation had fruitful meetings with India’s Minister for Health, J.P. Nadda; India’s Minster for Overseas Affairs, Gen. Dr. V.K Singh; India’s Minister for Women & Child Development, Maneka Ghandhi; and Krishna Raj, Minister of State for Women & Child Development. “They were all enthusiastic about AAPI and the contributions through the Global healthcare Summits by American physicians of Indian Origin and have offered their fullest cooperation in implementing the initiatives of AAPI across India,” said Dr. Lodha.

During a strategic meeting with the Smt. Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan on September 19, 2016AAPI delegates discussed the upcoming Global Healthcare Summit planned to be held in Udaipur. Highlighting the concrete action plans, Dr. Lodha pointed out that in partnership with Medtronics, AAPI will set up a Traumatic Brain Injury Center in Kota, Rajasthan with the goals of process optimization, manpower training, technology and outcome tracking, with the leading US-based pharmaceutical company offering to set up a 360 degree management services, providing pre assessment, operations, technological support and outcome tracker for a period of 12 months.

Other dignitaries the delegation met in Rajasthan included, Gulab Chand Kataria, Home Minister, and Rajendra Rathore, Health Minister of Rajasthan. The AAPI delegation also met with Devendra Fadnavis, the Honorable Chief Minister of Maharastra, who has expressed who;e hearted support to AAPI initiatives

Clinical Allergy and Immunology fellowship, Clinical Nutrition program, Surgical fellows at South Shore Hospital and North well hospital, UMAS Exchange program, and EPS- Electrical Physiology Studies are only some of the programs that are planned to be operational within the next one year. Bhoomi Poojan for a 150 crore Rupees super speciality project with RNT affiliation with an American hospital isd planned to be held during the GHS.

After a meeting with the leaders of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, it was decided that AIIMS will be the Advisor of the Research Contest that is being held at the GHS in Udaipur, Dr. Lodha reported.

“Since 2007, AAPI has taken a more formal approach with the initiation of Indo-US Healthcare Summits, later evolved as Global Healthcare Summits. This has been a great learning experience and thanks to the passion, commitment and collaboration AAPI has been instrumental in bringing about some ideas that are helping the India and its over a billion people.” For more information on AAPI and the Global Healthcare Summit, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

Dinesh Bharadia wins ‘Marconi Society Young Scholar’ Award

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterCommunity, Uncategorized 0

Dinesh Bharadia, an Indian American post-doctoral student at MIT is one of four 2016 Paul Baran Young Scholars named by The Marconi Society Sept. 14 for their outstanding research and innovations in networking. The Marconi Society is dedicated to furthering scientific achievements in communications and the Internet, according to a Business Wire report.

Bharadia was selected for his work on full duplex radios. The 28-year-old has developed a solution that effectively doubles available radio spectrum in a bandwidth-constrained world. Solving a problem that has stumped scientists for almost 150 years, Bharadia’s work provides effective self-interference cancellation technology that enables radios to transmit and receive on the same frequency.

Bharadia’s work, said Stanford Prof. Sachin Katti, has other important implications. “Dinesh’s work enables a whole host of new applications, from extremely low-power Internet of Things connectivity to motion tracking. It has the potential to be used for important future applications such as building novel wireless imaging that can enable driverless cars in severe weather scenarios, help blind people to navigate indoors, and much more.”

Dinesh Bharadia, who holds a Ph.D. from Stanford and is currently a graduate researcher at MIT, will receive his prestigious award at a gala Nov. 2 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Calif., where Brad Parkinson, the “father of GPS,” will receive the $100,000 Marconi Prize. When Bharadia, an electrical engineering graduate of IIT Kanpur, came to Stanford to pursue his M.S. and Ph.D. a few years ago, he wanted to solve “an interesting, hard problem.”

“Let’s say you are shouting at someone and they are shouting at you,” Bharadia explains. “Neither of you can hear the other, because you are both shouting in the same frequency. The noise in your ears (“interference”) from your own shout prevents you from hearing the other person. That’s a good analogy for why radios have needed to use two different frequencies to transmit and receive simultaneously. It’s also why solving the challenge of developing ‘full duplex radios’ effectively doubles the amount of available spectrum.”

Novelist Abraham Verghese to be honored by Obama with Humanities Medal

September 30, 2016 Staff ReporterProfiles 0

Abraham Verghese, MD, professor of medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine, was awarded a National Humanities Medal, the White House announced. President Barack Obama conferred the medal at a White House ceremony Sept. 22. “Abraham Verghese is not only an exemplary clinician, he is an exemplary humanist,” said Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. “Every day in the classroom, he teaches his students that professions such as medicine benefit from an understanding of the human condition. We are so proud that his breadth of scholarship has been recognized with this honor.”

Abraham Verghese, 61, whose books based on experiences of real health crises woven into moving experiences, have drawn critical acclaim worldwide and several awards, will be honored in a White House ceremony, along with numerous others. Currently the Linda R. Meier and Joan F. Lane Provostial Professor at Stanford University, Verghese also earned a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Iowa, focused on fiction writing.

Born in Ethiopia in 1955, Verghese had to cut short his medical training in Addis Ababa when Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed and civil unrest broke out. He joined his parents in the U.S. and worked as an orderly in a hospital before going to India to study medicine at Madras Medical College. He came back to the U.S. to do his residency at East Tennessee State University, later returning to the South to witness the devastation caused by the AIDS epidemic.

His first book, My Own Country: A Doctor’s Story, was based on those experiences of seeing young men die with little but emotional support that he could give them for the then little-known disease. His other book, Cutting for Stone, was set in Ethiopia from where it moved to America. “I wanted the reader to see how entering medicine was a passionate quest, a romantic pursuit, a spiritual calling, a privileged yet hazardous undertaking,” He is quoted saying about that book. “It’s a view of medicine I don’t think too many young people see in the West because, frankly, in the sterile hallways of modern medical-industrial complexes, where physicians and nurses are hunkered down behind computer monitors, and patients are whisked off here and there for all manner of tests, that side of medicine gets lost.”

His citation, which will be read aloud at the Sept. 22 ceremony as the President places the medal on him, reads as follows – “Abraham Verghese for reminding us that the patient is the center of the medical enterprise. His range of proficiency embodies the diversity of the humanities; from his efforts to emphasize empathy in medicine, to his imaginative renderings of the human drama.”

Anand Chandrasekaran joins Facebook

September 29, 2016 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

Facebook hired ex-yahoo, executive Anand Chandrasekaran on a strategic role to boost future anticipations of the Messenger application. The social networking giant appointed Chandrasekaran for a global leadership role to expand its services further in India. The move will build new partnerships and strategies for the Messenger app that has hit over one billion user account. As reported by The Business Insider website, Anand Chandrasekaran will assist social media company in building strategies for Facebook Messenger.

“They say the best journeys bring you home. We embarked on one two-and-a-half years ago, and it has been nothing short of incredible. I am super excited to share that building on the learning and experiences, I am joining Facebook to work on Facebook Messenger platform,” Chandrasekaran wrote in a Facebook post. “Core to every major platform I’ve worked on is a belief that technology should help level the playing field for all-something that is at the heart of Facebook and Messenger,” he added.

Anand worked at Yahoo from 2011 to 2014 as a Senior Director for search products and mobile products. Later he joined Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel as a Chief Product Officer and helped the company spread its service with music and mobile payment platforms. Later he joined Snapdeal, the Indian e-commerce company as the Chief Product Officer. Anand helped Snapdeal by launching a revamped website and app that introduced the image search feature. Chandrasekaran played a big role in acquiring Freecharge and merging it with Snapdeal at $400 million.

Chandrasekaran completed his undergraduate degree in India and MS from Stanford University. After graduating, he co-founded a mobile application software company, Aeroprise, which was further acquired by BMC software in 2011. Before joining Airtel, he spent about 13 years with various technological firms like Openwave systems, Yodlee and Yahoo in the Silicon Valley. The World Economic Forum awarded Chandrasekaran as the Young Global Leader. Anand notified about joining the Social media giant through a Facebook post. He will join Facebook’s Menlo Park office.

Facebook Messenger has a download count of more than one billion, which makes it second most popular Android and iOS application. The app currently has 10 percent of VoIP market share. Facebook is continuously working to make its app user-friendly and with the launch of bots for Messenger, it will further allow businesses to automate responses.

India has become a critical market for Facebook which is now second only to the US in terms of Facebook users. “Messenger is going to be the next big platform for sharing privately,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently said. “Connecting India is an important goal we won’t give up on, because more than a billion people in India don’t have access to the internet,” Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post.

TheUNN Corporation

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