Category: Community

Rights group’s world report accuses BJP-led government of promoting Hindu supremacy and ultra-nationalism

Source: UCAN

Civil society groups in India have backed a Human Rights Watch report that condemns the unabated violence that religious minorities suffer at the hands of right-wing Hindu groups.

India’s federal government led by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has failed to contain rights violations on several fronts, according to the New York-based group’s 2018 World Report.

“The government failed to promptly or credibly investigate the attacks, while many senior BJP leaders publicly promoted Hindu supremacy and ultra-nationalism, which encouraged further violence,” said the Human Rights Watch report.

An increasing threat in 2017 was “vigilante violence aimed at religious minorities, marginalized communities and critics of the government” by groups claiming to support the ruling party, it said.

The report listed several cases of violations including army excesses in the disputed Kashmir region and unequal treatment of India’s indigenous and Dalit people, who were formerly considered untouchable.

“Dissent was labeled anti-national, and activists, journalists and academics were targeted for their views, chilling free expression,” the report said.

Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, told reporters after the report’s release that Indian authorities have proved unwilling to protect minority religious communities and other vulnerable groups from frequent attacks.

Those responsible for such attacks need to be prosecuted to prevent future attacks, she said.

The report confirms what Indians have been witnessing in the past four years since the BJP government came to power, said Pravin Mishra of human rights organization Jan Sangharsh Manch (people’s resistance forum).

“India is passing through a very turbulent period. Such violence against minorities was never witnessed since the partition of the Subcontinent in 1947,” Mishra told ucanews.com.

The BJP now rules 19 of India’s 29 states and “one can see the graph of violence against Muslims, Christians and Dalits has spiraled specifically in BJP-ruled states,” Mishra said.

P.T. John, general secretary of a tea planters’ union in the southern state of Kerala, told ucanews.com that the government makes no effort to protect minorities.

“Hindu groups who keep targeting minorities defend their actions while protecting themselves as nationalists. They are making a mockery of the law and of the country’s Supreme Court,” John said.

Dalit leader Vinay Kumar, a member of the National Federation for Dalit Land in India, told ucanews.com that oppression of minorities is nothing new in India but it has deepened since the BJP came to power.

Hindu hardliners often present Christians and Muslims as foreigners in India, which belongs to only Hindus. “With such a mindset in place, how can minorities feel secure in the country?” Kumar asked.

Right-wing Hindu groups were once dismissed as “fringe elements” but they cannot be considered so any more as the ruling party depends on their support and attacks have become regular.

Hindus in India number 966 million in a population of 1.2 billion, but Muslims are a considerable minority as they form 172 million. Christians are hardly 28 million and constitute less than one percent in most northern states, where they mostly face violence from Hindu groups.

Persecution Relief, an ecumenical Christian forum that monitors persecution, claims it recorded 600 incidents in 2017 of violence on Christians, including destruction of churches, threats and harassment, social boycotts, hate campaigns, abductions, murder, physical violence and attempted murder.

FIA swears-in a new energized team of leaders

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Federation of Indian Associations [FIA] Chicago hosted a grand Indian Republic Day Gala replete with colorful celebrations encompassing traditional, patriotic and stunning contemporary dance presentations remarkably depicting the beautiful majestic elements and soul of India that which was enhanced further by the presence of Consul General of India Neeta Bhushan, legendary Sarod maestro & Padma Vibhushan Sri. Amjad Ali Khan along with wife Subhalakshmi and sons Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash – all fused into an extraordinarily memorable Republic Day celebrations on Friday January 26, 2018 at the Meadows Convention Center in Rolling Meadows, IL.

The highlight of the evening’s celebrations was the swearing-in ceremony of the FIA Executive Board: Sanhita Agnihotri as new FIA President with Executive Vice President Pradeep Shukla, Vice Presidents: Harish Kolasani, Secretary: Saloni Dar, Treasurer: Satish Dadepogu, Joint Secretary: Chris Aryan, Joint Treasurer: Raj Patel and host of Directors Yoga Balaji, Vijender Doma, Shafeeq Khaja and Shabana constituting the newly elected board for 2018-2019.

Chief Guest Consul General of India Neeta Bhushan in her address conveyed her heartfelt Republic Day greetings and congratulated FIA-Chicago for hosting an impressive event in celebration of the Republic of India. Consul General Neeta Bhushan fondly recalled her first attendance at FIA’s Indian Republic Day event in 2017 as the Chief Guest and said she is pleased to be in attendance again in 2018. Legendary Sarod Maestro & Padma VIbhushan Amjad Ali Khan extended warm greetings on the occasion of India’s Republic Day event.

FIA President Sanhita Agnihotri in her debut presidential address unveiled bold ambitious plans to steer FIA in a new direction by launching more meaningful program initiatives significant to the Indian American community. She said the new team teeming with renewed sense of aspirational zeal is determined to help lay foundations to take FIA in a new direction to restore its rich and glorious past.  FIA President Sanhita Agnihotri waxed eloquence with Hindi couplets and expressly thanked Consul General of India Ms. Neeta Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan Amjad Ali Khan for their valued presence and as a token of appreciation presented silk shawls in demonstrating FIA’s appreciation.

The evening celebrations predominantly encompassed breathtaking dance presentations especially an epic ballet dance presentation facilitated by Harish Kolasani with 32-members dancing in unison and harmony adulating India’s ‘Unity in Diversity’ theme hailing India’s landscape of mountain ranges, vast rivers, dark forests, stream, sandy deserts its colorful diversity of people of all castes, creeds, faiths each complimenting the union of India. This dance was choreographed by Rina Thakur of RinaRockers, Jelena Mitchell of Art Ballet of Conservatory and Shanti Johnson of Yoga Planting. Each dance presentations capturing the spirit and essence of India were stunning and some even breathtaking with each performance amazing the audience eliciting extended applause.

Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, FIA Trustee urged the guests to pause on this Republic Day to salute the vanguard of freedom fighters who have shown their  valor to secure emancipation from the colonial rule and achieve Independence which eventually enabled India to attain its sovereign Democratic Republic. Pradeep Shukla, Executive Vice President and Minhaj Akhtar, FIA Trustee intermittently spoke acknowledging the generous sponsorships and publicly thanked Mr. Iftekhar Shareef, CEO of National Bankcard Corporation, Mrs. Malini, Midwest Manager of Air-India, Mr. Syed Hussaini of Win Trust Bank, Mr. Iftekhar and Bernard of MB Bank were acknowledged for their generous sponsorships.

Dr. Vijay Prabhakar, President of Multi Ethnic Task Force thanked FIA for hosting phenomenal gala in commemoration of India’s Republic and went on to introduce Christ Kennedy Junior. Young Chris Kennedy Jr. [Grandnephew of late John F Kennedy] son of Chris Kennedy spoke at length about his family of leaders who have paved the way laying bridges of enduring friendship between United States and India.

The evening concluded with a musical concert presented by Saurin & Foram Thakkar who belted out some of the wide array of Bollywood’s hits that spurred spontaneous dancing from the couples who lingered late into the night of celebration.

‘Sastha Preethi,’ a program organized by New York Namasankeerthanam Group was celebrated at Kubera Hall attached to the Flushing- Queens, Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Temple on Sunday -Jan 7th, 2018.

‘Sastha Preethi’ , as the name suggests, is the worship of Sree Dharma Sastha for the blessing of his divine grace. Lord Sastha, also popularly known as Lord Ayyappa is known to be the off-spring of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu (as Mohini, in his female form). The most famous and well known shrine of Lord Sastha is the Sabarimala [1] (mountain) situated at Kerala, India. Every year millions of  devotees visit this shrine and seek the blessings of the Lord mainly during the Tamil months of Karthigai and Margazhi  (Nov-Jan ) period with great austerity and devotion.

The half-day event comprised a MahaGanapati  Homam, Japam, Rudrabhishekam, Ayyppa Sahasranamarchana, Bhajan and Annadhanam.

The event highlight was Little Girls under the age group of (8 to 12) performed outstanding bhajans for around 2 hours under the guidance of Guru Tiruvarur A. Radhakrishnan. Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage center located at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District, Perunad grama panchayat in Kerala, India. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world with an estimated 45-50 million devotees visiting every year.

The Sastha Preethi Pooja created an incredible environment and filled the air with holy blessings according to the devotees who attended the program. If you need more information on the Jan 07 event, please contact Madhavan Krishnamachari  at kmadhavan@hotmail.com.

SAMAR (South Asian Marrow Association of Recruiters), a legacy recruitment group of the Be The Match national registry which helps donate blood marrow samples, recently honored donors at their Silver Jubilee celebration held on the auspicious day of Lohri, Makar Sankrant, Bihu and Pongal.

Those who attended the event included long-time supporter Anil Bansal, Freeholder Shanti Narra who chairs the Middlesex County’s Public Safety, some prominent members of the community, patients, donors and board members including the founders Rafiya and Moazzam Khan.

 “An oasis of hope is how the patients and their families refer to SAMAR. It is not just an empty acronym but also a reservoir of dedicated activity to bring solace and comfort to patients diagnosed with leukemia and other fatal blood disorders,” said Khan. Attendees were invited to participate in an interactive session and brainstorm ideas for the year, where the key topic was awareness.

While many suggested spreading awareness through social media to develop strong partnerships with educational, cultural and business institutions, increasing registration of volunteers, others suggested having lunch and learning programs at universities and corporations.

The celebration concluded with all of the attendees agreeing to take measures that would enhance patient survival through awareness and keeping these meetings periodically for the betterment and progress of SAMAR, according to a press release.

SAMAR was started by Rafiya Peerbhoy Khan in 1992 and was initially meant to reach out to and register the severely underrepresented South Asian ethnic group.

SAMAR’s mission is to facilitate a process of education, tissue typing and donor registry enrollment as a means to ensure that no global citizen is ever denied a lifesaving blood stem cell/marrow transplant solely due to the lack of a genetically specific donor, according to their website.

“We serve patients who need a blood stem cell/marrow transplant for leukemia, lymphoma, fatal blood disorders, and other conditions requiring a cellular transplant for a cure. Our focus is all patients requiring blood stem cell/marrow transplants from all races and ethnicities,” it states on the website. In its 25 years, SAMAR (www.samarinfo.org) has registered over 100,000 volunteer marrow donors, served 400 patients and facilitated 250 transplants all over the world including India.

“Hinduism is in danger. It is in danger from a belief, an ideology called Hindutva, which has divided Indians into Hindus and others,” said Nayantara Sahgal, at the onset of a discussion on author parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor’s new book ‘Why I Am A Hindu’. That set the mood of the conversation between Tharoor and poet Arundhathi Subramaniam.

The author-politician admitted that while his book addresses issues that he has been thinking about since childhood and has written about before, “increasingly as political Hinduism in the form of Hindutva came front and centre of our public discourse, it has became more and more necessary to challenge the uncontested assumption that the only Hinduism is the Sanghiwadi’s branch of Hinduism, which it is not.”

“I knew the vast majority of Hindus didn’t share the politics of Hindutva or even some of the not-so-benign assumptions of Hindutva, whereas they are proud of their Hinduism and practice the faith,” he said.

 “The acceptance of difference goes to the heart of Hinduism,” Tharoor said offering an example of what he has seen being practiced at home by his own father. A devout man, he would go straight from his bath to the prayer room but never obliged anyone else at home to join him. “It was an early lesson in the Hindu idea that prayer or worship was between you and your idea of your maker. And if I wanted to pray or worship I had to find my truth,” he said.

Tharoor believes that character of Hinduism – a religion that allowed one choice as well as the right to question – is the right one for a modern democracy. “How such a wonderfully capricious faith, so open, so liberal can be reduced by some into a badge of identity akin to that of the British football hooligans, I don’t know, but I don’t want any part of it,” he said.

Referring to the ideas of people like Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi, as well as some pioneers of the idea of Hindutva including MS Golwalkar and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, he stated: “We are living in a country where, on the one hand, the Prime Minister says the Constitution is his holy book and on the other hand, he extols as a hero and instructs his ministry to study the works and writings and teachings of a man, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, who explicitly rejects the Constitution and who says the Constitution is fundamentally flawed.”

Amidst repeated applause from the audience Tharoor said that those who accuse him of advertising his faith for political reasons don’t know that his book is a result of years of reflection. “At least for two-three generations of Hindus I knew, including mine, would practice the faith in private but would find it unseemly to depict it in public. That was the Hindu way,” he said. As a result, space had been ceded to “those who were not only willingly to advertise their Hindutva, but claim it is the only way of being Hindu”. Tharoor believes it is time for “other Hindus to take back our faith.” This, he stated, is what his book sought to do.

A new green index has ranked India the fourth worst country worldwide in curbing environmental pollution. According to the latest global Environmental Performance Index (EPI) rankings released on Tuesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meet in Davos, India is at 177th spot — down from 141st position two years ago — in the list of 180 countries.

The EPI ranks 180 countries on 24 performance indicators across 10 issue categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality.

“India and Bangladesh come in near the bottom of the rankings, with Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nepal rounding out the bottom five,” said the latest biennial report by the Yale and Columbia universities in collaboration with the WEF.

The report said that low ranking of the emerging economies — China (120) and India — reflect “the strain population pressures and rapid economic growth impose on the environment”.

The report said substantial populations still suffer from poor air quality, most notably in India, China, and Pakistan (169).

“Low scores on the EPI are indicative of the need for national sustainability efforts on a number of fronts, especially cleaning up air quality, protecting biodiversity and reducing GHG (green house gas) emissions,” said the report.

It said some of the lowest-ranking nations face “broader challenges (like) civil unrest but the low scores for others can be attributed to weak governance”.

The report has found that air quality was the leading environmental threat to public health worldwide. Switzerland leads the world in sustainability, followed by France, Denmark, Malta and Sweden.

The index offers not only a snapshot of where countries stand but also “reflects important trends in environmental performance at both the national and global levels”.

It said the global community was generally improving on a number of issues, such as health outcomes related to drinking water and sanitation and protection of marine ecosystems, while on other issues significant challenges remained.

“As the world community pursues new sustainable development goals, policymakers need to know who is leading and who is lagging on energy and environmental challenges,” Daniel C. Esty, director of the Yale Centre for Environmental Law and Policy and the Hillhouse Professor at Yale University.

“The 2018 EPI confirms that success with regard to sustainable development requires both economic progress that generates the resources to invest in environmental infrastructure and careful management of industrialization and urbanisation that can lead to pollution that threatens both public health and ecosystems.”

‘Master of None’ chosen to compete in category of directorial achievement

Comedian Aziz Ansari picked up two nominations for the 70th annual Directors Guild of America Awards in the outstanding directorial achievement in a comedy series category with his Netflix series “Master of None.”While Ansari is nominated for the episode”The Thief,” which he directed, Melina Matsoukas has also made it into the category for the “Thanksgiving” episode of the same series. Other nominees include Mike Judge of the Kumail Nanjiani-starrer “Silicon Valley,” Beth McCarthy-Miller of “Veep,” and Amy Sherman-Palladino, for an episode of Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”

The “Master of None” creator and actor has been caught in a sexual harassment scandal since an expose on the feminist website Babe.net broke out last week, where a 23-year-old New York woman, identified in the report as Grace, accuses him of sexually exploiting her. Ansari, 34, who became the first Indian-American to win best actor at the Golden Globes, is the latest in a long line of powerful men in Hollywood to be recently accused of sexual misconduct, triggering a debate about what constitutes an awkward sexual encounter versus sexual misconduct.

The standup comedian was conspicuously absent at the Screen Actors Guild awards held Jan. 21 in Los Angeles, California. A notable lack of applause after Ansari’s name was announced reminded audience of the severity of the accusations. He was nominated for his role in the Netflix series “Master of None” and was pitted against Anthony Anderson, Larry David, Sean Hayes, William H. Macy and Marc Maron. The award ultimately went to Macy for his role in “Shameless.”

However it is not all downhill for Ansari. He once again made his way into The Hollywood Reporter’s Top Comedians chart dated Jan. 24. The Top Comedians chart is a ranking of the most popular comedians on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Google Plus with global data provided by social media analytics company MVPindex. The chart’s methodology blends social engagement on the platforms along with weekly additions of followers/subscribers. The latest tracking week ended Jan. 16. Ansari re-entered the chart at number 9. Ansari also got support from actor and fellow comedian Joel McHale, who said he felt like the episode was consensual, the Daily Mail reported.

“The Doctor From India,” a film about Dr. Vasant Lad, the first Indian American Ayurvedic Doctor in the U.S., will premiere at the 2018 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

The feature-length documentary from India has been acquired by Zeitgeist Films who will market and release the film theatrically and Kino Lorber who will handle home entertainment, according to Deadline.

The film, directed by Jeremy Frindel, follows the story of Lad’s mission to bring the Ayurveda, the ancient healthcare system of wellness, from India to the United States in the late 1970s.

Along with documenting Lad’s story, the documentary features Indian American author and Ayurvedic practitioner Deepak Chopra and other interviewees talking about Ayurveda.

Before coming to the U.S., Lad was a professor of clinical medicine at the Pune University College of Ayurvedic Medicine for 15 years.

He has a bachelor’s degree in Ayurvedic medicine and surgery from the University of Pune and a master’s degree in Ayurvedic science from Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya.

His academic and practical training include the study of Allopathy (western medicine) and surgery as well as traditional Ayurveda.

In 1984, Lad founded The Ayurvedic Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico which moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, two years later where he is now the director of the institute. Lad has written 11 books on Ayurveda as well as hundreds of articles and other writings, his work has been translated into more than 20 languages.

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY (January 18, 2018) — The Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, a non-profit organization that promotes religious understanding in schools, workplaces, health care settings and regions of armed conflict across the globe has been awarded Hofstra University’s 2018 Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize, President Stuart Rabinowitz announced here last week.

The Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, founded 25 years ago and based in Lower Manhattan, offers programs and resources providing educators, physicians and corporate leaders with practical tools for addressing religious differences and creating cultures that respect religious diversity. It was founded in 1992 by Dr. Georgette F. Bennett, in memory of her late husband, Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum, a humanitarian interfaith leader.

Through its Peacemakers in Action Network, Tanenbaum also facilitates and supports collaborations by a network of individuals from varied religious traditions who promote grassroots and interfaith peacebuilding efforts in armed conflicts around the world. The Network currently consists of 28 individuals from 23 regions.

“Tanenbaum is an extraordinary organization that embodies the principles of Guru Nanak,” said President Rabinowitz. “Tanenbaum empowers people with concrete strategies that lead to greater religious understanding and inclusion in societal institutions.”

Tanenbaum is also an inaugural member of the now 330+ participant CEO Action Diversity and Inclusion movement, and is in the third year of its public education campaign Combating Extremism, which aims to dispel stereotypes, inspire interreligious respect, and provide trustworthy information about current religion-related issues.

Said Dean Benjamin Rifkin of Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: “Tanenbaum’s accomplishments and mission are a perfect manifestation of the vision for this award, which is based on the conviction that we have much to learn from the traditions of others.”

The $50,000 Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize is bestowed every two years to recognize significant work to increase interfaith understanding. The award will be formally presented to the Tanenbaum Center at a banquet in April 2018.

The first Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize was awarded in 2008 to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. Since then, eight individuals and organizations have been recognized with the Guru Nanak prize.

“Receiving the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize is an honor of the highest order,” said Tanenbaum CEO Joyce S. Dubensky. “To be recognized as an advocate for the same values embodied by Guru Nanak—justice, equality, respect and compassion—is an affirmation of everything Tanenbaum seeks to achieve.”

The Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize was established in 2006 by Ishar Bindra and family and named for the founder of the Sikh religion. It is meant to encourage understanding of various religions and encourage cooperation between faith communities. Guru Nanak believed that all humans are equal, regardless of color, ethnicity, nationality or gender.

In September 2000, the Bindra family endowed the Sardarni Kuljit Kaur Bindra Chair in Sikh Studies at Hofstra University in honor of the family’s matriarch. Tejinder Bindra, speaking on behalf of the Bindra Family, noted when the award was inaugurated that Guru Nanak espoused a message of universal brotherhood at a time of increasing religious intolerance during 15th and 16th century India.

“It is in this spirit that the Guru Nanak Prize was initiated,” Bindra said. “If one can experience that universality then there is absolutely no room left for differences in race, color, caste, creed, religion or gender, and then as the Sikh scripture tells us ‘I see no stranger’.”

“The awardees may or may not be Sikh and may represent any of the multitudes of faiths or, for that matter, even no particular faith at all,” he said. “It is their dedication that brings humankind to their shared destiny, common purpose and roots that they honor.”

Asian Media USA ©

Chicago: Telugu Association of Greater Chicago (First Telugu association in North America) celebrated Makara Sankranti and India Republic Day with Chicago land area Telugu families at the HTGC Rama Temple Auditorium, Lemont IL.The event was a grand success with an overwhelming response from the Telugu community with over 1000 guests in attendance. The event was conducted on 13th January, 2018 from 3:00PM to 10PM. TAGC Board has decided to do this event with all local talent promoting the Telugu culture, traditions and encouraged youth to preserve traditions. The response from the Telugu community was tremendous as per Membership committee chair Mr. Praveen Vemulapalli more than 1000 guests were attending the event even during the Cold climate in Chicago. On behalf of all TAGC, We wish all our community a happy Makara Sankranthi and advanced Republic Day wishes.

The cultural programs included more than 30 programs with 330 local talents, followed by Chicago famous singers Praveen Jaligama garu, Sailaja garu and Madhavi Merugu garu who entertained audiences with different movie songs.

TAGC President-elect Ramu Billakanti garu welcomed and wished good health, prosperity and wealth to all the guests on behalf of President Jyothi Chintalapani garu. President garu thanked all Sponsors, Volunteers and encouraged to take membership by all attendees.

The program started with Lord Ganesha prayer along with the cultural team and Board of Directors. In the Sankranti and India Republic cultural event 330 participants performed a variety of programs and shows keeping the audience entertained and involved. The program highlight was Men’s skit “Pandu gadi Kotu Gola” and Women’s skit “Mahillallu – Maharanulu”

TAGC President elect thanked and congratulated Cultural Committee Chair Ranga Reddy Lenkala Co- chair Swetha Janamanchi and Uma Avadhuta team members and volunteers who worked for more than 8 weeks to make the event grand success.

Audience was enthusiastic to see all decorations throughout the Auditorium. Bommalla Koluvu, Kite decoration, Harvest Crop themes was a special attraction according to Decorations Committee Chair Mrs. Vani Yetrintala. There was also competitions on Sankranthi theme and Muggulu potti. Gifts were distributed for the Competition winners by Sponsors along with on-spot gift cards for kids who answered correctly about Sankranti and Telugu culture.

TAGC Sankranthi cultural Celebration also included delicious dinner served by Volunteers.. In food “Ghee Ariselu” became the top attraction, which was specially brought from India. Along with Ariselu, more than 10 items were served which include Pongal, Indian Peas curry, Vada and Pizza for kids. Volunteer team led by Food Chair Mr. Srinivas Kandru has streamlined the process and made the lines disappear with minimal wait for more than 1000 guests within an hour. TAGC Board thanked Bawarchi restaurant for providing a tasty food with lot of varieties for a nominal price.

All the board members, various committee chairs/co-chairs, volunteers under the direction of the current President Mrs. Jyothi Chinthalapani, President-elect Mr. Ram Billakanti worked hard with dedication, passion and great enthusiasm to make first event grand successful and memorable with festive experience to guests and participants who attended the event. Youth Volunteers helped in the event in membership validation, ticket distribution and Food serving. All the event was driven by volunteers and did a smooth execution.

Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Entertainment, Elegance and Excitement were the words to describe the NYE 2018 at Ashyana Banquets in Downers Grove, IL last week. It may have been a cold night outside but inside of venue was buzzing with frenzy. Sunil Shah of New York Life and Anil Loomba of Home Mortgage Solutions together grand sponsored the event which was organized by Pratibha Jairath.

 People were impressed from Mr. Surinder Jain of Ashyana Banquets for providing excellent customer service, decor and extraordinary variety of menu. Chair covers, center pieces, neon up lights and a warm smile with personal attention was clearly welcoming.

Raju Bankapur and Pratibha Jairath, the well-known local singers of Chicago, started the entertainment section by performing the dance medleys of new numbers such as Channa mereya, Rashke kamar, Kala Chashma, High heels, Zaalima, Lungi dance, Laila main Laila and so many more.

The Loomba couple who had hosted the ‘VIP meet and Greet’ night for Jinal Pandya and producer Bobby Scott, were in Great Spirits and the first couple to come to the dance floor when the live singing started. They were followed by Mr. & Mrs. Brij Sharma and them within minutes several people came to dance floor. It was good to see that the dance floor had no room left.

Jairath, the emcee of the evening created another surge of excitement when she announced the entrance of the celebrity Jinal Pandya. At first she asked Ms Pandya, about her experiences in Bollywood with making of Hungama 2 and Amrapali 2 with Sanjay Dutt. Then upon public demand, the beautiful actress charmed the audience with her amazing dance performance. Continuing the entertainment segment, the next item was the dance from Belly dancer who performed on Maiya Maiya song with candelabra on her head.

The eagerness to celebrate the NYE was evident by watching audience rush to floor as soon as DJ Sahil started his dance numbers. ‘Great Job’, exclaimed a guest of Mr. Noor Tejani of Midwest Sliver club who brought close to 100 people. Mrs. Vishnu Padma Reddy, who was glowing in her pink outfit and dazzling smile was pleased that she brought close to 80 people and they were thoroughly enjoying the celebration. Mr. Sunil Shah and Ms. Lubna Eliaz were also personally applauded for bringing a lot of esteemed VIP guests and friends.

Men and women were dressed elegant and graceful for the occasion. Talented and Energetic Mr. Suresh Bodiwala was clicking away and guiding folks to capture the best pictures for the event which is his trademark. He starts the event with email blast and finish with his photography and media release. Party favors were distributed and folks were ready with champagne glasses to toast and welcome New Year. Grand sponsors, organizer and Ms Jinal Pandya were on stage toasting to New Year 2018. The balloon drop showered audience who were on dance floor. People danced and dined all through evening into late hours wishing each other Happy New Year.

The rock carving – known to be the earliest form of human expression – found in Burzahama region in Kashmir is on an irregular stone slab with a size of about 48 cm by 27 cm. In an interesting find, Indian astrophysicists have unearthed a nearly 5,000-year-old rock carving in Kashmir which, they believe, is the oldest record of supernova and sky chart found in human history.

The rock carving – known to be the earliest form of human expression – found in Burzahama region in Kashmir is on an irregular stone slab with a size of about 48 cm by 27 cm. The figure shows two bright objects in the sky with rays of light coming out of them and a hunter spearing an animal below the first object.

There is another animal to the left of the hunter drawn above the hunter’s spear, representing a hunting scene. The two objects are a pair of bright stars at the local zenith at the beginning of the hunting season.

The two objects cannot be Sun and Moon since, with such proximity to the Sun, the Moon would be in a partial phase around the new and hence not very bright, said researchers led by Hrishikesh Joglekar from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai.

“The stone drawing is a complete sky chart of the night on which the Supernova was first observed by unknown observers around 4,500 BC,” Joglekar said in a statement on Tuesday.

A supernova is a transient astronomical event that occurs during the last stellar evolutionary stages of a massive star’s life, whose dramatic and catastrophic destruction is marked by one final titanic explosion.

The researchers had ruled out the possibility that the observed object is a star pair or comets, halos and terrestrial events. They investigated the possibility that the rock drawing is the record of the supernova HB9 and found that only one Supernova remnant HB9 meets all the criteria and it exploded around 4500 BC with a brightness comparable to the brightness of the Moon.

“We suggest that the partially drawn object is HB9 since it would be irregular and that the second bright object is Moon since the apparent magnitude of HB9 is closer to that of the Moon,” Joglekar said.

“This is not a terrestrial hunting scene but is actually a sky-map giving location of prominent constellations and the Moon on the day the supernova was first observed,” he noted.

India’s biggest and most extravagant play till date – “Mughal-e-Azam The Musical”  by Feroz Khan has won top honors at the prestigious Broadway World India Awards 2017. The Broadway World Regional Awards takes place in a record number of markets, with a record number of votes – including 56 cities across the United States; with the awards taking place globally in a record-breaking 11 countries, including multiple Canadian cities.

 “Mughal-e-Azam: The Musical” has bagged seven awards including the Best Play (Shapoorji Pallonji & NCPA), Best Director for Feroz Abbas Khan, Best Original Choreography for Mayuri Upadhya, Best Original Costume Design for Manish Malhotra, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Original Lighting Design for David Lander and Best Original Set Design for Neil Patel.

Produced by the original producers of the movie in 1960, Shaporjee-Pallonji, the broadway-style musical saw decadent costumes by Manish Malhotra, a soulful Mayuri Upadhya breathing fresh life into kathak and lighting and projecting design by award-winning David Lander and Emmy-nominated John Narun respectively, which made all of the difference.

Director Feroz Abbas Khan said, “I’m overwhelmed with the awards. This belongs to the entire team of extraordinary artists and rare human beings who gave everything they had, so the world experiences our best. ‘Mughal-e-Azam; The Musical’ is truly India’s pride. On behalf of the entire team, I would like to thank Indian audiences and Broadway World for this honor.”

Deepesh Salgia, (Creative and Strategic Vision: Mughal-e-Azam) said, “An international honor for your first theatre production is a rare feat. It is a moment of extreme pride for Shapoorji Pallonji and the entire Mughal-e-Azam team.”

Shapoorji Pallonji, the producer of the play, .

The announcement comes ahead of the second season of “Mughal-e-Azam: The Musical” in Delhi that will be staged at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Delhi from Feb. 1st to Feb. 11th, 2018. Incidentally, this will also be the 100th show of the world-class theatrical production. Produced by Shapoorji Pallonji, the play has already completed five successful seasons in Mumbai.

Continuing with the tradition of singing Carols and spreading the message of Christmas around the community, members of Our Lady of Assumption Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission in Norwalk CT went around houses across the southern Connecticut, singing Christmas carols and bringing in the joy of Christmas and sharing blessings with members and families and friends of the newly formed Catholic Church in Fairfield County during the weekends of December 16-17, and 22-24, 2015.The  caroling began with the carol, ‘O Come All Ye Faithful.’

Meanwhile, Trumbull Party Timers, a group of families in the Trumbull region shared the joyous Christmas blessings with children leading the Carol singing in each house in the region. “It was fun and while we had a good time we are glad we are able to share with one another the spirit of Christmas; Love, Joy, Peace, and Sharing,” said the youth who were the lead carolers of the group.

Santhigram Kerala Ayurvedic Co., USA, a leading provider of authentic Kerala specific Ayurveda therapies in the United States, having its presence at 12 locations spread all over US including New Jersey, New York, Texas, Illinois and Wisconsin, proudly announces a grand celebration on the occasion of completing 10 years since its inception in US on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at Edison Hotel Banquet and Conference Center, 3050 Woodbridge Ave., Edison, New Jersey.

More than 500 esteemed guests are expected to attend the function on the said day from various walks of life including clients, stakeholders, friends and well-wishers from various parts of US and abroad. It is also expected that the occasion will be graced by the presence of distinguished guests from Elected officials, Media, Community associations, Chambers of Commerce, business and other forums.

Series of programs have been lined up as part of the event, including the launch of much awaited Ayurveda training School, Santhigram Herbal products and “Santhigram Foundation” – A charity wing of Santhigram for advocating and promoting health and wellness and making awareness of the benefits of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) based on “Ayurveda” principles that nurture the human mind, body and spirit and extending the benefit of cost-efficient Ayurveda treatments and medicinal herbs for chronic ailments to low income patients.

Theme of the celebration during the extravaganza evening would be “Celebrating the Spirit of Life and Good Health” which will entail walking the audience through various chores involved in daily life and focus on realizing the supreme importance of staying pristine healthy.

Some of the distinguished members of the community and employees who have supported and contributed immensely to the growth of the unique business model, Santhigram Wellness Kerala Ayurveda which has been successfully adopted in United States, will be accorded due recognition during the function. It will be followed by variety of enthralling entertaining programs replete with a riveting dance and music programs and a sumptuous dinner evening. For further details, please contact on email: info(at)santhigramusa(dot)com

or phone number 888-537-2987 / 732-709-3347.

By Dr. Thomas Abraham

Novi, Michigan – American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) held its 32nd Annual Convention focusing on the theme of Emerging Technologies and Entrepreneurship (ETE 2017). This convention was held on December 9th at the Novi Civic Center in Novi, Michigan. The 32nd Annual Convention is hosted by the Michigan Chapter of ASEI. The objective ETE 2017 was to provide a forum to promote and share advancements related to emerging technologies and entrepreneurship. This convention was attended by scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders across USA. This convention will feature multiple interactive sessions with prominent business owners, technologists, media personalities, educators, policy makers, and investment bankers.

The convention had multiple interactive sessions led by various subject matter experts providing information and insight on many topics related to the convention theme. The attendees found these sessions very informative and comprehensive. The sessions were organized in two tracks with topics such as Autonomous Cars, Latest Trends in Automotive Transmissions Technology, Tax Considerations for Entrepreneurs, War on Cash, Cybersecurity and Healthcare, Innovations in Branding, and Intelligent Transport Systems. The speakers for these sessions were from Ford, GM, Harman, Prudential, SBD, Futurenet, Michigan Business Network, University of Michigan, TiE, and Jenesys Group. The attendees found these sessions very informative and helpful.

There were two keynote speakers at lunch time who provided motivational presentations about their professional achievements. Sanjay Dhal – CEO of Detroit Flying Cars talked about introducing new approaches, bridging diverse domains, small footprint thinking and seeking efficiencies while pursuing his lifelong passion for designing, building and flying models and full size aircraft. Mehul Desai – Founder and CEO of DeZai, LLC focused on has 25 years of experience in ICT and related applications worldwide, focusing on fostering innovation in the areas of Technology, New Media and Social Entrepreneurship and his pioneering work in the field of secure transactions for mobile phone users, evolving the Digital Wallet to Mobile Wallet to Lifestyle Container.

There was a Youth Technology Exhibition (YTE) for middle and high school students to demonstrate their work based on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. There were over 35 students from 11 teams who participated in this exhibition. All participants received a plaque and gift card from ASEI.

The one-day convention concluded with a Gala Dinner Celebration including Bollywood entertainment. There were three evening keynote speakers – Mamatha Chamarthi, CIO – ZF TRW, Sam Mahalingam – CTO, Altair, and Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence – US Congress.  Mamatha Chamarthi talked about her life journey and factors attributed to her professional achievements. Sam Mahalingam provided insights into his successful career spanning multiple roles in increasing responsibilities. Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence spoke about the importance of STEM and commended ASEI for taking an initiative in organizing STEM based activities. She also reflected on the positive impact from all mentors who helped her through school and college.

 The annual ASEI awards were presented to several individuals for following categories:

–       ASEI Technology Leadership Award – Mamatha Chamarthi, CIO – ZF TRW

–       ASEI Engineer/Scientist of Year  – Dr. Rahul Mittal, Global Technical Specialist – GM

–       ASEI Entrepreneur of Year – Bhushan Kulkarni, CEO – GDI Infotech / Infoready Corp.

–       ASEI Founder’s Award – Aaron Ghumman, President – ASEI Seattle Chapter

 Harinder Bir Singh, Anjali Tiwari, and Santosh Tiwari from ASEI Michigan Chapter were recognized with an award for their dedicated service and commitment to ASEI for many years.

The American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) is a not-for-profit organization that provides a platform for networking, career advancement, community service, mentoring and technology exchange for professionals, students and businesses in the United States and abroad. Members are guided by several objectives, including the creation of an open, inclusive, and transparent organization; providing positive role models, awarding scholarships, and remaining socially responsible. ASEI was founded in 1983 in Detroit, Michigan by a handful of visionaries. Today, the organization also has chapters in Michigan, Southern California, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit: https://aseiusa.org/

Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: US India Chamber of Commerce, Midwest organized “2017 Annual Holiday Dinner” on December 08, 2017 at Ashyana Banquets, Downers Grove, Illinois. The theme of the event was “India: A Prime Investment Destination”.

 The event was packed and attended by leading entrepreneurs, professionals and industry leaders and spouses. Roopla Khanna, Board Member welcomed the gathering. Dr. Ajit Pant, President and Founder Member, spoke about the history of the Chamber since its founding in 2002. He highlighted its recent activities and programs and explained the “Future Vision of the Chamber”.

 Thereafter, an illustrious Panel consisting of Dr. Ajit Pant, Dr. Shekhar Mishra and Mr. Rajeev Ranjan discussed on the key theme of the event “India: A Prime Investment Destination”. The panel discussed the various historical improvements of the investment climate in India. Dr. Pant covered in detail the new currency, tax and land acquisition reforms. The recent program initiatives of the Indian Government such as Make In India, Skill India, Digital India, Clean India and Smart City etc. were also highlighted by Dr. Pant. He also gave an idea how the GDP growth would be positively impacted by these reforms and program initiatives. ‘

He stated that India’s edge would be as a result of the above reforms, its demographic advantage (in terms of productivity and consumption), and the communication and internet connectivity boom taking place in India. All these factors combine to make India a prime destination for foreign investments.

Dr. Pant also mentioned about huge the investments being made and envisaged by American Companies such as Amazon, Uber, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, IBM and many others. The Panel discussion was followed by an active and enthusiastic question and answer session.

Dr. Ajit Pant introduced and honored Dr. Vemury Murthy, President of the Chicago Medical Society for his many initiatives in India in the field of medicine. Vandana Jhingan, the Republican Congressional Candidate from the 8th District of Illinois was also introduced and honored for her exemplary journalistic services to the local Indo American community.

Dr. Prakasam Tata, in his thank you remarks dwelled on the topic of giving with a philosophical touch and highlighted the Charitable Community work that he had been able to carry out in India with the help of the Rotary Club of Naperville. The event was attended by the following Board members: Dr. Ajit Pant (President), Dr. Prakasam Tata, Kanapathy, Rajiv Khanna, Mrs. Roopla Khanna, Dr. Shekhar Mishra. The event ended with more networking and a gala Cocktail and Dinner.

A Bangladeshi man wearing a homemade pipe bomb detonated his explosive in a walkway at the Port Authority Bus Terminal near Times Square on Monday, December 11th injuring five people and causing chaos in one of the city’s busiest commuter hubs, City officials said.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called the explosion in the terminal at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue an “attempted terrorist attack” that appears to be isolated. Police identified the suspect in custody as Akayed Ullah, 27.

Ullah is from the Bangladeshi city of Chittagong and is a U.S. resident, said the country’s police chief. He had no criminal record there and last visited Bangladesh on September 8, the chief said. Ullah had a black cab/limousine driver’s license from 2012 to 2015, after which it expired, the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission said.

The weapon was based on a pipe bomb and fixed to the suspect with zip ties and velcro, police said. New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo, speaking at a news conference near the site, described the device as “amateur-level”. New York City was a target, said John Miller, deputy police commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism.

Follwing the terror attack on the busy Monday morning, the bus terminal was temporarily shut down and a large swath of mid-town Manhattan was closed to traffic. Subway train service returned to normal after earlier disruptions.

WABC reported the suspect was in his 20s and that he has been in the U.S. for seven years and has an address in New York’s Brooklyn borough. Police shut down the entire block and there was a heavy police presence outside the home. The bus terminal is the busiest in the U.S., according to the Port Authority. On a typical weekday, about 2,20,000 passengers arrive or depart on more than 7,000 buses.

 In conversations with authorities, Ullah pledged allegiance to ISIS, according to one law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the investigation. He is of Bangladeshi descent and lives in Brooklyn, two law enforcement sources told CNN. Ullah held a Taxi & Limousine Commission license from March 2012 to March 2015, after which the license was not renewed, TLC spokesman Allan Fromberg said. It’s unclear “whether he drove for any particular base, or whether he simply got the license but didn’t drive at all,” Fromberg said.

Ullah came to the United States in 2011 on an F43 family immigrant visa, said Department of Homeland Security spokesman Tyler Houlton. He is now a lawful permanent resident. According to the State Department, F43 visas are granted to children of American citizens’ siblings. It’s unclear if Ullah is linked to any terror organization. Authorities are investigating his pledge of loyalty to ISIS.

By Harbachan Singh, Secretary-General, INOC, USA

The scene was one of celebration and jubilation where over 100 officers, members and supporters of INOC, USA converged at its annual meet in New York on Dec 9, 2017, over the pronouncements and road map chartered out by Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Department of All India Congress Committee on Dec.2, 2017 in New York.

Pitroda also gave official recognition to INOC, USA and established an umbrella Board which would consist of Sam Pitroda as Chairman and George Abraham as Vice Chairman and Dr. Surinder Singh Malhotra as a member.  Mohinder Singh Gilzian was endorsed to continue as the President of INOC, USA until the next Lok Sabha elections in about 15 months’ time after which, elections will take place for the single Indian Overseas Congress entity that will be established and recognized as such.  Also celebrated was the nomination of Harbachan Singh, Secretary-General of INOC, USA as Chair of a 3-member group to revise and update the By-laws of the single entity of the Indian Overseas Congress in USA.

These appointments were welcomed by the audience with a standing ovation and with an arousing and a thunderous applause and expressions of great satisfaction.  Mr. George Abraham thanked everyone for their dedication to the values and principles of the Congress Party and their perseverance to safeguard them often through difficult times. He also called on everyone to work together and hoped transparency, accountability, and fairness would prevail in working with the other group. He also cheered the imminent appointment of Shri Rahul Gandhi as President of AICC.

It may be recalled that the Congress party in the USA has hitherto been served by two splinter organizations one of which was headed by Mr. George Abraham (INOC, USA) and the other by  Shudh Parkash Singh INOC (I). Mohinder Singh Gilzian appealed everyone to work together and make the organization a strong one. He said the record of the Congress party was glorious and holds good hope for the future.

Harbachan Singh, Secretary General of INOC, USA drew attention to its great inherent strength and expressed confidence in the future of the Congress party despite the recent trials and tribulations.  He said the track record was an open book for everyone to see and the experience and professionalism that it is equipped with has no parallel in modern history.

Dr. Surinder Singh Malhotra who had also joined the meeting praised the excellent work of all the senior leaders of this Congress group and encouraged them to follow the goals and policy of the Congress party which were very democratic and secular in nature.

The guest speaker, Dr. George Mathew, Chairman of the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi emphasized the excellent value of the Congress party’s secular system in modern society which had become the new horizon for the international brotherhood to develop modern international networks in trade and peaceful co-existence.

Joy Thomas, a former District Congress Committee President and former head of Consumer Federation of  Kerala felicitated the audience for the great strength that they showed and the tremendous work that they continue to do for the love of the country.  He lauded the outstanding accomplishments of UPA I and UPA II under the stewardship of Soniaji.

The news of Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji becoming the President of A.I.C.C was also received with joy and acclamation.  Speaker after speaker expressed happiness and confidence in his leadership to lead the party on the road to victory.

The long-awaited cake cutting time to celebrate the Birthday of Madam Sonia Gandhi finally arrived and topped all ceremonies of the day. George Abraham in a toast to Soniaji highlighted her passion for pluralism and empathy for the disadvantaged. Quoting her own words which said the following: “ though born in a foreign land, I chose India as my country, I am Indian and shall remain so until my last breath. India is my motherland, dearer to me than my own life”, Abraham thanked the important role she had played in establishing INOC as a vibrant organization here in U.S.  Several speakers recounted her excellent contribution to the development of the party and the establishment of the rule of law.  Toasts were proposed, and sincere wishes for her continued good health and prosperity were expressed by every present.

Tejinder Singh Gill, Malini Shah, Satish Sharma, Sawaran Singh, Jasvir Singh Nawanshr, Jose Jacob, Jaya Sundaram, Devendra Vora, Gautam Sanghavi, Kulbir Singh, Koshy Oommen and Leela Maret also spoke.

Indian American actor Aziz Ansari and Pakistani American actor Kumail Nanjiani have scored nominations for the 23rd annual Critics’ Choice Awards. For both these actors, being the contenders for this prestigious award, which some say is a barometer for predicting the Oscars, is the best way to cap a pretty successful 2017.

Ansari, who has in the past got the critics’ nod for his Netflix comedy series, “Master of None,” is back in the race owing to the second season of the series, which was lapped by the fans. He has been nominated in the ‘Best Actor in a Comedy Series’ category for his role in the Netflix drama.

Nanjiani, a critically acclaimed actor, writer and comedian, recently starred in and co-wrote “The Big Sick” with his wife, Emily V. Gordon. The film, a romantic comedy story, which was released by Amazon Studios/Lionsgate, wowed critics and audiences alike. Nanjiani, also known for his co-starring role as Dinesh in the award-winning HBO comedy series, “Silicon Valley,” has collected multiple nominations, for his work on both “The Big Sick” and “Silicon Valley.”

CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” which stars Indian American actor Kunal Nayyar, is competing for the ‘Best Comedy Series’ award. Netflix leads the television honors with 20 nominations, followed by HBO with 15, FX with 13, and ABC with 12.

The Critics’ Choice Awards are bestowed annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and Broadcast Television Journalists Association to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement.  The BFCA is the largest film critics’ organization in the U.S. and Canada, representing more than 300 television, radio and online critics.  BTJA is the collective voice of journalists who regularly cover television for TV viewers, radio listeners and online audiences.

The winners will be revealed at the star-studded Critics’ Choice Awards gala to be held Jan. 11, 2018 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The awards show will air on The CW Network and will be broadcast live from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET.

A Pioneer, Change the landscape of Social Services in Chicagoland

An Indian American couple has donated $1 million to Washington’s landmark cultural institution, the Kennedy Center, to create a fund for organizing a series of Indian cultural events for several years.

The money donated by Ranvir Trehan and Adarsh Trehan will be used to organize events on India’s history, traditions, literature, music, dance and culture at the top American institution for performing arts.

“There is a need and desire for sustained India programming at the Kennedy Center for many years to come and I see this as a broad based effort by individuals both in the Indian American community and others interested in Indian culture from foundations and MNCs,” Ranvir Trehan said.

India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Navtej Sarna said the Trehans’ initiative was “the encouragement that we need.”

“The Indian arts are at a very interesting phase… It surprises me constantly because we are all used to a certain vision of Indian culture, but if you now put on a new film or you see a new dance performance, you are always surprised because people are always crossing borders in different directions,” Sarna said.

According to an earlier report by IANS in India-West, Trehan came to the U.S. in 1964 after receiving a BS from BITS. He is chairman of the Trehan Foundation, a philanthropic organization he founded for giving primarily for international development in 2003. It is focused on global poverty, as well as a performing arts center and human services.

Previously, Trehan was vice chairman of Apptis Holdings, Inc. from 2005 to 2011 and was founder and CEO of SETA Corporation from 1987 to 2005, according to the White House.

Trehan was a department head of Information and Communications Systems from 1985 to 1987 and a member of the technical staff from 1969 to 1985 at The MITRE Corporation.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of CARE and a former member of the board of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. He holds an MSE from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from the University of Dayton.

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: The Multi-Ethnic Advisory Task Force [MEATF] of the United States Congressman Honorable Danny Davis [D-7th Dist.] held its glittering Congressional 7th Annual Award Gala with the theme “Congressional  Salute to our Community Heroes” on Sunday October 29, 2017 at the Meadows Convention Center in Rolling Meadows, IL replete with flavorful ethnic extravaganza of music, dances and large culinary ethnic feast. Importantly, this black-tie gala featured Chicago’s most prominent awardees highlighting the commitment of Congressman Davis to recognize individuals who have exemplified excellence and distinction and for those who made significant contributions to society in ameliorating in social, cultural, charitable, intellectual, educational, medicine, academic, public service leadership, business endeavors.

The MEATF 7th Annual Congressional Awards Gala is popularly known as Community Oscars and was organized with red carpet walk for Awardees & Presenters, TV media interviews and a grand ten member Mexican Mariachi Band welcoming the guests during the reception .The Congressional salute gala was joined by a large number of guests representing business, community, civic, religious leaders and some of the most prominent recipients of the awards included  Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle received Woman of the Year award,  Dr. Bharat Barai, Renowned Oncologistreceived Man of the Year award, Edward  M Brotonel received the Veteran of the year, Reza Deghati, National Geographic Photo-Journalist from Paris, France received the International Photographer of the Year award ,and  Dr. Sriram & Dr. Sarada Sonty Lifetime Achievement award, to name a few. The most highlighted award of the evening went to Lagos State Assembly Speaker from Nigeria, Mr Obasa who received Golden Eagle Award and the Danny K Davis Peace Award was presented to Dr. Clyde Rivers, Founder President, iChange Nations, California.

The prominent presenters who introduced the awardees  at the Community Oscars included 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin from Chicago, Mayor of Waukegan Sam Cunningham, Chief of Police, Maywood Valdimer Talley , State Rep Melissa Conyears-Ervin , 16th Ward Committeeman Ms Stephanie Coleman, 20th Ward Committeeman Kevin Bailey, President, International American Friendship Society, Ms. Leontine Horne, Honor Roll Sophomore of Perspective Charter School , Shimya Moorer, Peter Gariepy, Democratic Candidate for Cook County Treasurer,Mrs Santosh Kumar , Executive Director, Metropolitan Asian Family Services, Ms. Padma Mehta, Successful lady entrepreneur, First lady of MEATF and well-known singer of Chicago, Ms. Bushra Jawed, President Bushra Beauty Bar, Mr Sam Ma, Founder American Asian Association, Mr. Phil De Garro, President Buddy Car Wash., Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, FIA Trustee, Begum Chand Jamshad Nasim, MEATF Vice Chair, Assyrian Singing Legend Linda George, Arizona’s Animal Rights Activist Crystal Killian ,Ukraine’s Women Representative Marya Pylpiv and Ms. Galdys Loggin Folorunsho, President, USA Africa Chamber of Commerce, among others.

A grand entry of Congressman Danny Davis set the stage for an evening of fervor and gaiety as he waltzed in with his wife , Ms Vera to the beautiful strains of Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely song ,followed by Dr. Shoba Chokkalingam, Women’s Chair, MEATF taking to the podium with elegance and masterful eloquence in carrying forward the evening gala. Dr. Zenobia Sowell, Gala Czar gave a reflective invocation with Kishor Mehta, Chairman MEATF welcoming the guests. Kishor Mehtadescribed MEATF as an organization committed to bring under one united umbrella the people of African American, Hispanic, Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Chairman Mehta expressed his gratitude for Congressman Davis and Dr Vijay Prabhakar for their excellent leadership and said that Congressman Davis has established a unique way of communicating and interacting by setting up advisory task force to address the wide spectrum of ethnic issues and concerns related to public policy.

Congressman Danny K Davis recognized and presented Congressional citations to the International dignitaries who had specially flown down to attend the Gala : Mr A Kriishnamohan, Vice President, National Human Rights Council of India, Captain Arun K Chakrabortty, Kargil War Hero & National Convener, National Human Rights Council of India , and the Member of Parliament From Ghana, Mr. Samuel Nartey George.

Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar, Founder-Chair of the Congressman Davis’s Multi Ethnic  Advisory Task Force presided over the gala presenting at the outset, an in-depth historical overview of the genesis of MEATF and how it has evolved over the last seven years gathering greater momentum and significance. Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar stridently described the awards gala as an enduring symbol of unity and empowerment of the burgeoning ethnic communities and a glorious acknowledgement of the spirit of human triumph manifested in each ethnic community. Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar thanked Mr. Clarence Beal, Dr. Sowell and Gerard Moore and especially thanked Congressman Davis for his unfailing devotion to uplift the ethnic community and the awardees for highlighting their role of significance in shaping the American society.

The elegant evening gala recognizing excellence and distinction was beautifully interspersed with colorful ethnic dance presentations, inspiring acceptance remarks bringing to the forefront the inspiring ideals of the individuals who embodied merit in various fields of human endeavors.The Latin American Singer, MS Samantha Cortez awesome rendition of the popular song : “How Great Thou Art “, got a standing ovation. Hollywood singer and songwriter, Hadiya Nelson Moorer powerful rendition of the American National Anthem in the beginning set the tone for the evening.

The following were the awardees: Light of the Year Award :Deepak Kant Vyas; Physician of The Year Award : Dr Raja Rajan Gopaldas; Outstanding Child of the Year : Master Zohair Ahmed; Outstanding Child of the Year: Master Samuel Yousefzai; Student of the Year :  Miss Nikita Basu;Youth of the Year(F) : Ms. Aishwarya Katiki;  Youth of the Year (M) : Syed  Moiz Ali Community Activist of the Year : Ms Michelle Lura White; Inter Faith Leader of The Year : Mr Sohail Bakhsh; Humanitarian of the Year : Dr Kirit Patari; Filmmaker of the Year :Parthiban Shanmugam; Rising Star of the Year : Rep  Christian L Mitchell;  Journalist of The Year : Isaac Lewis; Organization of the Year : Women Association Forum; Architect of the Year : Raffi Arzoumanian;  Distinguished Leadership Award : Dr Chowdury Jampala; Style Icon (Female) of the Year:Hema Potla; Style Icon (Male) of the Year : Albert Memi; Sportsperson of The Year : Ms. Dorothy Gators;  Digital Marketing Professional Of the Year: Thomas B Varghese;Media Person of the Year : Biju Zachariah; Businessperson of the Year : Dr Chirinjeev Kathuria;  Corporate of the Year: Ram Talluri;  Dentist of the Year : Dr.Amit Kumar; Community Leadership Award : Very Rev Father Bogdan Kalynyuk; Mother of the Year : Mrs Prema Chokkalingam; Father of the Year : Babu Verma;  Community Service Award (M): Sadruddin Noorani; Community Service Award (F): Ms Amy Moy-Ng; ; Entrepreneur of the Year: Iman Bambooyani;    Golden Eagle Award : Michael Strotter; and International Man of the Year : S. V. Anchan , CEO SafeSea Group, New Jersey.

Clarence Beals, Awards Chair  thanked the entire team of MEATF and especially recognized Jerome Athishtam, Nagendar Sripada, Lawrence Pedapatti. Vijender Doma, Daniel Ravury, Colby Smith, Mayra Hinojosa,and Dr Siva Madesan for their tireless efforts as  A-V Logistics, Exhibit, Stage, Souvenir, Food Court & Reception Co- Chairs. The Community Oscars  was elegantly emceed by Dr. Shoba Chokkalingam, Ms. Rani Yousefzai, Ms. Joyce Doma, Ms. Starr Gadson and Ms. Shannon Baksh.  Ms Vandana Jhingan of TV Asia, Parthiban Shanmugam of FB TV, Atlanta, Saurin Thakkar of Desiworld TV and Shirley Kalvakota of Flowers TV, India were the TV anchors that interviewed the Awardees at the Red Carpet and also during the Reception.

Congressman Danny K Davis in his Closing Remarks said that he was overwhelmed by the support of all his constituents especially from the ethnic communities from 24 different countries present at the Gala.  Rep. Davis said that the record turnout at this event has encouraged him and inspired him to continue serving the 7th Congressional district for many more years to come as the 7th Congressional District’s Congressman and he has no plans to retire.  Davis paid a  special tribute to  Dr Vijay Prabhakar, Founder of the Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force  for his visionary and indefatigable efforts in establishing the Task Force and relentlessly nurturing the group to become a formidable force in the Sate of Illinois by showcasing the right persons from different ethnicities to lead.  Today, the MULTI  ETHNIC ADVISORY TASK FORCE has become a movement charged with the goal of promoting, protecting, and empowering minorities under the Chairmanship of Kishor Mehta, he added. Davis said that under Kishor Mehta’s Chairmanship, MEATF is a force to reckon with and is playing a vital role in City, State and Federal arena on all fronts. Davis congratulated all the awardees and the presenters whose contributions were equally impressive, Congressman Davis concluded that he is proud to be associated with this 7 Star Community Oscars which was inclusive of all and truly represented the diversity of America.

The Santhigram Kerala Ayurvedic Company USA will be celebrating their 10h anniversary on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at the Edison Hotel Banquet and Conference Center in New Jersey.

Santhigram is a leading provider of authentic Kerala specific ayurveda therapies in 12 locations in the United States, including New Jersey, New York, Texas, Illinois and Wisconsin.

The company is expecting more than 500 people to attend this occasion which will feature a series of programs, including the launch of the Ayurveda training School, Santhigram Herbal products and “Santhigram Foundation.”

The Santhigram Foundation is a charity wing of Santhigram, which advocates and promotes the health, wellness and awareness of the benefits of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) based on “Ayurveda” principles that nurture the human mind, body and spirit and extend the benefit of cost-efficient Ayurveda treatments and medicinal herbs for chronic ailments to low-income patients.

The theme of the celebration is “Celebrating the Spirit of Life and Good Health” and will walk the attendees through various chores involved in daily life and focus on realizing the supreme importance of staying healthy. Distinguished community members and employees will also be honored at the event which will also include dinner and entertainment.

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: From the moment visitors walked through the Field Museum’s east entrance doors Saturday, October 28 Beyond Bollywood Family Fun Day promised delight. Pre-schoolers and their parents joined Bollywood Groove story teller Ajanta Chakraborty in vigorous movement to enliven the story of “Five Days of Diwali.”  In the Crown Family PlayLab children created sparkly Diyas, clay lamps which brighten the darkest night of the year  when millions of people world-wide celebrate Diwali, the festival of light.  Others tackled Indian board games including Carom and Snakes and Ladders.

Before noon the entire museum resounded with the rhythm of Kalakshetra Drummers as they brought a tradition from Kerala, India to Stanley Field Hall, then led visitors up the South Staircase to the Marae Gallery to tour BEYOND BOLLYWOOD:  INDIAN AMERICANS SHAPE THE NATION. There visitors viewed videos about members of the local Indian American community, and  examined local treasures  displayed with banners from the Smithsonian Traveling exhibition of Beyond Bollywood.

After lunch entranced children flanked by mesmerized adults formed a huge semi-circle in Stanley Field Hall as an Indian classical dance performance upstaged the Field’s famous African elephants and Tyrannosaurus Rex Sue.  Kathak exponent Gauri Jog displayed intricacies of the dance form and the Indian Dance School troupe displayed perfect coordination in group performance.

The Family Day event was organized by Indo-American Heritage Museum Beyond Bollywood Committee Members Amita Banerji and Dorothie Shah with vital cooperation from Field Museum Childhood Learning Center staff, Alyssa Harsha and Eduarda Briseno IAHM Beyond Bollywood Docents Happie Datt, Nita Gangwal, Soumya Patala, Padma Rangaswamy,  Vinkel Thakkar, Padma Rangaswamy, and volunteers Zach Tyler and  Dhruv Mehta assisted in supervising activities and promoting visitor participation.

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan will host an exhibition on Indian culture The Namaste Express, in the summer of 2018, media reports here stated. The Namaste Express will be the latest exhibition in an ongoing series of the museum’s exhibitions devoted to world cultures which have already included Ancient Greece, China, Japan and Jazz in NYC, with America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far as their current cultural exploration.

An artifact in the America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far exhibition at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Through these exhibitions, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan is able to teach children the importance of different cultures around the world and they do this by providing interactive, hands-on activities that the children can participate in, at their will, so they are able to gain a deeper understanding of the culture and its people.

In their upcoming exhibition, The Namaste Express, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan wants to celebrate the beauty and diversity of India’s different cultures and languages along with its history and technological advancements.

The exhibition will be “conceptualized as an interactive train journey through the country. The exhibition layout will allow children and families to make multiple stops at states and cities in India and sample the variety of architectural styles, cultures and environments through colors, shapes, structures and landscapes,” said Lizzy Martin, the Director of Exhibition Development and Museum Planning, at a meet to launch the exhibition, on November 6.

A depiction of an Egyptian spice market in the America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far exhibition at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Some of the activities that are already underway include a Rajasthani puppet show, a Bollywood stage, a Chaat Cart (wheeled street cart), rolling rickshaws, a yoga center and a majestic Indian architectural fort, but the Children’s Museum of Manhattan wants more.

“We want families to feel like they are in India, so that is why we are asking members of the Indian American community to help us bring this cultural experience to life,” said Andrew Ackerman, the Executive Director of the museum, speaking at the meet.

“As an Indian American and a mother of two boys, I would love for my kids to learn about India while living in New York,” said Anu Shegal of Culture Tree, who also brought Diwali to the museum this year in their one day special.

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan plans to run the scheduled three-month exhibition in the summer of 2018 and depending upon the response, may plan to extend The Namaste Express exhibit for four years, in a much bigger location.

By Asha Tewari

GOPIO-Amsterdam in Netherlands has organised the first Gandhi Peace Walk Europe on October 7th starting from the Peace Palace in The Hague where the International Court of Justice is also located. On October 8th the participants arrived at the gates of the European Parliament in Brussels (Belgium) where they handed over their Gandhi Peace manifesto to the representative of a EU-based think tank that advises the parliament and local MLA’s.

The Peace Walk has been previously organised in The Hague by a local resident Frank Kanhai who is active in sports walks for a couple of years. GOPIO has acknowledged his enthusiasm and decided to uplift the ambition of peace and non-violence promotion by organising a larger audience of 60 dedicated participants who were willing to walk the 162 kilometers in teams during 2 days to Brussels. The Peace manifest was meant to promote Gandhian philosophy of Swaraj, Ahimsa and Satyagraha in the contemporary debates in Europe on Brexit, migration of labor and refugees, and Eastern European political tension combined with international politics.

The EU commissioner for foreign affairs Mrs. Frederica Mogherini recognised this effort by mentioning this in the EU-India Summit in New Delhi and has applauded GOPIO for using this Peace Walk to promote Gandhian values.

On October 28th, GOPIO Netherlands organized an interactive session with a special speaker from India Dr. Suman Khanna Aggarwal in the Humanity House, The Hague. The theme of the session is: Resolving Conflict in Community Relationships through Nonviolence: Creating harmonious relationships in and between communities through   Nonviolence

Dr. Suman Khanna Aggarwal is a Gandhian scholar, peace researcher and Founder President of Shanti Sahyog – a Gandhian NGO & of Shanti Sahyog Center for Peace & Conflict Resolution – a unit of Shanti Sahyog. She has been Associate Professor of Philosophy in Delhi University and has lectured extensively – both in India and abroad and taught courses on Gandhian views in Universities in North America, Japan, Denmark, Middle East and Asia, for instance, in the Universities of John Hopkins, McMaster & Bradford: she also taught in the UK, Scandinavian Universities, and Al Quds University – Palestine/Israel.  She has delivered multiple lectures during the International Days for Nonviolence before.

The Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America (BJANA) held its first Chhatth festival in New Jersey last week. More than 300 members of the organization and their family members from the Tri-State area came together at the lakeside of Thompson Park in Monroe Township to offer their prayers to the rising and setting sun.

Chhath is an ancient Hindu Vedic festival historically native to the Mithila region of Nepal and the states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. The Chhath Puja is dedicated to the Sun and his wife Usha to thank them for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and to grant certain wishes. Volunteers got together in advance to make prasad for the members attending the Puja. The women kept a fast and despite the cold, devotees stepped into the water to offer the ‘Arag’ to the Sun God.

Keeping the Chhatth festival in New Jersey was a dream come true for everyone as they were already attending it elsewhere for decades, the organizers said in a press release. The organizers said they planned to continue the tradition annually from here on.

An estimated three million adult American handgun owners carry a loaded firearm on a daily basis, and nine million do so on a monthly basis, a study has found. Vast majority cited protection as the primary reason for carrying a firearm.

The study is the first in over 20 years to scrutinise why, how often, and in what manner US adults carry loaded handguns. It also examines how concealed handgun-carrying behaviour differs across states, depending on their laws.

“Carrying firearms in public places can have significant implications for public health and public safety,” said Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, an associate professor at the University of Washington in the US. “An important first step to examining the consequences of firearm carrying at the national level is an accurate measurement of the occurrence of this behaviour and characterisation of those who engage in it,” said Rowhani- Rahbar, lead author at the American Journal of Public Health.

Compared with handgun owners who did not carry, those who did report carrying handguns tended to be younger, and more often male, live in the southern US, have grown up in firearm-owning households, self-identify as politically conservative, and own more than one type of firearm.

Researchers reviewed handgun-carrying behaviour of 1,444 gun owners, using data from a 2015 nationally representative survey designed by Miller and Azrael. “It was important to study handgun carrying because about 90 per cent of all firearm homicides and nonfatal firearm crimes for which the type of firearm is known are committed with a handgun,” said Rowhani-Rahbar.

The study found that 80 per cent of surveyed handgun owners who carried their handgun had a concealed-carry permit, and 66 per cent said they always carried their handguns concealed, compared with 10 per cent who said they always carry their weapons openly.

When comparing handgun-carrying behaviour with corresponding states’ laws, researchers found that proportionally fewer handgun owners carried a concealed handgun if they lived in a state whose laws afforded greater discretion to issuing agencies in the review of concealed- carry applications.

Some owners nevertheless reported carrying a concealed handgun without a permit in states in which doing so was illegal. Rowhani-Rahbar said that more research is needed to comprehensively evaluate the impact of increasingly permissive firearm-carry laws. Future studies should focus on analysing how different concealed-carry laws influence carrying, and characterising illegal carrying behaviour among those who have been denied permits.

In the past 10 years, the share of U.S. adults living without a spouse or partner has climbed to 42%, up from 39% in 2007, when the Census Bureau began collecting detailed data on cohabitation.

Two important demographic trends have influenced this phenomenon. The share of adults who are married has fallen, while the share living with a romantic partner has grown. However, the increase in cohabitation has not been large enough to offset the decline in marriage, giving way to the rise in the number of “unpartnered” Americans.

The share of adults who are unpartnered has increased across the young and middle-aged, but the rise has been most pronounced among young adults. Roughly six-in-ten adults younger than 35 (61%) are now living without a spouse or partner, up from 56% just 10 years ago.

The rise in adults living without a spouse or partner has also occurred against the backdrop of a third important demographic shift: the aging of American adults. Older adults (55 and older) are more likely to have a spouse or partner than younger adults. So it is surprising that the share of adults who are unpartnered has risen even though relatively more Americans are older.

Divorce has likely not contributed to the growing share of unpartnered adults over this short period. Though divorce statistics are complicated, many argue that the divorce rate has generally been stable or falling since the 1980s.

This trend has important implications for the economic well-being of U.S. adults, as research has shown the financial benefits of marriage and cohabitation. The median household income (adjusted for household size) for partnered adults, either married or cohabiting, is $86,000. By contrast, the median household income for unpartnered adults is roughly $61,000. In addition, unpartnered adults are about twice as likely as partnered adults to be living in poverty (17% versus 7%).

The rates of unpartnered Americans vary significantly by key demographics. Men (40%) are less likely than women (43%) to live without a spouse or partner. And adults with at least a bachelor’s degree are significantly less likely to be unpartnered (31%) than less-educated adults (46%). White and Asian adults (37% of each group) are much less likely to be unpartnered than Hispanic (46%) and black (62%) adults.

Over the past decade, the share of adults who are unpartnered has risen more sharply among those who are not employed. In 2007, 46% of working-age adults without a job were not living with a spouse or partner. By 2017 that share had risen to 51%. Among employed working-age adults, the share who were unpartnered increased more modestly since 2007, from 36% to 38%.

This does not imply that lack of employment is a cause of people not having a partner. On one hand, surveys indicate that people say it’s important for men to be economically successful to be good husbands or partners. On the other hand, a large body of economic literature shows that marriage causes husbands to be more successful on the job. It is possible that the lack of a partner provides less of a spur to obtain employment.

A narrow majority (56%) of unpartnered adults are the head of their household. Some 35% are living alone and 22% are living with others in the home (single parents would fall into this category). Nearly three-in-ten (28%) are living with a parent or grandparent, reflecting the fact that unpartnered adults are disproportionately young. An additional 16% have some other relationship to the head of the household (for example, a sibling or roommate).

A cornea-donation campaign started by an Indian Catholic priest four years ago has evolved into the world’s largest eye-donation program.

Hundreds of thousands of donors have joined the program across five nations.

On World Sight Day on Oct. 12, tens of thousands of people — including youth, archbishops, bishops, priests and nuns — in 250 cities in the U.S., China, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal took part in a “blind walk” program.

They were blindfolded in order to increase awareness about the importance of eye donation.

Visually impaired people with white canes led the symbolic walks.

Claretian Father George Kannanthanam began the movement in 2013 to promote donations of corneas for transplantation to restore sight.

In the past four years, the movement has spread to hundreds of voluntary organizations, dioceses and religious movements in the five countries.

Some 600 people took part in the blind walk in New Delhi led by 100 visually challenged people.

The program was jointly organized by Delhi Archdiocese, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), the Holy Family Hospital and the Catholic Health Association of India.

Alphons Kannanthanam, India’s federal tourism minister, asked people to follow the example of neighboring Sri Lanka where after a person’s death the government becomes the custodian of their eyes.

“Why not think of this practice here,” he said.

“In that way we can give many people a chance to see this beautiful world.”

Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi, who took part in the blind walk, told ucanews.com that eyes are the greatest gift that can be given to any human being and it costs nothing.

“We have been trying to spread his message to as many people as possible through parishes and other institutions,” he said.

Delhi Archdiocese, based in in the national capital, has adopted 2017 as the Year of Sight to promote eye donations and awareness across all of its parishes and schools.

Father Kannanthanam said India has some 15 million blind people, about 40 percent of the world’s total.

The objective of the blind walk was not only to motivate people to donate their eyes, but also to create “vision ambassadors” to serve as links between families of deceased people and India’s eye bank.

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Suzy’s Place hosted its formal inauguration of its service facility at 6425 N Rockwell Street, Chicago, IL, located in the diverse Rogers Park neighborhood last month. The event was attended by esteemed government officials – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Secretary of State Jesse White, and Alderman Carrie Austin. Also in attendance were its partners- Kate Lawler from Swedish Covenant Hospital, Lillian Cartwright from The Chicago Battered Network, Syed Nizami from US Bank and Eugene Williams from (NOBEL) – National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

Co-Founders Arshia Hasnain and Shahida Khan welcomed a room full of over 150 attendees and explained to them the importance of working together to help make a positive impact in the lives of women and children who are subjected to domestic violence. Together we can make our Chicago community safer and productive.

Suzy’s Place is a 501c3 nonprofit organization registered in the state of Illinois. Suzy’s Place provide emergency and transitional housing, emotional support, and a diversified continuum of services focused on safety, empowerment, and self-sufficiency. Through community partnerships, Suzy’s Place raises awareness, provides services, and educates community about domestic violence issues. Now with our service facility almost complete we will be providing weekly classes to not only empower the women in our shelter but to all the women in the neighborhood. The classes we offer will help to strengthen the body, mind and soul. Our yoga, art, dance, music and self-esteem therapy classes will benefit every woman.

Suzy’s Place is a startup and needs all your support. We know how hard it is to run a shelter and we have accepted the challenge. But we really need your help. Please donate generously by going to our website at www.suzysplace.org and press the donate button. You can also visit us on Facebook and follow our activities on social media at https://www.facebook.com/Suzys-Place-232412787223842/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Ajay Ghosh

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Asian Media USA ©

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Asian Media USA ©

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Rajender Dichpally

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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