Category: Community

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Suresh Bodiwala

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friends of Madhya Pradesh celebrated their second annual Picnic at Liberty State Park in NJ on Sun 18th Sept, 2016. The weather was predicted to be inclement, but eventually turned out to be a ‘picnic- perfect’. The number of people attending (close to 200) and venue were double in size from last year.

The whole day Picnic was a grand success, with participation from people of all parts of NY NJ tristate and with origins in different bigger cities and many small towns of M.P : viz. Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Sagar, Ujjain, Ratlam, Dewas. Incidentally, the timing of this Picnic was just two weeks after the visit of the Chief Minister of MP to New York, which added to the good vibes around M.P.

The picnic became house – full close to a month before its planned date. The Friends of MP Picnic ; spread over large grounds and two covered Pavilions – named ‘Sarafa’ and ‘ Rajwada’ being landmarks in Indore – started with Indore’s traditional Poha – made on site – laced with Ratlami Sev, Jeeravan and accompanied by Piping hot Kesar Jalebi, also made fresh. Then followed sports and games and catching up of friends, many meeting each other after many years and connecting on MP common roots / relationships.

Along with enthusiasm for Cricket and Volleyball, there were some with passion for ‘Sitolia’ and ‘Patang’ also. The highlight this year was the entire ‘Rajwada’ Pavilion transformed into a ‘Mela’ . This was put up totally by the Ladies Volunteers in the Group, helping folks reconnect with their childhood. There were very popular booths for Face painting, Fortune Teller, Treasure Hunt, Tattoos and more such, all being managed by Kids in the group. The main draw was ‘Baraf Kaa Gola’ (Snow Cones) and ‘Gudiaa Ke Baal’ (Cotton Candy), which was really relished by people of all ages.

The Selfie Booth had many taking pics with Traditional ‘Malwi Pagdi’. Just before Lunch, the ladies put an exciting Flash Mob dance. Lunch again was MP’s signature Choorma – Dal – Batee, which was really relished by all. This was followed by a Social Hour of introductions and MP Bingo Game. Deputy Counsel General, Dr Manoj Mohapatra was the honored Guest for the day.

On behalf of the Indian Consulate in New York, Dr Mohapatra whole heartedly praised the efforts of Friends of MP group in bringing the MP Diaspora Community together in NY area . Nandlal Ramdya, originally from Indore who came to USA in 1959, gifted the group with a coin of 1890s of Holkar State. The afternoon had more snacks, Family games, group pictures and kids talent show. The planning and execution for the event was managed by a Core Team of Jitendra Muchhal, Rakesh Bhargava, Dr. R Kakani, Rajesh Mittal, Pankaj Gupta, Avinash Jhawar, Rajiv Goyal, Raj Bansal, Nipun Joshi, Navneet Trivedi, Anupam Sarwaikar and spouses of many in core team over last few months . From name labels to conversations, usage of Hindi and Malwee language was encouraged throughout the day.The URL of Friends of MP : NY/NJ is www.friendsofMPNYNJ.com

Punjabis immigrated to the United States nearly a century ago. Many had settled down in the western state of California. Their stories of bravery and heroism are unknown to the rest of the rest of the world. Now, the Punjabi American pioneers’ memorabilia will be housed in a digital archive to be launched jointly by the University of California, Davis, and the Punjabi American Heritage Society.

The Punjabi American Heritage Society was founded in 1993 with the purpose of promoting friendship and understanding with other communities and helping our younger generation getting connected to their roots. The Punjabi American Heritage Society is a nonprofit, non-political and secular organization. Sutter County is comprised of a significant number of residents having Punjabi roots. The Punjabi American Heritage Society tries to work towards meeting the diverse needs of our local community. One of our primary annual events is the Punjabi American Festival during Memorial Day weekend at the Yuba Sutter fairgrounds. People of all cultural backgrounds come to perform and take part in the festivities from many areas across California.

The archive – called the Pioneering Punjabis Digital Archive – draws upon private collections of letters, diaries, interviews and photos from many Indian American families in the Yuba/Sutter County area of Central California, Nicole Ranganath, a curator and historian at UC Davis’ Middle East/South Asia Studies program.

An Indian American couple were reunited with their infant son in New Jersey Sept. 1, after an eight-month grueling U.S. court ordeal, in which they were accused of child abuse. Ashish and Vidisha Pareek had moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, in August 2015, so that Ashish could take up an assignment with TCS. Their son, Ashvid, was born two months later.

Ashvid was born on October 21 last year in New Jersey, where Ashish had been sent by his company. The baby reportedly fell accidentally and suffered head injuries on December 23.

Jersey City’s Department of Child Protection and Permanency stepped in and took Ashvid a week later, after a court determined the baby was suffering from Shaken Baby Syndrome. Ashvid was then placed in foster care. Shaken Baby Syndrome refers to child abuse resulting in head injuries from severe shaking or throwing the baby.

Ashish and Vidisha Pareek told authorities that Ashvid’s head injuries were the result of his accidental fall, but they were nevertheless accused of neglect. At issue was a clot on Ashvid’s retina, which DCPP concluded was the result of Ashvid being thrown.

Ashish had then sought help from external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and also appealed to chief minister Vasundhara Raje, the Prime Minister’s Office and governor Kalyan Singh. After a month, a US court gave the custody of the child to an Indian family living in New Jersey. Many months of pleading and fight have finally resulted in the child being returned to his parents.

Ten-month-old Ashvid’s first visit to India has triggered celebrations in his family, especially after US authorities separated him from his parents Ashish and Vidisha Pareek for seven months over alleged abuse.

“I cannot express my feelings in words. After all that happened in the last seven months, I am extremely grateful to everyone who helped us,” Vidisha said, adding that Ashish would join them after completing paper work in the US.

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: The 7th Illinois Congressional District’s Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force hosted a historic grand rousing reception to honor United States Congressman Danny K. Davis on his 75th birthday on September 6th at Captain Hard Times Banquet in Southside of Chicago. Political luminaries, business leaders, church pastors, civil rights figures, community activists and Physicians, all joined in unison to pay glowing tributes to Congressman Davis for his illustrious 51 yearsof public-service leadership .

The packed birthday felicitations was highlighted by the presence of a galaxy of political leaders including Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Deputy Mayor of Chicago Andrea Zopp, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Dorothy Brown, Illinois State Senator Napoleon Harris and many ethnic medical and community leaders – who each took to the podium to pay glowing encomiums to the Congressman Davis for his fierce devotion to the beliefs of public service spanning over five decades  as Chicago Alderman, Cook County Commissioner and now the United States Congressman.

Presiding over the birthday celebrations luncheon, Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar, Executive Vice-Chair of the Multi-Ethnic Advisory Task Force introduced the ranking officials and described Congressman Danny Davis as a man of great virtue, piety and unparalleled faithfulness to serving the people. Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar said that the tributes and greetings have been pouring in from all across the political spectrum as Congressman Davis is widely esteemed inside the beltway.

Harish Kolasani, President NRI SEVA and his members performed aarti and garlanded Congressman Davis on his arrival. Ms. Leontine Horne, Vice chair, New Hope Community Service presented a bouquet of 75 red roses while Mr.Sohan Joshi, Chairman of New Hope Community Service presented Rep Davis with a golden silk shawl.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan who received a rousing introductory welcome from Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar, eulogized Congressman Danny Davis as a mass leader who continuosly serves people with commitment and conviction. Attorney General Lisa Madigan gave an inspiring address listing the achievements of Representative Davis. Kishor Mehta,Task Force Chair presented a floral bouquet and Gerard Moorer, Task Force Director presented a shawl to Ms. Madigan.

State Senator Napoleon in his opening remarks said that Congressman Danny Davis served him as an inspiring mentor and his aspirations remain to be like him serving the people of the country for many years.Eddie Newell Of Jordans Dreams presented a floral bouquet and Vijender Doma of United Telugu Christians Association presented a sha wl to Senator Harris.

Deputy Mayor Andrea Zopp  conveyed the City Of Chicago and Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s birthday greetings to Congressman Davis. Deputy Mayor Andrea Zopp said that Congressman Davis’s role in building a vibrant and strong City of Chicago will go down in history. Mr. Keerthi Ravoori presented a floral bouquet and Mr Nagendran Sripad of End Point Graphics presented a shawl to Deputy mayor Zopp.

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Dorothy Brown in her greetings, praised for Congressman Davis for his pioneering national legislative initiative to  pass the ‘second-chance’ bill to the prisoners/offenders and added this has inspired her to launch the expunge initiative which is providing legal relief especially to the young who have committed offence.

Rep. Danny Davis presented the Golden Eagle Award 2015 to Dr. William O.P. Dorsey, CEO, Jackson Park Hospital, Chicago for his singular contribution to the development of Jackson Park Hospital. Dr Pratap C Kumar, past President, Indian American Medical Association-Illinois introduced Dr. Dorsey and recalled his contributions to the Hospital from 1981.Dr Kumar added that the previous recipients of the Award include Governor Pat Quinn in 2012 for abolishing death penalty in Illinois. Dr Tapas Dasgupta presented a silk shawl to Dr Dorsey on behalf of the Task Force. Ms. Shirley Kalavakota, Reception Chair presented a floral bouquet to Dr Dorsey.

Replying to the felicitations, Congressman Davis recalled the role of his parents, Church and Martin Luther King in shaping his destiny. Rep. Davis said that the celebration of his 75th birthday is a celebration of his constituents, the people of Illinois and his fellow democratic leaders who have all collectively worked hard to build a strong City of Chicago, a united County of Cook and a prosperous State of Illinois. He personally thanked the fellow democratic leaders present, the Community leaders and the organizers for this wonderful celebration of life, love and unity.

Kishor Mehta, Task Force Chair in his closing remarks highlighted the role of Mother Josephine Wade, President of Captain Hard Times Dining Banquet and her team for hosting the luncheon event. Mehta also called for nominations from the Community for those individuals or organizations that have successfully managed to make a difference in people /community lives,and achievers to be honored at the Sixth Annual Congressional Awards Gala to be hosted on Sunday October 30 at Meadows Club, Rolling Meadows.

A 19-year-old from Mumbai whose face was brutally disfigured in an acid attack will walk the ramp in New York next month in her first trip overseas. Reshma Qureshi was attacked by her brother-in-law and pinned down by his friends who doused her face in acid in 2014.

Her face was damaged and she lost sight in one eye, but Ms Qureshi has been determined to build a life for herself. She is the face of a campaign to end open sale of acid in India and appears in videos on YouTube offering beauty tips and make-up advice.

FTL Moda, a fashion production company, invited her to take part in New York Fashion Week, the bi-annual style frenzy that brings together models, fashion editors, buyers and designers from across the world.

“I am both ecstatic and nervous. I had never in my wildest dreams thought of going abroad let alone walking at a major fashion show. I am yet to sink in the feeling,” Banu, who was left depressed and suicidal from the attack two years ago, told Daily Mail. “I do not know about the brand. I do not know what I am going to wear or how I will walk. I am not prepared for all that. I am just

happy to have been invited for a big event like this and show the world that beauty lies in the soul and not in looks.”

Bano, who does beauty tutorials on YouTube to raise awareness about the dangers of acid attacks, was on her way to an exam center May 19, 2014, with her sister, who had left her husband after reportedly being subjected to abuse and torture, when the estranged husband attacked them, the report adds. According to Bano, he was angry that her sister had taken their son. Bano, who stepped in to protect her sister, was unaware that he was carrying a corrosive substance.

The fashion show is part of a campaign called #IAmNYFW, which aims to increase diversity in fashion. Bano told Daily Mail that she is ‘proud’ to get the opportunity to help others and ‘give a voice’ to women like her who have been suffering alone. “I am hoping my participation will give them a confidence that they do not need to hide behind the veils,” she said.

By Jitin Hingorani

(Hillsborough, New Jersey – September 1, 2016) Victims and survivors of cancer will be honored through a special slide show at the SKN Foundation’s annual gala, taking place from 6 p.m. onwards on Saturday, September 17, 2016, at the Marigold Hotel (315 Churchill Avenue) in Somerset, New Jersey. Family and friends can share stories and photos of loved ones who have been affected by the life-threatening illness by visiting www.sknfoundation.org.

Cancer survivor and “thriver,” actor and author Lisa Ray, will share the story of her battle with Multiple Myeloma, in addition to walking the runway as the showstopper for international fashion designer to the stars, Joy Mitra. Fox News radio and television personality Vipp Jaswal will emcee the evening’s program, which will include entertainment by singer/songwriter Falu Shah.

“The amount of support we are receiving from activists and philanthropists in the New York and New Jersey communities is truly heart-warming and humbling,” said Sonalika Ahuja, President of Beyond Media and lead organizer of the event. “This is an issue that affects all of us, and the SKN Foundation’s goal is educate people about the disease, while creating an accessible support system for South Asian families.”

In addition to Joy Mitra’s fashion show, the evening will also spotlight “real people” who are creating change in their community and will walk the ramp in support of the cause. They include: Giving Back Foundation founder Meera Gandhi; NY1 and AVS host Joya Dass; Actor Sonny Chatrath; and, Actor Deepti Nair.

All of the celebrities at the event will walk the red carpet and provide one-on-one interviews to select media. Media check-in will begin at 5:30 p.m., and the red carpet will begin promptly at 6 p.m. To reserve your spot on the red carpet, please email Jitin@JingoMedia.com.

A dance drama on Krishna leela was presented by the East-West School of Dance in traditional Kathak style, bringing Vrindavan to the Blue Sky Center auditorium of Ananda Ashram, a yoga retreat and spiritual educational center In Monroe, New York, Sept. 3.

Over 25 trained dancers and children of East-West dance school families got together for the two-hour event that also coincided with the Krishna Janmashtami festival period. The program, directed

by dancer-choreographer Pt. S.N. Charka, a disciple of Pt. Shambhu Maharaj, was attended by close to 200 people, according to Charka.

The production came alive with colorful scenes from the life of Krishna: from his mischievous childhood through miraculous early years to the culmination in Maha Raas, his cosmic dance with thegopis. The cast and crew included Rinil Routh, a former East-West Dance school student who made her foray into Bollywood with writer-director-producer Vivek Kumar’s upcoming film ‘Rhythm.’ Routh

played the role of Radha in the dance drama while Kavita Mohini Tajeshwar, a senior dancer, played Krishna.

In a City that boasts of diversity and considered home to the most number of immigrant groups from around the world, a Muslim woman was shot dead here on August 31st. Nazma Khanam, a 60-year-old woman, a retired school teacher from Bangladesh, was killed near her home in Jamaica, Queens as she walked back from a neighborhood grocery, where she and her husband worked, in the evening along with her husband.

Within three days of the killing of Nazma Khanam, aunt of a New York transit policeman, on Normal Road in Jamaica, police arrested Yonatan Galvez Marin, 22, of the same neighborhood. Marin was charged by the Queens District Attorney with two counts of second-degree murder, first-degree attempted robbery and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison. He was expected to be arraigned this week.

Surveillance video showed Khanam walking with a bag of groceries. Her husband, who was walking with her, but somewhat slowed down reportedly due to asthma, heard screams and ran to the scene to find her on the sidewalk.

District Attorney Richard Brown said that her husband, 75-year-old Shamul Alam Khan, was a few steps behind her wife when the assailant, now identified as Marin approached her and demanded money. When Khanam refused, he stabbed her in her torso and fled. She died in a local Queens hospital where she was pronounced as brought dead.

The traditional Muslim attire that Khanam wore at the time of her murder prompted initial calls by members of the community for a treating the murder as a hate crime. The NYPD’s fate crime task force assisted in the investigation. But even after he was charged with murder, many continued to believe that the woman was killed because of hate crime, and not robbery as nothing had been taken from her.

The Daily News quoted her transit cop nephew Humayun Kabir, 35, who immediately reached the crime scene, was quoted as saying that when he broke the news to his uncle he started screaming and crying. ‘My wife just came to this country to just get killed! We had a better life in Bangladesh!,” he was quoted by the report as having been told by his uncle. “The family doesn’t deserve to be going through this,” added Kabir, who has been on the force since 2005.

At the Jamaica Mosque Sept. 2, where hundreds of people gathered to mourn her death, including dozens of NYPD officers, and at the press conference after the prayer, Shamul Alam Khan broke down sobbing. ““What can I do? I have three kids now. I cannot take care of the kids without her,” he said. He was present along his children and nephew Kabir.

A high-ranking police official told Daily News that NYPD’s best guess is it was a psycho who ran at her. “This was not a robbery and though we do not know all the facts, the reality is this is happening too often,” public advocate Letitia James said to cheers from the crowd at the mosque Sept. 2. before Marin’s arrest.

Assemblyman David Weprin issued a statement before Marin’s arrest saying he is aggrieved by the death of Khanam. “Our community is one that stands together against each and every possible bias incident, and together we mourn the passing of one of our neighbors. I send my condolences to the family of Nazma Khanam and urge the New York Police Department to investigate this attack as a possible hate crime against the Muslim-American community.”

September 2, 2016 (New York, NY) – The Sikh Coalition is just two weeks away from launching the first-ever Sikh photography exhibition in the United States. The Sikh Project, our collaboration with talented British photographers, Amit and Naroop, captures the beauty of the Sikh faith and the depth of the Sikh American experience.

As we reflect on 15 years since 9/11 and commemorate the 15th anniversary milestone for our organization, we believe it’s an important moment to celebrate the Sikh experience and identity. The Sikh Project includes 38 new portraits of turbaned men and women that embody the diversity of the Sikh American community and recognize the challenges and triumphs of what it means to be Sikh in America.

In addition to the thousands who will visit the exhibition in person, media coverage of the Sikh Project is reaching millions more as the Sikh Coalition uses the project to further educate the American public about the Sikh faith, experiences and traditions.

The exhibition will be open from 10am-8pm EST with extended hours on the weekends, starting on Sep 17 through 25th at 530 Broadway, New York, NY 10012. The space is easily accessible by train and subway, with the nearest stations being Bleecker Street/Broadway–Lafayette Street and Spring Street. Parking is also available with multiple parking garages in the vicinity.

Sikh art exhibition that is open to the general public!  If you would like to schedule a group tour of the exhibition, please email sikhproject@sikhcoalition.org.  Interested in attending the opening night reception? If you would like to join us for the Sikh Project exhibition opening on September 15th, you can purchase tickets here. The event will give you a sneak preview of the exhibition and celebrate our 15-year anniversary. Hurry, tickets are going quickly!

By Jitin Hingorani

Victims and survivors of cancer will be honored through a special slide show at the SKN Foundation’s annual gala, taking place from 6 p.m. onwards on Saturday, September 17, 2016, at the Marigold Hotel (315 Churchill Avenue) in Somerset, New Jersey. Family and friends can share stories and photos of loved ones who have been affected by the life-threatening illness by visiting www.sknfoundation.org.

Cancer survivor and “thriver,” actor and author Lisa Ray, will share the story of her battle with Multiple Myeloma, in addition to walking the runway as the showstopper for international fashion designer to the stars, Joy Mitra. Fox News radio and television personality Vipp Jaswal will emcee the evening’s program, which will include entertainment by singer/songwriter Falu Shah.

“The amount of support we are receiving from activists and philanthropists in the New York and New Jersey communities is truly heart-warming and humbling,” said Sonalika Ahuja, President of Beyond Media and lead organizer of the event. “This is an issue that affects all of us, and the SKN Foundation’s goal is educate people about the disease, while creating an accessible support system for South Asian families.”

In addition to Joy Mitra’s fashion show, the evening will also spotlight “real people” who are creating change in their community and will walk the ramp in support of the cause. They include: Giving Back Foundation founder Meera Gandhi; NY1 and AVS host Joya Dass; Actor Sonny Chatrath; and, Actor Deepti Nair.

All of the celebrities at the event will walk the red carpet and provide one-on-one interviews to select media. Media check-in will begin at 5:30 p.m., and the red carpet will begin promptly at 6 p.m. To reserve your spot on the red carpet, please email Jitin@JingoMedia.com.

In a City that boasts of diversity and considered home to the most number of immigrant groups from around the world, a Muslim woman was shot dead here on August 31^st. Nazma Khanam, a 60-year-old woman, a retired school teacher from Bangladesh, was killed near her home in Jamaica, Queens as shewalked back from a neighborhood grocery, where she and her husband worked, in the evening along with her husband.

Within three days of the killing of Nazma Khanam, aunt of a New York transit policeman, on Normal Road in Jamaica, police arrested Yonatan Galvez Marin, 22, of the same neighborhood. Marin was charged by the Queens District Attorney with two counts of second-degree murder, first-degree attempted robbery and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison. He was expected to be arraigned this week.

Surveillance video showed Khanam walking with a bag of groceries. Her husband, who was walking with her, but somewhat slowed down reportedly due to asthma, heard screams and ran to the scene to find her on the sidewalk.

District Attorney Richard Brown said that her husband, 75-year-old Shamul Alam Khan, was a few steps behind her wife when the assailant, now identified as Marin approached her and demanded money. When Khanam refused, he stabbed her in her torso and fled. She died in a local Queens hospital where she was pronounced as brought dead.

The traditional Muslim attire that Khanam wore at the time of her murder prompted initial calls by members of the community for a treating the murder as a hate crime. The NYPD’s fate crime task force assisted in the investigation. But even after he was charged with murder, many continued to believe that the woman was killed because of hate crime, and not robbery as nothing had been taken from her.

The Daily News quoted her transit cop nephew Humayun Kabir, 35, who immediately reached the crime scene, was quoted as saying that when he broke the news to his uncle he started screaming and crying. ‘My wife just came to this country to just get killed! We had a better life in Bangladesh!,” he was quoted by the report as having been told by his uncle. “The family doesn’t deserve to be going through this,” added Kabir, who has been on the force since 2005.

At the Jamaica Mosque Sept. 2, where hundreds of people gathered to mourn her death, including dozens of NYPD officers, and at the press conference after the prayer, Shamul Alam Khan broke down sobbing. ““What can I do? I have three kids now. I cannot take care of the kids without her,” he said. He was present along his children and nephew Kabir.

A high-ranking police official told Daily News that NYPD’s best guess is it was a psycho who ran at her. “This was not a robbery and though we do not know all the facts, the reality is this is happening too often,” public advocate Letitia James said to cheers from the crowd at the mosque Sept. 2. before Marin’s arrest.

Assemblyman David Weprin issued a statement before Marin’s arrest saying he is aggrieved by the death of Khanam. “Our community is one that stands together against each and every possible bias incident, and together we mourn the passing of one of our neighbors. I send my condolences to the family of Nazma Khanam and urge the New York Police Department to investigate this attack as a possible hate crime against the Muslim-American community.”

In a time of escalating hate and division in America, Divided We Fall (90 minutes) tells a story of how to combat hate with love and relentless optimism. As we approach the 15th anniversary of 9/11, we are collaborating with the Revolutionary Love Project to bring this message to campuses and communities across the country.

Each year in America, hate violence often occurs around the anniversary of 9/11. As we witness one of the most vitriolic campaign seasons in U.S. history, we know we can preempt hate when we bring communities together in acts of healing, storytelling and action.

The award-winning film Divided We Fall (2008) chronicles the heart-wrenching stories of Sikh and Muslim Americans who have responded to hate and violence with love since 9/11. It provides context to the current escalation of hate and is also a source of hope. The Sikh Coalition has joined in support of the new Revolutionary Love Project to put the film and dialogue tools in your hands for free.

Many communities have already signed up to host film screenings across the nation. Will you be next? The goal is at least 100 film screenings between now and Election Day. Signing up is simple! You can watch the film and sign up here, and the Revolutionary Love team will send you everything you need, including a Dialogue Guide and Lesson Plans.  We hope you will join the discussion. As always, it’s your voice in your community that plays such a pivotal role in changing the dialogue and making a lasting difference.

By Reema D’souza

New York, September 1st, 2016: CRY, Child Rights and You America Inc. (CRY America), a 501(c)(3) non- profit that works towards ensuring children their basic rights to live, learn, grow and play will host the 13th CRY Walk for Child Rights across 16 cities. The annual walk brings together people from varied walks of life, who feel passionately for children’s cause. The event provides them a platform to help children secure a better future and reinforces the belief that the ability to change lives lies within each one of us.

Walkers and runners alike, across New York, San Diego, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, Orange County, Bay Area, Atlanta, Pheonix and Raleigh are invited to participate in 5k walks and runs along with 1k kids dash. Events across cities will include fun activities for both adults and children like yoga, Bollywood dancing, jugglers, music, food stalls and face painting. The participants will also be able to buy funky CRY merchandise like T shirts to support the cause for child rights.  The annual event is not just a space for families to have an outing but also to support and ensure opportunities are provided to all children and bring lasting change in their lives. The CRY Walk series commences on September 11 at Irvine, Orange County and concludes on November 13 at Bay Area.

The national sponsors of the Walk 2016 are Star TV, TV Asia, Air India, Stratus, Shani International, Mera Sangeet and India Abroad. We appreciate the generous support of our event sponsors, media sponsors and donors in enabling this event.  The volunteers, fundraisers and team leaders across 16 cities who have relentlessly worked to organize this event in aid of underprivileged children, deserve a special mention.

Speaking about the event, Shefali Sunderlal, President, CRY America said, “Only when children are given the right opportunities, do they realize their full potential, aim for their dreams and achieve them. Raising awareness and fund support by participating in CRY Walk is a step forward in ensuring that children get these opportunities and a chance at a healthy, successful life.”
CRY America has thus far ensured that 618,915 children living across 3,084 villages and slums have access to education, healthcare and are protected from violations through support to 70 Projects in India and the USA.

“The continued support of our donors and volunteers has helped us uphold children’s rights. It is this support and belief in our work which propels us and will allow us to ensure many more children get access to quality education, health services, essential nutrition and are protected from child labor, child marriage, abuse, and discrimination”, Sunderlal concluded.

CRY, Child Rights and You America Inc. (CRY America) is a 501c3 non profit that is driven by its vision of a just world in which all children have equal opportunities to develop to their full potential and realize their dreams. With the support of over 25,153 donors and 2,000 volunteers, CRY America has impacted the lives of 618,915 children living across 3,084 villages and slums through support to 70 Projects in India and USA.

For more information about CRY America or CRY Walk 2016, visit www.america.cry.org, email support@cryamerica.org or call 6179591273.

By Bonnie Kwong

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 1, 2016 – The Asian American Federation, with primary funding support from AARP, released a new report, Asian American Seniors in New York City: An Updated Snapshot, highlighting the demographic changes and economic challenges facing New York City’s fastest-growing senior population. Asian Americans represent 16% of all seniors ages 50 years and older, yet programs and resources available to Asian seniors have failed to keep pace with this growth. When it comes to New York City’s social service funding, for example, only 2.7% went to senior programs focused on Asian seniors.

Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the Federation, said, “Since our 2003 report on Asian elders, the size and composition of our senior population have changed dramatically. Our updated report underscores the reality that the current capacity of social services is not nearly enough to meet the needs of this population. What we hope this report offers is some concrete ways in which our city and state leaders can begin to build real infrastructure to serve our seniors.”

“AARP proudly supports the Federation’s report revealing insights into the rapidly-growing community of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders age 50-plus. We hope this report will continue to debunk the model minority myth and be used by individuals, community-based organizations, nonprofit groups, media, funders, and policymakers to build the case for funding, policies, legislation, and advocacy to improve their lives,” stated Daphne Kwok, AARP’s Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American & Pacific Islander Audience Strategy.

Key findings of this report include: Growth in the Asian senior population in New York City is driven by Asian seniors immigrating late in life and by Asian immigrants aging into senior status.
Major shifts in demographics are changing the ethnic mix of the Asian senior population in New York City. South Asian and “Other” Asian groups have senior populations that have more than tripled in size from 2000 to 2014.

The high rates of limited English proficiency among Asian seniors contribute to increased social isolation.  The diversity of languages spoken in the Asian community makes outreach and provision of services a great challenge Asian seniors in New York City are less well-educated than Asian seniors nationally and other seniors in New York City. As a consequence, Asian seniors are more likely to be poor and low-income than Asian seniors nationally and other seniors in New York City.

Because some Asian seniors immigrated later in life, they are less likely to have health insurance coverage and to receive Social Security benefits than other seniors. In order to address the increasing needs among Asian seniors, the Federation makes the following recommendations to the City: Increase the resources available for programs serving Asian seniors.
Build capacity within Asian-led senior programs, which are more likely to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services for Asians seniors. Ensure that outreach to Asian seniors is conducted in-language and through trusted information sources for each community, including ethnic media and community-based social service organizations.

Alleviate poverty by increasing access to social safety nets for more recent arrivals.

Increase access to adult literacy and job skills programs for low-income Asian seniors who are still active in the labor force.
Offer employment and volunteer opportunities for Asian seniors in order to increase their income and decrease their social isolation. Create affordable senior housing, including culturally-appropriate assisted living facilities.

“We have seen the Asian senior population double since 2000,” said Howard Shih, research and policy director of the Federation.  “With Asian seniors now comprising 16% of New York City’s senior population, we can no longer ignore their needs. We must address their language, health, and housing needs – among all the others – if we hope to support their longevity.”
Beth Finkel, AARP New York State Director, added, “Like the Federation, AARP is fighting to increase funding for transportation services and improve job opportunities and affordable housing for older city residents while combatting social isolation and elder abuse. We need our leaders to acknowledge changing demographics and implement policies that make New York a better place to live, work, play, and age. The City would be wise to heed the recommendations of the Federation’s report.”

Established in 1989, the Asian American Federation works to raise the influence and well-being of the pan-Asian American community through research, policy advocacy, public awareness, and organizational development. As a nonprofit leadership organization, the Federation strengthens the capacity of community-based social services by supporting nearly 60 Asian-serving and Asian-focused member agencies and other grassroots organizations in the fields of health & human services, education, economic development, civic participation, and social justice.

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

New Jersey Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced that nine additional individuals have been charged criminally with filing fraudulent applications for federal relief funds related to Superstorm Sandy. Since March 2014, the Attorney General’s Office has filed criminal charges against 71 people for allegedly engaging in this type of fraud, including the nine individuals charged today.

They were charged for allegedly filing fraudulent applications for federal relief funds related to ‘Superstorm’ Sandy, among them an Indian-American from Edison, New Jersey. Sandipkumar Patel, 43, a motel owner, and 8 others are among more than 70 people charged since March 2014, with fraud in connection to the October 2012 storm that destroyed thousands of homes on the East Coast, Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced Aug. 22.

Sandipkumar Patel, 43, of Edison, N.J., allegedly fraudulently obtained more than $81,567 from the FEMA Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA) program. Under the TSA program, FEMA directly paid participating hotels and motels for rooms temporarily occupied by residents displaced by the storm. Patel owns the American Motel on Route 166 in Toms River, N.J., with his wife. FEMA paid the motel $133.28 per day for each room occupied by storm victims.

It is alleged that Patel fraudulently billed FEMA a total of $81,567 in the names of 11 individuals. Eight of the individuals allegedly never stayed at the motel at all, while the other three allegedly stayed for shorter periods or, in one case, shared a room that Patel already had billed to FEMA in the name of the other occupant. In some cases, Patel allegedly falsely billed for stays of multiple weeks or even months. He allegedly billed FEMA more than $50,000 in the names of several of his personal relatives who live in New Jersey but who were not displaced by the storm. Patel is charged with second-degree theft by deception.

“Stealing any type of public aid is reprehensible, but it’s especially egregious to steal relief funds in the context of a historic disaster, when every dollar is needed for recovery,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We’ll continue to pursue these prosecutions with our state and federal partners, so we can guard these funds and deter this type of criminal conduct in future emergencies,” Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice, is quoted saying in the press release.

In some cases, Patel allegedly falsely billed for stays of multiple weeks or even months. He allegedly billed FEMA more than $50,000 in the names of several of his personal relatives who live in New Jersey but who were not displaced by the storm.

Longtime Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin announced here on Monday, August 29th that she and former US Rep. Anthony Weiner are separating after new reports surfaced that he sent sexually suggestive photos again.

“After long and painful consideration and work on my marriage, I have made the decision to separate from my husband. Anthony and I remain devoted to doing what is best for our son, who is the light of our life. During this difficult time, I ask for respect for our privacy,” Abedin said in a statement.

Abedin was “furious and sickened” by the picture of Weiner and their 4-year-old son, Jordan, according to two people close to the family. Media reports quoting the sources said she did not know about it or details of the latest sexting exchange until this weekend.

Photos published by The New York Post late Sunday show the man completely and others feature Weiner’s face, but the photo of the boy has been partially blurred out, and the woman’s face is blurred out in her photos. The Post, which did not completely identify the woman, said she provided 12 selfies from Weiner. The paper described her as a 40-something divorced woman from the West.

Abedin and Weiner have been “essentially” separated for months, a close friend to Abedin said after she officially announced their separation on Monday. Weiner had resigned from Congress in 2011 after he accidentally posted a lewd photo of himself on his Twitter account. In the midst of Weiner’s first sexting scandal, it became known that his wife was expecting their first child.

Two years later he was caught again, sexting with an aspiring porn star from southwest Indiana named Sydney Leathers. During his run for mayor, Weiner, had adopted the online pseudonym “Carlos Danger.”

Weiner, who torpedoed his own political career five years ago with a sexting scandal and whose wife is Clinton’s closest adviser, deleted his Twitter account after the latest report surfaced.

Reports stated that the two of them exchanged racy photos over the course of about a year, including one exchange where she alleges that he sexted her with his son apparently sleeping next to him.

“Someone just climbed into my bed,” Weiner allegedly wrote in a message, sent July 31, 2015, according to the New York Post. He then is alleged to have sent a picture of a barechested man with white boxers and a bulge, while a small child is asleep beside him. “Your do realize you can see you(r) Weiner in that pic??” the woman replied, according to the Post.

Abedin and Weiner had been distant and “heading on a path apart” for a few months, but she was reluctant to leave, according to the two sources close to the family. Her faith is a big part of that, as she has told friends and even Vogue magazine, and she knew it would draw headlines. “She did not want this to be another distraction for Hillary,” one friend was quoted to have said. Abedin is reportedly Clinton’s most well known aide.

Renu Khator, chancellor of the University of Houston System and president of the University of Houston, will be inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. Gov. Greg Abbott announced the 2016 inductees last week.

“I am honored to welcome these five extraordinary women into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame,” Abbott said. “Whether in public service, the arts, business or education, these leaders have inspired generations of Texans to reach new heights, achieve new goals and elevate the Lone Star State.”

The Texas Women’s Hall of Fame honors native or current Texas residents, living or deceased, who have made significant contributions to the state. The honorees are selected by a panel of judges after Texas residents submit nominations.

“This honor must be shared with my family members, who have given me such support over the years, and with the University of Houston, which provided me with an opportunity to fulfill my dream of leading a great institution of higher learning,” Khator said. “I am flattered and humbled to be included with these accomplished and remarkable women.”

In addition to Khator, 2016 inductees include aviation pioneer Emma Carter Browning, who died in 2010; entrepreneur Susie Hitchcock-Hall, founder of Susie’s South Forty Confections in Midland; Ginger Kerrick, division chief of the Flight Operations Directorate Integration Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and Grammy Award-winning Latin recording artist Selena Quintanilla, who died in 1995. The 2016 induction ceremony is set for Oct. 21 on the campus of Texas Woman’s University in Denton.

Appointed in 2008, Khator is the first Indian immigrant to head a comprehensive public research university in the United States and the first female chancellor of a Texas higher education system. In announcing her selection for the Hall of Fame, the governor’s office noted that UH earned Tier One status and has seen record-breaking research funding, enrollment and private support during her tenure.

She also has been named to serve as the American Athletic Conference representative on the NCAA Division 1 Presidential Forum and is chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Board of Directors. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and several Houston-area boards and recently served as chair of the American Council on Education.

Indian American former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta’s latest bid to have his insider-trading conviction overturned should be rejected, prosecutors have told an appeals court here, asserting that he got a fair trial and the jury convicted him for his “criminal” conduct.

In a lengthy brief filed before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit this month, Indian American U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara said Gupta’s conduct of repeatedly tipping his business partner Raj Rajaratnam with material non-public information in “ways that furthered Gupta and Rajaratnam’s shared financial interests” remains “criminal” and he is “not actually innocent.” Bharara said Gupta’s appeals from an order denying his motion to vacate, set aside, or correct his sentence should be rejected and he is not entitled to the relief he seeks.

In May, Gupta, 66, had filed an exhaustive brief in the appeals court, arguing that the judgment of the Manhattan district court finding him guilty of insider trading “should be reversed” and his “conviction should be vacated.”
India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, a free man now after a 2-year jail term on insider trading charges, has approached a US court to overturn his conviction, arguing that there is no evidence to show that he “received even a penny” for passing confidential boardroom information to his friend.

In an exhaustive brief filed in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday, 66-year-old Gupta’s team of lawyers argued that the judgement of the Manhattan district court finding Mr Gupta guilty of insider trading “should be reversed” and his “conviction should be vacated.”

Mr Gupta’s appeal comes on the back of a landmark ruling by the Manhattan appeals court that for an insider trading conviction prosecutors must show that a defendant received a personal benefit for passing illegal tips.

Mr Gupta’s lawyers have cited the ruling that led to the reversal of insider convictions of hedge-fund managers Todd Newman and Anthony Chiasson in December 2014.

“As this Court has noted, not every disclosure of corporate information violates the insider trading laws. Given the stakes in a criminal case, and the apparently boundless use being made of the securities laws by prosecutors, this Court in Newman imposed a clear rule: The tip must be shown to have been part of a quid pro quo agreement,” the lawyers wrote in the brief.

“Rajat Gupta was severely prejudiced by the erroneous instruction. The government lacked evidence showing Mr Gupta received even a penny from his alleged wrongdoing. There was no quid pro quo,” they said. Gupta was convicted in 2012 of passing confidential boardroom information to now jailed hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam.

The Swaminarayan Temple of Secaucus, New Jersey, celebrated its 15th anniversary last week with hundreds of followers, and members from the local Indian-American community attending the Aug. 6-7 event.

The celebrations Aug. 6 kicked off with a flash mob dance to welcome Acharya Swami and also commemorate the 25th anniversary celebrations of the SmrutiMandir, an all-marble, hand- carved temple located in Ghodasar, India. The religious discourses, prayer services, a youth skit, and religious hymns were also part of the first-day celebrations.

The Aug. 7 program commenced with religious discourses as well as a grand annkut, a large offering of food. MuktjeevanSwamibapa Pipe Band escorted Acharya Swami, Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli, Secaucus Councilman Rob Constantino, Secaucus Councilwoman Susan Pirro, and Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari to the entrance of the temple for the opening of Penhorn Avenue which has been renamed ‘Swamibapa Way’ to honor MuktajeevanSwamibapa, the religious leader who was the first to bring the Swaminarayan sect to the United States in the late 1970s. Balloons and white doves were also released to commemorate the occasion.

The program continued in the temple’s community hall, with over 500 individuals in attendance. The Swaminarayan GadiSansthan donated $1,000 to the Secaucus Fire Department and $1,000 to the township’s office of emergency management. Acharya Swami delivered a sermon preaching peace, love, devotion, and unity.

“Anyone who travels on Swamibapa Way will be on their way towards salvation,” he said. “All of this devotional love that we practice should be done selflessly. Our talents are given to us by the Lord as vehicles of devotion” he added.

The two-day festival featured religious discourses about peace and unity, performances by North America’s First Indian American Pipe Band – Swamibapa Pipe Band, cultural concert and skit, traditional Indian feasts, and more.

A few thousand devotees of Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Loyadham in Raritan, New Jersey, gathered for the 2nd anniversary celebrations of the temple July 26-31 that coincided with the 58th birthday of its founder GhanshyamMaharaj , popularly known as guruji.

The five-day celebrations were held at the facility of Temple Beth-El. It was attended, among others by Mayor of Raritan Borough Charles McMullin along with his family. One of the highlights of the celebrations was the surprise announcement by the mayor to hand the symbolic key of the town of Raritan to GhanshyamMaharaj. The mayor noted that the religious guru has been a resident of Raritan for 40 years and said that he was privileged to give the township’s key to the spiritual master. The attendees were overjoyed at the announcement and gave him a big round of applause.

On the opening day after the ceremonial worship of the holy scriptures brought to Beth-El were performed, GhanshyamMaharaj began the holy discourse on the SatsangiJivan.

After the discourse, devotees and saints made offerings to mark his birthday celebrations. Pure gold ornaments weighing 2.25 kg for GhanshyamMaharaj was also offered by the devotees.
On July 29, female devotees of Loyadham of all ages performed cultural dances and various religious plays for all the attendees. A newly prepared idol of NeelkanthVarni was installed the next day for the well-being of all the devotees. Abhishek will be performed on the idol once every month.

GhanshyamMaharaj offered Mayor McMullin and distinguished guests, including philanthropist Piyush Patel, with a royal turban as an honor. Dr. Sudhir Parikh, publisher of Desi Talk and a Padmashri award winner, was honored as well for his contribution to the community and his philanthropy. The honors recognized individuals and companies that have made extra achievements in their fields.

On July 31, the ritual of Abhishek of PiyudaGhanshyamMaharaj started in the early morning with recitation of Vedic mantras followed by worship of GhanshyamMaharaj adorned in gold ornaments and with an offering of an enormous annakut.

Stamford, Conn. – August 5, 2016 – AmeriCares is deploying medical teams to Assam and Bihar, where relentless flooding has killed more than 90 people and forced nearly 1 million into relief camps. The first teams, organized by the AmeriCares India office in Mumbai, are already on the ground in some of the worst-affected areas, delivering medicines and treating survivors.

AmeriCares is focused on ensuring families affected by the floods have access to critical primary care services, including medication, as well as health and hygiene products that will help prevent the spread of communicable diseases. The emergency response and global health nonprofit is also delivering water purification supplies in areas without access to clean water.

“Waterborne diseases are always a major concern after severe flooding,” said Shripad Desai, managing director of AmeriCares India. “We are working to ensure survivors have access to essential medicine and safe drinking water to help prevent the spread of infectious disease.”

After two straight years of drought, heavy monsoon rains uprooted trees, damaged swaths of land and snapped telephone lines. Landslides and heavy rains have blocked highways and submerged homes in several feet of water.

AmeriCares has been aiding survivors of natural disasters, political conflict and extreme poverty around the world for nearly 40 years, saving lives and building healthier futures for people in crisis. AmeriCares India provides emergency medical and humanitarian aid in response to floods, cyclones, earthquakes and other disasters. Most recently, the AmeriCares India team responded to the Nepal Earthquake, the 2015 flooding in Tamil Nadu and the 2014 flooding in Jammu and Kashmir. AmeriCares India also provides health education, supports health workforce safety programs and operates seven mobile medical clinics that provide free primary care services at 130 locations throughout the slums of Mumbai. To make a donation to AmeriCares India Disaster Relief Fund, please go to americares.org/IndiaRelief

AmeriCares is an emergency response and global health organization committed to saving lives and building healthier futures for people in crisis in the United States and around the world. Every day, AmeriCares puts critically needed medicines and supplies in the hands of frontline health workers and develops innovative, sustainable health improvements in their communities. For more information, visit americares.org

Last year “Peepli Live” co-director Mahmood Farooqui was accused of raping an American woman pursuing a Ph.D from Columbia University who was in India for research work. On July 30, a Delhi court convicted Farooqui of raping her.

Farooqui, who was out on bail, was taken into custody immediately after the pronouncement of the judgement. Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain held Farooqui guilty of offence under section 376 (punishment of rape) of the Indian Penal Code.

The court fixed the matter for hearing arguments on sentence Aug. 2. The offence of rape entails a minimum of seven years of rigorous jail and a maximum of imprisonment for life.

The woman, in her complaint, had alleged that Farooqui was drunk when he raped her at his house where she had gone to get his help for her research work last year.

The police had lodged the FIR against Farooqui on the woman’s complaint on June 19, 2015 after which he was arrested.

Police had filed a charge sheet against Farooqui on July 29, 2015 alleging that he had raped the research scholar at his Sukhdev Vihar house in south Delhi on March 28, 2015. The court had started the trial in the case after framing rape charges against Farooqui on Sept. 9, 2015.

An Indian American chef was attacked outside of his workplace in Omaha, Neb. in what authorities are classifying as an apparent hate crime.

Suthahar Subburaj, 30, a chef at Kurry Xpress in Omaha, told police he was attacked just before 11 p.m. on July 15 as he was taking out the trash, according to a report from the Omaha World-Herald.

A man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt punched Subburaj in the face and kicked him in the leg. He also told Subbraj, who said he was punched multiple times in his forehead, face and mouth, “ISIS (expletive), get out of my country,” according to a police report, which used an acronym for the Islamic State.

The man fled the scene as one of Subbraj’s coworkers called police.

“He knocked me out,” Subburaj told local news network, KETV. The bone above his teeth may have been fractured, according to the Herald’s report.

The chef has lived in Omaha for about two years but doesn’t have any family in the United States. He hopes his attacker is caught and punished, but is also educated about the differences in religions and races.

“His motivation and why he beat me, I don’t have an answer for that,” Subburaj said. He’s Hindu, he said, not Muslim.

Police deemed the attack a hate crime against religion. They have no leads on a suspect.

After getting word of the alleged hate crime, the Anti-Defamation League Omaha chapter issued a statement condemning the attack.

“When a person is targeted for a crime because of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability, it not only harms the individual victim, but also deeply affects entire communities, chapter director Mary-Beth Muskin said. “We must all stand together against bigotry, hatred and prejudice. We urge law enforcement to investigate this incident as a possible hate crime, and hope that the perpetrator will be apprehended swiftly and brought to justice.”

The Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America, founded in 1983 by a small number of Maheshwari families mainly in the Northeast, held its 8th biennial convention at Stamford Hilton, in Stamford, Conn., from July 1-4.

Riva Ganguly Das, consul general of India in New York, the event’s special guest of honor, delivered a message of goodwill towards the community and said she looked forward to working with the community leaders.

A lifetime achievement award was given to Hanuman Das Lahoti of Detroit, Michigan, for dedicated lifetime service and for helping in the advancement of the Maheshwari community, the report said.

“We were pleasantly surprised with the number of youth who not only attended the convention this year, but also actively engaged in our Rajasthanis Abroad Youth Samaj events! After months of hard work and planning, this weekend definitely exceeded our expectations,” Priya Malani Manchanda, president of RAYS, was quoted as saying.

Diya TV, a South Asian broadcast TV network reported that other guests included Vinod K. Agrawal, special chief secretary, Telangana government and Govind Chandak, a prominent businessman who addressed the crowd.

MMNA President Parag Bajaj was given a special excellence in leadership award for his many initiatives, including launching a matrimonial website and for his inclusive leadership style.

The report said that Mridula Sinha, governor of Goa who was slated to be the chief guest, could not make it but set a video message complimenting the work of MMNA in bringing the community together to keep Rajasthani culture present in America’s younger generation.

In response to the youth turnout, one of the founding members of MMNA, Vimal Sodhani of Sodhani Foundation, declared a major initiative to assist MMNA in providing seed money to develop young entrepreneurs, the Diya TV reported.

The foundation plans to donate $100,000 each year to MMNA. “I felt that there is great potential of developing a few of our youths as entrepreneurs by helping them financially,” Sodhani was quoted as saying. MMNA has an existing educational fund that has helped needy students. Over $40,000 was raised during the convention to augment this fund, according to news reports.

An airline passenger has been charged with sexually touching a sleeping woman aboard a flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced on August 2.

Veerabhadrarao Kunam, 58, of Visakhapatnam, was charged by complaint with one count of abusive sexual contact. He appeared August 1 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson in Newark federal court and was released on $50,000 secured bond.

The abusive sexual contact charge carries a maximum potential penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Kunam was arrested on July 30, the day his flight arrived in Newark, and was taken into federal custody by the FBI.

According to the complaint, Kunam was seated next to a woman who occupied a middle seat on a Virgin America overnight flight from Los Angeles to Newark. While the plane was in the air, the woman fell asleep. She awoke to find Kunam massaging her genitals and rubbing his bare feet against her bare feet.

The victim alerted her male travel companion who traded seats with the victim and confronted Kunam.  Kunam allegedly told her companion that he wanted everyone to forget about the incident and offered to buy her companion a drink for any trouble he may have caused. The companion declined Kunam’s offer and alerted a flight crew member about what had occurred.

A member of the flight crew then moved Kunam to another seat and instructed him not to return to his original seat. Kunam allegedly told the flight crew member that he would not touch the victim again.

Sheetal Ranot, an Ozone Park, Queens woman charged with starving and beating her pre-teen stepdaughter faces 25 years in prison after she was convicted Friday of assault and child endangerment.

Sheetal Ranot, 35, was found guilty of slashing the girl, then 12, with a shattered metal broom handle that cut the girl’s wrist to the bone – and coldly leaving her in a pool of blood, authorities said. Ranot and her husband Rajesh tortured the child for nearly two years in their Ozone Park house of horrors, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

The duo have allegedly locked the girl in her bedroom without food or water for extended periods, with her weight dropping to 58 pounds, officials said. Rajesh Ranot, the victim’s biological father was also charged with second- and third-degree assault, first-degree unlawful imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child. The husband and wife’s case was severed at the start of Ranot’s trial. Rajesh Ranot will be tried at a later date.

“A jury weighed the evidence, which included the once-undernourished victim’s testimony in court, and found the defendant guilty of abusing the girl for more than a year and half. The pre-teen was locked in her bedroom by her step-mother without food or even water for extended periods of time,” District Attorney Richard A. Brown said in a statement.

“The victim was struck with a metal broom handle and a wooden rolling pin until she was bloody and still carries these scars and others on her body to this day. No child deserves to be treated in this manner,” Brown said.

The girl, identified in published reports as Maya Ranot, weighed a skeletal 58 pounds because of the escalating violence. She, however, survived to tell the tale of her suffering and torture at the hands of her parents in their Ozone Park home.

After a day of deliberations, a jury convicted Ranot of first-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Queens Supreme Court Justice Richard L. Buchter, who presided over the three-week-long trial, set sentencing for September 8.

On May 6, 2014, when medical personnel arrived at the family residence after Sheetal Ranot hit Maya with a broken metal broom handle, they found Maya lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen with the tendons to her left wrist cut to the bone.

At that time, Maya was transported to Elmhurst Hospital where she underwent surgery for her wrist and received stitches to her knee. Doctors observed several bruises, marks and scars in various stages of healing throughout Maya’s body during that hospital stay.

“Thank God! It’s about time they locked him up. Everyone is afraid of him . . . How could he do this to his own daughter?” the Daily News quoted one of Rajesh Ranot’s former in-laws who was not identified by his name as asking.

Maya was beaten with everything from a rolling pin to a baseball bat to a broken metal broom handle — but never said a word because she feared her four step-siblings would be sent to foster care, officials were quoted as saying. “Fortunately, she found the courage to speak up,” Brown said. “It is not too hard to imagine that this case would have ended in the child’s death.”

A September 2014 New York Times report said Maya’s ordeal started in 2011, when a custody dispute placed her with her father. Relatives and a friend of her mother, Ramona Roy, said Ranot fabricated claims that Roy abused Maya. Their contention could not be verified by the newspaper because family court records are not public.

At that time the Times report said quoting neighbors that they noticed that Maya’s clothes were often dirty and that she was always doing chores and caring for her four stepsiblings,  who looked healthier and cleaner. “I was told this is normal — stepmothers don’t like stepkids in India,” neighbor Bematie Singh from Guyana told the newspaper.  “Maya was like the maid.”

Erasing Borders is a richly provocative exhibition by artists of the Indian diaspora who confront issues of sexuality, terror, disease, the environment, racial and sectarian politics in painting, prints, installations, video, and sculpture. With great technical mastery and diversity of theme and style, these works combine traditional Indian aesthetics with Western elements, and speak to the powerful experience of personal and cultural dislocation in the global village. In its twelfth year, Erasing Borders is curated by Vijay Kumar and produced by the Indo-American Arts Council.

Participating Artists include, Anna Bradfield, Anujan Ezhikode, Arun Prem, Bivas Chaudhuri, Bolo, Delna Dastur, George Oomen, Indrani Nayar Gal, Mansoora Hassan, MD Tokon, Nipun Manda, Norbert Gonsalves, Padmini Mongia, Parul Mehra, Quinza Najm, Pooja Gupta, Radhika Mathews, Rahul Mehra, Reeta Gidwani Karmarkar, Renuka Khanna, Rochana Dubey, Sejal Krishnan, Tara Sabharwal, and Uday K Dhar

The Exhibition remains open from July 14 – August 17, 2016  from 11 am – 5 pm Monday – Friday at the Kapoor Galleries, 34East 67th Street (between Madison & Park), NYC. Exhibitions are Free and Open to the Public.

The Indo-American Arts Council is a 501 ©3 not-for-profit secular arts organization passionately dedicated to promoting, showcasing and building an awareness of artists of Indian origin in the performing arts, visual arts, literary arts and folk arts. For information please visit www.iaac.us.

The President of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, has helped spearhead a push for a more open and transparent selection process for the next UN Secretary-General.

Media spoke with Lykketoft one week after the 15 members of the UN Security Council cast their first votes in a straw poll to indicate which of the 12 candidates for the UN’s top job they support.

The results of the informal initial vote, which took place on Thursday 21 July, were not publicly released, but were leaked almost immediately. On behalf of the 193 members of the UN General Assembly, Lykketoft publicly called for the Security Council to convey the results to the other UN member states soon after the vote took place.

However Lykketoft also noted that the straw polls are an initial vote and that the positioning of candidates may well change, noting that new candidates may also emerge.

“It’s much too early to draw conclusions from the straw polls,” said Lykketoft. “Positioning and tendencies … can change over time.”

“The real influence from the membership is now to express to their colleagues in the Security Council if they have preferences among the candidates,” — Mogens Lykketoft.

A second straw poll is planned for next Friday August 5, he added. However one potential further candidate, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced on July 29 that he would not be running, as he did not receive an endorsement from the Australian government.

“We’ll try to arrange as quickly as possible, if a new candidate comes forward, the same kind of hearings that we have had with the 12 candidates,” he said.

However while the informal dialogues have opened up the selection process for the next Secretary-General to the 193 member General Assembly, it is still likely that the UN Security Council will ultimately decide a single candidate to put forward to the assembly for endorsement.

There have been calls for the Security Council to break with this custom and put forward more than one candidate to the General Assembly, however Lykketoft noted that any change to the current system was up to the Security Council, and that it wasn’t even clear whether the “majority of the General Assembly would ask for more candidates.”

“The real influence from the membership is now to express to their colleagues in the Security Council if they have preferences among the candidates,” said Lykketoft.

“Because we’ve had these informal dialogues, these hearings, we much better know the personalities and the priorities of candidates than one did at any previous occasion, simply because all the other times there wasn’t an established list of candidates, we didn’t even know outside the Security Council which names were brought to the table.”

“That has changed and that means also that all the friends, allies and colleagues of the members of the Security Council can express to them their priorities and that gives a real possibility for influence.”

“I have also said continuously if among the many candidates (there are) clear favourites, I don’t think the Security Council would come up with some quite different names. But we’ll see.”

In addition to consultations with the General Assembly as a whole, candidates for Secretary-General had separate consultations with the 134 members of the Group of 77, as well as with the regional groups, which Lykketoft described as a “very useful” addition to the selection process.

He noted that members of the Group of 77, which represents 134 developing countries at the United Nations including China, see development issues and climate change as priorities.

This was reflected in questions posed to the 12 candidates for the role of Secretary-General on behalf of the Group during the informal hearings in the General Assembly. Each of the 12 candidates also held closed hearings with the 134 members of the Group of 77 at the UN on 13 and 14 July 2016.

Reflecting on his own role, Lykketoft touched on changes to the office of the President of the General Assembly. Fiji has been elected to hold the 71st Presidency of the UN General Assembly, when Denmark’s term finishes in September 2016.

Lykketoft noted that as a Small Island Developing State, Fiji does not have the same resources to draw on to support the office of the President as other richer and bigger countries. The office of the President of the General Assembly relies on contributions from member states. Lykketoft particularly highlighted the importance of member states seconding staff to the office.

“There’s been 35 people from 26 different countries working in the office of the President of the General Assembly, which is a very interesting and very well functioning operation,” said Lykketoft.

There are currently 12 candidates for the position of UN Secretary-General. They include former heads of state and high-level UN officials. According to leaked reports, Antonio Guterres, former Prime Minister of Portugal and former head of the UN High Commission for Refugees, topped the first straw poll, with Danilo Turk, former President of Slovenia, placing second and Irina Bokova, of Bulgaria who is currently Director General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) placed third. Other candidates which received “encourages” from 8 or more members of the SC include Srgjan Kerim, of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Vuk Jeremić of the Republic of Serbia and Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of  New Zealand and Administrator of the UN Development Programme.

In addition to the push for the selection of the next Secretary-General to be more open and transparent, there have also been calls for the ninth Secretary-General to be the first to come from Eastern Europe or the first to be a woman.

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 1, 2016– Press freedom is essential pillar of the UN human rights system guaranteed through Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (freedom of opinion and expression) and a part of customary international law which means that every UN member is duty bound to enable the exercise of this right.

“The UN plays an important role in shaping norms and setting agendas so it is an important the UN put journalist safety and press freedom at the heart of its work, from human rights to sustainable development and everything in between,” Radsch told IPS.

But in reality far many UN member states continue to undermine press freedom through restrictive laws, by jailing and killing journalists or not properly investigating attacks on journalists and bringing perpetrators to justice.

An UN Committee responsible for giving non-government organisations (NGOs) UN accreditation has had one of its decisions overturned by other UN member states as it seems to be restricting NGOs which are perceived to be critical of governments.

On Monday 25 July, a larger meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) voted to give ECOSOC consultative status to The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) a United States based NGO, after its application was rejected by the smaller ECOSOC committee for the fourth time.

The only reason CPJ was finally accepted was because a vote by the Economic and Social Council was forced by supportive member states, overriding the previous denial from the NGO committee, Courtney Radsch, CPJ’s Advocacy Director told IPS.

“It’s ironic that that the NGO Committee has no NGO participation and comprises several governments that are actively persecuting NGOs.” — Mandeep Tiwana, CIVICUS.

U.S. Ambassador to  the UN, Samantha Power told ECOSOC on 25 July that during the four years that CPJ was denied accreditation 863 journalists have been imprisoned, 19 have gone missing, and 304 have been killed, quoting CPJ figures.

“The UN NGO committee seems less interested at ensuring the voices of civil society are present to contribute to matters of great concern, and rather at excluding these voices because of the uncomfortable truths they espouse about member states.” Radsch told IPS.

“Being granted consultative status is a highly politicized process that is aimed less at ensuring that our CPJ meets the criteria for membership, such as supporting the world of the UN and working on relevant matters, not to mention our recognized standing in the field,” said Radsch.

Mandeep Tiwana, Head of Policy and Research at CIVICUS, told IPS that the Committee to Protect Journalists’ long and bruising struggle to gain ECOSOC status shows how the UN is not taking press freedom seriously, and that the UN NGO Committee is excluding NGOs simply because they are critical of governments.

Chicago IL: First time in the History of the Indian community in America, a crowd of more than 200 supporters gathered today outside at Daley Plaza, Chicago on July 29th, 2016 to show support and peacefully protest for the pending case of “Justice of Pravin”. This event was heavily publicized on social media platforms for 3 months after a few leaders from the US Indian community noticed that the case for Pravin Varughese was being unfairly handled by the authorities involved in the case.

Pravin Varughese was a 19 year old bright kid from the Chicago suburbs, who went to SIU Carbondale University to study Criminal Justice. He went missing the night of Feb 12, 2014 on his way back home from a party with his cousins. He went missing for a week and was found deceased in a wooded area in Carbondale. The police said they didn’t expect foul play and the difficult terrain and low temperatures were believed to have contributed to Pravin’s difficulty finding his way out of the wooded area. But the bruises on Pravin’s body that his mother and family found told a very grim story.

“Pravin Action Council” was formed in 2014 to assist the family in seeking justice. In July 2016, the first winner of Pravin Varughese Memorial Scholarship was announced on Facebook. It is a $1000 scholarship for a High school senior intending to pursue a degree in Criminal justice or law.  “Pravin Action Council” is headed by Mariamma Pillai and Gladson Varghese, both community leaders from Chicago.

For the past two years, the family and friends of Pravin Varughese have been working tirelessly to get justice and the truth behind Pravin’s death. The unfairness and the falsified reports with innumerous accuracies and blatant attacks on Pravin’s character showed unfairness.  With the help of community leaders from the US Indian Community in Chicago and this initiative by the Kerala Community in Chicago and around the US, bought together leaders and supporters to peacefully protest for the Justice of Pravin on July 29th, at Daley Plaza,

Organizers said, the main goal of this protest was to get rightful attention of the officials such as Illinois Attorney General, Lisa Madigan as well as the Governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner on Pravin Varughese’s case.  They are the officials who can take action on the investigators and officials of the Carbondale Police Dept., the Illinois State Police and Jackson County State’s Attorney Michael Carr whose conclusion and claim did not present key evidence in this case.

Michael Carr’s report did not say that the toxicology report was negative even though a toxicology report conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. James Jacobi showed Pravin Varughese had no drugs in his system and no alcohol other than ethanol produced during post-mortem bodily changes. Again, the family commissioned a second autopsy that was performed by Dr. Ben Margolis of the Autopsy Center of Chicago in February of 2014. Margolis found multiple deep bruises on the forehead and right arm of Pravin Varughese and determined blunt-force trauma was an underlying cause of death. The findings in the second autopsy were not shown to the grand jury. The officials unfairly covered up this case while the poor parents continued to look for answers to their dear son’s death.

Carbondale police on the other hand did not suspect foul play at the time of Pravin’s death and criminal charges were never filed. In Feb 2015, a Jackson County, IL grand jury determined there will be no criminal charges in the death of SIU-Carbondale student Pravin Varughese even though there was a dashcam evidence from an Illinois State Trooper with the suspect in the case on that fateful night.  The family representatives strongly believe that the grand jury did not receive all the relevant information from the officials in this case.

For over the last two years, Monica Zukas, a radio host/media personality from Carbondale has helped the family by sharing a lot of pertinent information to the public on this case on her Facebook page. You can read about some of the most recent findings on this case published by her on her Facebook page.

Under the leadership of Jiby Thomas Moloparambil, a community empowerment call was organized on June 30th, 2016 for the Indian/Kerala community to bring together individuals from across the nation to brainstorm ideas for next steps for this protest. About more than 500 individuals and personalities from different states across the US and India, joined the call to input their opinion and suggestions. For more info and for ways to get involved, please go to http://www.justiceforpravin.org

(New York, NY July 14, 2016) – As the fourth anniversary of the tragic Oak Creek, WI shooting nears, sangat members across the nation are coming together to join in National Day of Seva.

On August 13-14, as the nation will be holding the fourth annual National Day of Seva (selfless community service), the Oak Creek sangat is organizing their annual Chardhi Kala 6K Memorial Walk and Run, which will be held on Saturday, August 6, 2016, in Oak Creek, WI. We strongly encourage the community to attend the 6K walk/run, and to participate in the blood drive hosted by the Oak Creek sangat if you can get there.

For those who cannot attend the walk/run in Oak Creek, the Sikh Coalition is honored to host National Day of Seva on the weekend of August 13-14, 2016 so communities across the nation can show their solidarity with all those impacted by hate crimes. Community leaders in Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Sacramento, New York, Orlando, Detroit, and Charlotte are organizing seva events in their cities. Can we count on you to organize one in yours?

If you have any questions about organizing a National Day of Seva event in your city, please email our Community Development Manager, Harjit Kaur, at harjit@sikhcoalition.org.

The Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Center of Plainview, New York (the “Temple”) filed, on June 30, 2016, a lawsuit against the Town of Oyster Bay, N.Y., its Town Board, and the individual members of the Board challenging the Town’s zoning regulations and the Board’s targeted “Resolution” effectively prohibiting the Temple’s constitutionally protected religious worship.

The Complaint alleges violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (“RLUIPA”) and the New York Constitution. It describes the Town’s arbitrary, capricious and illegal actions taken to prevent the Sikh congregation from continuing to worship as it has since 1987, on the same property in a new replacement Temple building.

In 2014, the Temple applied to the Town to replace its aging house of worship with a modern facility, located at 1065 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY. In 2014 the Town approved the Temple’s site plan and a building permit was issued on March 7th, 2014. The Temple then demolished its existing building, and in October 2014, construction of the new Sikh Temple building commenced.

In direct response to local residents’ complaints, the Town issued a Stop Work Order on July 2, 2015, when construction was nearly complete. The Complaint asserts that such unfounded order was generated by local resident hostility against the Temple and its congregants. In order to accommodate a resolution, the Temple submitted a new site plan that was approved and then nullified by the Town Board, which then directed the Temple to re-apply for site plan approval. This would have left the Temple and its Congregation without a house of worship for several years.

Paul Savad, lead attorney for the Temple said: “Unless the Town can quickly come to terms with the Temple, we will proceed to a jury trial, and will recover substantial money damages, with the plaintiff’s legal fees also reimbursed by the Town.” “The Town issued illegal and improper stop work orders based upon political, biased, improper, non-existent offsite parking and environmental review issues.” “The approved site plan, for which a building permit was issued, provides 64 onsite parking spaces, although the Town Zoning Ordinance requires 21 onsite spaces; and no environmental review for the project was or is required because the new temple is a nearly complete replacement of a structure, in kind, on the same site”

Roman Storzer, co-counsel for the Temple said: “I’ve never seen a violation of RLUIPA as blatant as this.” “To process the Temple’s applications, accept their fees, approve the building, allow them to spend enormous sums for construction, and then to prevent its completion, is as significant a burden on constitutionally protected religious worship as I’ve ever seen.”

Religious land uses are protected from undue burdens, discrimination and arbitrary treatment under RLUIPA, which was passed by Congress in 2000 to prevent discrimination against religious institutions in land use regulation.

Along with litigator and trial lawyer, Paul Savad of Savad Churgin, LLP, based in Nanuet, New York, Plaintiff is represented by Roman Storzer of Storzer and Associates, P.C., based in Washington, DC. Mr. Storzer has successfully represented scores of religious entities in RLUIPA and First Amendment cases throughout the United States. He is also the former Director of Litigation for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

Hindus are urging West Hartford (Connecticut) to permanently rename its LaSalle Road as “Om Street”; where the popular sixth annual “Om Street: Yoga on LaSalle Road” event is being held on July 23.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, urged West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, Deputy Mayor Leon Davidoff and Town Council to seriously look into renaming LaSalle Road as “Om Street” to honor the passionate yogis of the region who had been converging here in hundreds and informally converting it as “Om Street” annually for part of a day since 2011.

“Om” was the mystical and powerful Sanskrit seed syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism was used to introduce and conclude religious work, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out.

Moreover, renamed “Om Street” might inspire residents of West Hartford and neighboring towns to adopt yoga lifestyle; as, according to US National Institutes of Health; yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress; Rajan Zed indicates.

Zed further said that Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization.

Various yoga studios and allied businesses of Connecticut in Avon, Bristol, Brookfield, Collinsville, Danielson, East Hartford, Glastonbury, Hartford, Harwinton, Litchfield, Manchester, Middletown, Naugatuck, New Haven, Newington, North Haven, Old Wethersfield, Plainville, Simsbury, South Windsor, Southington, Torrington, West Hartford, Wethersfield; besides Vermont’s Northfield; are reportedly supporting/assisting in this event. Besides yoga display, it also plans to include live music on drums-gongs-didgeridoo. Two mats are suggested to protect knees on LaSalle Road (“it’s still a road and not quite the cork, wooden, or carpeted floor of your regular yoga studio”, an announcement says). There will be few dozen instructors of the area on hand to lead the yoga practice.

According to reports, about 1800 yogis turned out for this free community event last year to celebrate yoga in the street in West Hartford. This year the expectations are of 2000 participants spread over a full city block.

Rockwell Gajwani, a former CEO of a real estate investment company was arrested July 12, in Connecticut on allegations of wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion.  Rockwell Gajwani was presented the same day in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank Maas, according to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

Gajwani, 52, of Darien, Connecticut, is charged with one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and three counts of tax evasion, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

“As the chief executive officer of a Manhattan real estate company, Rockwell Gajwani was supposed to put the best interests of his company first.  Instead, as alleged, he abused his position of authority to embezzle over a million dollars of company money,” Bharara is quoted saying in a press release. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the IRS were involved in the investigation.

From October 2011 through March 2013, Gajwani was the chief executive officer and president of a real estate investment company based in Manhattan where he is alleged to have taken more than $1 million in company funds, making wire transfers from the company’s bank account to his personal bank account, writing company checks to himself, and making cash withdrawals from the company’s bank account,. Investigators also allege Gajwani attempted to conceal his $700,000 salary through various means, including trying not to provide that information to the parent company.

By the time he left the company, Gajwani is alleged to have taken $1,300,000 more from the Manhattan Real Estate Company’s bank account than he was entitled to under his employment agreement.  He is also alleged to have not paid taxes on his legitimate salary or the proceeds gotten by other means.

New York: Seniors and delegates of various Indian associations celebrated 240th Independence Day of the US on July 4th at an event organized by Shashikant Patel/Gopi Udeshi at Sri Saneeswara Temple New York with Chief Guest Hon. Ushir Pandit Durant, newly elected Judge for Civil Court of New York.New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo awarded a proclamation honoring Bruhud NY Seniors for their dedication to the betterment of their community.

NYS Senator Tony Avella awarded a proclamation to Bruhud New York Seniors, Shashikant Patel and Gopi Udeshi for betterment of their community. NYS Assemblyman Andrew D. Hevesi awarded a citation honoring  Bruhud New York Seniors, Shashikant Patel and Gopi Udeshi for their dedication of betterment of their community.

Colorful performance by Eesha, Prisha, Kanisha and  Anishka dance on patriotic song and English Mari beautiful song sung by Prisha Dass. Gopi Udeshi narrated Time magazine front cover of 240 reasons to celebrate I day with pride and joy. She described history of flag was remarkable.  Diversity is one of America’s greatest strengths. Shashikant Patel presented with moral ethics and his indomitable spirit and compassion.

Spectacular speeches  by Hon. Ushir Pandit, Mukund Mehta, Subhash Patel, Pritam Shah, Urvik Trivedi,  Labhubhai Upadhaya,  Neela Pandya  and Rohit Pandya narrated  240 years of Independence of USA progress were remarkable. Participants took pledge to keep ancient cultural heritage to make strong by walk together, Move  together, think together  and resolve together.

The body of Chandan Gavai, an Indian man, who died in a road accident in the New York on July 4, is likely to be buried as his wife is in a coma and cannot give consent for his cremation, reports say.

According to India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Indian Consul General in New York Riva Ganguly has proposed that the body of Chandan Gavai, who died along with his parents when a pickup truck crashed into their car in New York on July 4, be buried till his wife, Manisha Surwade, came out of the coma.

IT professional Gavai, 38, and his parents Kamalnayan Gavai, 74, and Archana Gavai, 60, were killed when a pickup truck crashed into their car while they were returning after watching Fourth of July fireworks. The truck driver also died on the spot.

Both vehicles burst into flames immediately after the accident which happened at Yaphank in Suffolk County, New York. Surwade, 32, sustained life-threatening burns and head injuries while their 11-month-old son sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The family hails from Kalyan in Maharashtra. Stating that the bodies of the parents will be buried in the U.S., Sushma Swaraj tweeted: “Burial of Chandan as his wife Manisha is in coma and she alone can give consent for his cremation.”

According to U.S. laws, the spouse’s consent is needed for the cremation of a body. “Burial only till his wife Manisha recovers from coma. Once she gives consent, Chandan will also be cremated,” she said in another tweet.

She said that death certificates would be issued for all the three who died and the family would be helped in getting insurance money.

Sushma Swaraj added that all members of the family, including of Manisha, who are in the U.S., are agreeable to the consul general’s proposal. According to a report by WABC in New York, law enforcement source said the driver, Gustave Geyer, was drunk and had a blood alcohol content of .16, which is twice the legal limit.

The India Society at Stony Brook, meanwhile, an Indian American community organization in Long Island, New York, has set up an online fundraising effort “to secure the future of the baby,” at www.gofundme.com/2czk3bra. “We are in the process of creating a trust to hold the funds, until it is clear who gets the custody of the baby or when the mother recovers enough to take charge of everything. All expenditure will be made directly to the end service providers by way of a bank check to keep everything 100% transparent,” ISSB said in a statement. It has raised over $200,000 thus far toward a goal of $300,000.

Gundam Sankeerth, 25, from Hyderabad, was allegedly stabbed to death by his roommate in Austin, Texas on Monday, July 18th night. The Austin-based techie was stabbed by Kurremula Sai Sandeep Goud (27), also from Hyderabad, has been taken into custody by the Austin police.

Sankirth’s father, G Vijay Kumar, said the family members got the news from relatives on Tuesday morning that he was stabbed in his flat in Quarry Oaks apartment complex in North Austin. “We do not know what exactly happened. My son recently got a H1B visa. Our relatives in the US are going to hospital to find out more details,” a distraught Vijay Kumar said.

While the reason behind the killing is not known, Sankirth’s family members and friends said Sandeep used to tease him about his frail body. No one could provide much details about Sandeep. “We know that Sandeep is from Hyderabad and just 10 days ago he joined Sankirth in the flat. We came to know that Sandeep assaulted Sankirth with a kitchen knife,” Sankirth’s relative Ajay told the media.

Yahya Farooq, an Indian origin man in Ohio, who had previously been charged with providing support to Al-Qaeda was handed a three-count indictment in Toledo, Ohio on Wednesday, last week for soliciting the murder of the federal judge presiding over his case.

Yahya Farooq Mohammad, 37, was charged with attempted first-degree murder of a federal officer, solicitation to commit a crime of violence and use of interstate commerce facilities in commission of murder for hire, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

He was accused of soliciting someone to kidnap and murder U.S. District Court Judge Jack Zouhary after he told an inmate at a county jail in April that he was willing to pay $15,000 to carry out the act, the Toledo Blade reports.

Farooq Mohammad was in jail for a case in which he was indicted last year, involving charges for conspiring with three men to travel to Yemen in 2009 to give thousands of dollars in support of jihad against U.S. military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. That case still remains pending in the U.S. District Court of Northern Ohio.

“According to the charges in the indictment, this defendant not only attempted to have a federal judge murdered, but he did so to obstruct justice in a terrorism case against him,” U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade for the Eastern District of Michigan said in a statement Wednesday. “This prosecution seeks to hold the defendant accountable for attempting to victimize the judge and for trying to undermine our criminal justice system.”

The indictment said the inmate reported that information to the FBI and later introduced Mohammad to an “undercover employee” of the FBI. Mohammad was willing to pay $15,000 to have Zouhary killed. He then arranged for his wife to make a $1,000 down payment, which she did on May 5, it said. “When asked when he wanted the murder committed, Mohammad stated, ‘The sooner would be good, you know,’” the indictment said. The delivery of money to carry out the plan was handed to an FBI employee who was undercover.

Mohammad, who has been in jail since conspiring with three others including his brother Ibrahim Zubair Mohammad to travel to Yemen to provide $29,000 to known al Qaida leader Anwar Al-Awlaki to support violent jihad against U.S. military personnel throughout the world, was indicted July 6 on charges including first degree murder of a federal officer, solicitation to commit a crime of violence and use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.

Mohammad’s attorney, Thomas Durkin, said they will “vigorously contest these highly orchestrated and preposterous charges.” Two of the new charges carry maximum sentences of 20 years in prison, while the third charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Mohammad was extradited to the U.S. from the United Arab Emirates in 2015 following the indictment being unsealed Nov. 5 of the conspiracy to commit terrorist acts. Mohammad has pleaded not guilty in the case regarding Al-Awlaki.

Naperville, IL:  Naperville Indian Community Outreach in association with City of Naperville and Indian Consulate General will be hosting the second grand India Day Parade and Celebration on August 14, 2016 (Sunday) to mark the 70th anniversary of India’s independence. Several thousand people from Chicago and the suburbs are expected to attend the event which is being held in downtown Naperville.

With Bollywood celebrity Sunidhi Chauhan as the Grand Marshall, the India Day Parade will serve as a showcase of India’s rich and diverse culture with estimated 100 parade entries. Colorfully decorated floats organized by Indian cultural associations, local businesses and political organizations along with multiple colorful dance performers will be the highlight. Spectators will be treated to a rich variety of Indian cuisine, ethnic arts, apparel, and jewelry. This event has the distinction of being the 2nd India Day Parade backed by any city in America.

The Parade will be followed by a concert headlined by top Bollywood singer from India, Sunidhi Chauhan and her troupe. This concert is historical as this will be the first India Day in America with a concert of this kind with the free entry for everyone.

The ICO is a non-partisan and a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and promote the cultural heritage and contributions of Indian Americans while promoting their integration in the growth of Naperville. Its chairman, Krishna Bansal, has been appointed by, and reports to the Mayor of Naperville.

Bansal said that his team and him are excited to have the ICO organize this pioneering event. “Indian Americans are now a significant part of Naperville’s population, both in numbers and impact,” he said. The community which saw a dramatic growth since the nineties, now comprises of over 10 percent of the suburb’s total population. Moreover, with the recent influx of information technology workers and other professionals from India, over 70 percent are first generation immigrants.

Viral Shah, board member and treasurer of ICO described that several South Asian community leaders, restaurants, businesses and cultural organizations have come forward to support the event. While Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico and Consul General of India in Chicago, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, will be chief guests, Sunidhi Chauhan, Indian’s sensational singer will be the Parade Marshal.

Among the other dignitaries invited and are attending include the Governor, Senator, Congressman State and Local elected representatives and prominent leaders of the Naperville community. The parade may be seen as a symbol of the rapid growth of the Indian American community in the Chicago suburbs. From 1990 to 2010, Indian-Americans became the largest Asian ethnic group in Illinois, according to data from the last census. Demographers and Indian community leaders say they expect that the figures will increase even more as highly educated Indians continue to fill jobs in the computer industry and change the face of the suburbs.

Additional information about the parade and celebration including applications to participate in the parade and celebrations as well as sponsorships is available on our web site www.napervilleindian.com.

Chicago IL: After celebrating Mother’s Day & Father’s Day, now was the turn to celebrate & showcase the talent of our young, budding artists, with dedicated Youth of Hari Om Mandir, who put up a grand show of cultural performances.

A Gala Evening of Music, Dance, Fun and Entertainment was organized by the Hari Om Mandir on Saturday, July 16, 2016 at Lake Park high school east campus, 600 Medinah Rd, Roselle, IL. The entire program was put together by the children ranging from 7 to 17 years of age. MC’s Tushar Sharma and Divya Maheshwari led the program from start to finish in a very professional way. They handled the whole show with great finesse…making sure the items were lined up in a manner that presented a true Variety Show….a colorful Rainbow of performances.

The Program started with the traditional lighting of the Diya and offering prayers to Ganesh Ji by the temple Priest, Pt Dinesh Kumar. Once, the ball was set rolling, there was no looking back….from Classical Bharatanatyam to Bollywood Dances, from Punjabi Folk to Modern Hip Hop, from Vocal Singing to Instrumental Music……the kids had sooooo much to offer!!!!

Each and every performance was of a high class standard and clearly showed the amount of practice & the long hours these kids had spent in preparation. Kudos to the Parents who had worked equally hard to encourage the kids, bring them for rehearsals, arrange for the costumes etc. etc. The Children & their Parents left no stone unturned to exhibit their Energy and Love for the rich Cultural Heritage of India.

As the rocking, young MC’s of the evening, walked up the stage, the whole atmosphere was charged with energy and was abuzz with excitement. They kept the audiences glued to their seats with their crisp comments and witty jokes. The chemistry between Tushar & Divya was very pleasing, as they had a sweet interaction on “Girls being the Best” and “Boys being the Best”, alongside the Indian & the American comparisons on foods, traditions, practices etc.

As the evening progressed, extra-ordinary talent was exhibited amongst huge applause and appreciation. Srikar Gangadharni, played and sang the old classic “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram” on the piano. The special highlight of this rendering was that this 8yr old kid had learnt this Bhajan from his Grandfather in India thru Skype!!! Thanks to Technology! Another memorable performance was the recitation of the Nursery Rhyme, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” by Shriya Lakshminarasimhan who presented this in various Indian Languages….from North to South… and portrayed the theme of Unity in Diversity. The whole auditorium echoed with laughter and clapping, as people rose to give her a standing ovation!!!!

After the Dinner Intermission, the program advanced to a grand finale with a Fashion Show put up by all the participants and their proud parents. Young kids and teenagers, very elegantly walked the stage and posed for pictures. Mr. Satpal Salwan, Chairman Board of Trustees thanked everyone for their hard work and congratulated the Youth for putting up a great show.

The President of the Executive Board, Vipan Wadhera also expressed great hope in the Youth, who are the bright future of our Nation. On this occasion, he presented a Plaque to the Youth Co-coordinator, Tushar Sharma, honoring him for his services and attachment to the Hari Om Mandir, since he was a 3yr old kid! He has truly carried forward the baton of our rich cultural heritage, and as he advances into the next phase of his life for college studies, HOM wishes him good luck and a bright future. The program concluded with the National Anthem and the awards ceremony.

Chicago IL: Punjabi American Organization (PAO) organized their 12th annual event, Teeyan Da Mela held on Sunday – July 24, 2016 at Waterford Banquet, 933 S Riverside Dr, Elmhurst, IL. Dedicated to Bibi Jaswant Kaur Dhaliwal, mother of Sardar Dhaliwal from Milwaukee, the much awaited event was showcased for “Ladies only” where even very bashful timid ladies have opportunity to come forward and show their hidden talents. Teeyan is an honorable word in Punjabi Culture which gives a great reorganization and respect to women as mother, daughter, and daughter-in-law.

Teeyan is the dance festival of Punjabis, celebrated by women in the month of Sawan. One sees the finest Giddha performances as a part of the festival celebrations. The festival continues from the 3rd lunar day in the month of Sawan till the full moon day. Punjabi Americans Organization aims to promote unity and progress and preservation of age old rich culture and tradition of Punjab.

Under the leadership of Naiha Walia, President of PAO, who the youngest woman President of any such organization in Midwest Area,  the banquet hall was crowded with over 500 attendees composed of ladies and children dressed in multicolored Indian time-honored clothes. The organizing Committee welcomed the audience and thanked all the sponsors for their generous donations. The event started with the traditional open Dholki, where the audience was invited on to the stage to participate in group singing of Punjabi traditional opening “Saun da mahina” songs.

This was followed by dynamic MC and Punjabi singer, Deepika Singh who took the stage. She is from Van cure Canada, Actor, Singer and excellent Master of Ceremony. Cultural vibrant Dance Punjabney Shaukeen Kudiye was performed by Noor, Amneet, Seerat, Shubreet, Jasmine and Aman. Next, singers from Midwest region Mrs. Pooja Dhaliwal, sing song “Saanu Ik Pal Chain Na Aavey” entertained the crowd by their on stage talent. Followed by Pooja Dhaliwal there was Dance by Saroj Berry and Dhol Play, and Two Songs by Sabrina Sappal. Sabrina Sapal she is young tenanted girl came to entertainment to Chicago. She rising star among youngster

This year PAO introduced ‘Mrs. Punjaban contest determined by individual personality, beauty and talent. Total 7 contestant participate for Mrs. Punjaban Contest. Jeewan Dhami, Gurjit Kaur, Navneet Kaur, Prabh Khiara, Satinder Kaur, Simran Kaur and Jas. First (winner) Mrs. Panjaban name is Prabh Khaira and Second winner (runner up) is Simran kaur. Prabh Khaira won the crown of Mrs. Punjaban.

Fashion show was chorerographed by Naiha Walia and Sim Multani. Models walked the ramp with a mixed blend of custom designed outfits and dresses which had Swaroski work, hand embroidery, detailed thread work, crystal stone patterns, gotta patti by elite designers of GetEthic.com. Beautiful and budding models namely Avneet Singh, Gurneet Singh, Mehar Parmar, Karen, Hundal, Jazmin Diaz, Hannah Singh, Aman Natt, Jasmine Kaur, Seerat Kaur, Simran Walia, Simran Khanna, Samar Kaur sparkled with their amazing catwalk and attitude on ramp. Fashion show displayed outfits such as stunning suits, spectacular sarees, splendid lehengas, trousseau collection and heavy pure silk gorgeous bridal wear as the showstopper worn by none other than Miss Illinois.

Organizers decorated the event hall with Punjabi pupates, saris, and other traditional Punjabi dresses as well as with colorful clothes, flowers, and garlands. It appeared like a rainbow spread across everywhere in the event hall. The upcoming event for Punjabi American Organization will be Diwali Night in October 2016.

A horrific tragedy struck an Indian family returning home after watching July 4th fireworks when a pick-up truck crashed head-on into their sedan trapping them in a deadly fire that killed three of them, left one fighting for her life, yet miraculously left an 11-month old baby almost unscathed, thanks to firefighters.

Chandan Gavai, 38, of Middle Island, was declared dead in hospital after the crash in Yaphank around 10:45 p.m. His father Kamalnayan Gavai, 74, and mother Archana Gavai, 60, were killed instantly in the crash. His wife, Manisha Surwade, 32, is fighting for her life at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue as of July 11, with critical burns and head injuries, Suffolk police told Desi Talk. But the infant, identified as “Baby Ibhan,” who only had minor injuries is at Stony Brook University Hospital. Yaphank firefighters rescued the baby from the burning vehicle when they heard cries from inside the car, news reports said. The elder Gavai’s were visiting from India according to the police.

The crash that took place in front of 275 Yaphank-Middle Island Road in Yaphank, in Suffolk County on New York’s Long Island, also killed Gustave Geyer, 25, the driver of the 1990 Chevrolet truck, who according to police was driving recklessly. He hit the 2014 Nissan Altima head-on in a no-passing zone.

Suffolk County Seventh Squad detectives are continuing their investigation into the incident “It’s still an active investigation,” an officer who said he could not comment on the case, told Desi Talk. He also said he could not put a timeframe on Geyer’s autopsy results that might indicate his blood-alcohol level.

Manish Sandbhor, a family friend of the Gavais, told Newsday, the Indian family was returning after watching July 4 fireworks. He also said that Surwade, who was “fighting for her life” was a “very strong person.” He described Chandan Gavai as a close friend and an “easy going” man, with whom he had been on many adventures organized by Surwade, such as indoor sky diving in New Hampshire where Sandbhor lives. “We had really good memories,” Sandbhor told the newspaper.

Chandan Gavai, a graduate of University of Mumbai according to LinkedIn, was a senior programmer and analyst at Broadbridge Financial Services of Edgewood, N.Y., since July 2011. He had worked at several IT companies in Masachusettes as a software engineer since 2007. Surwade studied at the University of Pune, according to her LinkedIn profile.

A July 6 CBS News New York report quoting unnamed sources said Geyer had a blood alcohol level that was twice the legal limit. But police refused to confirm that to Desi Talk. “That information was not generated from our office,” the spokesperson for Suffolk County Police Department said. Geyer’s body has been taken to the medical examiner’s office but no results have been made public yet.

Police said they received several 911 calls about the accident, and many of the callers said Geyer was driving “erratically,” CBSNews reported, adding that investigators believe he was returning from a party when he crashed into the Gavais’ vehicle.

The India Society of Stony Brook has set up a GoFundMe page “To Help Baby Ibhan Gavai.” Dutt Tarigoppula, president of the India Society, said on the site, “In the midst of this tragedy we need to come together and raise as much money as possible to help secure baby Ibhan’s future.”

“Many of you in the community have already begun helping by providing residence and food for the grieving family,” he said. Meanwhile, members of the Gavai family are arriving from India to conduct the funeral, according to media reports.

Chandan Gavai’s Facebook page and GoFundMe site saw an outpouring of sympathy and memories. An old friend, Shauna Brettschneider, said on Facebook that she was feeling heartbroken. “I will miss you buddy… RIP,” she said. “We are praying for her (Manisha) with every breath we take..” said a friend, Renu Punjabi, on the GoFundMe page.

The ATA Convention hosted by American Telugu Association [ATA] was marked by breathtaking spectacle drawing record-breaking attendance inundating the sprawling convention center with vibrant Telugu fervor at the silver jubilee festivities held on a grand mega scale showcasing the rich Telugu cultural heritage and its burgeoning Telugu constituency in America at the 3-day ATA Convention held on July 1-3, 2016 at the Rosemont Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.

The Rosemont city wore a colorful Telugu look as unprecedented number of attendees preliminarily estimated at 10,000 thronged the convention center to experience ostentatious showcasing of rich Telugu culture through music, dance, pageantry surpassed only by dazzling fashion shows, contemporary cinematic music and colorful epic dance presentations eclipsed by celebrities, large contingent of political leaders, Telugu icons and eminent personalities overwhelmed only by the presence of Tollywood movie stars.

Convener Chandrasekhar Reddy Palvai praised the unwavering dedication and hard work of the entire ATA chairs & co-chairs that truly brought such phenomenal results. Convention Director K.K. Reddy characterized it as a magnificent journey of 25 years culminated in such an extraordinary convention and added this as a symbol of triumph of the towering Telugu spirit. ATA President Sudhakar Perkari lauded the remarkable ATA team work that brought about this splendid outcome. ATA Founder/President Hanumanth Reddy expressed the gleeful joy at the presence of such huge masses of Telugu people under one roof and added is a shining testament to innate culture of Telugu people; while Convention Co-Convener Krishna Mushyam saluted the rallying spirit of Telugu fellowship in such magnitude.

The convention was set in motion with a grand gala banquet on Friday July 1st with Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu inaugurating the 3-day celebrations paying rich accolades to the Telugu culture in their remarks as ecstatic gala attendees rendered prolonged applause. Governor Bruce Rauner issued a proclamation declaring July 2nd and 3rd 2016 as American Telugu Association Day in the state of Illinois. Governor Rauner commended the Telugu community for keeping up the great cultural heritage and added if he gets an opportunity he would love to visit India. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in his address inspired the families to stay rooted in Telugu culture while appreciating the other languages and cultures. Venkaiah Naidu stressed on the ripe climate in India ideal for global investments. Dinkar Karumuri exhaustively introduced Governor Rauner and described him as an outstanding champion of the Indian American community and added his presence at ATA gala is a shining testimony of his steadfast goodwill to the Telugu community.

With the invocation dance, the gala banquet in its splendor showcased the outstanding success stories of Telugu people in the United States who were applauded for their valuable contribution to the societies both in India and America. Some of the prominent attendees include Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General of India, Democratic Nominee for U.S.Congress Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Prominent MP Kavitha Kalvakuntla, Deputy Telangana Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari, Cook County Commissioner Tim Schneider, GMR Chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao ATA Benefactors Dr. Prem Reddy and Dr. Paila Malla Reddy joined by a large contingent of MPs and MLAs from A.P and Telangana state represented by all political parties including TRS, YSRCP, TDP and Congress. Other Prominent Leaders from USA include Maryland Delegate Aruna Miller, Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally, Ex-Nasscom chair BV Mohan Reddy.

On Saturday July 2nd, the ATA Convention set the stage on fire with a huge 100-group dance troupe presenting an epic inaugural dance presentation ‘Jyothi Prajwalana’ that evoked applause and standing ovation. Key note address by Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu was stirring as he inspired Telugus in America to instill and nurture Telugu language to the succeeding generations. Venkaiah Naidu said that the most successful people in North America are Indians and added half of them are Telugu’s. Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti presented Illinois Governor’s proclamation to ATA leaders. Rasamayi Balakrshinan Troupe provided an upbeat ‘Dhoom Dham’ Telangana traditional dance and musical presentation. Youth forum was inaugurated by ATA founder Hanumanth Reddy, convener Chandrasekhar Reddy Palvai and Director K.K. Reddy. Re-enactment of ‘Bahubali’ movie with its huge cast held the audience in rapt attention. TV hosted event ‘SYEATA’ had youth performing colorful cultural and western presentations.

Kuchipudi dance by Padmaja Reddy displayed wide swath of emotions. Kavitha Kalvakuntla, Telangana Member of Parliament applauded the sense of unity of Telugu people showcased at the convention. Iftekhar Shareef, Reception Chair introduced Kavitha Kalvakuntla, Telangana MP and the Telangana MPs and MLAs giving an eloquent summation of their role in continuously steering the newly-formed 29th Indian state towards the trajectory of success. Earlier, Swami Chidatmananda spoke. Kamala Chimata, Convention Coordinator who presented the overview said the convention is replete with exhaustive schedule of close-fitting events meaningfully designed for the families.

On Sunday July 3rd, the convention drew wall-to-wall crowds to witness the spectacular fashion show, contemporary dance presentations and grand musical show presented by Mani Sharma and group that send the crowds ecstatic at every song belted out. In the afternoon, heated debates with political leaders participated by TRS, YSRCP, TDP & Congress party reached a fierce pitch battle between the party leaders held by Chalma Reddy and moderated by renowned TV host Venkata Krishna and managed by Vikram Kattamreddy. Some of the politicians participated in the Political Forum include Telangana Dy CM Kadiam Srihari, L. Ramana, Pedireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Jithender Reddy, Madhu Yashki, Keshav Rao, Roja, Ambati Rambabu, Srikanth Reddy, Malla Reddy and others.

The evening segment began with youth-centric dance and musical presentations. ATA felicitated their past presidents, its board and trustees. Chandrasekhar Reddy lauded the undying commitment of over 60 committees; while K.K.Reddy expressed jubilation having such a fine contingent of committed teams.

Some of the Tollywood movie actors who attended the convention included Actors Kajol Agarwal, Jagapathi Babu, Nani Babu Ghanta, Rashi Khana, Bhanu Sree, Lavanya Tripathi, Rashmi Gautam, Jyothi, Ramya Sree Neeliya,Rachna Mourya.

Some of the prominent political elected leaders who attended included Ganta Srinivas Rao, Nayani Narasimha Reddy, Dr. Venugopala Chary, Ambati Rambabu, Roja and Jatinder Reddy.

The Youth committee organized Lake Michigan dinner cruise for youth 16 and above and 200 Youth participated. The business forum included workshops by CEO’s and Entrepreneurs who presented workshops about doing business in India and the US. The Women’s Forum workshops were designed to empower and motivate women.

Health and wellness seminars focused on preventive health screening and medical advice from leading medical experts, Matrimonial services were provided to parents of prospective brides and grooms. Seminars for Senior Citizens were organized to educate seniors about Government benefits, health Insurance options and navigation and dealing with the loss of a partner as they grow older in America. Yoga and meditation sessions were conducted throughout the day and many attendees took advantage learning and practicing these relaxation techniques. Vendor’s booths carried mouth-watering Telugu delicacies, jewelry, fashion apparels and accessories and real estate companies promoted their housing projects in India. Convention attendees were treated a great shopping experience and were able to support participating vendors. Painstaking efforts were made to serve authentic native Telugu cuisine for record number of guests.

The leaders of the American Telugu Association and the Convention team received glowing accolades for their remarkable dedication in securing runaway success of the silver jubilee convention. The convention drew to a grand conclusion with high decibel musical concert rendered by well-known Tollywood music director Mani Sharma along with a team of singers and musicians belting out exciting tunes until the wee hours past midnight which served as a grand finale to a memorable Telugu convention.

“Another area of international concern involves Indian call centers, which like their Jamaican counterparts, continue to be the source of various imposter frauds that have reached consumers throughout the English-speaking world,” Lois C. Greisman, associate director, Division of Marketing Practices, Bureau of Consumer Protection at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, said.

According to reports, Greisman said this in her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee said certain types of scams are more likely to impact older Americans, such as prize promotion and lottery schemes and imposter schemes purporting to provide technical support to “fix” non-existent computer problems. Listing the various areas of concerns, Greisman listed fraud calls originating from India as one of them.

“In addition to our enforcement cases, the FTC has organized three stakeholder meetings, including two in India, to develop a coordinated and multi-pronged approach to this threat,” she said.

Indian call centers continue to be the source of various frauds, the U.S. government told lawmakers on June 29, and said American officials were training Indian law enforcement agencies to act against the fraudsters.

The most recent event, held in May in Washington, DC, included representatives from several major technology companies; the U.S., Canadian and UK law enforcement; the Indian call center industry group, and Indian government officials, Greisman said.

“One result of this collaboration is a four-city law enforcement training in India this summer, in which the FTC is participating, aimed at developing Indian law enforcement’s capacity to arrest and prosecute the India-based individuals who perpetrate these frauds,” she said.

The FTC will also continue to develop cross-border initiatives with our sister enforcement agencies in Canada and the United Kingdom, Greisman told lawmakers.

Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said criminals have found deceptive ways to “set the hook” on a particular victim and then return for more. One study found that seniors who had been scammed out of just $20 ended up losing an additional $2,000 in other scams over the next five years.

“But the most devastating impact of these crimes goes beyond seniors’ bank accounts. Victims of financial exploitation can experience loss of independence, deteriorated health and psychological distress—all of which diminish the quality of life,” Grassley said.

“In my home state of Iowa, we’re hearing more and more about sweetheart scams, where fraudsters cultivate a romantic relationship with a lonely elder—typically online—and then convince the senior to part with his or her hard earned money,” he said.

The Justice Department would strenuously pursue hate crimes and prosecute them, Vanita Gupta, chief of the Civil Rights Division, promised while delivering the keynote address at the Hindu American Foundation’s Inaugural Policy Conference event in Washington, DC on June 20.

Gupta, an Indian American holding top position at the Obama administration was responding to the recent massacre in Orlando where 49 people were killed in a club frequented by LGBTQ people, by a man who claimed to be driven by extremist Islamic ideology.

“Our conversation comes at a trying time.  Just eight days ago, we suffered a horrific terrorist attack in Orlando, Florida.  And as we continue to pray for the victims and their families, I want to assure you that – as the Attorney General said many times this past week – the Department of Justice continues to use every resource at its disposal to investigate this appalling attack,” she told the audience.

While lauding the The Hindu American Foundation’s motto – “promoting dignity, mutual respect and pluralism” – represents the very best traditions of people from many different faiths, beliefs and backgrounds around the country, Gupta said, “whether we worship another faith or whether we consider ourselves non-religious, in this country, our laws protect the rights of all people to live free from violence, discrimination and harassment.  The First Amendment of the Constitution lists religious freedom as the first right.  And today, in the 21st century, with people of many different beliefs calling America home – the values of diversity and pluralism continue to define our national identity.  In my own life – as the daughter of Indian immigrants, as the wife of a Vietnamese refugee and as a longtime civil rights lawyer – I have seen the profound power of our laws to advance America’s promise of equal protection, equal justice and equal opportunity for all.”

The FBI and different government agencies continue to lead a range of enforcement efforts in the area of religious discrimination, she said. “To further improve our efforts to combat hate violence, along with our U.S. Attorney partners and the FBI, last year we organized a series of regional hate crimes trainings – in Mississippi, California, Oregon, Kansas and Florida.  These sessions helped to train local and federal law enforcement in how to recognize, investigate and prove hate crimes.  They helped to educate communities and engage them in the process of ensuring public safety.  And they helped to encourage better hate crime reporting and data collection.”

Gupta urged the members of the group to “ask the tough questions, to tackle the hard issues and to confront the real challenges that exploit differences in our communities.  In so doing, you will help bring our country closer to its founding promise of a land that protects all people.  You will advance the values that define us as a nation.  And day-by-day, you will shape America into a more just and more free union.”

New York City, N.Y.  – June 27, 2016 – With the theme “Strengthening Connections between India and Indian Diaspora through Business,” GOPIO International, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (www.gopio.net), is held its 27th Anniversary Celebrations and GOPIO Biennial Convention 2016 in New York, USA at the Marriott LaGuardia Hotel with evening banquet held at World’s Fair Marina on June 24-25, 2016. Over 200 delegates from 20 countries participated. GOPIO’s New York Area Coordinator Lal Motwani served as the Convener along with Dr.  Asha Samant, Kenny Desai, Shelly Nichani, Nohar singh and Jayant Baxi as Co-Conveners.

The convention was inaugurated at the World’s Fair Marina on June 24th evening by welcome remarks by Convention Convener Lal Motwani and by GOPIO President Niraj Baxi and at a welcome dinner. The chief Guest was Guyana Prime Minister and First Vice President Moses V. Nagamootoo, a freedom fighter for Guyana. PM Nagamootto invited the Indian Diaspora community to consider Guyana as a destination for investment and business and spoke on many incentives Guyana could offer. India’s Consul General in New York Ambassador Riva Das Ganguly Das representing Govt. of India, delivered the inaugural address in which she noted the role played by GOPIO in launching and building a worldwide movement as a united force for the Indian Diaspora. The evening program ended with classical and semi-classical dances performed by students of Pandit Satya Narayana Charka.

On Saturday June 25, a full day GOPIO conference was held at the New York LaGuardia Marriott Hotel from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There were 9 sessions to deliberate on the Global Indian Diaspora; evaluate GOPIO’s progress in 27 years; network, exchange ideas, and connect with PIO/NRI delegates from around the world. The conference, organized by Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman, Conference Committee and Founder President, GOPIO International, consisted of an inaugural plenary session with keynote speaker Raj Jaswa, former President of TiE Silicon Valley and director and trustee of TiE International, Serial technology entrepreneur, and an Adjunct Professor at several Universities in India. This was followed by two track conference sessions, (1) Business and Technology ventures and opportunities and (2) Social, Political, Gender and Health challenges.

The conference ended with a concluding presentations session from the Session Chairs, namely, Prakash Shah, Dr. Rajeev Mehta, Nitin Shah, Dr. Neerja Arun Gupta, Viresh Sharma, Sudha Parekh, Dr. Asha Samant, Jagdish Lodhia and Ram Gadhavi. Several resolutions were presented by a committee headed by Dr. Rajeev Mehta. Resolutions for the conference session were added to these, and will be sent to Govt. of Indian and other government agencies.

The 27th Anniversary celebrations concluded with a Grand Finale Banquet and Recognition of Businesses and Entrepreneurs with Social Responsibility at the World’s Fair Marina. The honorees were Lord Diljit Rana of Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK), Raj Jaswa of Silicon Valley and TV Asia Chairman H.R. Shah. Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media and Prof. Indrajit Singh Saluja were honored with Media Awards for their contribution and support of the community.

The Chief Guest was Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, KNH, OBE, known as Viv Richards, a former West Indian cricketer, regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He was joined in the evening by Antigua & Barmuda Minister Trade, Industry, Commerce, Sports and National Festivals Mr. E.P. Chet Greene. The banquet ended with a Bolliwood performances put together by Dharmatma Saran of India Festival Committee and Anita Bhat of Miss India-CT.

With gratitude, GOPIO acknowledged support of Platinum sponsors Embassy National Bank, State Bank of India, Labidco Port Services Ltd; Gold sponsors Dr. Asha Samant and Kenny Desai; and Silver sponsors Bank of Baroda, Adani North America, S.S. White Technologies Inc. and Dr. Praveen Chopra.

Resolutions passed at the GOPIO Convention in New York (USA) on June 25, 2016, included: 1. Voting rights for Indian citizens living outside India; 2. Rajya Sabha seats for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs); 3. Pro-active Role for Indian Missions to Reach Out and Help Indian Citizens Needing Emergency Assistance; 4. Engaging NRIs/PIOs for Educational, Health and Social Causes; 5. Protection of Real Estate and Business Investments as well as Inherited assets;  6. Discriminative Admission Fee Rates for PIOs and OCI Card Holders; 7. Taxing of NRIs/PIOs Social Security Benefits in India; 8. Expand Know India Program; 9. Set Up for Involvement with Ministries of Commerce, Science and Technology, Power, Rural Development, Tourism; 10. Set up NRI Ministry or NRI Coordination Office with all state governments.

San Jose, CA: Omar Golamrabbi, a juvenile charged in the killing of his parents here, has been cleared of murder and was released from police custody on June 24th, reports here say. “Santa Clara County prosecutors dismissed murder charges Friday against the younger of two brothers accused in the shooting deaths of their parents at their San Jose home in April,” wrote San Francisco Chronicle.

The decision means Omar Golamrabbi, 17, is expected to leave the Santa Clara Jail where he had been held since the April slayings off his parents, Shamima Rabbi, 57, and her husband, Golam Rabbi, 59. Prosecutors had decided to charge him as an adult before they reversed course and dropped the charges. The Bangladeshi American couple was found dead on April 24 by relatives who had been trying to reach them for several days.

Public defender Sajid Khan, is reported to have said, Omar had been released because prosecutors said they had an “insufficiency of evidence” of his involvement in the murders. “He was present at the time, but we believe he was just a witness to the scene,” said Khan. Omar Golamrabbi  has been taken to a group home, according to Khan. His social worker will determine whether he can live with other family members.

After the killings, the two brothers allegedly went to an anime cartoon convention, according to court documents. On the floor near the bodies were at least two handwritten notes in black marker pen. One chillingly read: “Sorry, my first kill was clumsy.” The other note read: “I can’t be like you, telling a lie.” Omar Golamrabbi was initially suspected of writing the notes.

Upon his arrest April 27, Hasib Golamrabbi — who initially could not be found for three days — told police he had shot his father multiple times, but added that a stranger had come into the house and forced him to do it. Hasib told police that the stranger had killed his mother.

As per reports, Omar Golamrabbi told police that his brother had murdered both his father and mother and then told him to check the garage — where the bodies were found — to make sure blood was not seeping out.

Hasib Golamrabbi is being held in Santa Clara County Jail without bail. His next court appearance has been scheduled for July 13. Documents filed in court indicate that Hasib Golamrabbi has previously been identified as having psychological issues.

“We are grateful and excited that the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has dismissed the murder charges against Omar,” the public defender’s office said in a written statement. “We are thankful to Deputy District Attorney Matt Braker for examining the evidence in this case with an open mind and for exercising his discretion to dismiss.

After spending 16 years in prison for the killing of his former high school girlfriend, a man at the center of popular podcast “Serial” has been granted a new trial. Retired Baltimore Circuit Judge Martin Welch ruled June 30 that Adnan Syed, 35, deserved a new trial because his lawyer didn’t challenge testimony in the case that became the focus of the podcast, which captivated millions of listeners around the world.

The Pakistani American was convicted in 2000 of murdering Hae Min Lee a year earlier and burying her in a shallow grave in a park in northwest Baltimore. He was sentenced to life in prison.

During a post-conviction hearing in early February, Syed’s attorneys argued he deserved a retrial on the grounds that his original attorney, Cristina Gutierrez, did not contact Asia McClain Chapman, an alibi witness who said she saw Syed at the Woodlawn library about the same time prosecutors say Lee was murdered.

Additionally, Syed’s current attorneys argued cell tower data linking Syed’s phone to the burial site on the day of Lee’s murder was misleading because it was presented to jurors without a cover sheet warning that incoming call data was unreliable.

In Welch’s order, he disagreed that Gutierrez erred when she failed to contact Chapman, or that prosecutors breached their duty by withholding exculpatory evidence. But Welch did agree that Syed’s attorney provided “ineffective assistance for the failure to cross-examine the state’s cell tower expert about the reliability of cell tower location evidence” that placed him near the burial site.

The state had argued that because Syed didn’t raise the issue of his trial attorney’s failure to cross-examine the state’s cell tower expert in a prior proceeding, he waived his right to make it an issue now. But the judge ruled that Syed didn’t “intelligently or knowingly” waive his right to raise the issue, noting that he never completed his high school degree.

“Requiring a layman who lacks a complete high school education to understand the intricacies of cellular network design and the legal ramifications of trial counsel’s failures to challenge the evidence would be inconsistent with the spirit of the Sixth Amendment,” the judge wrote.

The judge said the attorney’s performance “fell below the standard of reasonable professional judgment” when she failed to confront the state’s expert about the reliability of the cell tower evidence.

At a news conference, Brown said he “fully expects” the state to appeal the judge’s decision. But he said he and the rest of the defense team have “dug our heels in” and remain determined to fight on Adnan Syed’s behalf, including requesting that Syed be released from jail while he awaits retrial. “This is obviously an incredible victory,” he said. “We know the state is not going to give up, and we’re ready.”

The Tamil Entrepreneurs Forum (Tefcon) at FeTNA’s annual conference this July 4 weekend in New Jersey promises to be very exciting with 25 top executives as speakers including Arvind Swamy, the actor-entrepreneur. Speaking to the media, the NJ based Nagappan,  who is Chief Information Officer with Pershing, BNY Mellon, says that Tefcon has been part of FeTNA’s annual celebration for some time, but this year the scale is a lot bigger.  There will be keynote addresses, panel discussion and inspiring TEF talks –  taking the stage will be at least eight successful women.

The presenters at the July 2 full-day session inside Patriots Theatre at the War Memorial, Trenton, will not be confined to tech fields. Inspiring speakers include ‘Dosa Man’ Thiru Kumar who started with a tiny food cart in Manhattan and has been featured widely in international media, and Hemalatha Annamalai, who makes battery operated motorcycles at low cost and her firm may turn out to be India’s future Tesla.

At the Tefcon some startups will make a pitch to investors, who would include Arvind Swamy, N. Chandra of TCS, and Jet Blue’s Eash Sundaram.  So Tefcon also acts as an incubator. Fittingly, the conference theme is Link Learn Lead.

About the stereotypical image of Tamils being the service class in India, Nagappan says the community had great entrepreneur zeal before the British rule. Then, being educated, they got into government jobs and became complacent.  But after Independence, thing have been changing again. In Silicon Valley, many Tamils hold top technology positions today.

FeTNA (Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America) convention is expecting about 2,000 attendees. Performers will include Carnatic singer T.M. Krishna, playback singer Vijay Prakash, and Super Singer title winners Hari Priya and Jesica Jude