Category: Community

Namboori Sridatta, 25, and P. Naresh, 24,  are reported to have drowned in two separate incidents in the U.S., according to information from their families.

Namboori Sridatta, who was working with Tata Consultancy Services in Arizona, drowned while picnicking with friends at a waterfall. According to his family in Vanasthalipuram in Hyderabad, the incident took place June 19, but they received the information late June 20. Sridatta, who was with friends, slipped and fell down into the water. Rescue workers recovered his body.

The youth had come to the U.S. five years ago and, after his education at Arizona University, got a job at TCS. “He was to come home next month, but yesterday we got this shocking news,” said Sridatta’s father, N.V.M. Swamy, a private employee. The family has appealed to the Indian government to ensure that the body is brought home early.

In another incident, P. Naresh, 24, a student in California, drowned in a river during a picnic. The incident occurred at Livermore River Park June 19. According to information that reached his family in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, he was on a picnic with his friends on a boat when he slipped and fell into the water. His body was recovered during a search operation launched by the local police.

Naresh was a second-year student studying for his M.S. His death shattered the dreams of his poor family in Bandipalem village. His father, Purnaiah, a small farmer, said he had telephoned him recently to inform him that he will be doing a part-time job and will send money home starting next month. Naresh’s family has urged the Indian government to make arrangements to bring the body back home.

Nethinaidu Veluchamy and his wife Parameswari Veluchamy, the principal shareholders of First Mutual Bancorp of Illinois Inc., a holding company for Mutual Bank, allegedly hid cash and assets from creditors intentionally, after defaulting on $40 million in personal and corporate loans, according to an indictment returned in federal court in Chicago on June 22.

As per reports, in June 2009, the couple defaulted on personal and corporate loans totaling $40 million. The following month Mutual Bank was shut down by federal regulators. Prior to the shutdown and continuing until at least November 2015, the couple hid millions of dollars in assets by allegedly falsifying documents, moving money into domestic and foreign bank accounts, and directing employees to destroy financial records. The indictment says the couple also transferred cash to their two adult children, with nearly $8.5 million going to one and more than $10.1 million to the other.

The 12-count indictment was returned last week in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  Each count of bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The indictment charges Pethinaidu Veluchamy, 70, with four counts of bank fraud, two counts of destroying records to obstruct a bankruptcy proceeding, two counts of making a false statement under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding, and one count of making a false statement in an application for a U.S. passport.

Parameswari Veluchamy, 65, is charged with four counts of bank fraud, two counts of destroying records to obstruct a bankruptcy proceeding, one count of making a false statement under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding, and one count of making a false statement in an application for a U.S. passport.

According to the charges, Pethinaidu Veluchamy caused his relatives to obtain legal judgments against him for loans for which he knew he was not personally liable so that he could later assert those liens as superior to a bank creditor’s anticipated judgments.

In a 2011 deposition in a separate court case, Pethinaidu Veluchamy fraudulently claimed that certain funds transferred to his adult children represented indemnity obligations for their investments in First Mutual Bancorp. He produced a document to support this claim, but when questioned about the timing of the creation of the document, he claimed the computer he had used to create it crashed in a snowstorm.

Imran Yousuf, a former US Marine sergeant of Indian origin, has been hailed as a hero for saving scores of lives at the Orlando night club when a terrorist went on a rampage killing 49 people.

When Yousuf, who was working as a bouncer at the Pulse night club catering to the gay community in Orlando, Florida, heard the first gunshots his military experience fighting in Afghanistan kicked in, according to media reports. As everyone in the packed night club froze in fear, he jumped up and at personal risk opened a back door allowing many people to escape.

He told CBS News television that as panicked people streamed to the back of the hall, “I’m screaming ‘Open the door! Open the door!’ And no one is moving because they are scared. There was only one choice,” he added in the interview. “Either we all stay there and we all die, or I could take the chance, and I jumped over to open that latch a we got everyone that we can out of there.”

Yousuf – whose mother and grandmother are Hindus – risked his life because he could have drawn the attention of Omar Mateen, who had sworn loyalty to the Islamic State and was carrying out the attack, considered the worst mass shooting in US history.
Yousuf said his quick action saved 60 to 70 lives . CBS reported that he cried as he said, “I wish I could have saved more to be honest. There are a lot of people that are dead”

And Yousuf has been modest, brushing off the praises as a hero. Marine Corps Times newspaper reported on its web site that Yousuf posted on his Facebook page, “There are a lot of people naming me a hero and as a former Marine and Afghan veteran I honestly believe I reacted by instinct. … While it might seem that my actions are heroic I decided that the others around me needed to be saved as well and so I just reacted.”
Yousuf had left the Marine Corps just last month. His family emigrated from Guyana, where his ancestors had gone from India.

Imran Yousuf graduated from Niskayuna High School – near Schenectady, New York – in 2010 and immediately joined the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Times reported that Yousuf served as an engineer equipment electrical systems technician in the Marine Corps from June 2010 to May 2016, according to service officials. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He was last assigned to 3rd Marine Logistics Group. His military awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Korean Defense Service Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.

Forty civil rights organizations, along with the Sikh Coalition, jointly sent a letter to law enforcement officials June 1, demanding justice for an Indian national and a Pakistani national who were accused of terrorism and arrested at gunpoint while riding a Greyhound bus in Amarillo, Texas.

On Feb. 21, Daljeet Singh from India, and his friend, Mohammed Chotri from Pakistan, were on board a Greyhound bus and speaking in Punjabi. According to the Sikh Coalition, a woman on the bus reported to police that the two men were “acting weird,” speaking Arabic, and discussing a bomb.

Two other passengers detained Singh and Chotri in their seats until police came and arrested them at gunpoint. Singh and Chotri were interrogated at length, and taken to jail. Both men were released the following day, with no charges filed against them.

“Mr. Singh’s turban was removed in violation of his religious rights and not returned to him until the next evening after he was released from detention,” wrote the organizations, in a letter sent to Potter County, Texas Sheriff Brian Thomas and Potter County Attorney Scott Brumley.

“Mug shots of him without his turban were taken and widely distributed to the local media, causing him shame and grief. For a Sikh, the forced removal of a turban is akin to a strip search,” wrote the organizations. “To add insult to injury, Mr. Singh was even accused by a deputy of pretending to not know how to speak English, when in fact he is from India and recently applied for asylum in the United States.”

“Mr. Singh believes that he and Mr. Chotri were profiled because of their skin color and language abilities, and in the case of Mr. Singh, also because of his turban,” said the Sikh Coalition.

“The undersigned groups believe strongly that no one should be subject to discriminatory treatment and policing on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, or English language skills. This humiliating and offensive encounter could have been avoided if the officers were properly trained in diversity and nondiscrimination; had summoned an interpreter to the scene immediately so that the two Punjabi speakers could explain themselves; or more thoroughly investigated the basis for the terrorism allegation, including rigorously questioning the passenger who filed the false police report,” wrote the organizations in their letter to Thomas and Brumley, adding: “All of us have the right to live in America free from profiling and law enforcement abuse.”

The organizations asked to review the anti-profiling policies of the Sheriff’s Department, and requested that the county require each officer to undergo diversity training. The group also asked the county to provide translation services, and to investigate future incidents of discriminatory behavior.

“I still cannot believe that this happened to me in America,” Daljeet Singh told local press after the incident. “The only crime I committed was wearing a turban, having a beard, and speaking in a different language to another brown man on the bus.”

“What happened to these two men is unconscionable. We intend to work closely with local authorities on their training procedures and response protocols to ensure that history isn’t repeated,” said Sikh Coalition policy director Arjun Singh.

“The steady stream of xenophobic rhetoric from politicians in Texas has contributed to a climate in which innocent people are targeted for discrimination, racial profiling and police overreach,” said Rebecca L. Robertson, legal and policy director at the ACLU of Texas.

“In a state as diverse as our own, it’s unacceptable that anyone could be arrested, searched, interrogated and forced to spend the night in jail for speaking Punjabi on a Greyhound bus. And, in a state as deeply religious as Texas, we should demand that police respect all faith traditions,” she said.

Davinder Singh, 47, a Sikh gas station owner was shot to death in Newark, New Jersey, by an unidentified assailant on May 30. The fact that there was no apparent sign of robbery or confrontation, family suspects the killing to be of hate crime.

The incident was being investigated by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Major Crimes Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department, news reports said. But at press time the motive of the crime was not established, not the identity of the attacker.

ABC New York reported that Singh, 47, was shot at the Power Gas Station on West Market Street sometime before 4:25 p.m. May 30. Police said Singh of Iselin, was found unresponsive at the gas station and taken to a University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 4:45 p.m.

The report quoted Singh’s son Jatinder Singh as saying that he thought his father, who had moved to the United States from India 25 years ago, may have been targeted because he was Sikh and wore a turban. “There was no robbery, no struggle, no confrontation,” he said. “I don’t know what else it could be other than a hate crime,” he was quoted as saying.

He said that his father had been robbed before but had always fought back. “My dad came out to get some fresh air and the male came up to my dad, pointed a gun and shot him point-blank,” he said.

Detectives from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Major Crimes Task Force were quoted by ABC saying that an investigation was on but not confirming if the case was being investigated as a hate crime.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York has declared that the Union Carbide Corporation was not responsible for cleaning up the mess created by the 1984 Bhopal tragedy in India, which had killed approximately 10,000 people and injured about 600,000.

Thirty years after methyl isocyanate leaked out of the Bhopal plant, aquifers as far as 3.5 kilometers away are still contaminated with toxic wastes. Owners and occupants of land near the Bhopal plant are suing UCC – which was bought by Dow Chemical in 2001 – for causing injuries resulting from hazardous contaminants attributed to the plant’s inadequate waste management system. Residents living near the now-shuttered site have suffered from a variety of illnesses from drinking contaminated water, and a huge number of babies have been born with birth defects. EarthRights and the plaintiffs want UCC to clean up the toxic wastes from the site; UCC has said it is not responsible.

The plaintiffs – through EarthRights International, a non-profit organization representing thousands of Bhopal victims – have stated that UCC provided the design of waste contamination pits necessary to store hydrochloric acid, a by-product of the methyl isocyanate manufacturing process. Hydrochloric acid is the primary source of groundwater contamination emanating from the Bhopal factory.

Judge Robert Katzmann on May 24 upheld a 2014 ruling by New York District Court Judge John Keenan, which found that the Union Carbide Corporation – UCC – had turned over the day-to-day responsibilities of managing the pesticides plant to Union Carbide India Limited – UCIL — which owned and operated the facility. UCC, however, owned 51 percent of UCIL’s stock.

Keenan has ruled in favor of UCC on three previous occasions. In 2014, Keenan ruled that UCC had supplied a design to UCIL which would use non-porous clay to line the waste contamination pits. UCIL instead used a cheaper, thin polyurethane.

In his decision on the case – known as Sahu vs. Union Carbide Corp, named for the chief plaintiff Jagarnath Sahu – Katzmann quoted from Keenan’s 2012 ruling, which noted: “Even after undertaking “a discovery expedition worthy of Vasco de Gama, it is clear from the undisputed facts that UCIL, and not UCC, designed and built the actual waste disposal system.”

Katzmann also found that testimony from two witnesses – Jurgen Exner and Ian von Lindern – was not substantive enough to support EarthRight’s contention of UCC’s involvement in designing and making the waste contamination pits.

Critically, Katzmann also upheld that Lucas John Couvaras, a plant manager at the Bhopal site at the time of the gas leak, could not be deposed. In a statement introduced in court, Couvaras claimed that he worked for UCC.

UCC however, claimed that Couvaras was a contractor employed by UCIL. Couvaras’s deposition is key to the case, as his testimony stating that he was an employee of the Union Carbide Corporation would be sufficient to establish UCC’s responsibility for the industrial disaster.

A former school teacher and colleagues of Indian American Mainak Sarkar have expressed shock and sadness over news of the researcher fatally shooting his wife and a University of California-Los Angeles professor before turning the gun on himself.

Sarkar, 38, fatally shot engineering professor William Klug, 39, in his office at UCLA on June 1. Klug had refused to give him a passing grade. Before killing Klug, he killed his wife, Ashley Hasti, who was found dead in Brooklyn Park, in Minnesota.

Sarkar passed his ICSE exam from St. Michael’s School in Durgapur town of West Bengal’s Burdwan district, before passing Class 11 and 12 from another school. Lily Chowdhury, a biology teacher at St. Michael’s, described the news of the shootout as “very shocking.”

“He was a very brilliant student, meritorious student, I should say. He was one of the toppers of the class. He was the pride of our school,” said Chowdhury. She remembers Sarkar as “very well behaved.”

Some Indian researchers in the U.S. said they were “discomfited” that Sarkar, who was an IIT Kharagpur graduate, could commit such a heinous crime. Researcher Sohini Ray, who was in “lockdown” for around two hours along with her lab mates in a UCLA building, said taking someone’s life was not justifiable.

“It’s a very sad affair. We do not know what transpired internally but taking someone’s life is not justifiable and whether the person had tried to solve the problem through another method before taking the drastic step is not clear. Not just as a Bengali but as an Indian, I feel sad,” Ray told a local TV channel.

Sarkar had written the names of Klug and his wife in a note, titled “Kill List,” that police found while searching his residence. The third person Sarkar intended to kill was another professor at UCLA. However, the faculty member was off-campus June 1.

IIT-Kharagpur director Partha Pratim Chakrabarti June 2 expressed grief at the “senseless loss of life.” “We are extremely sad at this senseless loss of life and our hearts go out to the families who lost their loved ones,” Chakrabarti said when asked about the development. Shubham Goel, an economics major at University of California, Los Angeles, was in class with fellow students when all hell appeared to break loose June 1.

Indian Institute of Technology graduate and former UCLA doctoral student, Sarkar, 38, shot to death his professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, William Klug, 39, in a small room in Engineering Building 4 on South Campus. His killing spree however, had begun earlier, in Minnesota, where the body of a medical student he married in 2011 was found.

“What actually happened on our campus was very different from what we were led to believe (through the alerts and rumors),” Goel recalls. But the terror was etched in their memories and even into the day after the horrific incident, students were afraid to go back to campus, he said.

Gupta indicated that the competitive academic environment at UCLA could be difficult, and recalled his own experience. “A few years ago, some student thought I had taken his work. I hadn’t but he made a big deal about it. UCLA is a pressure cooker in that sense,” Gupta said.

“There’s been no racializing of the incident,” said Gupta. The main conversation among students is focused around issues of mental health, and the academic pressure to excel, he said rather than the shooter’s ethnicity. “There is also a lot of discussion going on about gun policies,” he added. Chief of LAPD Charlie Beck told reporters Sarkar had two semi-automatic weapons legally purchased.

Details given by the police and media reports about Sarkar’s background, as well as his Web entries, reveal that after IIT he did his Masters at Stanford University and got his doctorate from UCLA in 2013. A professor at IIT-Kharagpur’s aerospace department said he recalled that Sarkar, “a brilliant student,” was from Kolkata, according to The Hindustan Times. “He remained busy with studies and did not talk or socialize much.” The newspaper also reported that he had worked for Infosys in Bangalore before coming to the U.S.

Phani Guthula, an Indian American engineer, who had sued after he fell nearly 40 feet through a glass ceiling at Rodin Museum in Philadelphia, has settled for $7.25 million. According to his attorneys, earlier this month with the defendants, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the security company, AlliedBarton Security Services.

Guthula says a guard at the Rodin Museum in 2012 told him he could step on the glass to inspect lighting fixtures before he fell. His attorneys say he was hospitalized for over a month with injuries including femur, hip, pelvic and rib fractures. “It was the most terrifying moment of his life,” Guthula’s attorney Larry Bendesky told the media. “It’s a more terrifying moment than most of us would ever be able to come to grips with.”

As per the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Rodin Museum had completed a $9 million renovation. Guthula, then 27 and working as an engineer for ICF International, was conducting an energy audit of the building, which had applied for an energy rebate with Peco.

While conducting the audit, an AlliedBarton security guard gave Guthula access to the museum’s attic area, the lawsuit said. Guthula was required to inspect light fixtures located above a glass-paneled surface, and the guard told him he could step onto the glass. He soon plummeted to the museum floor.

Guthula’s lawsuit had accused the museum and its security company of not protecting him. In a court filing, AlliedBarton said its security guard had never been properly warned about the safety risks by the museum.

Guthula’s attorneys said he was hospitalized for over a month with injuries including femur, hip, pelvic and rib fractures. Guthula has partially recovered, but walks slowly, and suffers from a lack of energy and an inability to concentrate at times.

Guthula’s attorneys say the settlement brought some sense of closure to their client, but the effects of his injuries will likely linger the rest of his life. “He’s doing the very best he can do. He is living every day fighting through it, putting his best foot forward, and working towards living a normal life,” said Bendesky.

Queens, NY: Jackson Heights in the Queens Borough in New York has come to be recognized as the hub of multi-culturalism. But for Indian Americans, it’s their prime center, where one will find dozens of Indian businesses flourish with the active support of the influential Indian American community.

Recognizing the presence of these diverse groups, representing peoples from around the world, showcasing different cultures, a stretch of road in New York’s Jackson Heights, was officially co-named “Diversity Plaza.”

“Diversity Plaza has truly become a neighborhood gathering point for Jackson Heights and Elmhurst residents,” said New York City Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights, Elmhurst). The plaza serves as a town square, concert stage, festival space and cafe year round. There is always something exciting taking place there,” Dromm said at the co-naming ceremony.

Others who were present at the event included U.S. Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), N.Y.C. Public Advocate Letitia James (D-NYC), Queens Borough President Melinda Katz (D-Queens), N.Y. State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Queens), the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the Friends of Diversity Plaza, SUKHI New York, and the Neighborhood Plaza Partnership, among others.

“We are very excited about the co-naming ceremony and the designation of our special public space as, officially, Diversity Plaza,” said Shekar Krishnan, Chair of Friends of Diversity Plaza. “As the gateway to Jackson Heights, it is a reflection of the incredible cultural vibrancy and diversity of our neighborhood,” he said.

“I’m proud to see my vision of Diversity Plaza as the capital of the living United Nations in New York City became real,” said Agha Saleh, founder of SUKHI, a nonprofit for South Asian community in New York. “SUKHI’s inclusive team of diversity lead by two women, Shazia Kausar and Fatima Baryab, and their dedicated work with Council Member Dromm at 37th Road during the past four years made this plaza famous around the world,” Saleh said.

In a statement Mayor Bill de Blasio noted that Diversity Plaza has been a mainstay of Jackson Heights – ‎one of the most diverse neighborhoods in one of the most diverse cities on earth – for years. “We are proud to stand with Council Member Dromm and the people of Queens to formally recognize the importance of this plaza for the folks here — who speak over 150 languages,” the mayor said.

The name “Diversity Plaza” was coined by Dromm’s former chief of staff Will Sweeney who lives in Jackson Heights. The co-naming ceremony coincided with World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, designated by the United Nations in 2002. A special performance by Calpulli Mexican Dance Company followed Dromm’s remarks and the unveiling of the official “Diversity Plaza” street sign.

NEW YORK CITY, NY: With an aim to strengthen ties with the local Indian community in Connecticut, a high level delegation led by Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das would be visiting Hartford, Connecticut (CT) on June 3rd, 2016 for an Outreach Program.

The delegation will comprise of representatives from nationalized Indian banks, Air India, India Tourism Office, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), United States India Business Council (USIBC), Make my Trip and Cox and Kings Global Services (CKGS).

During the visit, the delegation would be meeting the Honorable Governor of Connecticut Dannel Malloy, the Honorable Mayor of Hartford, Luke Bronin, local chambers of commerce, business communities and the Indian-American communities.

The delegation will address the Indian Community at a reception in the evening, starting at 7pm, at the Comfort Inn & Suites. The Consulate and the accompanying delegation members from the chambers of commerce, banks and tourism office will address any queries related to steps taken to improve consular services, passport, visa and banking services, business environment and economic reforms. This platform will provide a great opportunity for the community to interact with the Consulate and its partner stakeholders.

New Jersey: Thiruvalluvar Tamil School in Edison celebrated its 6th Annual Day with much fanfare on May 15. Dr. Palanisamy Sundaram, a renowned pediatrician and the founder of New Jersey Tamil Sangam (NJTS), a longtime promoter of Tamil language and supporter of New Jersey Tamil community, presided over the function. Current office bearers of New Jersey Tamil Sangam, Mrs. Usha Krishnakumar, President and Kalyan Muthusamy, Vice President, in their speech, heartily applauded the eagerness of students in learning the Tamil language and encouraged them.

Founded in 2010, Thiruvalluvar Tamil School, a nonprofit organization, has continually provided Tamil education to hundreds of Tamil families that live in New Jersey and has been a champion and bulwark of Tamil culture and traditions. While the school began with 12 volunteers and 65 students, its strength has grown over 500%, and today, more than 325 students are taught to speak, read, and write Tamil language with the help of 60 teachers. The students are grouped at various grade levels based on their age and caliber.

The annual day festivities at Thiruvalluvar school is an occasion for celebrating the Tamil language, promoting the arts, the culture and the heritage of the Tamil people, and showcasing the various talents of the Tamil school students.

On Sunday at 2 PM, the annual day celebrations began with a moving rendition of Tamizhthai vazhtthu (Praise of Mother Tamil) by select students in the J.P. Stevens high school auditorium, Edison. Volunteer teacher, Mrs. Sathya Paul welcomed the guests and spoke about the achievements of the school.Senthilnathan Muthusamy, Treasurer introduced the chief guest, Dr. Palanisamy Sundaram. Commending his long service to Tamil language and Tamil people living in New Jersey, Mrs. Shanthi Thangaraj, Principal, awarded a plaque to the chief guest while Lakshmikanthan Sundararajan, Vice Principal, honored him on stage with a ponnaadai (meaning, gold cloth).

Volunteer teachers, Sridhar Kumaravelu, Mrs. Srilakshmi Premkumar, Karuppaiah Ganesan and Mrs. Senthilnayaki Selvakumar compèred the event. Over 300 students, between the ages of 3 and 15, performed in various programs on stage while more than 500 people in the auditorium, clapped, whistled and whooped in joy cheering them up.

East Hanover, New Jersey – GOPIO International has elected to reach out Indian Diaspora Community through its chapters. New Jersey has a large Indian Diaspora Community and there is only one chapter, GOPIO Central Jersey based in Edison serving the New Jersey Indian community.

According to GOPIO Vice President Ram Gadhavi, GOPIO has plans to expand in other areas of New Jersey. With that objective, GOPIO officially launched inaugurated a second chapter GOPIO-North Jersey on Sunday, May 22nd at the Fairbridge Hotel, East Hanover, New Jersey. Chapter President Dhiraj Solanki welcomed guests and said that the chapter will reach out Indian Diaspora (NRI/PIO) community and involve youth and young professionals in the chapter activities.

The chapter was inaugurated in the presence of many dignitaries and community leaders Th3e chief guest was India’s Deputy Consul General in New York Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapara who welcomed the formation of new chapter and promised to work closely with the new chapter on issues of Indian community in North Jersey.

“The consulate has improved the response and turnaround time for visa, passport and OCI cards services, because of feedback from GOPIO Chapters and GOPIO International,” said Dr. Mohapatra. “When GOPIO brings any matter to us, we look at it and work on it right away,” said Dr. Mohapatra. “With a population 1.8 million NRIs/PIOs in the Northeast Region, the consulate can provide better service only with the help of organizait6ons such as GOPIO,” Dr. Mohapatra added.

New Jersey Assemblyman from district 33 Raj Mukherji praised GOPIO for the services provided to 380k Indian Diaspora community residing in New Jersey. Mukherji called upon the community to be pro-active in the political process. Former Deputy Speaker of New Jersey State Assembly Upendra Chivukula who is currently the Commissioner on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities said that when GOPIO recognizes a person, Govt. of India notices it and the recipients are likely candidates for receiving Pravasi Bharatiya Samman. Chivukula congratulated the organizers for opening a chapter in North Jersey.

GOPIO-Founder President Dr. Thomas Abraham said that unlike other India association, GOPIO chapters will be involved in civic affairs and service to the local communities. GOPIO motto is “Think Globally and Act Locally.”

Community leader and TV Asia Chairman H.R. Shah, GOPIO Vice President Ram Gadhavi and GOPIO International Coordinator for North America Dr. Rajeev Mehta and GOPIO Coordinator for Tri-State New York area Lal Motwani were also present at the inauguration ceremony. GOPIO Silicon Valley President Ashok Bhatt, GOPIO-Central Jersey President Dinesh Mittal and GOPIO-CT President Shelly Nichani showed their support by attending the inauguration ceremony. GOPIO-North Jersey Vice President Rajul Shah served as the MC while the chapter Secretary Ahi Adukia gave the vote of thanks. For more information on GOPIO-North Jersey Chapter, contact its president Dhiraj Solanki at  973-714-5249, dnsolanki@hotmail.com or Vice President Rajul shah at 908-327-0605, rajulpshah@aol.com.

Attached Photo: GOPIO-North Jersey Chapter is inaugurated in the presence of dignitaries and GOPIO officials with lighting of the lamp. From l. to. r.: Dinesh Mittal, Lal Motwani, Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, H.R. Shah, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Raj Mukherji, Dr. Rajeev Mehta, Dr. Thomas Abraham and Shelly Nichani

With record numbers of people requiring life-saving assistance and funding drastically short of meeting those needs, leaders today concluded the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul endorsing five responsibilities to improve aid delivery, support refugees, uphold international law, increase financing and prevent the crises generating the largest migration flows in 70 years.

The two-day Summit brought together 55 Heads of State and Government and other officials from 173 countries in Istanbul, Turkey from May 23-24, 2016. Hundreds of representatives from the private sector and thousands from civil society also attended, marking a diverse range of actors discussing new ways to alleviate suffering, including by addressing the social, economic and other inequities that could ignite simmering tensions into violent conflict.

“This unique Summit has set us on a new course,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in closing remarks. “It is not an end point, but a turning point”. Governments, people affected by crisis, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the United Nations had come together to support the Agenda for Humanity and its five core responsibilities. “Implementing this Agenda is a necessity if we are to enable people to live in dignity and prosperity,” he declared.

Indeed, he said, humanitarian and development partners had agreed on a new way of working to reduce the need for humanitarian action, while aid agencies and donor Governments had committed to a “Grand Bargain” that placed resources in the hands of those who needed them. Governments had committed to do more to prevent conflict, uphold international law and live up to the promise of the United Nations Charter.

Ban said he would report to the General Assembly in September on the Summit’s achievements and propose ways to advance the commitments. To be sure, the people enduring conflict today and those working to alleviate their suffering were the true humanitarian heroes. “The World Humanitarian Summit must deliver for you,” he said.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey, said that, given the commitments participants had made during the two days, strong action, rather than empty words, must now follow. Indeed, no country could remain indifferent to the stark differences among countries, where one could be wealthy while millions of people lived in poverty in a neighbouring State. “We must share our moral, political and financial obligations and act swiftly,” he said. “Any day that we wait causes the deaths of hundreds and the suffering of thousands.” With that in mind, he expressed hope that the Summit would open the door to a more peaceful world.

In addition, the Summit featured seven high-level leaders’ round table discussions in which Heads of State and Government and representatives of civil society, the private sector, philanthropy and the United Nations announced commitments to improve humanitarian responses. In three of those round tables held today, discussions focused around broad themes titled: “Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity”, “Natural Disaster and Climate Change — Managing Risks and Crises Differently” and “Women and Girls — Catalysing Action to Achieve Gender Equity”.

Throughout, participants decried that civilians were being indiscriminately killed in armed conflict, that the Geneva Conventions were being routinely ignored, that women and girls continued to suffer sexual abuse in emergency settings and that some 218 million people every year were impacted by natural hazards. Indeed, participants said, the Secretary-General’s core commitments were a collective promise to never overstep the limits of humanity.

Fifteen special sessions were held, in which participants outlined individual pledges to help those affected by disasters and conflict. Seven of the special sessions were held today, covering themes of humanitarian principles, protection of journalists, humanitarian intervention, young people, business, risk analysis and efforts to place people at the centre of humanitarian action. Speakers announced commitments to better engage a range of stakeholders in the search for pragmatic solutions to complex dilemmas. The eight special sessions held on Monday, 23 May, covered religious engagement, migrants, persons with disabilities, education, Islamic social finance, global health, regional action, and a global alliance for urban crises.

The plenary sessions, which was held alongside the other events, closed with an interactive panel moderated by United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson and featuring discussion with Maria Verónica Bastias, Regional Coordinator for the Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction; Butch Meily, President of the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation; Françoise Sivignon, President of Médecins du Monde; and Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Foreign Minister of Turkey. The Summit’s closing ceremony featured performances by the Kenya State House Girls Performance Group, Syrian Boys Choir and the Adiyaman Temporary Housing Facility Performance Group, as well as Yvonne Chaka Chaka, United Nations Millennium Development Goals Envoy for Africa.

Two top American immigration-related advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against the federal government seeking transparency into the lottery process of H-1B work visas, the most sought after for IT professionals, particularly those from India.

The lawsuit has been filed by the American Immigration Council and American Immigration Lawyers Association against the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services seeking information about the government’s administration of the H-1B lottery.

The two advocacy group alleged that USCIS has never been forthcoming in describing the selection process, a statement said. “When petitions are submitted to USCIS in April, it’s as if they disappear into a ‘black box’,” said Melissa Crow, legal director of the American Immigration Council.

“This suit is intended to pry open that box and let the American public and those most directly affected see how the lottery system works from start to finish, and to learn whether the system is operating fairly and all the numbers are being used as the law provides,” Crow said.

“Despite the Obama Administration’s public commitment to the values of transparency and accountability, frankly, our attempts to see into this process have been resisted,” said AILA executive director Benjamin Johnson.

“Instead of responding to our requests for information about how the lottery is conducted, how cap-subject petitions are processed and how the numbers are estimated and tracked, USCIS has kept the process entirely opaque,” he alleged.

“This litigation is intended to shine a necessary light on an important process in America’s business immigration system,” Johnson said.

German government has honored missioner Sister Hermanelde Pulm for her five-decade-long work for the poor in India with the prestigious ‘Bundesverdienstkreuz’, Germany’s Cross of the Order of Merit.

Michael Siebert, the Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Mumbai, on behalf of German Federal President Joachim Gauck, conferred the award to Sister Pulm in a ceremony held in Mumbai on May 23.

Sister Pulm, 79, is a a member of the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit in Mumbai. She has been working in India since 1963 through her engagement at the Holy Spirit Hospital in Andheri, Mumbai.

The hospital caters for the medical needs of Indians of all religions, especially the poorer sections of society. With this honour, Germany acknowledges her decades-long, outstanding efforts in serving Indians in need.

Siebert said the nun has “spread a very positive image of Germany in India amongst so many, but without ever stepping into the limelight. You have helped, physically and spiritually, so many babies, children, mothers, fathers, uncles and aunties in the pediatric ward.”

He lauded the nun’s efforts to build “what was then called the ‘jungle hospital’ by many in Andheri” and said her “part is huge in making it into today’s Holy Spirit Hospital.”

The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany was instituted in 1951. It is the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany can pay to individuals for services to the Nation.

The Order of Merit may be awarded to Germans as well as foreigners for achievements in the political, economic, social or intellectual realm and for all kinds of outstanding services to the nation in the field of social, charitable or philanthropic work.

Chicago IL: Dada J.P. Vaswani, or “Dada” as he is lovingly known, belies his age of 97, in his address to the devotees in Chicago last week, spoke of forgiveness. “The only way to forgive completely is to forget. You cannot forgive if you continue to hold the feelings of the past. The past is over, Dada said. Move on with only love in your heart. Your mind will be at peace,” he said.

His message is of love, forgiveness and bringing God back into our daily lives. He talked of respecting all forms of life, be they of animals, insects or of plants. The 21st century, Dada said, should be the century for protecting Animal Rights. Killing animals for food is inhumane. “Let us not make our stomachs graveyards for animals,” he said.

Dada emphasized the need for having humor in our daily lives. “People have forgotten to smile and laugh,” he said, and added, “You are not fully dressed till you wear a smile on your face.” Dada told us to stop complaining and start thanking. Be thankful to God. More good things are happening than bad things in our lives. Focus on the good things.

Dada underscored the need to bringing God back into our daily life. “Everything you do, do it as if you are doing it for God. Remember God as many times a day as possible and in all that you do. Make God your partner in your daily life, be it your business or your personal life. Loneliness can be overcome if you believe that you are not alone, that God is always with you every moment of the day,” he said.

Pujya Dada was brought to the banquet hall by his personal cardiologist, Dr. Ramesh Chhablani from the home of Dada’s host family, Dr. Gopal and Neetu Lalmalani. It was an evening of enlightenment with a spellbound audience and a spiritual Master at the beautiful banquet hall of the Oakbrook Marriott, Chicago, IL. The evening began with devotional music by two renowned singers of Chicago: Pramila Bhatia, a well known disciple of the famous Purshotamdas Jalota, a singer at the Chinmaya Mission Center of Chicago; and Anil Sharma, a talented professional singer whom the Chicago community has had the privilege of hearing for many years. The bhajan singing primed the audience to a religious mood and focus on the arrival of the highlight of the evening, Dada J.P. Vaswani.

Dada is the head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission based in Pune, India. The Mission has centers all over the world. The goals of the mission are to serve the needy and less fortunate people. It has Cardiac and Eye hospitals where free surgeries are done for the poor. Dada has written over 150 books with very leading titles, some of which are available on Amazon. The details and activities of the Sadhu Vaswani Center of Chicago, under the leadership of Prakash Jotwani, can be seen on its website www.svc-chicago.org.

Chicago IL: In the presence of over 1,000 devotees, dozens of prominent community leaders, generous sponsors, committee members, super donors and volunteers, Umiya Mataji Sanstha Chicago Midwest (UMSCM) celebrated a historic event, honoring and celebrating arrival of Umiya Mataji Jyoti Rath (Chariot) arriving from Macon, Georgia to Chicago, at Itasca Temple, 21W Irving Park Rd, Itasca, Illinois on May 1. The striking Rath representing the temple on the wheel, made this momentous voyage from the Umiya Mataji Temple, a kuladevi of Kadva Patidar Patel.

The event progressed with the exhibit of Jyoti Rath in front of Itasca Temple. Shree Ganesh Stuti was performed followed by Grand Parade (Shobhayatra) of the Rath in perimeter of the Temple. All the devotees followed the Rath with a great gusto by dancing and singing devotional songs.

After this Shubh Yatra, indoor gathering started with welcome speech by M.C. Devendra Patel with Deep ceremony performed by Lalbhai Babu ‘Marsha’, Sitarambhai, Bhailalbhai, Kantibhai (KS), Kantibhai (Kapoor), Mafatbhai (Patel Bros.)  and others. Khodabhai (Ken) Patel introduced first Home ‘Padhramni’ host Shree Lalbhai Patel.  Dr. Paresh Patel encouraged everyone to join in this project.

KK and Andy Patel successfully managed a fundraising auction program. Members showed their devotedness towards Shree Umiya Mataji by opening their pockets and making financial pledges. Event was followed by Garba and Lunch. At the conclusion, The Rath was taken to the house of the Hiraben & Lalbhai Patel, host of the 1 1st Padharamni’. At their house located at 5225 W Fargo Ave, Skokie, IL. As a result of overwhelming devotion, as of May 14 Rath has already performed ‘Padharamni’ in 41 different homes of the devotees in Chicagoland.

Umiya Mataji Sanstha Chicago or UMSCM is a not for Profit, 501 3 (c), organization was establish in 2016. With a objective to build a first ever Temple of Mataji along with great Community center. The main purpose of the association is to provide a platform for Cultural, Educational, Social, Religious and spiritual needs of Kadva Patidar Samaj. Anyone interested in Jyoti Rath Padhramni at their home or place of business may contact Raju Bhai at 773-716-8459 or Piyush 630-290-9891.

Chicago, IL: Indian Community Outreach and The City of Naperville 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 parade and event to be held in downtown Naperville.

The India Day Parade will serve as a showcase of India’s rich and diverse culture, with more than 100 floats organized by Indian cultural, local business and political organizations. 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 Midwest America.

The event is being organized by the Indian Community Outreach Organization (ICO) in association with the City of Naperville. 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 he and his team are excited to have the ICO organize this pioneering event. “Indian Americans are now a significant part of Naperville’s population in both numbers and impact,” he said. The community, which saw a dramatic growth since the nineties, now comprises 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 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.

Chirag Jani, board member of ICO and lead of event logistics explained that parade will begin in Downtown Naperville at 5:00 PM and end at Knoch Park, 724 S West St, Naperville, IL 60540 where the celebration will kick off. The final route details are being worked out with the City of Naperville. While providing outline of the event, he emphasized this to be an excellent opportunity for local businesses and groups to partner, participate and gain visibility.

The parade may be seen as a symbol of the rapid growth of the Indian American community in the Chicago suburbs. Among the other dignitaries attending are the state and local elected representatives and prominent leaders of the Naperville community.

The hip and happening Bollywood singing sensation, Sunidhi Chauhan, with several big hit under her belt, will present a number of soulful melodies on August 14, 2016, at 5.00 PM, and capture the hearts of music lovers of Chicago. She will be supported by a state-of-the art orchestra. It is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her fans considering the fact that the entry to the concert will be FREE. Additional information about the parade and celebration including applications to participate in the parade and celebrations as well as sponsorship is available on our web site www.napervilleindian.com. We encourage everyone to visit and review our website.

Harendra Singh’s lenders have demanded that the town pay more than $14.6 million after Singh defaulted on loans guaranteed by the town of Oyster Bay, according to media reports. The town of Oyster Bay on Long Island, NY has been facing a lot of heat after the Harendra Singh’s indictment last year and the troubles only seems to be growing as Oyster Bay’s credit rating has dropped to junk status after a decade of deficits, weak fiscal management and growing debt.

The Recovery – In three separate letters dated Feb. 26, representatives with the lending company wrote, “Phoenix Life hereby demands payment from the Town of Oyster Bay.” In one of the letters, the attorney and the chief investment forofficer subsidiaries of Connecticut-based The Phoenix Companies demanded payment of $9.1 million for money loaned to SRB Concession Inc., which runs Tobay Beach, and $5.4 million for money loaned to S.R.B. Convention & Catering Corp. which runs the Woodlands catering hall at the town golf course. In 2014, the town board extended the concessions agreements with the Singh companies to 2065 and 2070. Singh sold his shares in the companies to outside investors, but his wife Ruby retains controlling ownership.

Singh on Sept. 9 was charged in federal court with 13 felony counts including bribing an Oyster Bay official to obtain $20 million in loan guarantees. He has pleaded not guilty. A spokesperson for the town says it is not responsible for repaying the loans and has questioned the legality of the guarantees, but legal experts disagree.

A town spokesperson told News 12 that Oyster Bay officials are currently in settlement negotiations with the lender and new investors. The goal is to avoid a lawsuit and “amicably resolve all issues.” Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto said Wednesday, May 18, that “a lot has occurred” since the letters were sent and referred questions to the town’s outside legal counsel, Jonathan Pickhardt, at Manhattan-based Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP. “Phoenix was in discussion before and after the date of these notices with the investors at the SRB entities,” Pickhardt said. “There certainly have been no legal claims that have been filed, seeking to have any court involvement in this. It continues to be the town’s position that these amendments were not properly authorized, they’re not enforceable,” he said.

The GOPIO-Upper New York Chapter held its eight Annual Dinner and Dance celebrating the arrival of Indian Indentured Laborers to Guyana on April 30, 2016. This well organized event that drew a capacity audience was held at the Starlite Pavillion, Richmond Hill, Queens, New York. The program was coordinated and emceed by Jhairam Persaud, President of the GOPIO-Upper New York Chapter, who was ably assisted by members of the Chapter’s executives.

After introductions and welcome by GOPIO Upper New York President Jhairam Persaud, GOPIO Tri-state Coordinator Lal Motwani delivered greetings on behalf of GOPIO International. In attendance were also Representatives from the Queens Borough President’s Office and the Office of the District’s Congressman, the Honorable Gregory Meeks. Four members of the Chapter received Congressional Certificates of Appreciation at this event. Those members were Netram Rambudhan, Miss Patsy Leopold, Gurdatt Jagnanan, and Premenauth Singh.

The featured speaker for the evening was Author, Novelist and Professor of English and Asian Studies, Marina Budhos, who was introduced by Dr. Jaigobin Shivcharran.  Her speech on “Immigration -Then and Now” was a compelling presentation and resonated very well with the audience. Her use of slides engaged the audience and kept everyone focused throughout her presentation.

The GOPIO UNY Community Service Award this year went to Cultural and Artistic Director of the Rajkumari Cultural Center, Pritha Singh, who was introduced by Premenauth Singh and the award was presented by GOPIO UNY President, Jhairam Persaud. Gurdatt Jagnanan concluded the event with appreciation and thanks to presenters and attendees.

Picture Caption: From left  to right: Mahendra Sawh, Dev Chedda, Dr. Jaigobin Shivcharran, Savi Narain, Ann Lutchmidat, Patsy Leopold, Gurdatt Jagnanan, Pritha Singh, Tony  Roopnarain,  Premnauth Singh, Jhairam Persaud, Dr. Thomas Abraham, Keynote speaker Marina Budhos,  Lal Motwani and Netram Rambudhan

Dr. Narendra K. Nagareddy, a 57-year-old psychiatrist from Atlanta, GA has been indicted on three counts of murder. As per reports, the drugs prescribed by Nagareddy had killed Cheryl Pennington, 47, and a 49-year-old father named David Robinson. Audrey Austin had died, less than a week after the 29-year-old mother of two left the rehab.

The substances – powerful, addictive pain medications – were allegedly prescribed by Narendra K. Nagareddy, reportedly known for his willingness to prescribe pills to nearly anyone who wanted them. Last week, the doctor was arrested for their deaths.

A Clay County grand jury indicted Nagareddy, known in the media widely as “Dr. Death,” on three counts of murder, and 59 additional counts of unauthorized distribution of pain prescriptions, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Nagareddy has denied the allegations from the outset, according to news reports. Nagareddy is accused in court documents of giving refillable painkiller prescriptions, taboo in the medical community because patients can fill the prescriptions prematurely.

“Unequivocally, we will be ready to defend this matter,” Steve Frey, Nagareddy’s attorney, told the Journal-Constitution after the indictment. “He is innocent of all of these charges.” It’s the latest development in a years-long investigation into Nagareddy’s medical practice.

A probation officer was among the first to flag Nagareddy after she noticed that three people in her caseload who had died were patients of the doctor, according to an AJC investigation. She reported the pattern to the Drug Enforcement Administration, which worked with local law enforcement to build a case that led to Nagareddy’s initial arrest in January.

He was charged with violating the Georgia Controlled Substances Act by allegedly prescribing medications that had no legitimate purpose. Nagareddy was later released on a $100,000 bond, the Journal-Constitution reported. One month after his January arrest, the Georgia Composite Medical Board voted to suspend Nagareddy’s license.

New York: The Consulate of India in association with the Tagore Society of New York organized an event at the Consulate to celebrate the 155th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on May 7. The event was attended by a large number of enthusiastic crowds owed by the life and times of one of the greatest sons of India.

The evening began with the singing of Indian national anthem composed by the great Rabindranath Tagore followed by presentation of other Tagore songs by members of Tagore Society of New York. Consul General Ambassador (Mrs.) Riva Ganguly Das during her address recollected some of her personal involvements surrounding Tagore during her postings as a diplomat in various countries and noted how Tagore’s ideology was recognized and the affection people have for him around the world. The program featured ‘Glimpses of Rabindra Sangeet’, a presentation by members of Tagore Society.

The program efficiently compered by Renee Lobo, community activist and TV journalist and New York City Commission on Human Rights had variety of singers devoted to Rabindranath Tagore and ended with a dinner.

Washington, DC: Sachin Dev Pavithran, an Indian-American has been reappointed by US President Barack Obama as a Member of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, a key independent government agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities.

Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally-funded facilities, the Board is now a leading source of information on accessible design. “These dedicated individuals bring a wealth of experience and talent to their new roles and I am proud to have them serve in this Administration. I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come,” Obama said in a statement yesterday.

Pavithran was first appointed to Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board in 2012 and has served as Chair since 2015. He is Programme Director of Utah Assistive Technology Programme at Utah State University’s Centre for Persons with Disabilities, a position he has held since 2011.

He has served in a variety roles at the Centre since 2002, including Programme Coordinator and Disability Policy Analyst. He has more than 15 years of experience as a consultant in developing, testing, and training users of assistive technology and accessible websites.

He serves on the Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs National Board, the Research and Development Committee of the National Federation of the Blind, and the National Multicultural Council of the Association of University Centres for Disabilities.

In 2016, Mr Pavithran was selected as one of Government Technology’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers for his accomplishments in using technology to improve government operations.

The couple Sunitha Guntipally and Venkat Guntipally, Pratap “Bob” Kondamoori and Sandhya Ramireddi, allegedly used three California corporations to orchestrate the improper submission of more than 100 H-1B specialty-occupation work visa applications, said the statement from the US Attorney’s Office Northern District of California.

In a 33-count indictment filed last weekend, all the four are charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud, false statements, mail fraud, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering and aiding and abetting these offences.

The defendants submitted to the government, or caused to be submitted, H-1B visa application materials stating that the foreign workers named in the applications would be placed at specific companies in the US, the statement read. However, those companies either did not exist or never intended to receive the foreign workers named in the defendants’ applications.

The indictment alleges that through their ownership, direction and control of two companies — DS Soft Tech and Equinett — the Guntipallys generated net profits of about $3.3 million and gross profits of approximately $17 million from 2010-2014.

According to the indictment, the husband-wife team founded and owned DS Soft Tech and Equinett where Venkat served as president and Sunitha as vice president of both the firms.

Kondamoori from Nevada is alleged to be the founder and owner of SISL Networks and Kondamoori’s sister, Ramireddi from Pleasanton, is alleged to have been the human resources manager and operations manager of all three companies. In addition, Kondamoori, Sunitha Guntipally and Ramireddi are charged in connection with alleged efforts to conceal the defendants’ conduct.

Manjit Singh, president of Agilious, a software technology consulting firm he founded in 2013, has been appointed by President Obama to his Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships on May 12th.

Singh is the co-founder and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, a national Sikh American advocacy organization.  He served as a member of the board of directors of the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation and also as a member-at-large on the board of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington.  He has an M.S. from the State University of New York at Albany and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Bombay, India.

“These fine public servants bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their important roles,” President Obama is quoted saying in a White House press release.  “I look forward to working with them.”

Singh has been active in the Washington D.C. metro area Sikh American community since early 1993. Post 9/11, he was instrumental in parlaying SALDEF’s relationships in D.C. to develop and create training videos to educate and inform law enforcement on Sikh Americans. Singh has also appeared in print and on broadcast media including CNN, Fox News, Voice of America, BBC, Al Jazeera, NPR, Washington Post, Washington Times, New York Times, among others, according to his bio on the SALDEF website.

Washington, DC: Revathi Balakrishnan, an Indian-American woman elementary teacher at Patsy Sommer Elementary School in Texas was honored by US President Barack Obama at the White House for her excellent work in the field of education. Revathi Balakrishnan, described as a gifted teacher was also named 2016 ‘Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year’.

“It is not work for me. It is actually a passion,” said 53-year-old Austin-based Balakrishnan who has taught in the district’s talented and gifted programs for nine years. Currently teaching math classes in third through fifth grade at Sommer, Balakrishnan, who was honored last week, will now represent Texas in the ‘National Teacher of the Year’ competition.

“I’m an Indian-American, so I think the Indian community is feeling a lot of pride and joy,” Balakrishnan said, adding that about 30 per cent of the students at ‘Sommer Elementary’ are Asian or Indian.

“I feel proud to represent those and I can convince a lot of younger generation Indian kids to turn to teaching for a career. So I feel I can actually have some impact on that,” she said. Balakrishnan has taught at ‘Sommer Elementary’ for six years before teaching at Forest North Elementary for three years.

Originally from Chennai, Ms Balakrishnan was a systems analyst with Liberty Mutual, managing databases and programming for about 12 years before becoming a teacher. Terming her style of teaching as “no nonsense”, Ms Balakrishnan, who earned her economics degree from University of Madras, attributes her success in the field of education to her love of teaching.

She said the excitement of teaching, learning with students and the opportunity to shape students who are the “leaders of tomorrow” drives her. “Not one day is the same, which is what I like. I don’t like structure. I just go with the flow and I love what happens,” Ms Balakrishnan said.

The ‘National Teacher of the Year Program’ identifies exceptional teachers in the country, recognizes their effective work in the classroom, engages them in a year of professional learning, amplifies their voices and empowers them to participate in policy discussions at the state and national levels.

Ajinka Kelkar, a 20-year-old resident of South Brunswick in the state of New Jersey, who allegedly sought to take a revenge on a man who was dating his ex-girlfriend, accidentally targeted the wrong house and caused $10,000 in damage to vehicles parked in the driveway.

According to police, Kelkar damaged five vehicles parked outside a house on Friendship Road in South Brunswick. He was arrested within a few hours after the incident on May 8 after he was seen damaging the vehicles on home surveillance camera. He was charged with trespassing, vandalism and third-degree criminal mischief. He posted $10,000 bail and was released, police said. If convicted, Kelkar faces up to five years in prison.

According to Tapintonet.com, the family members of the house targeted head some hissing air noise around midnight outside, and came out to check. They found that tires of some of the cars, including guests at home, were slahed and one car had obscenities scratched in to its door and fender and called police.

Officers and family members reviewed the home surveillance tape and found that the suspect moments earlier damaging the vehicle in their driveway. Police recognized the image in the videotape at Kelkar. The report said that police went to Kelkar’s residence but were told by his parents he was not home. Later, officers on surveillance outside his home found that Kelkar was inside his home at 6:30am and took him into custody.

“I refuse to accept that children should be forced into slave labor. I refuse to accept that we cannot do anything about it. Every child matters,” Kailash Satyarthi, who had received Nobel Prize in 2014 for his humanitarian efforts in freeing young children from slavery and bonded labor, declared during a keynote address at the TiE 2016 conference held at the Santa Clara Convention Center May 6 and 7.

Prior to his address, a video presentation had showed to the audience, Satyarthi’s efforts in freeing a total of 85,755 children from slave labor in India. Most of them had been forced into making handmade carpets in North India. In his quest for freeing the children, Satyarthi has had his legs broken, his left shoulder and head bashed, his house ransacked….and yet he continues to march on undeterred.

Satyarthi recounted his first violent confrontation when he and few aides descended upon an illegal brothel where young kidnapped girls were being trained to be used for prostitution. Satyarthi had gone to rescue just one girl at the behest of her father, but they ended up rescuing a total of 36 young girls. This became his first documented case of his liberation of children. “How can slavery and civilization co-exist?” Satyarthi asked rhetorically. “Child slavery has to be recognized,” he stated emphatically. After graduating with a degree in electrical engineering, the activist gave up a lucrative career in Madhya Pradesh and moved to Delhi “because I was passionate about the cause of freeing enslaved children,” he stated.

The Indus Entrepreneurs held its 24th annual global conference at the Santa Clara Convention Center May 6 through May 7 with some of the world’s brightest minds convening to share their stories and provide advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs looking to disrupt the market and make a name for their companies. A laundry list of panel discussions on several tracks was bookended by keynote speeches on each of the two days at TiEcon 2016, the theme for which was “Dream. Change. Inspire.” TiE has a global network of 61 chapters located in most major North American, Asian and European countries and cities, with more than 11,500 members across 18 countries.

A young man of Indo-Caribbean origin was attacked by several youth in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., last week, shouting “ISIS, ISIS” and punching and beating him. Police are describing it as a bias crime, according to news reports.

Though the 19-year old victim’s name was not revealed by police, Gothamist newspaper reported his father’s name as Ray Bisram, who told media his son was “traumatized” by the attack. The youth who attacked him were carrying a metal pipe which they threatened to use on him, and a baseball bat.

Bisram told Univision TV, “Right now, he’s kind of traumatized, because, you know, a guy punching him and another guy running with a bat and a iron pipe scream out, you know, racist words and stuff toward him, he’s pretty traumatized because he’s thinking what if they would have hit me with that pipe.”

A little after 1 pm, in broad daylight on April 27, the victim was walking on 10th Street in Astoria, when he noticed three tens aged 17-19, following him. One of them shouted to him calling him an “Arab” and punched him in the fact twice when he turned around. They brandished the metal pipe and baseball bat at him. Luckily, the victim was able to sidestep the metal pipe swung at him.

A neighbor, Ron Garcia was on the street when he saw the attack taking place. “They pushed him up there and that’s when they went to take the swing on the pipe with him,” Garcia is quoted saying in the report “He averted it, like he moved out away and midway to me, and when he made his way to me, that’s when they ran up the block.”

The NYPD has put out a description of the attackers — one male, aged 17-19 years-old, short black close cut hair, approximately 5’6″ tall, 160 lbs, last seen wearing a dark colored two tone sweater with vertical lines, black pants and black sneakers. Another male, 17-19 years-old, approximately 5’9″ tall, 180 lbs., chin strap beard and short black hair, last seen wearing a black jacket, black t-shirt, dark colored blue jeans and black sneakers. The third suspect is around 18-years-old, approximately 5’9″ tall, black hair and a beard, last seen wearing a black hooded sweat jacket with white horizontal stripes, black jeans, grey t-shirt and grey sneakers. Police want anyone with information to call NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also go to the Crime Stoppers website or text their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All calls are confidential.

Long Island, NY: Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj’s visit to the Tri-State region last week has attracted thousands of his followers to listen the wisdom words that are known to have transformed the lives of people around the world through meditation.

On Friday, April 29th, thousands attended the talk in Hindi at the Amityville Meditation Center on Long Island, by Sant Rajinder Singh Ji , Head of Science of Spirituality (SoS)/Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission. Earlier on Wednesday, the spiritual Master inaugurated  the Science of Spirituality New Jersey Meditation Center in Perth Amboy, home to large Spanish and Hindi speaking communities. The center hosts a library, an office, rooms for children and young adults, a book store, and a large kitchen, and of course, a meditation hall.

Acknowledging the multicultural and diverse makeup of the community, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj said the path of Sant Mat brings together people of all faiths, all cultures, and all walks of life. The unifying thread among all, he said, is our humanity and our search for God. Having a center is a great blessing as it offers the opportunity to come together, sit together, share, and focus on what is truly important in life – our relationship with God.

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj’s discourse in the tristate on Sunday, May 1 was on “Meditation to Access Spiritual Realms” followed by initiation. To date, Science of Spirituality/Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission has 2059 centers in 54 countries around the world. On Monday, May 2, he gave his second address at the widely respected institution, sponsored by theUNSRC SaluS Well Being Network Club in collaboration with Science of Spirituality. Appropriate to the occasion, his topic was, “Meditation as Medication for the Soul,” based on his book by the same name. The Reverend Susana Bastarrica, president, UNSRC SaluS Well Being Network, and Mr. Vijay Nambiar, Special Advisor on Myanmar to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon introduced the spiritual Master.

The spiritual Master spoke to an attentive audience about the benefits of meditation, emphasizing that relaxation, stress relief, better concentration, and improved relationships are byproducts of meditation, not its sole purpose. The prime purpose of stilling the body and stilling the mind in meditation is to experience God within ourselves, he told the audience. For more information about the weekend program, please go to www.sos.org/event/nynj.

Gujarat Day and Maharashtra Day, which fall on May 1, were observed through colorful dances and music On the iconic Times Square May 1. On May 1, the Indian states, Maharashtra and Gujarat celebrate thier formation day. It was on this day in 1960 that two states were carved out of the Bombay Presidency: Maharashtra and Gujarat. The states were created  after a series of protests that were part of the Samyukta Maharashtra Andolan that demanded a separate state for Marathi-speaking people.

The two-hour event on the iconic Times Square was organized by Jai Bharat Dhol Tasha Pathak USA and Non-Resident Gujarati Community of USA. “Since both the Gujarat Day and Maharashtra Day fall on May one, we thought about organizing a joint celebration,” Manisha

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Day was separately celebrated at the Indian Consulate before the groups joined hands in Times Square to mark the day. Consul General Riva Ganguly Das and Deputy Consul General Manoj Kumar Mohapatra sent best wishes and support for the celebrations.

New York: Captain Amarinder Singh, former chief minister of the Indian state of Punjab and currently the state Congress chief and MP, was given a rousing reception, when he was invited to address the Punjabi diaspora on May 7th at the Long Island Hilton Hotel in Melville, NY. In addition to Captain Amarinder Singh, the event also hosted the former Maharaja of Patiala.

The leader of the Punjab state Congress Party is travelling through the US to drum up support for the Congress party, which is trying to get back to power in Punjab, where elections are due in February 2017. According to reports, the ruling Akali Dal has lost much of the support and Aam Aadmi Party is gaining ground after winning in Delhi.

Earlier, during an event in Chicago on Friday, the visiting leader said that Punjab desperately needed good governance and this was not the time for experimentation. “Just because some people are telling you that you have tried so and so, now give us a chance does not qualify and entitle them to take over the reins of an important state like Punjab at a critical juncture”, Capt Amarinder told audience in Chicago.

Announcing that it was going to be his last election in 2017, he said, however before hanging his boots, it was his dream to see the smile and shine back on the faces of all the Punjabis, who are otherwise being faced with despair and despondence due to ten year failure of the Akalis. Addressing the Punjabi diaspora and seeking their more involvement and participation in building up Punjab and bringing in change, the former Chief Minister reminded them of their roots and responsibility towards their ancestral place.

“We are glad that all of you have done so well in life and we are proud of you”, he told them, while adding, “now we hope and expect that you will definitely do your bit and help us in re-launching Punjab on the path of progress and prosperity once again”. Later replying to a question, Captain Amarinder said, 1984 was the darkest chapter in the Sikh history which nobody can afford or should forget. “I myself resigned from the parliament and the party over what happened in 1984”, he said, adding, “however Punjab needs to move forward”. He asked as why the Akalis were raking up the issue only during elections and forgetting it the moment elections were over.

Amarinder said, the problem of drugs was very complex and serious saying there were three types of drugs flowing in Punjab. He said, on type of drugs was being smuggled through Pakistan, the other type was coming from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and the third and the worst type were the synthetic drugs which were being manufactured locally with the patronage of the Akalis.

“Give me a chance and I will finish this problem, not in four weeks as I have promised, but just one week as I know who all are involved and responsible and it only needs an intent and will to finish it”, he said in response to a question amidst thumping applause.

Captain Amarinder Singh has offered to provide NRI Punjabi doctors, specially psychiatrists and therapists, infrastructure to set up de-addiction centers within the existing government hospitals in all major cities of Punjab, if Congress is voted to power in the state. Addressing a gathering of Punjabi diaspora from Central Califonia at Fresno, Capt Amarinder urged the NRI doctors to work in partnership with him for the rehabilitation of lakhs of

Meanwhile, Captain Amarinder Singh is learnt to have cancelled his scheduled seven-day trip to Canada due to the possibility of facing a case relating to torture in a court in Toronto. The decision came on Saturday after Singh had postponed his arrival in Toronto since he wanted to wait for the court to issue an order before he decided on his course of action.

The case was filed by the activist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) on behalf of a Canadian resident who was allegedly tortured during Singh’s tenure as chief minister of Punjab. An official statement released by Singh slammed SFJ’s law fare, saying it was “playing into the hands of the anti-India forces like the ISI to embarrass India and project as if rights violations was the norm of the day in the country (India) like some dictatorships in different parts of the world”. He added, “The government of India, rising above political considerations, must take up the matter with the Canadian government at the highest level.”

Pranav Patel, a stock broker of Indian descent has been charged in an alleged $131 million stock manipulation scheme after investigations by a task force set up for President Barack Obama’s war on financial crimes, federal officials announced May 4.

Pranav Patel of Tamarac, Florida, participated along with eight others in the multistate scam “through a dizzying round of unauthorized trades” to pump up the share price of a company with no business operations, Robert L. Capers, the federal prosecutor in Brooklyn said.

The 35-year-old Patel was scheduled to appear later on Wednesday in a federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for legal proceedings to bring him to Brooklyn for trial. The case involved the NASDAQ-traded stocks of ForceField Energy Inc., which claimed to be a worldwide distributor of LED lighting products.

The nine from four states across the US were charged with securities fraud, conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and making a false statement to law enforcement officials.

The charges followed actions by the President’s financial fraud enforcement task force that “was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes,” Capers’ office said.

The nine, who included Naveed Khan of Staten Island, New York, “designed an elaborate but fraudulent scheme built on lies, kickbacks and manipulated trading activity to defraud the securities markets, the investing public and their clients,” Capers said. “They took a company with essentially no business operations and little revenue and deceived the market and their clients into believing it was worth hundreds of millions of dollars through a dizzying round of unauthorized trades and deceptive promotions.”

“The scheme ended up costing investors approximately $131 million in losses,” according to Diego Rodriguez, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) New York Field Office.

The prosecutor’s office alleged that a ForceField official hired Jared Mitchell, the managing partner of a financial firm, to pay kickbacks using offshore bank accounts in 2014 to Patel and four other stock brokers for buying ForceField shares in their client’s accounts to manipulate the price.

The announcement did not identify the official, but Richard St-Julien, who was ForceField’s chairman and founder, was arrested in April last year. He was charged with securities fraud conspiracy. He paid the alleged participants through a Belize-based company in a scheme to manipulate the company’s share prices.

Fayetteville, North Carolina: Dr. Sid Gautam, a professor of economics at Methodist University where he founded and led its Center for Entrepreneurship, passed away on April 28, 2016 at his home town Fayetteville, North Carolina. He had spent his life striving to meet higher expectations, both in his personal life and in his 44-year career at Methodist University where he created programs and awards recognizing local businesspeople and boosting the community’s sense of itself. Dr. Gautam was 74.

In recent years, Dr. Gautam had turned some of his considerable energies to promoting healthy living. About 2010, he began hosting free monthly programs at Kiwanis Recreation Center where people could learn and practice simple yoga moves and attend seminars on various health issues. Dubbed Happiness Yoga, the program drew its name from Dr. Gautam’s belief in the connection between happiness and health.

Dr. Gautam founded the Center for Entrepreneurship in 1973 and a few years later began holding two annual symposiums, one focused on the local and national economic outlook for the coming year and the other on the stock market. He attracted attendees by getting important bankers, business people, economists and others to give keynote speeches.

He and his advisers also recognized local business people through awards such as Entrepreneur of the Year, Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, Business Person of the Year and the Small Business Excellence Award, all of which are still being carried on today.

Dr. Gautam was quite involved in the Indian community activities as Life Member GOPIO which recognized him for his contribution to Entrepreneurship. He travelled around the world and spoke at the various GOPIO convention and forums connecting entrepreneurship and Indian cultural values.

On behalf of GOPIO, President Niraj Baxi expressed their deep sadness at the loss of a colleague in community work.  “He was a warm, friendly, always ready to help the community at all times. We will miss him very much,” Baxi wrote to Dr. Gautam’s family.

GOPIO Founder President Dr. thomas Abraham said that it was a great community loss since Dr. Gautam was a motivating speaker and was always available to speak at various GOPIO conferences. Dr. Gautam is survived by his wife of 53 years, Indira, his daughter Pragati, son-in-law Dr. Anil Sharma, and their children. The cremation was done on May 1st in Feyetteville.

Sonia Nallan, 48, an Indian American woman was fatally shot dead in the neighborhood of San Jose, CA on April 30, and the police have arrested her husband on murder charges. Her husband, James ‘Jim’ Nallan, 63, is being held without bail at Santa Clara, Calif., County Jail.

According to San Jose Police Department reports, police responded at 12:46 a.m. April 30 to a call reporting that a person had been shot. Arriving at the scene, officers found Sonia Nallan suffering from at least one gunshot wound. She was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead shortly after.

San Jose police confirmed that Jim Nallan is in custody and that there are no outstanding suspects. No motive has yet been established for the shooting. Nallan, a technical recruiter at Encore Semiconductors, is survived by two sons, Sahil, 21, who attends UC Berkeley; and Nitin, 20, who attends UC Irvine. Funeral services were held on May 6, at the Chapel of the Chimes in Hayward, Calif.

As the killers of Shani Patel is still at large, the police in Newark, New Jersey are offering a $10,000 for information leading to the capture of the murderers. Shani Patel, 21, an Indian American student majoring in economics who was in his junior year at Rutgers, was fatally shot around 10 p.m. on April 10, in his Toms River, New Jersey, apartment. His 23-year-old roommate, a Rutgers graduate, was also shot, and was transported to University Hospital where he underwent a surgery. He was previously listed in critical condition and no updates have been announced.

According to reports, a suspect, Marcus Feliz, was captured on April 13 and charged with homicide and robbery. Feliz – who is being held on $750,000 bail – has pleaded not guilty to both charges. Menawhile, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has said another suspect believed to be involved in the killing of Patel, Fraynned Ramirez, 26, of Hartford, Conn., is still at large. Ramirez has been charged with murder, felony murder and robbery, in connection with Patel’s death. Ramirez is presumed to be armed and dangerous, according to the prosecutor’s office. Neither Felix nor Ramirez are students at Rutgers, according to nj.com.

Police believe the shooting was related to drugs. A substantial amount of drugs and money were found in Patel’s apartment as police investigated the scene of the crime, and police believe the shooting occurred in the course of a robbery attempt.

A memorial page has been set up for Patel on Facebook. Friends also held a memorial service for him. “I write with the sad news that last night we lost one of our students,” Rutgers chancellor Nancy Cantor wrote in an email to students. “There is an active, ongoing investigation by the Newark Police Department of a crime that took place at a private residence located off campus.”

Cantor went on to write, “While law enforcement is still investigating and we understand that it was not a random act that led to Shani’s death, it is a shock to lose a member of our community under any circumstances. Our deepest condolences go out to Shani’s family and to all who knew him as a student, colleague or friend.”

“It’s really sad to see that this has happened to him, very sad,” said Patel’s lawyer Billhimer in an AP report. “He was an economics major and was interested in becoming an entrepreneur. He was always talking about having his own business. He was a very smart young man. He was a nice kid.”

New York, April 28: When the whole world is moving towards pluralism, trying to embrace and appreciate the faith and culture around the world, Indian American students at an Ivy League College in the US, led by fundamentalists have protested against a White woman singing Hindu Kirtans. They assert that only those born Hindu should sing the religious hymns, according to media reports.

The performance by Carrie Grossman, who has adopted the Hindu name Dayashila, was disrupted Thursday last week by protesters claiming that by singing kirtans she as a white person was wrongly “appropriating” elements of Hinduism.

According to reports, although the protesters used radical leftist rhetoric, their agenda appears to be a form of selective opposition to conversions or religious interactions – in effect, banning those not born Hindu from singing Hindu religious hymns or participating in rituals. However, similar protests are not held by those claiming to be against “cultural-appropriation” when non-Christians sing Christian hymns or participate in Christian observances. Wearing bindi or pottu by non-Indian women have also been crticised as “cultural appropriation.”

The protesters are reported to have used radical leftist terminology like white privilege, structural change and “radical love” to oppose what they called “cultural appropriation” by a white person. “Cultural appropriation,” according to those who protest it, happens when people use or performs elements from a culture not their own.

Many in the audience confronted the protesters, who eventually left the event and staged a sit-in outside. “Several audience members turned around and asked them to be quiet,” The Brown Daily Herald reported. “In addition, some of the audience members stood up and moved to where the protesters were sitting to ask them to leave.”

In the face of protests, the Contemplative Studies Departmental Undergraduate Group, which organised the kirtan, issued an apology saying that they “humbly acknowledge that those intentions (in arranging the event) do not preclude harm and hurt that we may have inflicted,” the Herald reported.

Freedom of expression in US universities is under threat not from the government, but from students and faculty. At elite universities like Yale, students have in the past year explicitly protested freedom of expression on campuses and tried to silence professors and students not conforming to their version of liberal or radical views.

Rajan Zed, the president of US-based Universal Society of Hinduism, called the protests at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island state, “sad and inappropriate”. “Color of the person should not matter in devotional singing and anybody should be able pay respectful homage to Hindu deities through kirtan or other forms,” Zed said. “Kirtan offered means to connect to the heart, to the divinity that lies within.”

He asked Brown University president Christina H. Paxson and chancellor Thomas J. Tisch to “make sure that such unreasonable interruptions did not happen at the Hindu events on the campus in the future” and to hold a formal inquiry into the disruption. The Herald reported that Grossman, a Brown University alumna, told her audience that she discovered kirtans during a visit to India and “found (chanting) very powerful and very healing”.

Describing her mission to spread the singing of kirtans, Grossman writes on her website about her experience in the third person: “At the altar of her instrument she called out to the divine and unburdened her heart. This process was profoundly healing and, the more she did it, the more she felt drawn to share her sound with the world.” She has produced a recording, “Soma Bandhu,” that features hymns like “Om Nama Shivaya,” “Jai Ma” and “Sarve Bhavantu.”

Anchal Saraf, one of the protesters in this incident, has been quoted in the media, as a signatory to a petition demanding freedom of expression at Jawaharlal Nehru University. The duplicity of these students is shocking. While they demand freedom of expression in some cases, they protest against the same when it comes to their own.

Queens, NY: The 10th Biennial Civic Luncheon held by Queens Civic Congress (QCC) was a huge success with capacity attendance, a well-organized program with keynote speaker Preet Bharara, prominent U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, New York as well as featured speaker, Queens Borough President Melida Katz and several other notable elected officials. The event was sponsored by Queens Civic Congress Foundation and held at Antun’s in Queens Village.

Paul Kerzner, President, Queens Civic Congress Foundation, welcomed the guests, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance then a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem by Hon. Melinda Katz. QCC president Harbachan Singh welcomed members and guests, acknowledging the important role of members and officers for the successes of QCC activities focusing on improving the quality of life issues. Mr. Singh also expressed due gratitude and outlined several future plans,

Presentation of various proclamations and resolutions to the 3 honorees was done by Hon. Melinda Katz and NYS Senator Tony Avella. In his remarks, State Sen. Tony Avella congratulated QCC and the honorees, citing the advocacy of QCC on community issues Kevin Forrestal, executive vice president of QCC, made presentations on behalf of several elected officials.

In her speech, Hon. Melinda Katz thanked QCC for its issues oriented community efforts and remarked on the appeal, diversity and progress in Queens which is fast becoming the destination of visitors to New York.

Keynote speaker Preet Bharara was introduced by Vice President Ashook Ramsaran with a warm welcome of admiration and appreciation. Mr. Bharara recounted his family’s journey from India to USA and the many opportunities in the USA which contributed to his success as a notable and quite visible official in New York State and indeed the entire USA. Bharara reiterated determination and relentless pursuits of his office to enforce and encourage accountability in all sectors, and provide protection from predators and those who do not abide by the rule of law. He said that “fair and equitable treatment under the law applies to everyone regardless of position or standing and is a cornerstone of United States of America”.

QCC Civic Achievement Awards 2016 for high achievements in community service were presented to: James Gallagher, Jr. (President, Fresh Meadows Homeowners Civic Association) presented by QCC vice president Kim Ohanian; Warren Schreiber (President, Bay Terrace Community Alliance) presented by QCC vice president Tyler Cassell; Christina Wilkinson (President, Newtown Historical Society) presented by QCC treasurer James A. Trent.

Other elected officials in attendance included several NYC council members and NYS senators and assembly members. NYS Assemblyman David Weprin congratulated QCC and the honorees for outstanding community work.

QCC vice president Richard Hellenbrecht made the concluding remarks, citing several QCC initiatives and support for many important community issues. Hellenbrecht also welcome the youth group of Civic Activism Network (CAN) and thanked Elmhurst United for supporting CAN’s participation.

Music was provided by John Walters. Queens Civic Congress, Inc. and Queens Civic Congress Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation, were formed in 1997, representing more than 100 civic and other community organizations throughout the Borough of Queens in New York City, and are committed to the protection and advancement of the “Quality of Life”, to provide a forum for the civic associations and neighborhood organizations, to develop and present common policies and positions, and to furnish effective leadership and advocacy for the advancement of the welfare and interests of Queens’ neighborhoods.

Jaydeep Patel, a 26-year-old Indian American man in New Jersey has been arrested and charged with killing his 73-year-old grandmother, Ramila Patel on April 20th. As per reports, police found the 73-year-old Patel after authorities had responded to a home on 9th Street in North Bergen, N.J.

According to  Hudson County prosecutor Esther Suarez,Patel, who had been stabbed multiple times in her torso, was transported to a hospital but was pronounced dead around 8 a.m. Jaydeep Patel, Ramila Patel’s grandson, who lived together at the North Bergen home, was arrested and charged with the murder, as well as two separate weapons charges, the nj.com report said.

Neighbors of the alleged killer said he is an engineer who spoke often of how much he loved his father who passed away of a heart attack about two years ago, according to the report. “The kid, he used to come here all the time since I got Parkinson’s dystonia. He used to tell me how to eat better,” one neighbor, Hector Millet, told nj.com, who has lived in the neighborhood for nearly three decades.

“He used to talk to me about his future… He was a happy-going kid. He was always happy. Never in my mind did I think that something like that was going to happen.” The overall feel of many of the neighbors, many of whom declined comment in the nj.com report, said the Patels were nice. “He loved computers. We would talk about computers. We would talk about religion,” Millet added.

Another neighbor, who chose to remain anonymous, said that Jaydeep Patel and his mother had been having verbal fights of late which led to the grandmother – Patel’s paternal grandmother – wanting them to move out. Prosecutor’s office officials declined to comment on the motive of the crime, and could not confirm when Jaydeep Patel would appear in court. The homicide is the first of the year in the New Jersey city.

Though Asian Indians are typically thought of as a “model minority”, not much is known about the school experiences of their children. Positive stereotyping of these immigrants and their children often masks educational needs and issues, creates class divides within the Indian-American community, and triggers stress for many Asian Indian students. This volume examines second generation (America-born) and 1.5 generation (foreign-born) Asian Indians as they try to balance peer culture, home life and academics. It explores how, through the acculturation process, these children either take advantage of this positive stereotype or refute their stereotyped ethnic image and move to downward mobility.

Focusing on migrant experiences of the Indian Diasporas in the United States, this volume brings attention to highly motivated Asian Indian students who are overlooked because of their cultural dispositions and outlooks on schooling, and those students who are more likely to underachieve. It highlights the assimilation of Asian Indian students in mainstream society and their understandings of Americanization, social inequality, diversity and multiculturalism.

Published by Routledge, August 2015, Hardback 258 pages. More info is available at https://www.routledge.com/products/9781138023468.

Elmont, NY: Living in a land that is far away from our “home,” in the midst of another culture, busy with the day-to-day mundane work and home tasks, the Non Resident Indian (NRI) community in this “land of opportunities” has been yearning for a place of their own: just to come together, to discuss, share their thoughts and ideas and learn from one another, to have a platform which will pass on their culture and traditions to their children and grand children, and to nourish the feeling of belonging to a group.

These longings, shared by people, who have been endowed with a clear vision and commitment to generously share their ideas, skills, resources, and time, for the larger good of the community, gave birth to The Kerala Center. After a quarter century it was founded, The Kerala Center, now, come to be known as The Indian American Civic and Cultural Center, located in Elmont, Long Island, New York has come a long way, in living out these dreams and aspirations of a community that has made the United States their adopted homeland.

Non Resident Indians from across the nation came to celebrate and honor the Center on its 26^th anniversary during a solemn celebration on Saturday, April 23^rd, 2016. Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose,  an Indian civil servant who served in the Indian Administrative Service, was the Chief Guest at the event. Padma Shri Prof. P. Somasundaran, LaVon Duddleson Krumb Professor, Columbia University, was the honored guest at the event.

Parpidam, a book by the eminent administrator, writer, orator and innovator, Dr. Ananda Bose, who had pioneered path breaking administrative innovations in rural development, affordable housing, eco-tourism development, redressal of public grievances, women’s empowerment, development of weaker sections of society and promotion of art and culture, was released during the celebrations. After retirement, Government of India asked Dr Bose to continue with this mission and currently serves as the Chairman and Nominee Director of Central Warehousing Corporation. Dr. Bose is currently on an UN assignment in New York.

Dr. Thomas Abraham, a veteran of the global Indian community who had founded several Indian organization such as the FIA-New York, NFIA and GOPIO said that in the 1970s and 1980s, he made some attempts to start an Indian community Center in the New York area. However, there was not enough support among the newly arrived community to contribute large sums of money for a broad based community center while the community was contributing generously for religious institutions such as temples, churches, mosques and gurudwaras. In 1989, the Gujarati Samaj bought a building in Queens,NY and started their Center in 1990 and they were struggling to maintain it.

“When Stephen came to me with the idea of Kerala Center, I tried to discourage him, since I felt it would be difficult to maintain it with its monthly mortgages and other expenses,” said Dr. Abraham. It turned out to be true in the later part of 1990s.However, Dr. Abraham was fully committed to it and stayed on with the Center during the difficult times. The Kerala Center managed to tide over its financial problem when former banker and philanthropist Sreedhar Menon gave a challenge at one of Kerala Center’s annual banquet to raise $50,000 and he would match the same amount. The Kerala Center fulfilled it. In the following year. Dilip Varghese gave s similar challenge to raise funds for the Center. These, along with contributions from its founder patrons brought financial stability for the Center.

The Center has now paid off the entire mortgage on the building, which has an auditorium and two classrooms, as well as several office and meeting rooms of its own. With debt burden off their minds, E M Stephen, a founding member and the Executive Director of the Center, credited several individuals who have contributed their time, energy, talents and resources to the establishment and growth of the Kerala Center. He said, “From a modest beginning 18 years ago, the Center has come a long way to play a vital role in the life of the NRI community in the United States.” Over the past two decades, it has become a focal point for Indian Americans, coordinating programs, activities, and services to the members and groups of the community in the New York region. The Center has outgrown its initial objectives for which it was founded, and has become a facility that serves the various needs of the larger Indian American community.

When asked, what led him to think of founding the Center, Stephen, 62, who had immigrated to U.S.A: in 1977, and devoted his entire life, especially since 1990, to voluntary work and the running of the Center, said, “As all of us are aware, the strength of our community living in the United States of America is highly remarkable. We have come from a poor country, which is also one of the world’s most densely populated regions. Today, our community here is well established in every field except in the mainstream political life of our adopted land. It is necessary for us to think about our future. In order to tackle the problems and needs of the community in a well-organized and planned manner, enabling us to participate in the political education of our community, we need Community Centers.

With this long out look in mind, the Indian American Kerala Cultural & Civic Center was established on April 28th 1990. It is proud to mention here that this is the first and the largest asset establishment for and by the community as a whole.”

Stephen, who has a long history of community service and voluntarism, said, “I became actively involved in Kerala Associations” He was instrumental in organizing Indian American Forum for political Education in USA of which he was the Chairman for New York State 1981 – 1985. He was the Chairman for the I ndia Day Parade for 1988 and 1989. “The underlying current in my involvement in all these community activities was basically with the motive of enlightening the community to fully participate in the mainstream American social, political and economic affairs. In 1990, I started, with the cooperation of leading Community members, a Center called Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center,” the founder President and currently functioning as the Executive Director at the Center, said.

According to Stephen, there are about 60,000 Keralites in the New York metropolitan area. A main objective of the Center has been to address the emotional and cultural, and political education of all the community members. “This Center, the way we have planned the growth of this institution, has a vision and tremendous responsibility to take care of emotional and cultural needs of our community and meanwhile prepare them to face the responsibilities of becoming a full fledged American Citizen.” Stephen, who is fully engaged in this responsibility, said, “We are perhaps a minority group now. But I feel, as a community member, we have to feel and act as a part of the mainstream by fully participating in all the activities. That is our ultimate goal.”

Jose Chummar, former president of the Center, praised the efforts of Stephen in establishing the Center: “Stephen was instrumental to start Kerala Center and took the lead and dealt with many of the headaches of starting The Kerala Center. Dr. Thomas Abraham played a very pivotal role too in the establishment of Kerala Center.”

There were several non profit Malayalee organizations when Kerala Center was formed but none of them had its own place. “Kerala Center has been unique, because from the very beginning, we wanted to have our own building, a place of our own so that our people can come together. The old YMCA building on Long Island was bought as our central office. I took a membership for Kerala Center in 1991 and became the general secretary in 1992,” Jose recalled.

“The Kerala Center is playing a pivotal role in the daily lives of the Malayalee community in many ways. The Center is a place for everyone, from the children of our community to the senior citizens,” Jose, who has been serving as the president of Kerala Center for the past four years, said.

“We can now concentrate more on community activities and programs. We can utilize the center for the betterment of our community here, as well as in India,” Jose added. “The Center has also been providing platform for various leaders to have political awareness and campaign meetings with the Indian community. Not leaving out the important religious factor, the Center has become a forum for various religious activities and celebrations for the members of the center who represent Hindu, Muslim and different denominations of Christianity,” Jose said.

E M Stephen added, “After overcoming several initial challenges, the Kerala Center has attained a stable status and has carved out a name for itself among the NRI community in USA. There are Indian languages, Music and Dance classes for children, SAT coaching for youngsters held regularly, benefiting hundreds of children of Indian origin. Various seminars are being conducted regularly on topics ranging from politics to investments, in addition to many Civic and Cultural activities taking place on a regular basis at the Kerala Center.”Stephen went on to say, “The Center is providing information to the community about business groups in all fields. The Center is giving full support and assistance to the writers forum in the community. The benefits of such actions include mitigation of crimes, drug abuse, employment discrimination, bigotry, lack of discipline among the youth, destruction of the environment, child abuse and all other areas of social decay. With the help of State and Federal agencies, the Center will expand services to Senior Citizens of our Community. In this way, not only we are able to produce a disciplined society, but also projecting our=2 0ideals to the mainstream of this country politically culturally and economically, Thus we are being appreciated, accepted and recognized by the entire society.”

Every year, The Center honors nearly half a dozen Non Resident Keralites for their outstanding achievements and service to the society with the prestigious Kerala Center Annual Gala Award during a solemn ceremony. Dr. Thomas Abraham, an architect of the Kerala Center and currently a member, Boar d of Directors of the Kerala Center, said, “The Kerala Center annual gala awards are rated as the most prestigious award given from among the Malayalee community in North America. Recipients are chosen after a rigorous search and scrutiny. It has been our endeavor to honor the best, and those who are and can be role models to the rest of the community.”

Seminars are organized regularly on literary, social, and political them es at The Center. The seminars are not just a brain-storming and idea-sharing sessions, but, they challenge and invite participants to give back to the larger community. Dr. Abraham said, “While Kerala Center caters to the cultural needs of the Kerala community, its objective is broad to serve the civic and community interests of the larger Indian community. So we tailor many programs to involve the Indian American community.” Kerala Center was the venue to launch National Indian American Association for Senior Citizens in 1998 and South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) in the 2000. The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) also uses Kerala Center for its committee meetings as well as organizing several public forums with the center. The Kerala Center in turns serves the whole Indian community”

Rajeshwar Prasad, who had served on the Board of Directors of the Kerala Center for nearly a decade, by virtue of the National Indo-American Association for Senior Citizens (NIAASC) being a member of the Kerala Center, said, “Though the Center’s membership, by its Constitution is limited to people from the state of Kerala, from a practical perspective, its activities cater to everyone. Many Indian community organizations of different languages and traditions utilize the Center as a focal point for their varied activities. The Center has welcomed such opportunities and in many instances, encourages them.”

Rajeshwar credits the prestige and success of the Center to the “enthusiastic and selfless contributions of its members.” He said, The Center’s collaborative efforts with a number of groups in Kerala State work for the benefit of most needy people in India. “Ongoing recognition by the Center of the social and political leadership at the Kerala State level as well as at the Federal level in USA is far more broader; it involves scores of organizations and institutions in the USA to be a part of such recognition,” he said.

The Center is exploring new ways to respond to the emerging needs of the community, Stephen said, and urged the members to contribute to, “continue with the ongoing projects of the Kerala Center; Support the Regional Cancer Research Center in Thiruvanathapuram; and change the mindset of the people back in Kerala.” Monetary support to young brides, whose families have no means to marry them off, was yet another noble project The Center runs every year, benefiting dozens of women back home in Kerala.

On the future of the Center, Thampi Thalappillil, president of the Kerala Center, said, “We have to do a lot of things for our second generation as well as for the first generation who are now getting old. We have already started some charity work aiming to help those back in India but we have plenty more to do.”

Indian-American parents of abducted children joined by other South Asians, and parents from around the country, walked down Embassy Row in Washington, stopping before the Indian Embassy among others, to make a point about bringing their kids home. The “Embassy Walk” was part of a three-day lobbying effort in Washington, D.C. to further pressure lawmakers, the Obama administration, and the Indian government to make moves favoring the American parents.

Ravi Parmar of New Jersey, whose son did not return after his former wife went for a five-week trip ostensibly to attend a wedding in India four years ago, is a case in point. He founded and leads Bring Home Our Kids, which is seeking a long-term mechanism between the U.S. and India to combat what these parents see as a growing crisis.

Along with the umbrella organization, Coalition to Stop International Parental Child Abduction, Parmar’s group came to Washington D.C. April 20-22, pressing not just the U.S. but also foreign governments, including the Government of India to get their children back.

Bindu Philips of Plainsboro, New Jersey, whose child was abducted to India, testified at the hearing along with several other parents, a number of them Indian-Americans, who have suffered a similar plight, such as Ravi Parmar, founder of Bring Our Kids Home, joined the day-long lobbying effort  in Washington, D.C. They met the State Department’s Director of the Office of Children’s Rights Issues Henry Hand as well as senior staffers of the Judiciary Committee and the Chief of Staff of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Capitol Hill to make their case. About 25 parents of abducted children representing 5 organizations also held a candlelight vigil before the White House.

“My world and that of my innocent children, was violently disrupted by my ex-husband, Sunil Jacob in December of 2008, when he orchestrated the kidnapping of the children during a vacation to India,” Philips said. “I would note that the children, my ex-husband and I are American citizens and that the children were born in America, which is the only nation they identified with as home.” Philips was accompanied by a Plainsboro law enforcement officer to the Capitol Hill hearing.

Despite the New Jersey Superior Court awarding her sole legal and residential custody of the children in December 2009, she has not been able to see or communicate with her children. “My children have lost six years of their mother’s love and care and I have lost 6 years of my children’s childhood that neither of us can ever get back. I have put everything I have into my mission to be reunited with my children.”

“We want to impress upon our Governments that parental child abduction is not a “child custody” issue, and just because a parent wrongfully removes their children from the United States, it does not make it right,” Parmar said.

Neeta Kharabanda, 58 and her husband Anil Kharabanda, 62, an Indian-American couple in Southlake, Texas, were found dead in their home April 12, in what police describe as a murder-suicide. Local news reports said that Neeta had filed divorce twice before this gruesome incident took place last week.

According to media reports, a Dec. 20, 2014 photo on the husband’s Facebook account shows a happy couple, with the words “Together Forever.” But on April 12, Anil Kharabanda, according to Southlake police, shot his wife to death in their bedroom and turned the gun upon himself, Dallasnews.com reported. While the time of death is not given, a family member discovered the bodies around 2 pm and called police.

Fissures appeared to have occurred in the relationship more than 20 years into the marriage which took place in 1980. Neeta Kharabanda submitted petitions for divorce in 2003 and again in 2011, but in both cases filed papers saying she did not want to pursue the case. Anil Kharabanda’s LinkedIn profile shows he was an “Independent Insurance Professional” in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

“Preliminary evidence indicates that the male shot the female and then himself,” a written statement from Southlake police is quoted saying in news reports. Mylife.com shows the couple lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota before moving to Southlake, Texas.

New York, NY: Glowing tributes were paid to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution on his 125th birth anniversary, during a special meeting organized by INOC, USA. Jagjit Singh of the proposed Bihar Chapter spoke eloquently of the life and contribution of Babasaheb Ambedkar who has fought for social justice and equal rights for every citizen of the country regardless of the caste, religion or regional differences.

George Abraham, the Chairman credited Ambedkar for laying a strong foundation for a democratic and secular society that stood the test of time. ‘When many other newly independent nations from colonialism failed as democratic societies, India persevered because of great men like Babasaheb Ambedkar and Nehruji built institutions that protected the freedom and liberty for all its citizens of India’ Mr. Abraham added.

The meeting also saw representative groups from Maharashtra, Bihar and Assam submitting applications to join INOC and to form the respective chapters. Harbachan Singh, the Secretary-General, called the event historic in noticing three applications being submitted on the same day with such large following. He categorized the event as”very inspiring and an encouraging development” and emphasized on the rich heritage of the party, its long history and its vigorous and pivotal role in the post-independence development of India.

Mohinder Singh Gilzian, the President called on all who were present to join the INOC and strengthen the democratic forces in India that are increasingly under assault from the intolerant groups that are gaining strength and creating divisions within the society.  He applauded the representatives from 3 states that expressed their willingness to join INOC when the ‘chips are down’ for the party and added ‘it truly showed courage and resilience on their part’.

Sharada Jambulapati, Akash Patel, Suhas Rao, Mubeen Shakir, Vishwajith Sridharan and Durga Thakral, along with two other South Asians, Abubakar Abid, a Pakistani-American and Akbar Hossain, a Bangladeshi-American, are among those who have been honored with the prestigious Are Among 2016 Soros Fellows awards. They are among 30 annual Paul and Daisy Soros Fellows for 2016, selected from a pool of 1,443 applicants for their potential to make significant contributions to U.S. society, culture, or their academic fields.

The 18th annual fellowship for New Americans, established by Paul and Daisy Soros, Hungarian immigrants and American philanthropists in 1997 with a charitable trust of $50 million, was announced in New York on April 12th.

In addition to receiving up to $90,000 in funding for the graduate program of their choice, each new fellow, who are 30 or younger, joins the prestigious community of recipients from past years. “The Fellows are from all different countries and socio-economic and religious backgrounds, and they have come to the United States in a myriad of ways —but they all bring excellence to the table,” said Craig Harwood, who directs the fellowship program. “They demonstrate that immigrants, regardless of their background, continue to be a critical part of our nation.”

Sharada, who is pursuing a JD at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, is the daughter of Indian immigrants who came to the U.S. in search of educational opportunities for their children. Her family struggled to adapt to the Deep South as her father worked as the only immigrant farmer in the region and her mother shuffled between jobs as a factory seamstress, janitor, and nanny.

Born in London, Akash Patel’s family moved from India to England and then to the U.S. in the early 1990s for better opportunities. Akash was not afforded citizenship until the age of 23 and he and his family lived as undocumented immigrants for 16 years until they could adjust their status. As a result, Akash founded Aspiring Americans in Oklahoma City as part of his honors research project at OU to assist other undocumented students in Oklahoma.

Suhas Rao is the son of Indian immigrants who came to the U.S. in the 1980s, and grew up immersed in science and developed a love for the pursuit of knowledge and discovery. His desire to be at the forefront of biomedical research but also work to effectively translate this research into clinical practice led him towards a career as a physician-scientist.

Mubeen Shakir is the youngest son of Indian Muslim immigrants, who came to the U.S. in the 1970s. Mubeen graduated from the University of Oklahoma in three years and received a Rhodes Scholarship. Mubeen went on to earn master’s degrees in medical anthropology and public policy at the University of Oxford. Now a first year medical student, Mubeen hopes to improve health systems at the city, state, and national level, helping to build a more equitable health system and just society.

Vishwajith Sridharan was born and raised in southern India, came to the U.S. to join his father who was working in New Jersey, and to begin his third grade and worked hard to catch up with his classmates. By the age of 15, Vish was working at Children’s Hospital in D.C., where he spent multiple years developing novel HIV vaccine models, one of which was patented. Vish has been keen to work with vulnerable populations across the globe. He has traveled to Uganda and helped set up healthcare infrastructure in rural villages. Vish has also held an internship with the United Nations in Switzerland.

Durga Thakral attended a local public high school where her admiration for the scientific mysteries of the universe was encouraged by many dedicated teachers and mentors.
With support from the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Foundation and the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, Durga earned a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale. Durga’s work with communities with minimal healthcare resources has shown her the dire need for better access to medical care and affordable biomedical devices.

Akbar Hossain, who is currently pursuing a JD at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, hopes to combine his legal, nonprofit, and personal experiences into a role as an effective advocate for low-income communities and perhaps one day serve in local elected office. Abubakar Abid, a PhD student at Stanford, wants to work on building medical devices that can stay in the human body for extended periods of time to provide unique, patient-specific biomedical information that can help diagnose diseases and provide real-time feedback to patients.

Rajat Patra, an Indian American student who came from Bangalore to join prestigious Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh’s prestigious Carnegie Mellon University, was found dead in his off-campus apartment March 30. He was the second student enrolled in the university to have died within days of each other. The cause of death has not yet been released, but the university said the two deaths were not related and that there was no threat to the university community.

Rajat Patra, a student in the Heinz College Master of Information Systems Management program, joined Carnegie Mellon last August. “He was a passionate student who had earned a prestigious internship for the summer and was planning to create his own IT consultancy after graduation,” Subra Suresh, president of the university said in a statement. Patra was also an avid guitar player, and his Facebook shows him in white face, wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt.

“We have no reason to believe that these deaths are connected, and want to reassure you that there is no threat to other members of our community,” Suresh wrote. “As we share in your sorrow, we want to acknowledge how deeply upsetting these losses are to those who knew Elliott and Rajat, and to the entire Carnegie Mellon community. The team of housefellows, college liaisons, advisors, and others are always available for student support. We would urge any member of our community to engage our Counseling and Psychological Services, either for yourself or as a point of referral for a friend. You may reach a counselor at any time, day or night, at 412-268-2922. Finally, members of the Carnegie Mellon community have a history of looking out for one another. Let us all commit to being especially vigilant and caring for one another at this difficult time.On April 1, the university held a memorial to remember the two students.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — More than half of adults believe children today are more stressed, experience less quality family time and have worse mental and emotional health than children in past generations, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

“We have seen major advances in medicine and public health over the last century that have greatly reduced children’s illness and death. On the other hand, conditions like childhood obesity, asthma and behavior problems have become more common,” said Matthew M. Davis, M.D., M.A.P.P., director of the poll and professor of pediatrics and internal medicine at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

“We wanted to know how the public perceives these trends, so we conducted this latest national poll to gain insights into adults’ perceptions of children’s health today. We found that adults in the U.S. broadly agree: children’s health today seems worse than for children over the past several decades.”

Among the key results, 55 percent of adults polled believe kids’ mental and emotional health is worse today than when they were children. Coping and personal friendships for children were also widely viewed as worse than for children in the past.

“The dominant view from this poll is that children’s health is worse today than it was for generations past, and we need to more urgently address these challenges,” said Mark Wietecha, CEO and president of Children’s Hospital Association, which collaborated on the poll.

In addition to the perception of diminished emotional and mental health, the poll found adults perceive children as having worse physical health as well. Forty-two percent of adults say kids today are in worse physical health compared to their own childhoods.

The poll also found generational differences in adults’ perceptions of children’s health: Pre-baby boomers ages 70 and older were most likely to perceive that children’s physical health today is better than when they were growing up. Baby boomers (ages 51-69), generation Xers (ages 35-50) and millennials in the 18-34 age group were less likely to perceive that children’s physical health is better now.

The poll of nearly 2,700 adults in a nationally representative sample asked respondents to assess key variables for children growing up today, compared to those in prior decades. The findings linked to behavioral health are consistent with previous Mott polls that cited bullying, stress, suicide, and depression as leading child health concerns identified by adults across the U.S.

Jay Gajjar, one of the first members of the Gujarati community to receive Canada’s highest honor, the Order of Canada, passed away on march 31^st, 2016. Gajjar was well-known for his community service and involvement in various organizations like Friends of India Association, Hospital Foundation and the Atlantic Provinces Chamber of Commerce to name a few.

Gajjar, a prolific writer of more than four hundred short stories, was published in several well known dailies and magazines in India such as Kumar, Aarasi, Shrirang and Gruhshobha while some of his work was also broadcast on

CBC Television in Canada. His novel “Paththar Thar Thar Dhruje” was published in a Sunday supplement of “Gujarat Samachar”. Several of his novels have been serialized are in Toronto’s weekly newspapers like ‘Gujarat Express’, ‘Gujarat Abroad’ and in ‘Gujarat Darpan’ a monthly out of New Jersey, USA.

He was also invited to read a chapter from his new novel ‘Kachi Matinu Ghar’ in 2004 and ‘Timirna Tej’ in 2005 by the ‘Word on the Street Festival’ in Toronto, Canada.

A professor and successful businessman, Gajjar is survived by his wife, Kavita and his son, Neil Gajjar’s family. An afternoon of bhajans and devotional songs to honour his memory will be held at the Mississauga Hindu Heritage Mandir, 6300 Mississauga Rd, Mississauga ON L5N 1A7, on Sunday, April 10, 2016 from 2pm-4pm.​ For more details, please contact: Dr. Neil J. Gajjar, DDS at 905.564.2021 or Prakash Moody at: 4prakash@gmail.com

Rajat Patra, an Indian American student who came from Bangalore to join prestigious Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh’s prestigious Carnegie Mellon University, was found dead in his off-campus apartment March 30. He was the second student enrolled in the university to have died within days of each other. The cause of death has not yet been released, but the university said the two deaths were not related and that there was no threat to the university community.

Rajat Patra, a student in the Heinz College Master of Information Systems Management program, joined Carnegie Mellon last August. “He was a passionate student who had earned a prestigious internship for the summer and was planning to create his own IT consultancy after graduation,” Subra Suresh, president of the university said in a statement. Patra was also an avid guitar player, and his Facebook shows him in white face, wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt.

“We have no reason to believe that these deaths are connected, and want to reassure you that there is no threat to other members of our community,” Suresh wrote. “As we share in your sorrow, we want to acknowledge how deeply upsetting these losses are to those who knew Elliott and Rajat, and to the entire Carnegie Mellon community. The team of housefellows, college liaisons, advisors, and others are always available for student support. We would urge any member of our community to engage our Counseling and Psychological Services, either for yourself or as a point of referral for a friend. You may reach a counselor at any time, day or night, at 412-268-2922. Finally, members of the Carnegie Mellon community have a history of looking out for one another. Let us all commit to being especially vigilant and caring for one another at this difficult time.On April 1, the university held a memorial to remember the two students.: