Category: Community

Pope Francis on Tuesday, September 8th revolutionized the procedure for Roman Catholics to get marriage annulments, making them faster and simpler and calling on bishops to provide greater help to divorced couples.

The most substantial changes to Catholic marriage annulment procedures in centuries again showed Francis’ desire for the Church to be more merciful to Catholics in difficulty. The 1.2 billion member Church does not recognize divorce.

In a document known as a Motu Proprio, Latin for “by his own initiative”, Francis reaffirmed traditional teaching on the “indissolubility of marriage”, but streamlined procedures that many considered cumbersome, lengthy, outdated and expensive.

He eliminated a previously mandatory review of an annulment decision by a second diocesan tribunal and gave bishops sweeping powers to judge quickly the most clear-cut cases themselves. The title of the document was “Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus,” Latin for “The Lord Jesus, the Gentle Judge.”

An annulment, formally known as a “decree of nullity”, is a ruling that a marriage was not valid in the first place according to Church law because certain prerequisites such as free will, psychological maturity and openness to having children were lacking.

Francis, who set up a commission of experts last year to advise him, said he decided the procedures needed to be speeded up so that Catholics who sought annulments should not be “long oppressed by darkness of doubt” over whether they could have their marriages declared null and void.

In a preface to the new law, the pope said he was “not flavoring the nullity of marriages but the speed of the process.” Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, the pope’s chief adviser on the issue, said bishops should aim to conclude simple cases in 45 days. Procedures have lasted for years in the past.

Most annulments are granted at a local level and only the most complicated cases reach a special court at the Vatican, known as the Rota. Francis said the procedures, which can cost thousands of dollars in legal fees, should be free.

Monsignor Pio Vito Pinto, dean of the Vatican court that rules on annulments, told a news conference the new rules were the most substantive changes to annulment laws since the papacy of Benedict XIV, who reigned from 1740 to 1758.

“The pope is seeking to respond pastorally to the tens of thousands of couples who are experiencing profound pain and alienation as a result of broken marriages,” said Father James Bretzke, theology professor at Boston College. Francis specified that bishops should show “particular pastoral concern” for divorced and remarried Catholics.

The reform was keenly awaited by many couples around the world who have divorced and remarried outside the Church. Catholics who divorce and remarry in civil ceremonies are considered by the Church to be still married to their first spouse and living in a state of sin. This bars them from receiving sacraments such as communion. Many couples and priests have complained that the complex current procedures discourage even those with legitimate grounds for an annulment from trying to obtain one.

The situation of divorced and remarried Catholics who want to fully participate in the Church is a topic of great debate, particularly in countries such as the United States and Germany. It will be a major topic at a synod of bishops from around the world at the Vatican next month.

This month Francis makes a landmark trip to the United States, where more than 23,000 annulment procedures – nearly half of the world’s cases – were started in 2014, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. The annulment reform comes just a week after Francis made it easier for women who have had an abortion to receive absolution if they are truly contrite and confess it to their local priest during the Church’s upcoming Holy Year of Mercy, which starts in December.

Shaolin Chandam, a 25-year-old Indian national, was shot dead late last month outside his house during an altercation in Virginia, and the police have arrested one person in connection with the murder. Chandam, who is from Manipur, was shot several times Aug. 25 during an argument in LaSalle Gardens in Hampton, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Hampton Police Division has arrested 25-year-old Keenan Palmer in connection with the case.

The investigation found that the suspect and victim got into a verbal altercation on Aug. 25, during which the suspect displayed a firearm and shot the victim, police said in a statement. The investigation is on-going, the statement said.

Chandam’s mother, Suniti Devi, who is in Imphal, told the media that Chandam went to Southern Virginia University and graduated in December of 2013 with a degree in business management and leadership and worked with a financial consulting firm after completing his studies. She said the incident could be a robbery case, as the suspect was never seen with him before.

The family found out about his death the next day through his boss. A family friend in Virginia is helping them in bringing the body to India, she said. Chandam was a star tennis player who played for men’s tennis coach Tony Caputo from 2010-12. “Shaolin was one of the best-skilled, most competitive players that have played here,” coach Caputo said in an SUV press release. “He was a fine player and student who loved Southern Virginia University.”

A cultural event, “Joy of Loving” portraying the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta is being presented by Nrityalaya School of Odissi Dance and Catholic University of America, with the support of Embassy of India, Washington D.C. Life of Mother Terasa presented as Dance Drama featuring Indian Classical Dance Odissi.

Joy of Loving, showcases Mother Terasa’s legacy of love, devotion and compassion. Directed and choreographed by Nrityalaya’s Founder Director Chitra Krishnamurti, the event is being performed in the US for the first time ever. Registration is necessary for admission.

Nrityalaya is a School of Indian Classical Odissi dance in the Metropolitan Washington DC area. Nrityalaya continues its work of nurturing and teaching Indian Classical Dance art form Odissi for the last 24 years.
Nrityalaya not only inculcates a pure traditional style of Odissi in its students, but also exposes them to ongoing innovation in the dance form through workshops that it organizes. In addition, Nrityalaya, under the guidance of its Founder Director Chitra Krishnamurti, has choreographed and produced numerous dance dramas including Mahatma Gandhi, Meera, Sudama Charitram, Dasavatar, Karna and the Gita Govindam.

Dr. Chitra Krishnamurti is the Founder Director of Nrityalaya. Chitra acquired her initial training from Guru Surendra Nath Jena at the Triveni Kala Sangam in New Delhi. She continued her training under Padmashri Sanjukta Panigrahi and Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, the doyen of Odissi. Chitra has performed at reputed venues across the United States, India and Japan. Apart from being a dancer and choreographer, Chitra holds a PhD in biochemistry and is a Program Director at one of the Institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland.

As summer ends and our children head back into classrooms across the country, the Sikh Coalition aims to bring awareness to the educational resources at your disposal; these resources can educate teachers and non-Sikh classmates about Sikhism over the course of the upcoming school year.

The Sikh Coalition engages policymakers at the state and federal level and works with educators across the country on school standards, curriculums, Sikh awareness initiatives, and anti-bullying work. More than anyone, we understand that parents remain the first and best line of defense for protecting and supporting our children in school. The resources we developed are explicitly designed for you.

“Who are the Sikhs” Posters & Postcards – This poster and 5×7 postcard provides your classroom with an overview of basic Sikh beliefs and fun facts about Sikh Americans. These posters are fantastic displays to provide visible awareness in your child’s classroom and an excellent introductory conversation starter for children of all ages. To request posters or postcards, please emaileducation@sikhcoalition.org with your name, address, quantity and where you intend to display the posters (or distribute the postcards).

“The Sikhs” Brochure – This brochure provides greater detail than the poster and is an excellent resource for teachers and administrators in your school that want to learn more about the Sikh faith and community. They can be handed out at your first parent/teacher conference or when you’re stepping into a school function. This brochure are also available in 14 different languages, including Spanish. To have brochures mailed to you, please email education@sikhcoalition.org.

“How to Tie a Patka Handout” – This handout is ideal for use in classrooms to help demystify the patka and kesh for teachers, students and parents alike. It also helps ensure that a teacher will be able to assist in tying a patka, should it come loose during the day.

Educational Video Content – This series of videos, in addition to the recent education videowe developed with the Fresno County Board of Education, provide an array of additional content for children in all grades. Take a minute to check out the videos and then think about approaching your educators about screening these videos in classrooms.

Teacher Appreciation Day Toolkit – This toolkit is intended to help you organize a “Teacher Appreciation Day” at your local gurdwara. The goals of the event are to highlight Sikh awareness, build relationships with local teachers, and inform school officials of school bullying concerns.

If your child encounters a problem at school related to school bullying, please don’t hesitate to contact our Legal team, legal@sikhcoalition.org, for support.

Over the next several months the Sikh Coalition will be rolling out several new initiatives related to education and bullying prevention in our schools. The partnership with parents, as we all work on behalf of our children, remains critical and we look forward to continuing this work together in the school year ahead. As always, the Sikh Coalition urges Sikhs everywhere to practice their faith fearlessly.

The mother of University of Pennsylvania nursing student Arya Singh, who allegedly purchased cyanide on Amazon.com and used it to take her own life, is suing the Philadelphia school and online retailer, according to an AP report. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the 20-year-old Indian American junior died on Feb. 8, 2013 after ingesting soluble cyanide crystals in her dorm room.

The suit alleges the university failed to support Singh after her life deteriorated following a 2011 sexual assault by another student, who remained on campus even after the assault was reported. Using a debit card, Singh purchased the cyanide from a vendor in Thailand, the suit says. The cyanide was delivered Dec. 18 in a small envelope to the package room of the Rodin College House, where Singh lived, the suit says.

A disciplinary hearing for Singh was scheduled on Feb. 8, 2013, stemming from an academic misconduct investigation, according to the suit. The university placed her in a status that prevented her from registering for classes for the spring semester.

Because she could not register for classes, she was told, she had to vacate her campus house. She had sought to stay in her dorm until the hearing. According to the suit, the hearing was canceled, but she was never notified.
Around noon on Feb. 8, a university employee went to Singh’s room and told her that she had to move out immediately, according to the suit. Around 3 p.m. that day, Singh’s roommate found her unresponsive. Singh was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead that night.

The complaint, filed in July in Common Pleas Court, also names as defendants a citizen of Thailand and his company, which sold the cyanide. Attorneys for Amazon and the university say they won’t comment on pending litigation.

During a dinner hosted by the Indian Consulate in New York, the Speaker of the Indian Parliament, Sumitra Mahajan along with several other Indian Parliamentarians, who had come to attend the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments at the United Nations last week, was honored. Among prominent dignitaries present at the dinner included Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. Prof. P.J. Kurien; Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Asoke Kumar Mukerji, other members of the visiting Indian Delegation. Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay delivered an address welcoming the visiting speaker and the dignitaries.

Lauding the achievements of the Indian Diaspora, Mahajan said that they have earned laurels across the world, be it in entrepreneurship or academics, sports or the arts. “All Indians settled abroad are the overseas ambassadors of India,” she told the guests at the dinner which was attended by an estimated 50 people. “Through their hard work, dedication, courage and success, they have not only raised the global profile of their host country but also created a unique ‘brand’ for themselves and the country of their origin,” she said.

Mahajan along with her delegation was in New York to attend the Fourth World Conference of Parliament Speakers at the United Nations that took place Aug 31-Sept.3 and addressed parliamentary leaders from some 140 countries, telling the conference that countries must strengthen democracy by ensuring that it is participatory and inclusive to make a difference in the lives of the vulnerable sections of the society.

Speaking on the subject – ‘Placing Democracy at the Service of Peace and Sustainable Development,
Building the World the People Want,’ – Mahajan told the conference that she is happy that one of the Sustainable Development Goals of the world body seeks to provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

“Good Governance is an enabler for development. Inclusive participation together with good governance will promote peace and sustainable development,” she said, adding that the post-2015 development agenda is notable and important for several reasons. Mahajan, who also met with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said that a strong global partnership is needed to support the efforts of developing countries in the spirit of Vasudeva Kutumbakam (the entire world is a family).

Hindus living across the world are united through their faith and adherence to the Hindu religion. Hindu Unity Day is celebrated every year in New York in commemoration of the coronation of Ch. Shivaji Maharaj, the Hindu warrior king who, after demolishing Islamic domination, established Hindu kingdom in India in 1674. In in recent years, this celebration has become a tradition for Hindus in New York.

At the end of the day long meeting, participants from across the world committed to work towards the unity and wellbeing of Hindus around the globe. The following resolutions were passed unanimously by the voice vote: “From this day onward we will work for the rejuvenation, reinvigoration, unification and consolidation of the Hindu Samaj; If there is any discrimination, injustice or cruelty perpetrated on any Hindu anywhere in the world, we will raise our voices in unison to protest; We will say or do nothing which will create a rift in the Hindu Samaj; We will devote our time, energy , talent, and wealth (Tan, Man and Dhan) to nurturing, preserving and propagating the Hindu values of life, viz. truthfulness, yoga, meditation, peaceful coexistence, compassion and charity; We will always support the associations, organizations, individuals, groups which have dedicated their lives to the service of Hindu Samaja; We will keep a vigilant eye on anti-Hindu forces in media which have been unfairly and deliberately slandering and demonizing Hindu Samaj; we will vigorously expose their mean, malicious and mendacious designs so that they stop forthwith.”

The Hindu Temple Auditorium in Flushing, Queens, NY was packed to capacity. The enthusiasm and jubilation on the part of audience was seen to be believed. The general mood of public and the atmosphere in the auditorium was simply electrifying. The energetic spirit of attendees from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Guyana and Trinidad living in New York, who freely mingled with one another irrespective of the distinctions of caste, creed, color, language, gender and nationality shattered the myth and debunked the obnoxious theories propounded by the prophets of doom that Hindus cannot be united.

Dr. Subramanian Swamy, senior BJP leader and former Cabinet Minister of Law, Justice and Commerce, Government of India, Rajiv Malhotra, Founder and President of Infinity Foundation, author, philanthropist and community leader; Suresh Chavanke, Chairman, CEO of Sudarshan TV; Aditi Banerjee, Corporate Counsel at Leading Global Financial Services Firm; Dr. Uma Mysorekar, President, Hindu Temple Society of North America, Vijay Shertukde, Author of Novel, “BLUR”; Vibhuti Jha, an entrepreneur; Devendra Singh, Founder of HindiUSA, the largest Hindi organization in the United States; Dr. Rajesh Shukla, Member, Central Committee Overseas Friends of BJP, Jagdish Sewhani, HSS Coordinator Community Reach; Surinder Verma, Dr. Urmilesh Arya, Satya Dosapati, and Amya Gulati, were among the prominent leaders who had addressed the event.

Dr. Subramanian Swamy, the Chief Guest at this function, in his brilliant address, time and again, enthralled the audience with his forceful narration and outstanding arguments in support of the Hindu unity, that he received a frequent ovation from the audience. Suresh Chavanke was another eloquent speaker who exposed the insidious designs of anti-Indian forces who have been clandestinely working to destroy India from within.

Aditi Banerjee suggested that we Hindus should devote more attention, energy and resources to leadership training. We need the leaders who are talented, who have vision, who can think strategically and who can manage and motivate a team.

In recognition of their dedication and commitment to Hindu Samaj, Dr. Uma Mysorekar and Devendra Singh were honored with the award of “DHARMA RAKSHAK” and Suresh Chavanke was awarded the title of “DHARMA YODHA” by the Chief Guest Dr. Subramanian Swamy.

Presence of Vice Consul from Indian Consulate Shambhu Amitabh who had graced the occasion with his presence, was acknowledged and recognized by the Organizers. Priya Sahani Sood gracefully acted as Master of Ceremony. The program started with the blessing and chanting of Vedic mantras by Pandit Jagdish Tripathy. The function ended with the vote of thanks by Sivadasan Nair.

A longtime police officer in Richmond, Calif., Indian American Manjit Sappal will become the next chief of police in nearby Martinez, Calif. Sappal, selected from a group of six finalists – Martinez police interim chief Eric Ghisletta resigned and withdrew his name from consideration in May – by the Martinez City Council, is moving on to the next phase of his career beginning Aug. 31, taking over for Gary Peterson, who left Richmond police in June 2014.

“I’m honored to have been selected, and I think that being in a position to make a meaningful impact in the community through public service is extremely rewarding, as I have spent most of my professional life in public service,” Sappal told India-West. “I am certainly looking forward to the new challenges that come with my new position, and I am very excited to continue with relationship building, collaborating and problem-solving in the city of Martinez.”

Members of the city council are scheduled to approve Sappal’s employment agreement at an Aug. 19 meeting. His base salary as chief will be $175,000. “From a pool of very strong candidates we interviewed, it was clear Capt. Sappal possesses the credentials, passion and focus necessary to effectively lead our police force and continue the city’s commitment to make Martinez the best community it can be,” Mayor Rob Schroder said in a statement.

Sappal was a patrol officer for the Pittsburg, Calif., Police Department from 1995 to 1997 before moving to the Richmond Police Department, where he spent 18 years as an officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant and captain.

“The last 18 years with the Richmond Police Department has been an incredible experience, and the community, as well as the city, have made immense strides in strengthening police-community relations, decreasing crime and improving the quality of life for residents,” Sappal told India-West. “The experience has been nothing short of spectacular as have been the relationships I have with those that I work with in the department and in the community.

“I will certainly miss all of the people I have been fortunate enough to work with,” he added.

The soon-to-be police chief leads Richmond police’s southern district and is on the department’s executive management team.

A graduate of the University of Phoenix, Golden Gate University and the FBI National Academy, Sappal oversees the department’s crime-analysis unit, K-9 program, criminal investigative section, use of force review committee and range/armory function.

“Irrespective of whether I was given this opportunity or not, the years of working with the community through the ranks have been a testament to the meaningful purpose of being able to problem solve crime and quality of life issues in collaboration with all stakeholders affected,” Sappal concluded.

Guruvayurappan Temple of Brampton in Canada has reportedly received the building permit from the City of Brampton in Ontario, which it calls “a long and difficult process”. According to Temple President Dr. P. Karunakaran Kutty, the “construction is to begin in early October”. Temple has reportedly raised about $1.8 million and is seeking more donations.

This Temple is proposed to be built in accordance with ancient Hindu Shilpa and Agama Shastras; plans to accommodate Sree Kovils for Guruvayurappan, Ganapathy, Sastha, and Devi; and hopes to be “a pillar of social cohesion, aside from being the spiritual epicenter for the Hindus of North America”.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, urged the governments of Canada, Ontario and Brampton to simplify the seemingly stringent building permit process for religious centers and offer assistance through the process so that devotees could practice their respective faiths freely.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, commending efforts of temple-project leaders and Greater Ontario area community towards realizing this Temple, indicated that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this Temple would focus in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.

This Temple, whose history goes back to mid 1990s, opens everyday at its current temporary location. It performs various poojas; with wedding costing $501, Sarpa Bali costing $301 and Vahana (Vehicle) Pooja at $51. It has minted a gold-plated medallion carrying the image of Lord Guruvayurappan and is selling it at $1,000 each to raise funds. It is taking reservations for “Udayasthamana Pooja”, each costing $5,000, which will start once the temple is completed, reports suggest.

Gopinathan Menon, R. K. Padiyath, T.A. Viswanathan and Appukuttan Nair are Vice President, Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director and Manager respectively of the Temple. Divakaran Namboothiri is the Chief priest and Thantri. It claims to have developed a program to assist/support newcomers to Canada.

Incorporated as village in 1853, Brampton ( famous as Flower City) in Greater Toronto area, 11th largest city in Canada and one of its fastest growing, besides various denominations of Christianity, is also home to a considerable number of Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, and nonbelievers. Punjabi is the mother tongue of about 28 percent of its residents. Prominent people associated with Brampton include Rick Nash (ice hockey), actors Shawn Ashmore (X2) and Michael Cera (Superbad), country singer Johnny Reid (Kicking Stones), etc. Linda Jeffrey is the Mayor of Brampton, which boasts of a Chess Park.nHinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adhere

Mukundkumar Patel, an Indian American businessman has been charged for attempting to bribe a politician in exchange for support to get a license for his liquor store in Ohio. Patel, 52, was charged with one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, United States attorney for the northern district of Ohio Steven Dettelbach said in a statement.

According to the charges, Patel, of East Cleveland, had to seek a liquor license for his store. While Patel submitted a liquor license application, city officials told him they were not inclined to endorse his application but would consider his request after speaking with community stakeholders.

Patel met with an East Cleveland city councilman in October last year and offered to pay him $2,000 if he signed the application. The councilman refused, and Patel raised his offer to $3,000. After refusing again, the businessman told the politician to name his price, a statement said.

The councilman contacted the FBI to report the bribe solicitation. n another meeting with the councilman, Patel offered him $4,000 up front and $1,000 later in return for signing Patel’s beer and wine application, it said.

Patel paid him $4,000 in cash, and the councilman turned the money over to the FBI. “We will not tolerate individuals believing they can circumvent the law by bribing a public official,” special agent in charge of the FBI’s Cleveland office Stephen Anthony said. “The FBI commends the public official involved for adhering to his ethical principles by not accepting the bribe made by this business owner.”

Indo-American Cultural Foundation of Central New Jersey (IACFNJ), a non-profit organization in Central Jersey, organized India’s 69th Independence Day celebration on August 16 at Shree Swaminarayan Temple, (old SB YMCA) 329 Culver Road, Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.

Some 200 people attended this outdoor, fun-filled patriotic event which was free and open to public. After last five years’ grand success and overwhelming community support, the organizers and executive committee of IACFNJ once again organized this year’s patriotic celebration of India’s Independence Day.

The event featured entertainment and cultural activities, dance performances, traditional Indian dances, patriotic dances, recital of songs, live music and authentic food sampling which was attended by local residents, community leaders and local and state public officials.

The program kicked off with the wonderful singing of the American and Indian Anthems followed by speeches of the local and state public officials and dignitaries, and patriotic dances and singing from the young and talented kids from the renowned dance local dance groups of Vandana Aiyar, Latika Jethani and Meghana Goradia.

The live DJ and music entertainment with live patriotic songs were provided by Deep Shukla, DJ Deep and Joint Secretary of IACFNJ. South Brunswick Mayor Frank Gambatese, Deputy Mayor Chris Killmurray, Councilman Charles Carley, New Jersey State Senate President Steven Sweeney and the Commissioner of New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and former State Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula were among the dignitaries.

In his address, Mayor Gambatese said “I am proud to be a Mayor of the culturally diverse town where about 30% Asians reside and events like this will bring community together”.

The event was successful for the sixth consecutive year, thanks to marathon efforts made by IACFNJ’s dedicated executive committee under the leadership of president Hitesh Patel, chairman Murthy Yerramilli, secretary Deven Patel, treasurer Mac Shah, vice-presidents Mahesh Patel and Dr. Tushar Patel, joint secretary Deep Shukla, joint treasurer Rajesh Patel and their hard-working committee members with support from dedicated volunteers and supporters.

South Brunswick is an ethnically diverse township with a good number of Asian Indians in surrounding towns of North Brunswick, East Brunswick, Franklin, Somerset, Monroe, Princeton, Princeton-Junction and West Windsor from where many attended the event.
IACFNJ has been a leader in promoting South Asian culture and values to newer generation by organizing many activities for the past 15 years in Central Jersey.

A US court of appeals in New York has affirmed a district court’s order and dismissed Nov 1984 anti-Sikh violence case against Congress party president Sonia Gandhi for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. “Upon due consideration whereof, it is hereby ordered, adjudged, and decreed that the judgment of the district court is affirmed” the court said in its order here last week.

Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) filed a lawsuit in 2013 against Sonia Gandhi for allegedly shielding and protecting Congress party leaders accused of inciting violence against the Sikh community after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The three-judge panel affirmed the district court’s order that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction over plaintiffs’ claims because “all the relevant conduct took place outside the United States” in India.

In June 2014, a federal judge had dismissed the class action lawsuit filed by SFJ and victims against Sonia Gandhi ruling that she is not liable under Torture Victims Protection Act (TVPA) and that the plaintiffs have no standing to bring the lawsuit. SFJ plans to file an appeal to challenge the summary order, according to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to SFJ.

Kinjal Patel, an Indian who had worked as a baby sitter in Connecticut was sentenced to 14 years in U.S. federal prison for the death of a 19-month-old boy in her care last year. Kinjal Patel, 29, was sentenced on Wednesday under a plea deal entered in Superior Court in New Haven in which she did not admit guilt but conceded there was enough evidence to secure her conviction.

Under the agreement she will also serve five years’ probation for causing the death of Athiyan Sivakumar, who died at Yale-New Haven Hospital in January 2014 of multiple injuries, including a fractured skull. Police say Patel initially told them that while she was babysitting the boy he suffered a head injury after slipping on the floor. She later admitted she became angry and pushed him in the face, causing him to fall backward and strike his head.

The boy died three days later. The chief state medical examiner’s office ruled his death  a homicide caused by blunt force trauma with multiple sites of impact. Patel’s lawyer, Kevin Smith, said on Thursday his client “never intended to hurt the child.”

Patel told police after the toddler would not eat rice and spat in her face, she picked him up and slammed his feet onto the kitchen floor three times, then shook his head back and forth, according to the court documents.

She had been under investigation at the time by the state’s Department of Children and Families for an incident a month earlier when the boy was brought to the hospital with cuts on his lip and a bruised chin. Although the boy’s parents agreed at that time to stop hiring Patel, They continued using her services. The parents were later arrested for “risk of injury” to the child. Their case is pending. Patel is not a U.S. citizen and federal immigration officials will likely deport her to India upon her release, her lawyer said.

Indian-Americans have figured in lists of successful immigrants in almost all categories in the past. The newest surprise is this – they are also the most eligible bachelors in America. In the list of 30 most eligible singles in nine major sectors of industry in the United States, published by dating application website Hinge recently, as many as 23 Indian-Americans made the cut.

The 23 Indian-Americans include Rakhi Voria, North American business development manager at Microsoft Financing, who topped the list of singles in the marketing and business development category. Shaista Shenoy, client success manager at Curalate and a performer with the Indian dance troupe Shiamak Davar’s Special Performers Batch, and Tanveer Kathawalla, manager of business development at Enterprise Florida were placed at number 20 and number 22 positions respectively.

Not just the just guys in marketing and business. There were as many as four Indian-Americans in the policy and law category with former member of the Ohio House of Representatives, Jay Goyal coming in at number three. Varun Sivaram, Douglas Dillon, both fellows at Council on Foreign Relations, made it to number seven and Pra Chandrasoma, who is starting as an associate at Latham and Watkins in October, was at number 9. Satyam Khanna, policy aide at the U.S. Treasury Department, came in at number 16.

Indian-Americans figured strongly in startups and small business and technology categories as well. Nitasha Khetarpal, working in product marketing and strategy at Adobe, ranked the highest as number three in technology, followed by Ankit Shah, CEO and community builder at ‘Tea With Strangers’ at number six in startups. The 23 Indian-Americans also include Amit Patel, director of enterprise at Lyft, Steven Maheshwary, marketing manager at Amazon, at number 14. The bachelors also described their first dating experiences as well, some of which were hilarious.

Voria, for example, talked about her most embarrassing date moment. “Walking into a restaurant for a first date and handing my ID to the guy I thought was the bouncer standing at the front door, only to find out it was actually my date waiting for me at the entrance. The confused look on his face was priceless, as was the mortified look on mine when I realized who he was,” Voria said, according to the company website.

Devi Parashakthi Ma (Eternal Mother) Temple in Pontiac (Michigan, USA) has formally inaugurated its Rajagoupuram, a richly decorated 54-foot granite monumental tower recognizing 520 deities and containing “intense divine energy”. Crafted by a group of shilpis (artisans) over about three year period on a granite obtained without involving modern blasting techniques, this about 450-ton tower was carved in India and assembled in USA, reports suggest.

Primary deity of this Temple is Parashakthi Karumari Amman (Divine Eternal Mother) but it also reportedly houses deities of Ayyappa, Bhoga Srinivasa, Bhuvaneshwari, Ganesha, Garuda, Guruvayurappan, Hanuman,  Jagannath, Kaala Bhairava,  Kubera Lingam,  Lakshmi Narasimhan, Mahalakshmi, Nagadevatha, Navagrahas,   Radha Krishna with Gomatha, Raja Mathangi, Saneeswara, Sarva Dosha Nivarana, Shiva Nataraja & Soma Sundara Linga, Subrahmanya, Sudarshana Chakra, Vaarahi Ambika and Venkateswara.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended efforts of Temple leaders and area community for realizing Rajagoupuram in a Hindu temple complex. Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this Temple would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.

Located on 16 acres in a wooded area inhabited by deer and other animals with a stream running through its South end, it has a built-up area of about 10,000 square feet, including 6,000 square feet of worship area and a multi-purpose hall for various gatherings.

This Temple performs various poojas, including “New Vaahana (Vehicle) Pooja” for $26, for which devotees should bring four lemons, one coconut and flowers. All-poojas package will cost $2301 to the devotee. Management suggests to “avoid wearing shorts and short skirts when you come to temple”.

Dr. G. Krishna Kumar, Dr. Venkat Hari, Margaret Kumar and Kristen Keskey are President, Vice President, Manager and Treasurer respectively of the Temple; while Narayanaswamy Kumar, Varadharajan Ramanujam Iyengar and Krishnaswamy Alasingara Bhatta are the priests.

Pratik Kumar Patel and his cousin Kalpesh Patel from Tennessee were found guilty on August 13, of trying to murder Pratik’s wife Krupa Patel, after drawing up a $6 million life insurance policy in her name. But when they hired Chris Robinson, their handyman of longstanding, he changed his mind and reported them to the police, the greedy men were arrested two years ago and convicted by a jury on August 13 in a Circuit Court in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

They will be sentenced by Judge David Bragg Oct. 16 but attorneys for the defendants say they will appeal the judgment in the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Assistant District Attorney Sarah Davis told News India Times she anticipated the appeal would be denied. The conspiracy charge is an A felony which means jail for 15 to 25 years for the schemers. “Pretty much every defendant tries an appeal. But that doesn’t change the conviction,” Davis said.

Krupa Patel, who attended the closing arguments, insisted through the years that her husband would not have killed her. “I don’t know how his wife is doing but I felt so bad,” Davis said. “She stayed by him the whole time and he was telling her it was not true even though they pretty much admitted it in court. Yet she kept saying ‘He wouldn’t hurt me. He wouldn’t do it’,” Davis recalled.

Davis said Krupa Patel’s side of the family was in India and she may not have any other support in this country. In dramatic closing hearings reported in Murfreesboro Post, Assistant District Attorney John Zimmerman lined up as evidence, bags of purported money along the jury box banister and asked the jury what price they would put on a woman’s life. “Whatever life is like in northern India, in America the life of every woman matters,” he is quoted saying in court.

Defense attorneys claim irregularities in the investigation and improperly handled evidence are grounds for appeal. “We believe there are a number of issues that are subject to appeal, and we plan to do so,” Defense Attorney Alex Little is quoted saying in the news report. Another defense attorney for the Patel cousins contended there was no hit man in the case and hence no crime. “The commission of the crime was impossible. It was never going to happen,” Defense Attorney Ed Yarbrough is quoted saying.

Robinson testified that he was assigned to go to Krupa and Pratik Patel’s house in Gallatin on Oct. 1, 2013, shoot her and turn the house upside down to make it look like a burglary gone wrong. He also said he had been given $15,000 by Pratik Patel and told to go buy a gun and get rid of it in the river after committing the crime, the Post reported.

In the mix was Pratik’s love interest, Tina Newman, who testified August. 12, that she was romantically tied to Pratik Patel for several years when she worked in his stores and that he often referred to her as his “wife.” She said she did not know about the conspiracy to kill Krupa Patel but that their love relationship got more intense in the days leading up to Pratik Patel’s arrest Sept. 30, 2013. Texts and voice messages exchanged between the two were played in court.

Sharwani Kota, an Indian American teenager from New Jersey, started Hope4Spandana, a nonprofit charitable organization, back when she was in the eighth grade as a way to give back to society. Now Sharwani, a high school junior, and her team regularly organize musical performances to donate funds to their school in India, named Spandana, and to other autism charities around the world.

Kota began her organization by first conducting research on autism. She found that the highest incidence rate was in New Jersey, with roughly one child in every 42 being affected. Additionally, the teen learned that there was no cause or cure for autism.

During the summer before her ninth grade, Kota visited senior citizen and veteran homes, playing the veena, an Indian classical instrument, to determine if there was sufficient interest to raise funds for her cause. By the end of the summer, she had raised $5,000 for the ‘Jumpstart’ program at St. Peters University Hospital, which is a care and therapy program for children diagnosed with autism, and she was on her way.

The organization’s name, Hope4Spandana, comes from a school in Anantapur, India, named Spandana, which means reaction or change in Sanskrit. Kota also spent three weeks with children at the school, using some of the therapy methods she had learned at the Jumpstart program. Shortly after, she and her family adopted the school.

The children at Spandana have been diagnosed with autism, and the school provides them with nourishment, as their families, who believed that autism was a bad omen from God, had abandoned many of the kids in the facility.

Kota also decided to reach out to her local community, focusing on a school close by called Lakeview Elementary School in Edison. This was a school that helped children and parents get therapy to help deal with the disorder, as well as provide behavioral therapy. Kota, through helping with the children, learned a lot about how kids diagnosed with autism behave.

“This experience was great more than anything. There are kids diagnosed with autism in our schools, but we don’t get to interact with them, so this experience was really eye-opening,” Kota told India-West.

Currently, her nonprofit includes 15 members her age, and they work to coordinate performances, such as flash mobs, which she said work very well with large crowds to get the word out and raise money. Half of the funds raised goes to St Peter’s University Hospital and the other half goes to the Spandana school.

Kota said she is thankful to her father and her dedicated team who have given her endless support and motivation for the organization. “Without their help,” she said, “none of the achievements would have been possible.”

“I like what I do because I help people realize how important autism awareness is, as many people overlook it, since it is not life threatening,” she told India-West.

Her goals for Hope4Spandana include taking the entire group to India to visit the school and eventually around the world. Kota, who eventually wants to become a surgeon, hopes to adopt more schools to reach out to as many people as possible.

“Before working for this cause, I thought everything was simple and straightforward,” she toldIndia-West. “However, I have learned that life is not simple. If kids can’t understand how other kids their age are feeling, who else will?” For more information about Hope4Spandana, and its goals, or just to get involved or donate, visit the Web site at: http://www.hope4spandana.org.

In 2013, Staten Islander Sridhar Reddy ran 200 miles from Amsterdam to Brussels during his fifth “Run for Humanity.”  This month, he returned to the finish line in Brussels to run again and continue spreading his simple message: Everybody has the power, every day, to do something good.

Running for Humanity, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the betterment of humanity, is undertaking its sixth run — this time, Brussels to Paris — from Aug. 6 to 18. “I am passionate about running, about humanity, and doing something physical to show the world that I care, and we should all care about each other,” the 52-year-old Reddy told Silive.com  about the run.

His brother, Jayanth Reddy, and friends Dr. Phil Sigler, James Robinson and Suman Palle, will join him on the trek to Paris to provide emotional, physical and logistical support during the run. Reddy is also a world record holder: he holds the Guinness Book of World Records title of “Fastest 100 km run barefoot in ten hours and 47 minutes.”

An estimated 3,000 people enjoyed a taste of that diversity at the Chatpati Mela on August 22, at the Jackson Heights Green Alliance’s Play Street on 78th Street, organized by Chhaya Community Development Corporation, an organization that helps new immigrants with housing issues since 2000, and has expanded its mandate to doing original research on South Asian communities in the Big Apple.

At the Mela, activists showcased the work of their non-profit organizations and artists displayed their talents as crowds browsed food-stalls and watched performers tracing their origin to the India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet, as well as the Indo-Caribbean cultures in the Western Hemisphere.

“When outsiders think of South Asia, they think of Bollywood. Our cultures are so much more than that,” Afreen Alam, executive director of Chhaya CDC, told the media. The Chatpati Mela celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of New York’s fastest growing immigrant communities, she said. “Our mela captures the layers, the complexity and the dimensions of our cultures,” Alam added.

Chhaya CDC gave out Community Leadership Awards at the event to notable artists, activists, and partners, including Neha Gautam, documentarian and senior trainer at Global Kids; HeartBeat NYC, a youth empowerment, non-governmental organization helping lead earthquake recovery efforts in Nepal; and The Times Ledger newspaper of Queens for highlighting local issues. Groups that performed included Phiroj Syangden and Friends, Chandra Banerjee’s Dance Group, NYC Bhangra, Sharmin Rimu, Virsa Our Tradition, Habibi Express, South Asian Youth Action dance group, and Cholsum Doegar. There was a fashion show, a flash mob, and a paani puri (golgappa) eating contest, a bhangra lesson, children’s art activities, and raffles giving away a television set and much more, a press release from Chhaya said.

Nisha Agarwal, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, presented the Community Leadership Awards. “Chatpati Mela is truly one of my favorite events of the year for the way it brings the community in this neighborhood and the South Asian community together for food and celebration,” Agarwal is quoted saying. She said her office “wants to be an ally” to local groups and “would like to provide you with the resources with your ongoing work.”

Representatives from Chhaya’s partner organizations who attended the event included Queens Museum of Arts, Legal Aid Society, the Business Center for New Americans, Sanctuary for Families, Adhunika Foundation, Acha Sisterhood Himalayan Organization, Grow NYC, Solar One, and Sapna NYC.

There’s more to India and South Asia than Bollywood say organizers of the 5th Annual Chatpati Mela, a festival that celebrates the diversity of the countries from where a large group of new immigrants come to live in New York City, particularly in Queens, N.Y.

According to the organizers, the Mela also showed how youth adapt their ancestral cultures to the ethos of New York. “The younger South Asian generation takes on the traditional music, song and dance and interprets it their own way. That’s how you actually preserve the culture and grow it,” she added. Compared to the state of tension and even enmity in the South Asian Subcontinent between various countries, New York helps experiment with unity, she indicated. “One of our goals is to unite our communities and show how closely we work with each other. New York City brings us together and shows us how to do that,” Alam said.

A U.S. federal judge has rejected a fresh appeal by Indian American former Goldman Sachs director  Rajat Gupta  to overturn his insider trading conviction, ruling that the “hard fact remains” he committed a “serious crime” and pursuing further legal options will serve no purpose.

U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff, who had presided over Gupta’s 2012 trial and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment, said in his ruling that even though Gupta is a “man of many laudable qualities,” the “hard fact remains” that he committed a serious crime. “But the hard fact remains that he committed a serious crime, the overwhelming proof of which has readily survived every challenge. No purpose would be served by further proceedings,” Rakoff said in his order issued in Manhattan federal court on August 5th.

In a memorandum submitted last month in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan late last month, Gupta, 66, had sought a “certificate of appealability” that would have enabled him to appeal Rakoff’s ruling.

In the ruling, the judge had disagreed with Gupta’s claim that there was “insufficient” evidence at trial of him receiving “personal benefits” in exchange for the insider tips he allegedly passed on to now-jailed billionaire hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam.

Denying Gupta’s motion for a certificate of appealability, Rakoff said, “The Court has considered Gupta’s other arguments for issuing a certificate and finds them without merit. “As the Court noted at sentencing, Gupta is a man of many laudable qualities, and his superb attorneys have energetically pursued his defense,” Rakoff said.

Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor Preet Bharara had opposed Gupta’s appeal, saying in court papers that his challenge to the jury’s “well-founded” verdict should now end, as there is “no doubt” he stood to benefit financially from his illegal tips to Rajaratnam. Gupta, convicted on three counts of securities fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, is currently serving his prison term in a facility in Massachusetts, under the same roof as Rajaratnam. His prison term is set to end in March 2016.

Binder Tal, Baldev Tal and Sharifal Mintu, three Indian Americans were arrested on bank  fraud  and money laundering charges, Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced August 4^th. Baldev Tal was arrested on the morning of Aug. 4 in Orefield, Penn., and appeared in Philadelphia federal court later that afternoon. Mintu was arrested the same morning in Orange County, New York, and appeared in White Plains federal court later that morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison. Binder Tal remains at large. Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud and one count of conspiring to commit money laundering.

According to the allegations in the complaint unsealed Aug. 4 in White Plains federal court, from at least in or about 2007 through in or about July 2015, Binder Tal, Baldev Tal and Mintu fraudulently obtained loans and lines of credit from banks, credit unions and other lending institutions.

The defendants obtained the loans by providing materially false information to the lenders about the borrowers’ assets, including false information about the borrowers’ employment and income. Through their scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators fraudulently obtained more than $2.5 million in proceeds in connection with dozens of loan applications and applications for lines of credit. The vast majority of the loans and lines of credit went into default, and millions of dollars were not repaid.

As part of their fraud scheme, the defendants used the proceeds to personally enrich themselves and their families. Binder Tal, Baldev Tal and Mintu each face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the charge of conspiring to commit bank fraud and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the charge of conspiring to commit money laundering.

Malina Singh, an Indian-American woman was sentenced to at least two years in prison for hitting and killing a pedestrian in New York last year, a media report said. Singh, 21, a resident of Lake Luzerne in New York, appeared before Saratoga County judge Matthew Sypniewski on Monday, this week, Timesunion.com reported.

In addition to the sentencing, Singh was asked to install an ignition interlock device in every vehicle she owns or drives for three years upon her release from prison. On June 22, Singh admitted she was drunk while driving and killed Jonathon L. Rogers, 34, as he was walking on September 4 last year. Rogers was rushed to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Singh pleaded guilty to charges of vehicular manslaughter. Rogers’ mother told the court that the family would now face difficulties in surviving and his children would have to live without a father.

Dr. Islam Siddiqui, an Indian American, has been appointed president of the newly-formed institution, American Muslim Institution. The new group in the Washington, D.C. area announced Aug. 5 the formation of the American Muslim Institution, a nonprofit organization, is to provide reliable information and advice to public and policy makers on Islam and Muslims.

“We need constructive solutions to current and emerging problems emanating from wrong perceptions and misinformation about Islam and Muslims in America,” Dr. Islam Siddiqui, stated in a press release.

“Our mission is to work for a world of co-existence through inclusiveness and participation. As a member of a diverse family of faiths, our efforts will be directed towards justice and equality to attain peace for Americans with a firm grounding in commonly held values,” Siddiqui added.

Siddiqui is a former U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture and Chief Agricultural Negotiator and was the highest ranking American Muslim in the United States government under the Clinton and Obama administrations.

Sri Venkateswara Temple of Central Ohio has been formally launched in Powell with four-day long ancient rituals and celebrations. Grand Opening, Utsava Murthy Prana Prathishthapanam and Sri Venkateswara Kalyanotsavam celebrations included various poojas, homams, viniyogams, agnipratishtha, kumbha-abhishekam, etc.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended efforts of Temple leaders and area community for realizing this Hindu temple. Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this new Temple would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.

This in Powell is the temporary location of the Temple, which opens daily. Management is in the process of acquiring land in nearby Galena, which will be its permanent location, reports suggest. Ravishankar Kuruganti, Shiva Pattisapu, Nat Rammohan and Anantha Padmanabhan are the President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary respectively of the Temple Executive Committee; while Ramakrishna Garu is the Priest.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents. There are about three million Hindus in USA. Powell, an affluent city first settled around 1801, was listed in the “100 Best Places to Live in the United States”. Jim Hrivnak is the Mayor.

The Punjabi American Organization (PAO) organized their 11th annual Teeyan Da Mela recently at Bristol Palace Banquet in Mt Prospect.

As many as 600 women in the Midwest region of the US, dressed in colourful Indian clothes, actively participated in the ladies-only event, showing their hidden dancing, singing and other skills.

The event took place under the guidance of Naiha Walia, president of PAO which introduced ‘Mrs Punjaban’ contest this year.

A fashion show was sponsored by Richa from getethnic.com,

The venue was decorated with Punjabi dupattas, saris, and other traditional Punjabi dresses as well as with colorful clothes, flowers, and garlands. There were stalls of henna, bangles, facial makeup, and Indian dresses giving the feeling of a traditional Indian fair.

The chief guest was Satwant Kaur Kaler and the Grand sponsor was Jasmeet Suga–Suga Builders. Other Gold sponsors were Amrita Dandona, Amardeep Lamba Agency and Marybeth and Greg Cerniglia- S&C Insurnace.

Other sponsors who have been supporting the event year after year are Minni and Guljar Multani, Manjit and Gurdev Pelia from Pelia Petroleum, Rahul Jain from Mast Masala, Jesse Singh Remax Realtor, Renee and Nick Gakhal, Kalsi construction company, Punjab sports and cultural club, Parminder Kaur, Davinder Kaur, Varinder Kaur, Gundeep Kaur, Punjab Sports Club.

The food was catered to by Maharaja Restaurant.

Former President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Shri H.S. Hanspal, who was instrumental to the writing of milestones in “Punjabi” along with English and Hindi in the state of Haryana, amongst various other significant changes that he brought about during his term,  was feted by the Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC, USA). here in New York on Saturday June 27, 2015 at the Diwan Restaurant, Patel Plaza, Hicksville in Long Island where almost fifty Congress supporters and friends gathered around at a very short notice to honor the visiting dignitary.

General Secretary of INOC, USA Mr. Harbachan Singh in welcoming him recalled some of the significant achievements of the Chief Guest, which were applauded by the attendees and requested him to continue to provide his valuable advice and leadership to the party at this critical juncture.

The President of the Punjab Chapter Mr. Tejinder Singh Gill thanked him for accepting the invitation and pleaded for the rapid resolution of some of the ills, e.g., alcoholism, that were holding back the rapid development of Punjab and asked for the an effective link between NRIs and the Punjab Congress party to work jointly.

The Chairman of INOC Mr. George Abraham and the President of INOC Mr. Juned Qazi both spoke at length on the steadfastness and the solid strength of the Indian National Overseas Congress, USA and pointedly elaborated on the esteemed value and unwavering support of each of the senior officials of the party apparatus in New York. They also recounted some of the significant achievements of INOC, USA over the recent past.

Senior Vice President Mr. Mohinder Singh Gilzian,  Mr. John Joseph, President of the Tamil Nadu Chapter and Mr. Zinda Singh, President of the Delhi Chapter, and other officials such as Mr. Prasad Kambhampathy  also welcomed him and spoke on the current need to strategize and reinforce the party with new enthusiasm and vigor. Prof. Inderjit Saluja of Indian Panorama also lauded the Chief Guest for his years of dedicated service to the nation.

Shri H.S. Hanspal was highly impressed at the unity and deep commitment of the INOC,USA and its officials.  In his very inspirational speech, he said that when the chips are down, you have shown political maturity to not lose hope but instead has inspired others here and in India to remain strong.  He said he will take back this very encouraging and comforting fact to appraise the senior officials back home. He added that you not only have a very important role to play in the development of both better relations between India and USA but also help in various ways the motherland and its development.  He praised the hardworking NRIs and the contribution they were making and regretted that not enough attention has been paid to them by New Delhi.  He informed the audience that his doors were always open in New Delhi and welcomed everyone to visit him when they were visiting home.

CHICAGO, IL — Propounding the path of Bhagwan Mahavira, an ardent devotee of Shrimad Rajchandraji, Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai is a spiritual visionary and modern-day mystic. The founder of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur, Pujya Gurudevshri has illuminated numerous lives across the globe through enlightening discourses and an array of meditation retreats.

His divine benevolence has touched scores of underprivileged lives through the ten fold Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care Programme, At present the Mission has 80 centres spread across the globe in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. In addition, over 225 centres worldwide mould the youth and children, shaping a brighter future for them

Pujya Gurudevshri was accorded an affectionate welcome at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport, where He spent endearing moments interacting with seekers. The Master gave spirituality a new meaning through three transformational pravachans at the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago. He empowered aspirants with techniques to translate profound knowledge into practical wisdom.

Through everyday situations one encounters, he demonstrated how each one is responsible for their own joy and sorrow. While it appears as though circumstances determine one’s reactions, it is actually an individual’s independent choice.

The spiritual guru further elucidated that the power to make the right choice is gained from the strength of one’s spiritual practices and satsang. Constantly studying oneself and remaining in awareness play a key role in strengthening one’s inner muscles. Introspection enables a shift in one’s values and thus in one’s perception of the world.

It is this shift that gives one a new perspective of life and alters one’s interpretations of the occurrences in daily life. One may begin by only being able to see the physical–that which is plainly visible to the eyes. Moving ahead, with education and enhanced thinking, one gains intelligence and deeper insight.

As one progresses, one develops the power of discrimination and is able to make decisions which are in favour of that which is spiritually beneficial. Finally, the inward journey leads him to experience invisible inner bliss.

Seekers were inspired to forge ahead on the path of liberation and bring about an inner revolution in their lives. Expressing their gratitude towards Pujya Gurudevshri, the committee members of the Jain Centre of Chicago felicitated the Master.

Pujya Gurudevshri graced the residences of several seekers, blessing them with memories of a lifetime. It was amid joyous chanting that pious pratishthas ensued at the abodes of Jagdishbhai-Shobhaben Shah and Manish-Anchal Jain, consecrating the Divine in their hearts and homes.

Aspirants boarded the Summer of George cruise for an evening of elevation with the Sadguru. Views of the Chicago skyline faded in the Master’s captivating aura as energetic dance dedications uplifted spirits and melted hearts. Binding seekers with the thread of purity, Pujya Gurudevshri proceeded to his next destination on his dharmayatra.

New York, NY: August 4, 2015 – Inspired by the Oak Creek sangat’s Chardhi Kala 6K Memorial Walk/Run, the Sikh Coalition organized a third annual National Day of Seva, in remembrance and solidarity for those who were injured and killed on August 5, 2012 in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

In the spirit of Chardi Kala (eternal optimism) Sikhs and non-Sikhs participated in 20 service projects across 16 cities, which showcased that we will never allow misguided hatred or bigotry to prevail. These projects included langar services, packing meals for those in need, park clean-ups, toy drives, book readings and Habitat for Humanity projects.

“The Sikh community knows the pain and trauma that hatred brings,” said the Sikh Coalition’s Community Development Manager, Harjit Kaur. “From Oak Creek to Charleston, the seva projects reminded Americans that acts of hatred are not an attack against one, they are an attack against us all. Our resilience and strength to combat hate across our country was showcased this weekend.”

Through the Sikh Coalition’s partnership with local leaders, we also ensured that Americans who did not participate heard this message as well. The Detroit News, Huffington Post, Huffington Post Live, Modesto Bee, NBC News, Times of India and Hindustan Times were just some of the many news outlets to cover the seva projects across the country.

“Thank you to all of the community leaders who helped organize and coordinate their local seva projects and for every sevadaar who participated this past weekend,” said the organizers of the events across the nation. “Without your time and work, none of this impact would have been possible. We are also inspired by the hundreds of participants who joined the Oak Creek community for their annual Chardhi Kala Walk/Run. The Sikh community will continue to honor the lives lost in Oak Creek through seva. Our resolve to combat the problem of hate in our nation remains unwavering.”

An 18-feet wooden chariot seating newly-arrived idols of Jagannath (Sri Krishna), his elder brother Balarama and their younger sister Subhadra from India, the three gods central to Rath Yatra (chariot festival), an annual religious rite for Hindus, was pulled by scores of devotees at the Wayne Hindu Temple in New Jersey during the annual July 18 event.

Hundreds of people, both young and old, took part in the procession, including from New Jersey, New York, and also some from Pennsylvania. Men and women in colorful attire gathered early on to the scene for the festival organized by ICS-NJ Mahatma Gandhi Center & Lord Jagannath devotees.

Devotees pulled the chariots on each side of the Rath with great feelings of devotion. It was a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together and experience the great festivity. The sanctity of the festival is such that even a touch of the chariot or even the ropes with which these are pulled is considered enough to confer the results of several pious deeds or penance for ages.

A devotee associated with the event said that this year was very special for devotees due to Nabakalebara, the periodical renewal of the wooden images of the gods at Puri Temple in Odisha, India, the original abode of the4 gods. Devotees witnessed the rare Nabakalebara Rath Yatra, which comes every 12 years.

Rath Yatra festival marks the annual journey of three deities Lord Jagannath, brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra from the temple in a splendidly decorated wooden chariot.

Mahapuja (worship) began with sacred yagna (fire ritual) around in late noon by priests Arvind Sastri and Pitambar Sarangi.

Temple officials like Dilliswar Sahu, Dhiren Das, Akhil Patel, Kaushik Patel and Jayesh Patel participated in the Nabakalebara puja. More than 600 hundred devotees attended the puja and the pahandi (ritual journey of the gods) followed by Chera Panhara (symbolic cleansing around the chariot) and pulling of the beautiful chariot.

“The devotees pulled the chariots with great tempo. It was a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy the festival. The sanctity of the festival is such that even a touch of the chariot or even the ropes with which these are pulled is considered equal enough to several pious deeds or penance for ages,” the devotee who identified himself as Pradeep, said.

New York, NY: Bhavuk Uppal, an Indian American, accused of driving with suspended license and allegedly killing three people in a New Jersey road accident, faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted on the second degree multiple count charges, media report said here last week.

Bhavuk Uppal, 22, was driving drunk and allegedly hit a car that, in turn, crashed into an SUV, on July 10. The car had three occupants – a young pregnant women, her husband and their infant child. Uppal who has a long history of motor vehicle violations, has been charged with three counts of death by automobile, two counts of assault by automobile, causing death or injury and possession of drug paraphernalia as well as driving while intoxicated, media reports stated.

“He has infractions for speeding, unsafe driving, driving without a license, fictitious plates, reckless driving, driving while suspended and has been involved in multiple crashes,” prosecutor Matthew Brown was quoted as saying. The authorities were awaiting results from the blood alcohol levels tests.

“If the charges are to remain at second degree, he could be jailed for 50 years. If upgraded, it could be life,” added chief assistant prosecutor Matthew Troiano. Meanwhile, Morristown Superior Court Judge William McGovern has increased Uppal’s bail from the initial $300,000 with no 10 percent option to $750,000 with no 10 percent option. Uppal is currently in the Morristown County Correctional Facility and the next court hearing is set for August 11.

Ground Breaking Ceremony (Bhoomi Puja) for “Winston Salem Hindu Temple” in Clemmons (North Carolina) was held on June 11; which included pujas, aaradhana, havan, kalasha pradakshina, samprokshnas, etc. Besides worship services, this 3,600-square-foot Temple will also organize festivals, celebrations, special events, etc., and besides sanctuary, will also include classrooms and a community center, reports suggest.

To be built by Om Hindu Organization of North Carolina and Sri Mata Shaktipeetham, 7.6 acres have reportedly been purchased for this purpose. Construction, after consultations with temple architects in India, will start later this year.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada, commended efforts of Temple leaders and area community for realizing this Hindu temple complex.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this new Temple would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.

It plans to have the shrines of Lalithaambika, Kaameshwara, Ganapathy, Balaji, Aditya, Shirdi Sai, Ram Parivar, Radha Krishna, Valli-Devasena-Subrahmanya, Ayyappa, Hanuman, Dhanvantri, and Navagraha; besides a Dwaja Sthambam. Estimated Cost for Lalithaambika shrine at $75,000 is highest among all of the shrines.

This will be the first Hindu temple of Forsyth County, where about 500 Hindu families reside. In the absence of a temple, the area Hindus have been travelling to Charlotte and Cary, besides worshipping at home shrines.

“A Hindu Temple stands for Tranquility, Education, Meditation, Purification, Love and Engagement”, according to Temple website. Dr. Sudhakar Pandit, Swami Rajendran and Krishna Surabhi are Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary respectively. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents. There are about three million Hindus in USA.