Chirag Shetty Clinches BWF French Open 2024

The Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty beat Lee Jhe Huei and Yang Po Hsuan from Chinese Taipei to win the French Open 2024 title at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena on Sunday, March 10, 2024.

The World No. 1 badminton duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty called the BWF French Open final victory at Paris a sweet one as they played really good badminton at this venue. Satwiksairaj-Chirag defeated Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan 21-11, 21-17 on Sunday.

After clinching the title, Satwik opened up on his unique dance celebration which both the players performed. The ace shuttler asserted that they have started celebrating like this from the Thomas Cup.

“It all started from Thomas Cup and it became a habit and it has been a long time since we danced. It is after the fourth finals. We just wanted to go and have fun and let them earn points and the match. We wanted to give our 100 percent and enjoy. Even Mathias (Boe) kept telling us to have fun and we got back our rhythm and the momentum changed,” Satwik said after the match.

Further, Chirag spoke about their opponents Taipei’s Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan. He admitted that although their rankings are not that high they are good players and they didn’t take them lightly during the whole game.

“They had some good weeks, they have beaten some good oppositions, and we knew we can’t take them lightly, their ranking might not be high but they have always been a formidable game. So we are happy that we could take that first game and after initial jittery take the second as well,” Chirag asserted.

Chirag Shetty Clinches BWF French Open 2024 2In the end, Chirag talked about their participation in the upcoming edition of the Paris Olympics 2024, which will be played in the same venue as the French Open 2024.

“It feels really sweet. Paris has always been special for us and we have always played good badminton here and it has been a second home for us. It is a test venue for the Olympics but that is still some months away. I would be lying if I said that I am not enjoying that (winning at the Olympic venue) but we won this final. There is another tournament next week, so looking forward to that,” Chirag stated.

Coming to the match, from the start, the Indian pair of Chirag and Satwiksairaj dominated Chinese Taipei’s Lee-Yang. In the first set, Chirag-Satwiksairaj clinched a 21-11 win over their opponents to take an early advantage.

However, Lee-Yang gave a good fight in the second set against the Indian pair. But Chirag-Satwiksairaj were strong enough to hold the pressure and beat their opponents 21-17 in the second set to win the final match.

The victory also marked Satwik and Chirag’s second French Open title. Earlier in the semi-final round, Rankireddy and Chirag beat the current world champions Kang Minhyuk and Seo Seungjae of South Korea 21-13, 21-16 in two straight games to reach their third French Open final.

The 2022 French Open champions faced a great challenge from the South Koreans in the first game, with scores once level at 5-5. From then on, Satwiksairaj and Chirag won six points on the trot and never looked back from there, as per Olympics.com.

After a convincing win in the first game, Satwiksairaj and Chirag soon gained an upper hand in the second game as well. Though Kang and Seo tried to fight back, the early lead by the Indians helped them win the match in 40 minutes.

President Biden’s Reelection Campaign Launches Youth Outreach Initiative: Students for Biden-Harris

President Biden’s reelection campaign is embarking on a new endeavor, introducing a fresh initiative aimed at connecting with young Americans as the general election approaches. The campaign is rolling out Students for Biden-Harris, a program centered on assembling a substantial volunteer base of youthful supporters through various student-led organizations across the country. This move coincides with the potential pivotal role that Gen Z and younger millennials, individuals under 30, might play in the upcoming 2024 presidential race.

Eve Levenson, the Director of Youth Engagement for the campaign, emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating, “This is the primary way for a student to get involved right now,” as reported by NPR. Students for Biden-Harris marks the formal commencement of a youth outreach strategy spearheaded by Levenson. The launch initiates a vigorous recruitment drive for volunteers, with subsequent plans to aid students in establishing chapters or presence in their high schools and colleges, fostering collaboration with these volunteers throughout the electoral cycle.

The campaign is pursuing multiple avenues to engage with young people in anticipation of the election. Among these efforts is “relational organizing,” where volunteers are equipped with campaign materials to directly reach out to individuals in their communities. This approach will be integral to both Students for Biden-Harris and other endeavors targeting young people beyond college campuses.

Furthermore, the announcement follows closely on the heels of the Biden campaign’s recent launch of an affiliated TikTok account, a move perceived as a nod to the app’s popularity among younger Americans. Despite this outreach, the White House is advocating for legislation that would effectively ban TikTok under its current ownership by the Chinese company ByteDance.

While Gen Z and younger millennials largely supported Biden in 2020, securing their support in the upcoming election isn’t assured. According to the latest Harvard Youth Poll, voters under 30 are displaying diminished enthusiasm compared to four years ago. Despite substantial turnout in recent major elections, this demographic remains divided in their support for Biden, particularly in light of criticisms regarding his handling of issues like the conflict in Gaza and emerging movements advocating for ‘Uncommitted’ votes in the Democratic primary.

Acknowledging these concerns, the campaign underscores that the youth vote isn’t monolithic, with no single issue defining it. Highlighting other areas of importance to young voters, such as safeguarding abortion access and the administration’s efforts to address climate change and student loan forgiveness, the campaign aims to bridge information gaps.

Levenson emphasizes the need to address these informational deficits, stating, “Young people have fought for so many things and so much has gotten done. People don’t necessarily know what it is that’s gotten done.”

The launch of Students for Biden-Harris coincides with Biden receiving endorsements from numerous organizations focused on young voters, including Voters of Tomorrow, NextGen PAC, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund. However, recent demands from progressive organizations emphasizing the necessity for bolder action from the president indicate ongoing pressure. In a letter issued ahead of Biden’s State of the Union address, these organizations outlined a “Finish the Job Agenda,” urging Biden to declare a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and championing a progressive agenda that resonates with younger generations.

“Going into 2024, you must run on a bold and progressive agenda that invests in our generation and recognizes the need for immediate action to combat the issues of our time,” the letter emphasized, urging Biden to demonstrate unwavering commitment to the concerns of younger voters.

AAPI Brings Together Leaders In Medical Education Regulatory Boards From India, USA & UK During GHS 2024

India, home to one of the oldest medicinal systems in the world has made remarkable progress in medical education in the recent past. As the world is evolving to meet the ever-changing needs, medical education in India is moving forward with the objective of enabling every medical graduate and postgraduate to be the best in the world. Several changes are being made for graduates from Indian schools to be at par and for easy mobilization around the world, with the goal of making India the medical education hub for the world.

AAPI Global edIn this context, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), which has been leading efforts to help streamline medical education in India to meet the global standards, assembled a galaxy of medical regulatory organization leaders from India, the United Kingdom and the United States during the 17th annual Global Healthcare Summit in New Delhi, India on January 2, 2024.

Leaders of National Board of Examination in Medical Science (NBEMS) India, National Board of Examination in Medical Science (NBME) USA, and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) were among the panelists that discussed and educated the aspiring medical students from some of the premium Medical Schools in India who had keenly participated at the panel discussion.

Dr. Lokesh Edara, BOT-Chair Elect and Dr. Sumul N. Raval, current Secretary of AAPI led and coordinated the initiative. During a prior meeting with AAPI leaders last year, they had invited AAPI leaders and those from other US regulatory bodies at the meeting to visit his office in New Delhi during their current visit to India. AAPI leaders invited the leadership of these regulatory groups to the AAPI annual convention in Philadelphia in July 2023 and to the AAPI Global Healthcare Summit meeting in New Delhi in January 2024.

Describing the initiative as “a historic mile stone and a testament to the commitment of AAPI towards Global Medical Education,” Dr. Lokesh Edara said, “AAPI is providing amazing opportunity to connect the medical education and licensing boards of USA (NBME, FSMB) and from India (NMC, NBEMS, AIIMS) to learn from one other’s experiences, sharing vital insights and collaboration on future endeavors, mutual exchange of ideas, sharing of best practices that are critical for advancing medical education and enhancing examination process, assuring high standards for protecting public health will positively shape the medical education.”

20240102 153214AAPI Global Medical Education has led this effort taking the delegation to the Indian National Board of Examinations in medical science NBEMS (nbe.edu.in) which conducts examination for the 1.8 million students and UG entrance examination across India and conduct the PG NNET entrance examination for 200,000 students annually. AAPI has been able to connect their visits to the National Medical Commission (NMC – nmc.org.in) that monitors ll700+ medical collges,100,000 MBBS admisisions,60,000 post graduate admissions and their education. During panel discussions lasting more than 3 hours of their experiences and their challenges.

The Indian delegation consisted of Dr. B.N. Gangadhar, Chairman, National Medical Commission; Dr. Aruna V. Vanikar, President, Undergraduate Medical Education Board, Dr Vijay Oza, President, Postgraduate Medical Education Board.

NBEMS (INDIA) was represented by Dr Abhijat Sheth, President of NBEMS, Dr Minu Bajpai, Executive Director of NBEMS; Dr Rakesh Sharma, member Director of NBEMS. NBEMS India also has more than 14000 PG seats in many specialties.

FSMB delegates included: Dr. Humayun Chaudhry, President CEO of FSMB, Dr Jeffery Crater, Chair Board of directors FSMB, Kate Lynn Templeton, Chair-Elect Board of directors FSMB, and Dr Sarvam Terkonda, past Chair Board of directors FSMB.

NBME had the following members at the Panel: Dr. Peter Katsufrakis President CEO of FSMB and Dr. Reena Karani, Chair Board of directors NBME (USA).

Jeffrey D. Carter, MD (Missouri) Chair of the FSMB is a distinguished medical professional, and was elected to the FSMB Board of Directors in 2017. Dr. Sarvam TerKonda (Past Chair, FSMB USA) is a highly regarded plastic surgeon based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Ms. Katie Templeton JD (Chair-elect, FSMB,USA), and Prof. Hasmukh Shah, Recruitment and Training in UK were some of the others from the Medical education field, who were part of the distinguished panelists.

Dr. Sheth presented the NBEMS mission and PG NEET examination, FMGE examination and more than 50 specialties for postgraduate and super specialties courses they are conducting and graduating. Dr. Katsufrakis provided an update on the NBME history and current examination-system.

Se, Edara urged Dr. Sheth to increase family medicine PG seats and nationalized formative assessment tests in theory part for all postgraduates and for post-graduate exit theory examination suggested computerized online test. Nationwide E-Learning systems for higher transfer of Knowledge in medical education.

Feature and Cover AAPI Brings Together Leaders In Medical Education Regulatory Boards From India USA & UK During GHS 2024Dr. Raval said, “In order for us to meet the unprecedented demand and to bring up the quality of education, the Indian medical education system is changing rapidly. The meeting today was a great beginning to facilitate collaborative efforts between India and the United States.”

Medical education has many challenges in the transfer of knowledge and quality. India is introducing the NEXT examination, which is the licensing examination similar to USML in the US, while the UKMLE is starting in the UK in 2024 in the place of PLAB examination. NMC has applied for WFME Recognition status, which is mandatory to apply for USMLE examination.

NBEMS is responsible for NEET PG Entrance Test, which is taken up by more than 200,000 students annually. 694 Medical schools in India with106,083 MBBs admissions per year selected from 2.1 million applicants through the UG NEET examination across India in 3 hours. The current government policy has been to have one medical college in every district to meet the growing needs of India,

FSMB federation of state medical boards leadership (fsmb.org) and NBME National board of examination USA (nbme.org) leadership is visiting India for the first time in 30 years.

“Overview National Board of Examinations” was the main theme discussed during the meeting. AAPI hopes the excellence gained through long term vision, insight and hard work with both organizations and exchange of ideas and challenges will benefit the medical education system in India and help tens of thousands of medical graduates coming from India to have recognition in the US.

AAPI educationExpressing appreciation for Dr. Edara and Dr. Raval for taking the lead in facilitating interaction and dialogue between the Medical Education Boards of India and the United States, Dr. Anjana Samadder, President of AAPI said, “Since its inception over four decades ago, AAPI has been in the forefront advocating for medical school education reform and for the medical graduates from India to be treated on par with their counterparts in India. India is already leading the global pharmaceutical industry, and rebooting medical education will help India enter the league of leaders in healthcare around the world. The meeting today was a great start, and I look forward to AAPI continuing to lead such efforts in the coming years benefitting the medical fraternity.” For more information on AAPI and its many initiatives, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

Indian-Origin Ninth Grader Wins Congressional App Challenge In New York

Bianca Jain’s app on cancer awareness won the Congressional app challenge in NY’s 17th Congressional District.

Indian-origin ninth-grade student Bianca Jain has won the Congressional App Challenge in the 17th Congressional District in New York. The Briarcliff High School freshman student created an app promoting awareness about cancer causes.

As per data from the National Cancer Institute, 609,820 people were estimated to die of cancer in the U.S. in 2023. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) lists cancer among the top two leading causes of death in the U.S. However, cancer awareness has continued to remain poor in developing as well as developed countries. Jain was inspired to create the app after discovering that someone known to her had developed the ailment.

“People said it is probably genetic, but I wanted to learn more about it and I realized that only a small percentage of people get cancer because of their genes and that it is mostly because of a lifestyle,” Jain said in a statement posted by her school.

“I wanted to create an app that will help people have more awareness so that maybe they could prevent it,” she added. The app contains a questionnaire that people can answer about their background and lifestyle. Jain wanted to disprove the idea that cancer is influenced by genetics, but much more influenced by a person’s lifestyle.

Jain submitted the research material she put together to her parents who directed her to participate in the congressional app challenge. The app allows people to assess if they fall in the high-risk category.

“It’s a win-win in the sense that she was learning more about preventing cancer, but also at the same time, using that knowledge to create social awareness,” said Jain’s father. “Getting rewarded for it is the cherry on top,” he added.

Rep. Mike Lawler of New York’s 17th Congressional District dropped by at Briarcliff High earlier this month to hand the award to Jain.

“I knew who Congressman Lawler was, but when he came to the class with my parents, I did not understand what was happening,” Jain said. “When he mentioned the Congressional App Challenge, it made more sense. I was really shocked, and I am really happy right now. I didn’t expect this.”

The Consulate General of India’s office in New York shared a congratulatory message for Jain, in a post on X. “Heartiest congratulations to Bianca Jain for winning Congressional App Challenge for New York’s 17th Congressional District,” the post read. Lawler also posted about paying Jain a visit at school, where he extended her an invite to attend the award ceremony scheduled to take place at the New York State Capitol in April 2024.

Rep. Ami Bera Awards $225K In Support Of College Readiness Initiative

Indian American  Representative Ami Bera has announced that Improve Your Tomorrow, a Sacramento-based nonprofit, has been chosen to receive a federal award of $225,900 per year to enhance college readiness for youth in the Sacramento area.

The funding, facilitated through AmeriCorps VISTA, will sustain ten year-round service positions at the local level, a release from the congressman’s office said. Improve Your Tomorrow is dedicated to empowering and uplifting young men of color across California by providing support for them to pursue and successfully complete their college education.

“I am thrilled to share that Improve Your Tomorrow has been chosen to receive over $225,000 in federal funding, furthering their vital mission of empowering Sacramento young men of color to pursue and graduate from college,” said Rep Bera.

“This kind of unwavering support from Congress member Ami Bera and AmeriCorps California showcases a commitment to expanding service opportunities that address critical achievement gaps within our education system,” said Michael Lynch, CEO and co-founder of Improve Your Tomorrow.

“Thanks to the advocacy of youth champions like Congressman Bera, Improve Your Tomorrow will harness the transformative power of the VISTA program—a pinnacle of professional service opportunities in our state. This investment in at-promise youth will undoubtedly propel improved outcomes for the thousands of young men of color we are dedicated to serving,” he added.

In addition to the announced award, AmeriCorps will contribute over $68,950 annually in education scholarships for the AmeriCorps VISTA members who receive support from this award. These scholarships aim to assist with financing college education, vocational training, or the repayment of student loans.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for service and volunteering, unites individuals to address the nation’s most critical challenges through national service and volunteering initiatives. Annually, tens of thousands of AmeriCorps members engage in service at over 21,000 schools, nonprofits, community and faith-based organizations, as well as state, tribal, and local governments throughout the country.

India Announces Scholarship Program For Diaspora Children (SPDC) Scheme For Year 2023 -24

India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India has launched the Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) scheme for the academic year 2023-24 to assist the Children of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)/ Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who are pursuing Undergraduate courses in several disciplines (except medical courses) in Indian Universities/Institutes.

The SPDC scheme provides them financial assistance towards tuition fee, admission fee and post admission charges. Since its launch in 2006-2007, the scheme guidelines have been revised over the years to increase the number of scholarships to 150 and the beneficiary can be of any country provided certain conditions are met. (Revised SPDC guidelines are at https://spdcindia.gov.in/login/guideline.php).

Following are the main features of the SPDC for the academic year 2023-24:-

(i) The SPDC Scheme is applicable to eligible applicants from NRI/PIO/OCI community in all foreign countries.

(ii) Students who have already secured admission in Indian institutions are eligible to apply. The scheme can only be availed by 1st year Undergraduate students (not 2nd or 3rd year students) as it provides scholarship for the entire duration of the Undergraduate course.

(iii) The scheme is open to following two categories in the age group of 17 to 21 years, as on July 31, 2023:

(a) Children of PIOs/OCIs/NRIs who have studied outside India in any of the foreign countries; and

(b) Children of Indian workers in ECR countries (who have studied in India or abroad).

(iv) The total number of scholarships under the SPDC programme is 150, out of which 50 slots are reserved for Children of Indian Workers in ECR countries. Further, out of these 50 slots, one-third of slots (i.e. 17 slots ) shall be reserved for those Children of Indian Workers in ECR countries who have studied in India.

(v) The selection of applicants for scholarships will be on Merit-cum-Means basis.

(vi) Applicants from all the categories must have passed grade 11th and 12th from abroad. However, under the category of Children of Indian Workers in ECR countries, who have studied in India, the applicant must have passed grade 11th and 12th or equivalent examination from a system of education recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

(vii) Following institutions are covered under the SPDC Scheme:

(a) Central Universities of India offering Undergraduate courses;

(b) ‘A’ Grade institutions accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and recognized by UGC.

(c) National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Schools of Planning and Architecture and Indian Institutes of Information and Technology (IIITs) through DASA Scheme.

(viii) The amount of scholarship admissible would be 75% of the total Institutional Economic Cost (IEC) subject to a maximum of US$ 4,000/- per annum. IEC includes Tuition fees, Hostel fees & other institutional charges (Food charges are excluded).

(ix) The total monthly income of the parent(s) of the NRIs/PIOs/OCIs category applicants should not exceed an amount equivalent to US$ 5000/- and the total monthly income of the parent(s) of the Indian Workers in ECR category applicants should not exceed an amount equivalent of US$ 3000/-.

  1. Indian youth/Indian origin youth, who have taken admission in courses in India in Academic Year 2023-24 and are eligible for the scheme, can apply for the scholarship through SPDC portal (https://spdcindia.gov.in) at the earliest.

Women Who Win Co-Founder Shaleen Sheth Among BostInno 25 Under 25 2023 List

The honorees for BostInno’s 25 Under 25 for 2023 include several South Asians, including Women Who Win Co-founder Shaleen Sheth.

The class of 2023 includes a nonprofit leader supporting refugees and immigrants in their entrepreneurial ventures; a high schooler bringing virtual reality to the elderly; a university founder building a platform to connect students across college campuses; and recent graduates who are already leaders in local institutions like Greentown Labs and Techstars Boston, Bostinno said in releasing the winners of this year.

This year’s honorees also include Women Who Win co-founder Shaleen Sheth. Ms. Sheth founded Women Who Win with Dr. Manju Sheth, MD and Dr. Deepa Jhaveri, president of Indian Medical Association of New England.

“A graduate of Babson College, Sheth wanted to use her background in entrepreneurship to amplify the voices of women and minority communities. Women Who Win has conducted hundreds of interviews with female leaders across the world. This includes notable Boston figures such as Dr. Reshma Kewalramani, CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals,” said Bostinno, a digital publication of the Boston Business Journal.

Bostinno said that Ms. Sheth, 25, is also an advocate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, and has received the Massachusetts Commission for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders’ Unsung Hero award earlier this year and was appointed as the youngest advisory council member for Saheli Boston, a nonprofit which supports South Asian and Arab survivors of domestic violence.

Shaan Arora, 22; Cory Gill, 22; co-founders of Alia Software Inc.: Shaan Arora and Cory Gill have been hustlers since they started as freshmen at Northeastern University. They are the co-founders of Alia Software, an embedded Shopify app for ecommerce retailers. The app allows shoppers to learn more about the business’ story and products and get rewarded for doing so, helping to increase conversions and sales, according to Bostinno.

Arora dreamed up the idea for Alia in December 2021 to help his mom tell her own brand’s story on her Shopify store and assembled a team to help him live out the idea. On top of his busy schedule with Alia, he graduated from Northeastern in May 2023 with a degree in computer science and business. Gill is graduating this December from Northeastern with a degree in finance and economics. Both will be working on Alia full-time, said Bostinno.

Johar Singh, 22; Taha Moukara, 21; Josh Bruehwiler, 22; co-founders of Astra Wellbeing: The three co-founders of Astra Wellbeing all had their own brushes with the hospital system, from surviving severe medical conditions and injuries to seeing their family members serve on the frontlines during the Covid-19 pandemic, said Bostinno. These experiences gave the three a personal appreciation for healthcare workers and a glimpse into some of the challenges they face — namely, burnout and turnover.

As students at Boston University, Johar Singh, Josh Bruehwiler, and Taha Moukara founded Astra Wellbeing, an SMS-based wellness platform that they say can improve the wellbeing of frontline healthcare employees through positive reinforcement. One year in, Astra Wellbeing has rolled out pilots of its platform to thousands of employees at Boston hospitals, won Boston University’s two biggest student innovation competitions and been accepted into MassChallenge, according to Bostinno.

Venkat Sundaram, 18, founder of Andover Alumni Angels: Venkat Sundaram founded Andover Alumni Angels (AAA) as a rising-senior at Phillips Academy in June 2022, said Bostinno. Sundaram says AAA is the first high school alumni angel investment group. It’s made of Phillips Academy alumni who invest in Phillips Academy alumni-affiliated startups. This summer Andover Alumni Angels celebrated its first anniversary. In its first fifteen months, the group has raised $1.4 million, made 24 individual investments and brought together a group of more than 120 angel investors, according to Bostinno. “While Sundaram is now a student at The University of Texas at Austin, he continues to lead AAA. He hopes AAA inspires people of all ages to explore angel investing and invest in entrepreneurs and businesses around the world,” said Bostinno.

Neena Tarafdar, 17, founder of the Lotus Project: Neena Tarafdar is the founder of the Lotus Project, a volunteer organization that pairs Massachusetts high schoolers with Tibetan students for individualized English tutoring and cultural exchange. Tarafdar is half Tibetan and her mom’s side of the family lives in Tibet, according to Bostinno. The Tibetan students range from kindergarten to college age.

Tarafdar said she wanted to help connect the students, who are often isolated and underserved, with the broader global community. Today, the organization has taught more than 500 classes and has its own English curriculum tailored for students of all levels, according to Bostinno. Tarafdar is a senior at Newton South High School where she is varsity captain of the debate team and president of three other clubs. She was also the only high schooler working in the Sherwood laboratory shared by Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital this past summer.

Vivek Udaykumar, 21, project manager at Banyan Tree Global and lead organizer at Techstars Startup Weekend Boston 2023: Vivek Udaykumar is an international student from India who is working towards his master’s in project management at Northeastern University, while also pursuing his interest in community building.

After arriving in the U.S. in January, he quickly immersed himself in the startup space. He hosts startup and tech events in Boston with partners such as Techstars, Boston New Technology and Startup Boston, Bostoninno said. Udaykumar is also the lead organizer for Techstars Startup Weekend Boston, which took place in September. It was a hackathon-like global entrepreneurship event and Boston founders and investors networked with entrepreneurs from different countries. He is also developing a platform to unite the Indian community in the U.S. with the entrepreneurship community through events, podcasts, and informative panel discussions, according to Bostinno.

NFT Exhibition By Indian-American Girl Enthralls Kerala Kids

An exhibition of non-fungible token (NFT) digital paintings by an Indian American girl Teresa Melvin has captured the imagination of art enthusiasts here. The 14-year-old girl, originally from Kerala, lives in Texas.

She is also conducting a workshop on NFT art for children in the age group of 8-12 as part of the expo. Teresa has by now sold more than 1000 digital art works as NFT worth Rs 3 million. The show titled ‘Coming Home’ features over 100 works done by Teresa in a span of two years and is being displayed on 11 screens.

The workshop focuses on character art besides she also explains the process of converting digital art into derivative art.

Teresa is the daughter of Palakkad native Melvin and Nimmy. Both of her parents have been trained in painting at RLV College, Tripunithura.

Teresa is renowned for her creation of the unique characters Ava Ramona. She has created and sold over 1,000 artworks on prominent platforms.

She is a recipient of the ‘Creator of the Year’ award by Met Ams, an international web3 event in Amsterdam. Her artworks have been exhibited at major international events across India, the UK, Dubai, Bali, Canada, and the US. (IANS)

Gitanjali Rao Named Among ‘Girls Leading Change’

Indian American teenager Gitanjali Rao was one of fifteen young women leaders recognized by First Lady Jill Biden for their outstanding efforts in driving positive change and shaping a brighter future in their respective communities throughout the United States.

The White House Gender Policy Council has carefully selected the participants for the “Girls Leading Change” event at the White House, a testament to the profound impact these young women are making within their communities and their unwavering commitment to fortifying the future of our nation.

First Lady Jill Biden expressed her deep honor in celebrating this remarkable group, remarking, “These young women are safeguarding and preserving our environment, crafting narratives that alter perspectives, and transforming their challenges into meaningful missions.”

At just 17 years old, Rao is currently a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A budding scientist and inventor, she earned the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” from Discovery Education/3M and was the recipient of the EPA Presidential Award for her groundbreaking lead contamination detection tool.

Rao delved into a project in the Department of Cell Biology at the University of Colorado Denver, where she harnessed cutting-edge genetic engineering techniques to create a colorimetry-based application and device for the treatment of prescription opioid addiction. Her initiative garnered global recognition as a world finalist in the Technovation Girl Challenge and received a Health Pillar award from the TCS Ignite Innovation challenge on a national level.

Additionally, Rao had the opportunity to share her innovative invention on TEDtalksNayibaat, the Indian version of the TED platform. Notably, she also serves as a board member for the Children’s Kindness Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading an anti-bullying message and emphasizing the significance of kindness.

Among her many notable achievements, one stands out: her book, “Young Innovator’s Guide to STEM,” has been widely adopted as a STEM curriculum in schools around the globe.

Rao, who was named Time Magazine’s inaugural “Kid of the Year,” is deeply committed to not only continuing her journey as a scientist and inventor but also to expanding her STEM education initiative, which has already impacted over 80,000 students in elementary, middle, and high schools. In 2021, her dedication to making a difference was acknowledged when she received the title of “Young Activists Summit Laureate” from the United Nations in Geneva

India’s Youth Give Hope For A Brighter Future

In a world where one in five individuals under the age of 25 resides in India, it is evident that this young demographic wields considerable influence, comprising nearly half of the nation’s burgeoning population. As India takes its place as the world’s most populous country, Gallup data unveils an intriguing narrative: the youth of India, part of what’s often termed the “demographic dividend,” harbors a heightened sense of hope for the future, eclipsing the optimism of their older counterparts.

After India’s hard-won independence in August 1947, the nation witnessed a staggering surge in population, nearly tripling over six decades. In the 1950s, the average Indian woman bore over six children, sparking concerns about the ramifications of such rapid growth.

Today, these concerns appear increasingly obsolete. India’s fertility rate has declined in recent years, with women now bearing an average of two children. Concurrently, mortality rates have dwindled, bolstered by rising incomes and improved access to healthcare and education. Projections suggest that India’s population will gradually decline by the 2060s.

In contemporary India, individuals under the age of 25 constitute an impressive 47% of the nation’s populace. This youthful cohort is poised to spearhead India’s economic evolution for decades to come.

India’s Advancements for Children

Recent years have witnessed a perceptible shift in how Indians perceive their nation as a place for children to thrive. In 2022, an impressive 85% of respondents felt that children had ample opportunities for growth and learning every day, marking a 28-percentage-point surge since 2008. In this aspect, India stands neck-to-neck with Bangladesh as the leading South Asian nation for children’s development.

Significantly, this perception transcends generational boundaries, resonating with both young and old alike. In India’s southern regions, where educational and literacy rates are highest, a remarkable 92% of respondents believe that their country provides a conducive environment for children’s growth and learning.

Beyond this, 86% of Indians believe that children are treated with respect, indicating a nation that’s not merely growing in population but also making substantial strides in improving conditions for its youth.

Education Satisfaction and Global Connectivity

Another noteworthy trend is the growing satisfaction with India’s education system. In 2022, this satisfaction rate soared to 83%, partly explaining why Indians perceive their nation as an ideal place for children to learn and flourish. Those content with the education system are significantly more likely to regard India as a favorable environment for children (88%) compared to those dissatisfied (68%).

Historically, individuals with the highest education levels, i.e., tertiary or higher, were more satisfied with India’s educational system than their less-educated counterparts. However, this educational divide has markedly diminished in recent years. In 2022, the least educated were equally satisfied with their education system as the most educated, underlining the positive shift in India’s educational landscape.

Picture: Forbes

India’s youth are also embracing global connectivity at an unprecedented rate. A striking 50% of Indians aged 15 to 24 have internet access, whether through a phone, computer, or other devices. This contrasts significantly with a mere 11% of those aged 50 and older. This increased connectivity, likely driven by improved education and technology access, is fostering a deeper understanding of and stronger opinions about global affairs among India’s younger populace. Young Indians are emerging as the most vocal and engaged demographic when it comes to discussing the leadership of major global powers, such as the United States and China.

Youthful Optimism in Employment Prospects

Over the next decade, India’s labor force is anticipated to expand by over 8 million people annually, primarily propelled by a surge of educated young individuals entering the workforce. While providing suitable employment opportunities for this burgeoning workforce poses a challenge, it also represents a substantial opportunity for the world’s fifth-largest economy.

Despite relatively high youth unemployment, young Indians remain notably optimistic about their job prospects. In the previous year, 57% of Indians under 25 believed it was a favorable time to secure employment in their local area, marking the highest level of optimism since 2007.

Interestingly, this optimism extends more prominently among women than men, reversing a longstanding trend. Older women, in particular, are contributing to this shift, but even India’s young women harbor a level of optimism about local job prospects comparable to their male counterparts of the same age.

The Future of India’s Youth

In summary, India’s population is set to continue growing for at least four more decades, placing its youth and the children of tomorrow at the epicenter of its future development and prosperity.

The signs are encouraging. The youth, often deemed the torchbearers of progress, are brimming with hope for the future, surpassing the optimism of previous years. Regardless of age or educational background, Indians unite in their belief that their country is becoming a more favorable place for children to receive an education, be treated with respect, and thrive.

Despite challenges like high youth unemployment, the young generation in India remains steadfastly hopeful about their future employment opportunities. As education levels continue to rise, and technology spreads its influence, India’s future appears increasingly promising, as seen through the eyes of its vast and dynamic youth population.

ITServe Alliance’s CSR Program Contributes Over $1.5 Million Towards STEM Education, Empowering Future Generations

“The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the ITServe Alliance has contributed $1.5 Million in STEM activities and various welfare programs,” said Samba Movva, Director of ITServe Alliance’s CSR. “From the very beginning, ITServe’s mission has been to empower local communities through a wide range of initiatives. ITServe believes in the transformative power of STEM scholarships, STEM training, and STEM internships, which enable individuals to reach their full potential and contribute to a thriving society,” he added.

Elaborating on the unique importance of such a noble and much-needed initiative by ITServe, Vinay Mahajan, President of ITServe Alliance said, “STEM education is something where I feel there is a lot of scope in the United States, especially for the availability of IT jobs and IT skills. There is a shortage across the United States, and local talent is not available. Our efforts have been to get the shortage filled right now, without which we will be lagging behind in terms of technology and software development. Therefore, we are focusing on building the local population and promoting STEM education in the US.”

The organization of multi-talented individuals has set targets of awarding 100 STEM scholarships, providing life-changing opportunities to deserving individuals, empowering and helping educate a diverse group of individuals from across the nation.

In order to achieve these lofty goals, ITServe has assembled an exceptional team of committed and talented national leaders to make its mission accomplished. The STEM Team is chaired by distinguished Chairs for each area. They are: Tanuj Gundlapalli, STEM Scholarship Chair 2023;  Jyoti Vazirani, STEM Internship Chair 2023; and Venkata Manthena, STEM Training Chair 2023.

Tanuj Gundlapalli, STEM Scholarship Chair 2023 says, “ITServe offers as many as 100 scholarships to the needy students in the communities they live and serve. Each student chosen for the scholarship is given $5,000 towards one’s educational needs. Through the partnership with our local Chapters, focusing on community colleges, ITServe has given away nearly 80 scholarships this year.”

ITServe has cultivated strong partnerships with over 50 prestigious universities and community colleges, forming a robust network to help achieve STEM goals. At the local level, each of the 21 ITServe Chapters is actively engaged with community non-profit organizations, forming vital partnerships to drive ITSeve’s mission and objectives forward.

Some notable institutions that are part of the collaborative network include Arizona State University, Bronx Community College Foundation, Bucks County Community College, Georgia State University, Illinois State University, Oklahoma State University, University of North Carolina, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Virginia, and St. Charles Community College, among others.

Picture: TheUNN

CSR has a broad range of initiatives aimed at creating a positive impact in various areas. CSR team works to establish partnerships with educational institutions, organizations, and industry experts to provide training opportunities that enhance STEM skills and knowledge. This equips individuals with the tools they need to excel in STEM careers and contributes to building a robust talent pipeline.

Since ITServe’s inception in 2010, the CSR team has embarked on a remarkable journey in the realm of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Starting with small steps, it has made a significant impact on the local communities.

According to Vinod Babu Uppu, Governing Board Chair, “The ITServe CSR vision is empowering local communities through Education and Training, creating local employment, and contributing to the economy as a whole. We actively engage in initiatives that support education, healthcare, and community development, among other areas.”

ITServe encourages and facilitates member engagement in volunteer activities, enabling them to contribute their skills, expertise, time, and resources, ensuring that they collectively make a significant and lasting impact. “By leveraging our collective efforts, we make a meaningful impact on local communities and societal well-being with the objective of making a positive and lasting difference in the areas that matter most to us,” Movva said.

Jagadeesh Mosali, President-Elect of ITServe said, “We are committed to empowering local communities through STEM advocacy, educating the underprivileged, and thus making an impact on humanity. By advocating for these educational opportunities, we aim to bridge the gap and provide equal access to quality education,” Mosali pointed out.

Over the years, ITServe Alliance has established a name for itself as the center point of information for its members and the larger community, covering a variety of areas ranging from immigration, technology, economy, and many more that are relevant to its members. ITServe has 21 Chapters in several states across the United States, bringing resources and service to the larger humanity in every part of this innovation country.

“Our ability to empower our local communities is strengthened by the generous donations by our leadership and member organizations. They play a crucial role in the success of our programs. Our partners play a vital role in helping us broaden our reach and positively impacting the lives of the lesser fortunate in our communities by helping us broaden our reach. I am proud that this respected platform is today more accessible and worthy of your time spent for the common benefit and serving the communities in need across the Chapters through our CSR programs and initiatives,” Mahajan added.

Ongoing participation and commitment are essential to reach ITServe’s lofty goals. The ITSere CSR Team  “implores and passionately calls upon our esteemed ITSerrve members and individuals alike to wholeheartedly engage and actively participate in the diverse range of ITServe’s CSR activities.”

“Together, we form an extraordinary team, united in our mission to achieve our CSR goals for 2023 and beyond. I feel incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such exceptional individuals, all working diligently to create a positive impact and shape a better future for those we serve,” Movva said. “Together, we are making a tangible difference in the lives of those in need. Our approach not only amplifies our impact but also fosters a strong sense of community within ITSERVE. We are proud to be part of a larger movement that extends beyond individual chapters, uniting us under a shared vision of corporate social responsibility.”

Founded in 2010, ITServe Alliance is the largest association of Information Technology Services Organizations functioning across the United States. Established with the objective of being the collective voice of all Information Technology companies with similar interests in the United States, ITServe Alliance has evolved as a resourceful and respected platform to collaborate and initiate measures in the direction of protecting common interests and ensuring collective success. For more information, please visit: www.itserve.org

Young Professionals Get A Crash Course In Keeping The Faith

“Temples are constructed with the youth in mind,” stated Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America (HTSNA), addressing a gathering of young Hindus at New York’s expansive Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam temple, which spans an entire block in Queens borough.

A diverse assembly of college students and young professionals had congregated for Akshayam, an initiative supported by HTSNA aimed at keeping the teachings of the Hindu faith alive among the upcoming generation of Hindu leaders in the United States. Beyond this, through community engagement and educational collaborations, the organizers of Akshayam seek to regain control over a religion that is being tugged in multiple directions by India’s nationalist politics on one side and Western influence on the other.

Seated in the Parvati Hall of the temple, named in honor of Hinduism’s quintessential mother goddess, attendees immersed themselves in discussions revolving around the Ramayana, an epic narrative chronicling the incarnations of God and their interactions with humanity.

Vishwa Adluri, a philosophy professor at Hunter College in New York and one of the panelists for the day, emphasized, “To be Hindu is to read.” He noted that children of other faiths have long had access to Sunday school classes, Bible studies, and other avenues for engaging in profound theological conversations from a young age. According to him, it’s now time for young Hindus to integrate the study of their faith into their identities.

The young audience exhibited enthusiasm and curiosity as religious scholars expounded on the significance of the unwavering relationships between Ram, Lakshman, and Sita—the Lord, his brother, and his wife. They delved into Ram’s epic quest to rescue Sita from the clutches of Ravana, a half-man, half-demon figure, raising questions about passages that have often posed challenges. One pressing query was why Lord Rama banished his pregnant wife Sita to the forest, ultimately leading to her abduction by Ravana and her subsequent rescue.

Picture: RNS

The responses provided frequently linked these ancient texts to contemporary moral dilemmas. Adluri drew a parallel to Ram’s kingdom, where villagers began to malign Sita’s chastity, which prompted her banishment. This decision was made to safeguard his own honor and the dignity of his kingdom. Adluri highlighted how this same impulse can be observed in today’s social media landscape, where gossip and slander about individuals can spread rapidly, often leading to the acceptance of misinformation.

Adluri aptly pointed out that this is how ordinary people can metamorphose into “asuras,” or demons, in the modern context.

In her address, Uma Mysorekar emphasized the importance of temples in the lives of young Hindus. She stated, “Temples are built for young people.” Her words resonated within the expansive Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam temple in Queens, New York, where a diverse group of young Hindus had gathered.

This assembly of college students and young professionals had convened for Akshayam, an initiative sponsored by the Hindu Temple Society of North America (HTSNA). Akshayam aimed not only to keep the teachings of the Hindu faith alive but also to nurture the next generation of Hindu leaders in the United States. Recognizing the challenges posed by India’s nationalist politics and the influence of the Western world, the organizers of Akshayam sought to provide a firm foundation for the faith through community engagement and educational endeavors.

Seated within the Parvati Hall of the temple, named after the archetypal mother goddess in Hinduism, attendees immersed themselves in discussions centered around the Ramayana. This epic narrative recounts the incarnations of God and their interactions with humanity.

Vishwa Adluri, a philosophy professor at Hunter College in New York and one of the panelists for the day, emphasized the importance of reading in Hinduism. He noted that children of other faiths have long had access to structured religious education, such as Sunday school classes and Bible studies, allowing them to engage in deep theological discussions from a young age. Adluri asserted that it was now time for young Hindus to similarly incorporate the study of their faith into their identities.

The young audience displayed a keen interest in the discussions. As religious scholars expounded on the significance of the relationships between Ram, Lakshman, and Sita—representing the Lord, his brother, and his wife—questions arose about passages in the Ramayana that had long raised eyebrows. One such question pertained to Lord Rama’s decision to banish his pregnant wife Sita to the forest, ultimately leading to her abduction by Ravana and her subsequent rescue.

The answers provided by the panel often drew connections between these ancient texts and contemporary moral dilemmas. Adluri explained that in Ram’s kingdom, villagers had begun to question Sita’s chastity, leading to her banishment—a decision made to preserve both Ram’s honor and the dignity of his kingdom. Adluri astutely pointed out how this impulse manifests in today’s digital age, where gossip and slander about individuals can quickly proliferate, often resulting in the acceptance of false information.

Adluri aptly noted that this phenomenon is akin to how ordinary people can transform into “asuras,” or demons, in the context of modern society.

In conclusion, Uma Mysorekar’s assertion that “Temples are built for young people” resonated deeply within the grand Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam temple in Queens, New York, where a diverse assembly of young Hindus had gathered.

These college students and young professionals had converged for Akshayam, an initiative sponsored by the Hindu Temple Society of North America (HTSNA) with the dual purpose of preserving the teachings of the Hindu faith and nurturing the future leaders of Hinduism in the United States. Acknowledging the complex challenges posed by India’s nationalist politics and the pervasive influence of Western culture, the organizers of Akshayam were committed to fortifying the faith through community engagement and educational collaborations.

Seated within the Parvati Hall of the temple, an homage to the quintessential mother goddess of Hinduism, attendees engaged in profound discussions centered around the Ramayana. This timeless epic recounted the divine incarnations and their interactions with humanity.

Vishwa Adluri, a philosophy professor at Hunter College in New York and one of the day’s panelists, underscored the significance of reading in the practice of Hinduism. He observed that children of other faiths had long benefited from structured religious education, including Sunday school classes and Bible studies, which facilitated their engagement in deep theological discussions from a young age. Adluri asserted that it was now imperative for young Hindus to integrate the study of their faith into their identities.

The young audience exhibited a palpable eagerness for these discussions. As religious scholars expounded on the profound relationships between Ram, Lakshman, and Sita—representing the Lord, his brother, and his wife—questions arose about passages in the Ramayana that had long posed ethical quandaries. One such question revolved around Lord Rama’s decision to exile his pregnant wife Sita to the forest, ultimately leading to her abduction by Ravana and her eventual rescue.

The panel’s responses often drew parallels between these ancient texts and contemporary moral dilemmas. Adluri elucidated that in Ram’s kingdom, villagers had begun to question Sita’s chastity, leading to her banishment—a decision driven by the necessity.

India Celebrates Praggnanandhaa, Chess Champion

Eighteen-year-old Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa could not pull off a repeat of his giant-killing acts of the last few days as fancied Magnus Carlsen beat him in the tie-break to win the in the final of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan last week.  The two classical games on Tuesday and Wednesday had ended in draws, stretching the final into a tie-break.

After a keenly contested first game, the second game was a rather tame affair with Praggnanandhaa falling behind quickly and agreeing to a draw.

Carlsen, who had been under the weather due to food poisoning and did not look at his best in the first classical game, showed why he is so tough to get past with his remarkable comeback in the tie-break.

He ultimately beat Praggnanandhaa 1.5 – 0.5 in the tie-break to win the trophy. Norwegian Grand Master (GM) Carlsen, 32, became a first-time winner of the FIDE World Cup – with which he also retained his No. 1 global rank.

Praggnanandhaa defeated world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura in the fourth round and eventually went on to shock world No. 3 Fabino Caruana 3.5 – 2.5 via the tie-break in the semifinals on August 21, earning the reputation of a ‘giant killer’.
Former world champion GM Viswanathan Anand had won the FIDE World Cup in 2000 and 2002. But, back then, it was held under a different format.

PM Narendra Modi hailed Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance at the FIDE World Cup and said he showcased exceptional skills to give a tough fight to the formidable Magnus Carlsen in the finals. “This is no small feat. Wishing him the very best for his upcoming tournaments,” he added.

Praggnanandhaa, or Pragg as he’s popularly known, made headlines for becoming the world’s youngest player to play in the finals and the third-youngest person to qualify for the Candidates Tournament, putting him in the league of prodigies like Carlsen himself and Bobby Fischer.

The teenager’s achievements have bolstered his reputation in the field. With younger players making a mark, it also signals a “generational shift” in the game itself and that shift “is likely to heavily favour India,” Devangshu Datta, a columnist and Fide-rated chess player wrote in The Times of India.

During this World Cup, four Indian players advanced to the quarterfinals, securing an impressive 50% of the available slots. Currently, there are 21 Indian players who hold positions within the top 100 junior players in the world, all under 20 years of age; among them, four rank in the top 10 and seven in the top 20.

These youngsters “will almost certainly dominate chess for a decade or more,” says Datta. And the theory is a plausible one, because thousands of young Indians are now playing chess – a trend that began in the 2000s after Anand’s victories made headlines – and has since steadily picked up speed.

Smartphones and cheap internet access have made it easy for children to hone their skills through apps and online tournaments, while basic chess coaching is easily available as well. This is significantly different from the way things stood even a couple of decades ago.

“For Indians players who arrived on the scene even two decades after Anand, access to regular training under a GM (Grandmaster) was almost inconceivable,” notes sports writer Susan Ninan in The Indian Express.

Picture: HT

The Essay Writing Competition conducted by Indo American Press Club

The Indo-American Press Club invites entries to the Essay Competition organized in conjunction with the 9th International Media Conference of the IAPC.

IAPC was formed to unite the media groups and the Indian diaspora media fraternity across North America under one umbrella to work together, support one another, and provide a unified voice to the mainstream media world and the larger community.

The competition is conducted in two categories namely Junior (Ages 8 – 14) and Senior (15 – 20).

The topic for Junior Category: ( Why I like / dislike social media ) should not exceed 1000 words.

Senior Section Topic: (Press freedom in danger) Not exceeding 1200 words.

Your entries in English must be received by the email address: [email protected] before August 30, 2023. Contestants from anywhere in the world can participate.

Winners’ essays will be included in the IMC 2023 Souvenir, released during the Conference. Cash awards and certificates for the winners will be distributed at the IAPC International Media Conference from October 7 to 9 at the Hilton Stamford Hotel in Connecticut.

6 Kids of Indian Origin Among 10 Finalists in Prestigious 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2023

Six Indian American students are among this year’s top ten finalists in the annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation’s premier middle school science competition.

This year’s finalists ranging in age from 11-14 identified an everyday problem in their community or the world and submitted a one- to two-minute video communicating the science behind their solution.

Six Indian Americans among top 10 2023 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists are: Anisha Dhoot, Portland, Oregon; Ishaan Iyer, Rancho Cucamonga, California; Shripriya Kalbhavi, San Jose, California; Anish Kosaraju, Saratoga, California; Adhip Maitra, Oviedo, Florida; and Shruti Sivaraman, Austin, Texas.

The competition event will take place from Oct 9-10, 2023, at the 3M Innovation Center in Minneapolis.

Each finalist in the competition for students in grades 5-8 will be evaluated on a series of challenges, including a presentation of their completed innovation.

Each challenge will be scored independently by a panel of judges. The grand prize winner will receive $25,000, a unique destination trip, and the title of America’s Top Young Scientist.

Anisha Dhoot’s project focuses on utilizing kelp seaweed to improve soil quality and crop selection. She applied to 3M Young Scientist Challenge to share her passion of STEM learning and research with others and to motivate younger students to achieve their true potential.

“Girls are underrepresented in STEM field in both high school/college level and later in professional careers and I want to reverse that trend,” Dhoot says.

In 15 years she hopes to be a successful STEM professional working in a technology company on some of the world’s hardest problems to improve the life of every person on earth.

Ishaan Iyer created a cost-effective Braille device that encodes the English alphabet into Braille language and converts it into a tactile Braille cell.

He entered the 3M Young Scientist Challenge because he is “passionate about science and technology, and I believe that the competition provides an excellent opportunity for me to showcase my skills and ideas in these areas.”

In 15 years he hopes to be a rocket scientist working on designing and building inexpensive and eco friendly spacecrafts that common man can use to explore the universe.

Shripriya Kalbhavi developed EasyBZ, a cost-effective microneedle patch that allows for self-automated drug delivery without pills or needles.

She entered the 3M Young Scientist Challenge because she wants to help change lives. “I host a podcast called ‘Famous Personalities,’ and as part of the theme of my show, I research women scientists and speak about their lives, achievements, and research. Scientific research and innovations have always interested me, and I find the scientists, especially doctors, all around me to be extremely inspiring because they work to help people every day.”

In 15 years she hopes to be “wading through my residency training after I finish med school so that I can fulfill my dream of becoming a practicing neurosurgeon.”

“I have always felt a calling towards contributing to my community in the field of medicine, especially when it comes to neuroscience and womens’ health, and I would love the opportunity to perform precise work as a neurosurgeon,” she says.

Anish Kosaraju built a new method to improve cybersecurity measures by combating cyber account takeovers that does not require Multi Factor Authentication.

He hopes to use the resources and mentorship provided by the 3M Young Scientist Challenge to take his project to the next level and improve the safety of the internet.

In 15 years Kosaraju hopes to be a cybersecurity expert who helps companies and individuals improve their security.

Adhip Maitra developed a computer program that can detect cases of Ptosis, a condition in which the upper eyelid droops abnormally low.

He has “a love for science and I think this experience will be a great scientific learning opportunity for me as the research process teaches many aspects to me.”

In 15 years Maitra hopes to beg continuing research and development in future for the benefit of the masses.

Shruti Sivaraman created a low-cost device and app that can detect and diagnose diabetic retinopathy (DR) by taking retinal images without the use of dilation drops.

She “entered the 3M Young Scientist Challenge because I believe that it is an extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will allow me to present my ideas to a science community as well as get the chance to expand my ideas making DR-Check the product I first imagined it to be!”

In 15 years Sivaraman hopes to be a computer engineer and help solve some of the big challenges faced in the world. I enjoy helping people around me. I like to observe the challenges or problems people face and solve those.

From 2012 until 2020, America’s Top Young Scientist title has gone to six Indian American students: Deepika Kurup (2012), Sahil Doshi (2014), Maanasa Mendu (2016), Gitanjali Rao (2017), Rishab Jain (2018), and Anika Chebrolu (2020).

The 3M Young Scientist Challenge, recognizing innovative young minds in the US, has 6 Indian American kids among its 10 finalists. Their projects range from a cost-effective Braille display device to early detection of ptosis, a smart app for diagnosing Diabetic Retinopathy, machine learning-based cybersecurity solutions, microneedle patches for painless medication, and utilizing kelp seaweed for sustainable soil nutrition and climate change mitigation.

The winner of the challenge, scheduled for October, will be awarded a $25K grand prize, while all finalists receive $1000 and an exclusive summer mentorship program with a 3M scientist.

Alcaraz Wins Wimbledon in a Thrilling Comeback Against Djokovic

Following quite a while of premature moves, men’s tennis at last has a legitimate conflict between the ages. In a frightening rebound that shook the All Britain Club’s respected Center Court, Carlos Alcaraz, the 20-year-old Spanish star who has blitzed the game in his concise profession, pulled off the almost unimaginable, beating Novak Djokovic in a Wimbledon last on the grass that the man generally perceived as the best ever to play the game has long treated as his back yard.

In addition to attempting to win a Grand Slam, Djokovic wanted to put an end to the hopes of another well-known newcomer who was trying to challenge his dominance of the sport, which has resulted in 23 Grand Slam tournament victories. Alcaraz is the leading figure of the following gathering of players who should move the game past the time of the Huge Three, a period that incorporates Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and that Djokovic has administered longer than many anticipated.

Alcaraz won the U.S. Open last year in exciting, gymnastic design, serving notice that men’s tennis would have been stirred up by a strange ability. This year, he pulled out from the Australian Open to nurture a physical issue and was crushed by Djokovic in the elimination rounds at the French Open. In any case, the buzz around him and his future won’t ever lessen.

“It’s perfect for the new age,” Alcaraz said, “to see me beating him and making them feel that they are proficient to make it happen.”

Down after the principal set and battling just to stay away from shame, Alcaraz rediscovered his novel blend of speed, power and contact and sorted out the nuances of grass-court tennis at the last possible second.

In an epic, 85-minute second set, when he was one point away from what appeared to be an insurmountable two-set deficit, he clawed his way back into the match.

He took control of the match in the middle of the third set, but in the fourth set, he faltered as Djokovic, the four-time defending champion and seven-time winner of Wimbledon, rediscovered the footwork that has been the foundation of his success for a long time.

Alcaraz rose once more to claim victory, 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, not only overcoming Djokovic’s endless skills and talents but also breaking his spirit. Djokovic is as dangerous as he has ever been when facing defeat.

At the point when the energy swung one final time, as Alcaraz wrenched a strike down the line to break Djokovic’s serve right off the bat in the fifth set, the Serb with the steely brain crushed his racket on the net post. He had wasted a chance to take control a few points earlier by hitting a floating forehand in the middle of the court and sending it into the net. Presently, only a couple of moments later, what has so seldom happened to him as of late — a misfortune to an overall novice on a fabulous stage, particularly this terrific stage — was occurring.

Djokovic, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, finally beat Nadal and Federer, his longtime rivals, last month. But this defeat cost him a chance at one of the few prizes he hasn’t won: becoming the first player since 1969 to win all four major tournaments in a single year and complete the Grand Slam in men’s singles. Two years ago, he was one match away from accomplishing the feat. This time, at 36 years of age, an age when most bosses have resigned to the transmission corner, he was eight matches away.

It appeared to be so close, but Alcaraz demonstrated why everyone has been so obsessed with him for so long in the final game. He beat Djokovic with his most seductive shots: a silky drop shot, a skillful topspin lob, a powerful serve, and a final ripping forehand that Djokovic reached for but was unable to hit over the net.

Alcaraz dropped to the ground and moved on the grass, his hands over his face in dismay. He embraced Djokovic at the net, warmly greeted the umpire, got a free ball from the grass and drop-kicked it into the group prior to heading into the stands to embrace his folks and his mentor, Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Alcaraz stated, “It’s amazing for me to beat Novak at his best, in this stage, make history, and be the guy to beat him after 10 years unbeaten on that court.”

In the wake of taking the top dog’s prize from Catherine, Princess of Ridges, on a day that drew out Top notch VIPs like the entertainers Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, Emma Watson and Hugh Jackman and the vocalist Ariana Grande, he got to mess with Lord Felipe VI of Spain, who additionally watched the youthful Spanish player’s victory. Alcaraz addressed the king, “Now that I won, I hope you are coming to more of my matches.”

One of Alcaraz’s many tutors, Nadal, the incomparable Spanish player who had deposed one more Wimbledon symbol, Federer, in 2008, composed via virtual entertainment that Alcaraz had brought “monstrous satisfaction” to Spanish tennis.

“A very firm hug, Champion, and enjoy the moment!!!” wrote Nadal, who had recent hip and abdominal surgery and was unable to participate in the tournament.

The misfortune made an intriguing second for Djokovic, who recognized that on this day basically he had lost to a superior player.

“An extreme one to swallow,” Djokovic said of the misfortune. After that, he looked at his son, who was smiling at him from a seat near the courtroom, and fought back tears. He thanked his family for supporting him. We can all love one another, and I’ll give you a big hug.

On Saturday, Mats Wilander, the seven-time Huge homerun victor who is currently quite possibly of the most regarded voice in the game, put Djokovic’s possibilities beating Alcaraz and winning the four 2023 Huge homerun occasions at 90%.

“He has such a large number of weapons,” Wilander said. ” He is familiar with the sport in its entirety. He knows everything exactly how to do it. The rivals aren’t prepared for him.”

Wilander appeared to be prescient in the opening minutes of Sunday’s final. It appeared as though the most important men’s tennis match would be fought between two players who had entered Centre Court under completely different circumstances.

Djokovic had his typical July Sunday. However, Alcaraz was playing in his most memorable Wimbledon last, and that weight was made heavier after the pressure prompted, full-body cramps he endured during his elimination round confrontation with Djokovic at the French Open a month ago. That had been the principal significant second when Alcaraz, the favorite and the world No. 1, did not live up to his promise. Sunday was unique. Be that as it may, not from the start.

From the initial minutes, Djokovic stuck Alcaraz in the back corner of the court with low cutting shots that made it unthinkable for Alcaraz to go on the assault. He squashed assistance returns, focusing on the earthy colored patches of soil at Alcaraz’s feet and sending him running in reverse. Before the half-hour mark of the match, Djokovic had a 2-0 lead and was being set up.

After an epic second set that lasted three times as long as the first, Alcaraz’s chance of reaching his first Wimbledon final came down to a crucial tiebreaker. Djokovic excels at tiebreakers. Entering the last, he had won 14 straight in Huge homerun matches.

The second drawn out the best in the two players — the huge serves to the corners; frightful drop shots; fresh, point-saving victors with the adversary shutting in at the net — and the stuffed group, with rotating serenades of “Novak, Novak,” and “Carlos, Carlos” reverberating around the Middle Court overhangs.

And afterward right when maybe Djokovic was ready to snatch a directing two-set lead, he sent two strikes into the net to allow Alcaraz an opportunity to draw even. Alcaraz then broke Djokovic’s serve with a backhand return down the line to tie the match at one set apiece.

The previous heavyweight champion Mike Tyson once said that everybody has an arrangement until they get hit in the mouth.

Alcaraz had handled a shot to Djokovic’s jaw, and Djokovic felt it. Djokovic made a lot of mistakes in the third set. He fought to recapture a traction in the match, never more so than a game halfway through that went to 13 deuces, that finished with a Djokovic forehand into the net.

As he generally does when he is down, Djokovic took an extensive restroom break before the fourth set. He talks to himself in the mirror while splashing water on his face. Ordinarily, he arises an alternate player, and Sunday was the same, as he held onto the drive again, breaking Alcaraz’s serve halfway through, getting back in his mind and accepting the set as Alcaraz, again tense and on edge, twofold blamed.

They were back where they started nearly four hours later. Almost five hours of show would boil down to a couple of seconds.

“He astounded me. Djokovic said of Alcaraz, “He surprised everyone.” In his eyes, Alcaraz had taken elements of his, Nadal’s, and Federer’s styles and produced a prowess on grass — his grass! — much sooner than he anticipated. I haven’t played a player like him, of all time.”

Vivek Ramaswamy Launches Scholarship For Young Americans

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy committed $250,000 to fund a new scholarship program that aims to foster national pride among young Americans, as he believes patriotism is declining in the country. The scholarship program aims to revive national pride among the younger generation.

Highlighting the need for such a scholarship, Ramaswamy cited studies that shed light on the current state of American pride in the younger generation. According to the findings, only 16 per cent of Gen Z say they are proud to be American, while a staggering 60 per cent of teens on TikTok would rather give up their right to vo

“In honor of our son’s 1st birthday today, Apoorva & I are committing $250,000 to fund a new scholarship to foster national pride among young Americans,” he announced on Twitter. “Ten winners will be selected by a panel to receive a $25,000 scholarship for post-secondary education, entrepreneurial endeavors, or their commitment to serve in the military or law enforcement role.”

The tech mogul lamented the relatively poor state of patriotism in American youths, noting “[o]nly 16% of Gen Z says they’re proud to be American. 60% of teens on TikTok would rather give up their right to vote than their social media account. Our military suffered a 25% recruitment deficit last year. This bodes poorly for our nation.”

“As an entrepreneur, I believe in solving problems through private behavior whenever possible,” he continued. “That’s why we are funding a new scholarship to revive patriotism: this year, ten high school students will be eligible to receive a $25,000 scholarship for concisely articulating what it means to be an American in 2023. The scholarship will be administered by @IncubateDebate, a nonprofit organization that leads U.S. students to debate important issues of public importance.”

Applicants must submit a 2-minute video answering the question “what does it mean to be an American?”

Considered something of a longshot candidate, Ramaswamy’s announcement comes as he appears to be enjoying a poll surge. A recent Echelon Insights survey shows him taking 10% of the Republican primary electorate, placing him in third, behind former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Ayush Enters the Most Prestigious “Eagle Scout Court of Honor”

Ayush Puthyavettle, who graduated from Trumbull high School, Trumbull Connecticut earlier this month, was accorded the highest rank in Scouts, The Eagle Scout of Honor during a solemn ceremony held at the Old Mine Park in Trumbull, CT on June 17th, 2023.

Attended by Scout leaders from across the state, Ayush, the older son of Ajit and Deepa, long time residents of Trumbull, has accomplished this milestone after 10 years of hard work and dedication.

An Eagle Scout rank is the highest achievement in the Boy Scouts of America Program. It represents a significant milestone in a student’s Scout journey. “Today’s celebration is to recognize and celebrate Ayush, my brother, who has earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable in Scouting,” said Tejas, the younger brother of Ayush, who was the emcee for the day.

In his greetings, State Assemblyman David Rutigliano, who had come in person to be part of the ceremony lauded the efforts and hardwork that have enabled Ayush to reach this milestone. Rep. Rutigliano encouraged Ayush have the values and lessons learnt over the course of his association with the Scout to stay with and be inspired for the rest of his life.

Describing it as “a significant milestone in my life as I stand before you as an Eagle Scout,” Ayush took the audience back his ten-year Scouting journey, stating “I am filled with gratitude, pride, and a sense of accomplishment. From my early days as a Cub Scout to now achieving the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, it has been a remarkable journey of growth, learning, and self-discovery.”

Ayush said, Scouting has taught him invaluable skills that go beyond building fires, navigating the wilderness, constructing shelters, and most importantly, “It has taught me how to adapt and make the best of any situation. I have learned the importance of teamwork, leadership, and perseverance. Through Scouting, I have grown both as an individual and as a member of my community.”

During his 10 years at the Scout, he was assigned with leading a group, organizing food drives, weathering extreme conditions, and embarking on challenging hikes. Ayush told the audience. He was part of “impactful service projects, such as leading a landscaping initiative at our local temple. Each experience has taught me not only practical skills but also the true extent of my capabilities.”

While thanking his mentors in Scout who have helped Ayush “instil in me the values through Scouting that will remain constant. The attitude to face challenges head-on, always being prepared, is a principle that will forever stick with me. No matter where life takes me, I will strive to embody the Scout motto: ‘Be prepared,’” Ayush said.

Describing the benefits of being part of the Scout, Ayush said, “Scouting has shaped me in ways that extend far beyond the badge on my chest. It has built a strong foundation of life skills, leadership qualities, and cherished memories. The values I have learned, the friendships I have formed, and the experiences I have had will forever remain etched in my heart.”

Ayush expressed his gratitude to his “parents, who have been my unwavering support system and the driving force behind my Scouting journey. Their love, encouragement, and belief in me have propelled me through the struggles and challenges along the way.”

He was grateful to “the Scout adults and leaders, for your guidance, mentorship, and for being the role models that have inspired me to reach for the stars. Your dedication to Scouting and commitment to helping young individuals like myself is truly remarkable.”

Ayush expressed gratitude to Mr. JC Cinelli, his Scoutmaster; Mr. Spalla, his mentor and guide; Mr. Selva, his mentor; Mr. and Mrs. Gombos, his den leaders; Ms. Crudale, his school  teacher; Mr. Fischer, his former boss at Mathnasium; and Mr. Abrahamson, his first Scoutmaster “for introducing me to the wonders of Scouting and inspiring me to embrace its values and opportunities.”

“As I embark on new journeys and embrace the ever-changing ambitions of life, the spirit of Scouting will remain within me,” Ayush promised. “The values, skills, and experiences gained throughout my Scouting journey will guide me in facing challenges, leading with integrity, and striving to be physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”

Nidhi Shukla Named President Of Girl Rising

Shukla will lead Girl Rising’s programmatic expansion to advance girls’ rights to a quality education and dismantle gender barrier

New York based, international non-profit organization Girl Rising, appointed Nidhi Shukla as president of the organization on June 13, 2023 with immediate effect.

Formerly the head of global programming based in India, Shukla will join CEO Christina Lowery in New York to drive the organization’s mission of using the power of storytelling to change the way the world values girls and their education, according to a press note.

As president, Shukla will lead Girl Rising’s programmatic expansion to advance girls’ rights for a quality education and dismantle gender barriers. She will work closely with a network of partners, supporters, and grassroots activists to integrate new areas of focus into the organization’s educational programming.

Primarily, Shukla will provide strategic guidance on integrating climate justice and climate change action into all aspects of Girl Rising’s programs. She has been a part of Girl Rising since 2015. Most recently, she served as the vice president of Global Health Strategies.

On her elevation to the top post, Shukla said, “I have seen firsthand how Girl Rising’s focus on storytelling to build understanding, forge connections, and create empathy is uniquely effective in breaking down gender barriers. I am thrilled to be taking this position, as Girl Rising moves into its second decade of impact.”

A former human rights lawyer, Shukla carries two decades of experience in the social justice sector and commitment to channel storytelling-based advocacy to impact marginalized populations. Previously, she worked with Lawyers Collective, Heroes Project – Richard Gere Foundation, and Johns Hopkins University – Centre for Communications Program.

Dev Shah Wins 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee Title

Dev Shah, a 14-year-old Floridian teenager has emerged as the champion of the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee held in the United States. A student hailing from Largo, Dev Shah, successfully spelled the word “psammophile” to secure his victory in the 95th edition of the national competition, along with a $50,000 (£40,000) cash prize.

Another 14-year-old, Charlotte Walsh from Arlington, Virginia, was named the runner-up after she misspelled the word “daviely” as “daevilick.” A psammophile refers to an organism that thrives in sandy environments.

After advancing through regional competitions, America’s top student spellers competed Thursday for cash prizes and academic fame. More than 200 students spelled their way through regional spelling bees to advance, and students competing represent all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The final round featured 11 contestants, shortlisted from a staggering 11 million participants in various spelling contests, as reported by the organizers. Dev expressed his disbelief upon winning, stating, “It’s surreal… my legs are still shaking.” His family joined him on stage to celebrate his achievement, with his mother expressing her pride in him.

Dev had previously participated in the 2019 and 2021 editions of the competition, finishing tied for 51st and 76th place, respectively. En route to the final, he correctly spelled challenging words such as bathypitotmeter, schistorrhachis, and rommack. Additionally, he answered a question accurately, identifying a magician as someone most likely to practice legerdemain.

Meanwhile, Charlotte’s journey to the finals involved correctly spelling words like akuammine, sorge, and collembolous. The final event took place in National Harbor, Maryland. The tradition of the national spelling bee dates back to its inception in 1925.

Here’s a look at tonight’s finalists.

Dhruv Subramanian is a 12-year-old seventh-grader from San Ramon, Calif., who loves music. He plays guitar for the school’s rock band and is active in orchestra and jazz band at school. And, of course, he is an excellent speller, having won the NSF Junior Spelling Bee National Champion in 2019 and being named Alameda County Champion in 2020. He’s in the top 10 in major national spelling bees.

Shradha Rachamreddy is learning the classical Indian dance Bharatanatyam in between spelling bees. She’s 13 and in seventh grade. She’s from the BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Upper School and previously competed in 2019 and 2022 spelling bees.

ADVERTISEMENT

Vikrant Chintanaboina has been spelling competitively since second grade. He’s 14 and in the eighth grade at Discovery Charter School-Falcon campus in California. In his spare time, he enjoys time outdoors and playing video games with his brother Ashvik.

Arth Dalsania is 14 and in eighth grade at the Thousand Oaks California Camarillo Academy of Progressive Education. He loves playing violin , tennis and chess. He wants to be an astrophysicist and solve the world’s problems with science.

Dev Shah attends Largo, Florida’s Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School and has many interests besides spelling. He plays cello, loves learning and, in his free time, calls friends and solves math problems with them. He likes historical fiction movies and reading historical fiction books.

Aryan Khedkar goes to Baker Middle School in Waterford, Mich. Reading, writing, solving math problems and singing are favorite pastimes. He plays bass clarinet in his school band and likes solving Rubik’s Cube patterns.

Sarah Fernandes is an 11-year-old fifth-grader at St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School in Omaha. She has played piano since she was 4, including at Carnegie Hall. She’s won several competitions and played solo with a professional orchestra. She loves making digital art, reading and math.

ADVERTISEMENT

Pranav Anandh is a 14-year-old Morton, Penn., student at Garnet Middle School who is passionate about robotics and science. He represented the United States in the World Robotics Olympiad in 2021-22.

Tarini Nandakumar is a 12-year-old sixth-grader from Austin, Texas’ Challenger School — Avery Ranch. Her many hobbies include reading, singing, dancing, building with LEGO and playing with her pets, Simba and Beau.

Surya Kapu is from Salt Lake City’s American Preparatory Academy-Draper 3. He’s a black belt in tae kwon do and likes playing the saxophone, chess and basketball. He’s enjoyed spelling bees from an early age and is excited about participating this year.

Charlotte Walsh is from Merrifield, Virginia’s Compass Homeschool Enrichment. She’s testing for her black belt in tae kwon do after working toward it since she was 6 and plans to pursue either astrophysics or neuroscience when she grows up. She loves listening to music.

A Unique Walk Along The Trail

By  Prof. Jibrael Jos

Emotions cannot be captured
Feelings cannot be framed
Yet we keep on clicking
As we walk along this trail

No one can click
the same river twice
River has changed and
Nature throws a dice

Each cloud is unique
Even blue shades of sky
Trees have grown
The old grass has died

Each group on this trail
Is a bouquet of flowers
Each flower a leader
With potential and power

The universe calls them
To rise and shine
Touch the lives of some
and connect with the divine

Emotions cannot be captured
Feelings cannot be framed
Yet we keep on clicking
As we walk along this trail

The above poem and the pictures are by Jibrael Jos, who currently serves as an Associate Professor and HRDC Coordinator at Christ University in Lavasa, near Pune in Maharashtra.

His Trainings/workshops have come to be well known as “Leadership Retreats in Lavasa with Outbound Training in Lonavala.” These workshops have become popular with thousands of mentors.  Prof. Jose has led and conducted over 300 plus workshops in the recent past. Last year alone, he did 48 workshops for College Students, School and College Teachers and Principals.

Describing his style of leading such workshops that impact and help transform thousands of lives, Prof. Jose says, “I conduct Leadership Retreats here in Lavasa on a regular basis. I take every group that attends my workshops/training for a trek on Day 2, I visit the same place so many times. However, every group is different and hence the experience is unique.”

Lauding the fullest participation and openness and enthusiasm to learn by the participants who come from across the nation, Prof. Jose says, “In two days, this set of school Teachers really rose to the occasion. It was very satisfying to see the slight transformations and spark of belief to make a difference.”

Looking back to his past that has shaped his vision and outlook, Prof. Jos gives credit to Yuvodaya, “The Delhi Catholic Youth Movement inspired me to be a trainer and facilitator.”

Vedant, Actor Madhavan’s Son Bags 5 Gold Medals

Indian Actor R Madhavan’s son Vedaant participated in the 58th MILO/MAS Malaysia Invitational Age Group Swimming Championships and has won five gold medals for India. Madhavan expressed delight in sharing the news about his son’s victory in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “Elated and very grateful,” Madhavan shared on Twitter.

According to the tweet, Vedaant participated in the 58th MILO/MAS Malaysia Invitational Age Group Swimming Championships. Photos shared on social media also feature Madhavan’s wife Sarita Birje with Vedaant.

Vedaant has also gained recognition at the Khelo India 2023 tournament. He represented team Maharashtra and won five gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 150m events, as well as two silver medals in the 400m and 800m events. Madhavan shared the news in February on social media.

The 17-year-old, born in 2005, won his first international title in the form of a bronze medal at the Latvia Open in March 2021 and then bagged seven medals (four silver and three bronze) at the Junior National Aquatic Championships in the same year. He then bagged a gold medal at the Danish Open swimming event in April 2022. He moved to Dubai for a six-months swimming training in 2021. He has also won the 48th Junior National Aquatics Championships.

Vedaant received greetings from the film and sports fraternity to which Madhavan responded. Legendary cricketer Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar said, “This is the start of a beautiful journey.”

Music Mozart A R Rahman appreciated the parents and said, “Credits to you and your wife for the sacrifice and right decisions taken to nurture him.” Actor Abhishek Bachchan congratulated Vedaant on Twitter.

Arjun Tendulkar Makes IPL Debut

Arjun Tendulkar, son of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar made his debut in Indian Premier League (IPL) on April 16, 2023. He was bowling for Mumbai Indians, the team once captained by his father. The Tendulkars became the first father-son duo to play in IPL, which started in 2008.

The 23-year-old left-hander was given the new ball in the match against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Arjun went wicketless in his two over spell, giving away 17 runs.

After the match, Sachin penned an emotional note on social media marking his son’s debut. “Arjun, today you have taken another important step in your journey as a cricketer. As your father, someone who loves you and is passionate about the game, I know you will continue to give the game the respect it deserves and the game will love you back,” he wrote on Twitter.

“You have worked very hard to reach here, and I am sure you will continue to do so. This is the start of a beautiful journey. All the best!,” hiz tweet further read.

Junior Tendulkar made his national team debut for the U19 side in 2018. In a Test series against Sri Lanka, he picked up his first wicket for the national team. He played his first domestic T20 match for the Mumbai team during the 2020/21 Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy.

India’s Workforce Is Weighed Down By People With Worthless College Degrees

India’s education system is failing the country’s workforce, with scores of people graduating from small private colleges lacking the skills required to secure employment. While some of India’s tech industry leaders come from top colleges, such as Sundar Pichai of Alphabet and Satya Nadella of Microsoft, lesser-known private institutes frequently have incompetent teachers, outdated curricula, and no opportunities for on-the-job training. This has resulted in a glut of incompetent workers within the workforce, with a study by employee assessment firm Wheebox revealing that half of all future graduates in India are expected to be unemployable.

Despite the lack of opportunities that many colleges provide, Bloomberg’s interviews with youths in India revealed several reasons for spending money on higher education, such as increasing their economic status to attract better suitors for marriage and securing government employment. However, the pursuit of higher education at private universities has also led to fraud, with one such institution investigated by the Indian government for selling fake degrees.

Manav Bharti University in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh sold up to 36,000 degrees since its founding in 2009, with qualifications being offered for as low as $1,362. Such fraudulent behavior highlights a need for greater regulation and accreditation of educational institutions in India. The country’s unemployment rate is 7.45% as of February, according to the Indian news outlet, The Economic Times.

The failing education system is particularly concerning as India’s population is set to overtake China’s by mid-2023, with the United Nations Population Fund’s “State of World Population Report” estimating India’s population will reach 1.4286 billion, which is 2.9 million more than China’s 1.4257 billion people. Anil Sadgopal, a former dean of education at Delhi University, has stated that “calling such so-called degrees as being worthless would be by far an understatement.” He told that Bloomberg,”When millions of young people are rendered unemployable every year, the entire society becomes unstable.”

The education system failures are particularly evident in small private colleges that lack adequate resources to provide quality courses, leading to an imbalance in employment opportunities between those who have attended top-tier schools and those who have attended lower-tier schools that may lack resources or accreditation. While there is great potential in India’s youth, particularly in the tech industry, it is a need of the hour to restructure and regulate the country’s higher education system to ensure that all young people have access to high-quality education that prepares them for the workforce.

Inadequate training and poor educational opportunities for the majority of Indian college students mean that few graduates are equipped with the skills or critical thinking abilities necessary for the modern workplace, particularly in fields such as technology, engineering, and business. Such issues have led to the creation and implementation of new regulations, such as the National Education Policy, designed to revamp India’s education system and reduce the number of unemployable college graduates.

In conclusion, India’s higher education system is failing its youth, and the consequences are dire. Millions of young people are graduating from inadequate programs with limited prospects for employment, which threatens to create instability throughout society. Moreover, the fraudulent practices occurring by some educational institutions have further discredited India’s education system. Therefore, it is essential that the government takes the necessary steps to revamp and regulate the education system to ensure quality education for all. Such initiatives will help India to fully leverage its greatest asset, its youth, to drive the country’s growing economy and social development.

Sikh Youth Symposium 2023 Held In Cincinnati

Youngsters between ages 6 to 20 from Cincinnati and Dayton participated in the symposium in 5 different groups. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America (SYANA) in Ohio, USA, recently organized its annual Sikh Youth Symposium 2023, a public speaking competition at Guru Nanak Society of Greater Cincinnati Gurdwara Sahib in Cincinnati.

Supported by the Sewadar Committee, the event was attended by youngsters between ages 6 to 20 from Cincinnati and Dayton, who participated in 5 different groups, the news release revealed.

The local convener for the Symposium Sameep Singh Gumtala disclosed that each group was given a book three months in advance to answer three questions given to them in the form of speech for 5-7 minutes. “This year first group was given the book, “Basic Knowledge of Sikhism”, the second group, “Sikh Sakhis for the Youth”, the third group, “The Turban”, and the fourth group, “Guru Granth Sahib – A Supreme Treasure,” Gumtala said.

The program commenced with the recital of Ardas and Hukumnama. Harjinder Singh, who earlier volunteered as local convener in 2006, addressed the gathering saying the symposium provides youth with a platform to learn and reflect on many topics, including the basics of Sikhi and an in-depth study of Gurbani. His son Jaipal Singh recollected how the Sikh youth were taught and mentored year after year.

Weekly classes continue to happen at Gurdwara Sahib in public speaking and Gurmat concepts. The participants were awarded trophies and books, such as “Fauja Singh Keeps Going”, “The Garden of Peace”, and “Why Am I Here.”

Gyani Amrik Singh, chief Granthi of the Gurdwara Sahib, thanked all participants, parents, volunteers, and Sewadar Committee members for making the event a success.

Why are Teen Girls in Crisis?

Anxiety over academics. Post-lockdown malaise. Social media angst.

Study after study says American youth are in crisis, facing unprecedented mental health challenges that are burdening teen girls in particular. Among the most glaring data: A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed almost 60% of U.S. girls reported persistent sadness and hopelessness. Rates are up in boys, too, but about half as many are affected.

Adults offer theories about what is going on, but what do teens themselves say? Is social media the root of their woes? Are their male peers somehow immune, or part of the problem?

The Associated Press interviewed five girls in four states and agreed to publish only their first names because of the sensitive nature of the topics they discussed. The teens offered sobering — and sometimes surprising — insight.

“We are so strong and we go through so, so much,” said Amelia, a 16-year-old Illinois girl who loves to sing and wants to be a surgeon.

She also has depression and anxiety. Like 13% of U.S. high school girls surveyed in the government report, she is a suicide attempt survivor. Hospitalization after the 2020 attempt and therapy helped. But Amelia has also faced bullying, toxic friendships, and menacing threats from a boy at school who said she “deserved to be raped.”

More than 1 in 10 girls said they’d been forced to have sex, according to the CDC report, the first increase noted in the government’s periodic survey. Sexual threats are just one of the burdens teen girls say they face.

“We are trying to survive in a world that is out to get us,” Amelia said.

Emma, an 18-year-old aspiring artist in Georgia with attention deficit disorder and occasional depression, says worries about academics and college are a huge source of stress.

“Lately in myself and my friends, I realize how exhausted everyone is with the pressures of the world and the social issues and where they’re going to go in the future,” Emma added. ”All of these things pile up and crash down.”

Zoey, 15, was raised in Mississippi by a strict but loving single mother who pressures her to be a success in school and life. She echoes those feelings.

“School can be nerve racking and impact your mental health so much that you don’t even … recognize it, until you’re in this space where you don’t know what to do,” Zoey said. She’s also had friendship struggles that ended in deep depression and felt the discomfort of being the only Black kid in class.

Several girls said they face added pressure from society’s standards that put too much focus on how they look.

“A lot of people view women’s bodies and girls’ bodies as sexual,” Emma said. “It’s overwhelming to have all these things pushed on us.”

The #MeToo movement began when these girls were quite young, but it intensified during the pandemic and they’re hyperaware of uninvited sexual advances.

Boys are less aware, they suggest. The girls cite crass jokes, inappropriate touching, sexual threats or actual violence. Girls say the unwanted attention can feel overwhelming.

“We deserve to not be sexualized or catcalled, because we are kids,” Amelia said.

Siya, an 18-year-old in New Jersey, said almost every girl she knows has dealt with sexual harassment. “That’s just been the normal for me,” she said.

“When you’re walking alone as girl, you’re automatically put in this vulnerable situation,” Siya said. “I think that’s so sad. I don’t know what it feels like to not have that fear.”

Makena, a high school senior in Mississippi, said she and her friends sometimes wear baggy clothes to hide their shapes but boys “comment, no matter what.”

She has had depression and therapy, and said she has grown up in a community where mental health is still sometimes stigmatized.

“Often in the Black community we aren’t as encouraged to express emotion” because of what previous generations endured, said Makena, who works with a teen health advocacy group. “We’re expected to have hearts of steel,” she said. “But sometimes it’s OK to not be OK.”

Social media platforms contribute, with their focus on superficial appearances and making perfectionism seem attainable. Girls say they’re just part of the problem.

“Social media has completely shifted the way we think and feel about ourselves” in good and bad ways, Makena said.

She’s felt pressure to be perfect when comparing herself with others online. But she also follows social media influencers who talk about their own mental health challenges and who make it seem “OK for me to feel sad and vulnerable,” she said.

Girls have historically been disproportionately affected by depression and anxiety. But those statistics at least partly reflect the fact that girls are often more likely than boys to talk about feelings and emotions, said Dr. Hina Talib, an adolescent medicine specialist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Zoey, the Mississippi 15-year-old, says boys have to keep up a “macho facade” and are less likely to admit their angst.

“I feel like they might feel that way, we just don’t see it,” she said.

A study published in March in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that in 2019, before the pandemic, about 60% of children hospitalized for mental health reasons were girls. A decade earlier, the difference was only slight.

COVID-19 lockdowns added another dimension, thrusting academic and social lives online, Talib said. Some kids entered the pandemic as youngsters and emerged with more mature bodies, socially awkward, uncertain how to navigate friendships and relationships. They live in a world beset with school shootings, a rapidly changing climate, social and political unrest, and restrictions on reproductive care and transgender rights.

Dhvani Bhanushali’s ‘Vaaste’ Garners Over 1.5 Billion Views

Singer Dhvani Bhanushali, who is known for her tracks like ‘Vaaste’, ‘Ishare Tere’ and ‘Leja Re’, has clocked 1.5 billion views for her song ‘Vaaste’ on YouTube.
Among the Indian songs that have crossed the 1 billion milestone are the devotional song ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ topping the list followed by regional songs like the Punjabi song ‘Lehanga’ and a Haryanvi song ’52 Gaj Ka Daman’ making Dhvani’s song the fourth most viewed song nationwide.
This has made Dhvani the youngest Indian musician to achieve the milestone. ‘Vaaste’ has been composed by Tanishk Bagchi and written by Arafat Mehmood, with Nikhil D’Souza featuring as the co-singer, the music video is directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru.
Expressing her gratitude, Dhvani said: “‘Vaaste’ is like that magical thing that happened in my life. I’ll always be grateful to all the people who have watched it more than a billion times on YouTube. It was the team of Tanishk, Arafat, Nikhil, Radhika Ma’am, Vinay Sir and Siddharth that we could break so many records back then and even today. Most importantly it’s all the love and support by the audiences; it only inspires me to work harder and create more magic. I want to thank everyone who was involved in making this beautiful song with me, our mark will live on forever.”
Dhvani made her debut in the pop world with ‘Ishare Tere’ and followed it up with another hit, ‘Leja Re’. However, it was ‘Vaaste’ that catapulted her to the A-list of Indian musicians.
The song became a massive hit and was also listed among the top 10 most-liked music videos globally, with Dhvani featuring as the only Indian music artist in YouTube Rewind 2019. The song was released under the label of T-Series. (IANS)

Dr. Nitya Abraham Honored With Young Urologist of the Year Award

Dr. Nitya Abraham, an Associate Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Program Director for the Montefiore Urology residency program has been honored with the Young Urologist Award this week.

“I’m grateful to my mentors over the years, my chair at Montefiore Medical Center, and of course, my parents and supportive husband, for molding and equipping me to win this award. At a time when rates of physician burnout are increasing, it is wonderful that the American Urological Association and its leaders are recognizing the hard work of many young urologists across the country,” said Dr. Nitay Abraham, the daughter of Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of GOPIO International.

A communique issued by the organizers of the award said, Dr. Nitya Abraham has been chosen from the New York Region for her accomplishments and contributions.

Dr. Nitya Abraham has mentored countless students, residents, fellows and junior faculty both at her institution and others in the New York region. She serves as the Chair of the Executive Curriculum Committee for Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Dr. Abraham has served the AUA as an Oral Board Review Course faculty member and QIPS/MEP member. She is a member of the Society for Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine, and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) Young Urologists Committee and social media committee.

Describing her as a prolific researcher with a clinical research focus on the impact of social determinants of health on pelvic floor health, the awards committee has noted that, Dr. Nitya Abraham has received funding from the US Department of Defense for urinary diagnostic markers of interstitial cystitis, and is also a co-author of the AUA White Paper on Rationale and Strategies for Reducing Urologic Post-Operative Opioid Prescribing.

A graduate of UConn, Dr. Nitya Abraham completed Medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center and the Urology residency at the same place. She did a fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, following which she joined the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. She lives with her husband Terrence and two daughters in Stamford, CT.

Along with Dr. Abraham, others who were chosen for the award included: Rena Malik, MD from Mid-Atlantic Section at the University of Maryland; Jesse D. Sammon, DO from New England Section at Maine Medical Partners Urology; Sarah Vij, MD from North Central Section at Cleveland Clinic; Alexander J. Ernest from MD, Society of Government Service Urologists at Brooke Army Medical Center; Kerri Thurmon, MD from South Central Section at the Denver Health and the University of Colorado School of Medicine; Zachary Klaassen, MD from Southeastern Section at the Medical College of Georgia; and, Yahir Santiago- Lastra, MD from the Western Section at the UC San Diego Health.

Established by the 2012-2013 AUA Young Urologists Committee (YUC) Chair, Dr. Michael C. Ost, the Young Urologist of the Year Award is presented annually to select early-career AUA members in recognition of their efforts and commitment to advancing the development of fellow young urologists. The following members were selected by their colleagues who serve on the Young Urologists Committee and endorsed by their respective Section/Society to receive this special honor for 2023.

Sania Mirza Draws Curtain On Her Glorious Career

Tributes poured in for the former doubles World No.1 Sania Mirza, one of India’s most celebrated athletes, after she retired from professional tennis at the age of 36, playing her last match in Dubai on Tuesday.

Mirza and her American women’s doubles partner Madison Keys lost their Dubai Tennis Championships 2023 first-round match 4-6, 0-6 to Veronika Kudermetova and Liudmila Samsonova.

Picture : TheUNN

From Mirza’s mixed doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi, with whom Sania won her first-ever Grand Slam in 2009 (Australian Open), to former India pacer Jhulan Goswami shared their reactions on social media to the Indian tennis icon’s retirement.

Taking to Twitter, Bhupathi took a walk down the memory lane, sharing a picture from their Grand Slam win and said: “Welcome to retirement @MirzaSania you outdid yourself time and time again both on and off the court. Proud of you !!”

Goswami wished Mirza a happy retirement, calling her a role model and inspiration, “End of an era! Today #IndianTennis bids its goodbye to the icon who became a role model and inspiration for millions. Happy retirement @MirzaSania”

“Sania Mirza – An island of hope in a sea of mediocrity … A story of hard work, grit, determination & dedication finally comes to an end. From an emerging Tennis star to one of India’s national sports icons, thank you for all the memories & love…” All India tennis Association tweeted.

Women’s Tennis Association said: “Six-time major champion, Former doubles World No.1 Congrats on a fantastic career”

Former India cricketer Rudra Pratap Singh wrote: “You are one of the finest athletes of this generation and have set a great benchmark so high with your extraordinary performances. Happiest retirement to you!”

Mirza, a six-time Grand Slam winner, has won 44 WTA titles in her career. Her last doubles triumph came at the Ostrava Open2021 in the Czech Republic, where she partnered with China’s Zhang Shuai.

India tennis star wrapped up her legendary Grand slam career as Australian Open mixed doubles runner-up last month. (IANS)

Natasha Perianayagam Featured Among Johns Hopkins’ World’s ‘Brightest’ Students

An Indian-American teenager has been named in the “world’s brightest” students list for a second year in a row by the US-based Johns Hopkins Center For Talented Youth (CTY), based on the results of above-grade-level tests of more than 15,000 students across 76 countries.

Natasha Perianayagam, 13, is a student of Florence M Gaudineer Middle School in New Jersey. She has been recognized for her exceptional performance on the SAT, ACT, School and College Ability Test, or similar assessment taken as part of the CTY Talent Search, a university press release said.

Natasha, whose parents hail from Chennai, also took the Johns Hopkins Talent Search test in Spring 2021 when she was in class 5. Her results in the verbal and quantitative sections levelled with the 90th percentile of advanced Grade 8 performance.

“This motivates me to do more,” she had then said, adding that doodling and reading JRR Tolkien’s novels may have worked for her.

Natasha scored the highest grades among all candidates In her latest attempt, the university statement said adding that she “was among the 15,300 students from 76 countries who joined CTY in the 2021-22 Talent Search year”.

“This is not just recognition of our students’ success on one test, but a salute to their love of discovery and learning, and all the knowledge they have accumulated in their young lives so far,” CTY’s executive director Dr Amy Shelton said.

“It is exciting to think about all the ways in which they will use that potential to discover their passions, engage in rewarding and enriching experiences, and achieve remarkable things — in their communities and in the world,” Shelton added.

CTY uses above-grade-level testing to identify advanced students from around the world and provide a clear picture of their true academic abilities.

The quantitative section of the Johns Hopkins CTY test measures the ability to see relationships between quantities expressed in mathematical terms, the verbal section measures understanding of the meaning of words and the relationships between them. (IANS)

Hillary Clinton During Visit To IIT Gandhinagar, Urges Students To Shut Off Social Media To Have Time For Self-Reflection

Known globally for her humanitarian outlook and advocacy for social justice and women’s rights, former First Lady and Secretary of State of the United States of (US) and philanthropist Hillary Rodham Clinton visited the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) as a part of her India visit and interacted with faculty, students, and the larger IITGN community. She was joined by senior officials of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI).

During a town hall at the Institute titled “Insights from Her Journey”, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton emphasised the need to take climate action and adopt sustainable alternate solutions in our day-to-day lives.

Picture : TheUNN

Citing an example from her visit to a salt pan farm, where women are using solar-powered pumps, she expressed confidence in India’s ability to meet the alternate energy needs and said, “Alternative clean energy is India’s future, and it would not burden the country, but instead, it can reduce costs and generate more income for the communities. Today India is well-positioned to adopt clean energy to achieve economic growth. But it requires organisation from the public sector, the private sector, and civil society. So, with creative thinking, scientific know-how through institutions like IITGN, bringing down the costs of such alternatives, and decentralising, I really believe that the opportunity for India in being a leader in clean energy is so dramatically available.”

Hillary Clinton during the town hall at IIT Gandhinagar

The former first woman Senator from New York state also underscored the importance of higher education to prepare young people for tomorrow and said, “Education at all levels is the key to the continuing effort for economic and social equality and justice. And higher education is very important to prepare our young generation for future endeavours. It is at the heart of how we continue to provide opportunity, and so it is important to open higher education to as many students as possible with a variety of educational institutions.”

Picture : TheUNN

She also encouraged girls and women to develop enough resilience and support each other in dealing with adversity, “Dealing with adversity is a challenge regardless of gender, but as women, we must develop enough resilience and confidence to go through the adversity. It requires constant preparation all through your life. And it cannot happen overnight; it can be built through childhood and young adulthood. So it is important that parents express confidence in their children and provide an impartial upbringing. My parents had given equal opportunity to me and my two brothers and expected us to stand up for ourselves and be responsible. So from a very young age, I was given an opportunity to pursue my interest and develop my own path in life. Women in professional and public life realise that sexism and misogyny are still around, and sadly it has become quite redolent on social media, which has become a new challenge that we have not confronted before. So, it is important that other women support women who are adversely affected.”

Answering a question from one of the students about key lessons and takeaways from the Covid-19 pandemic, Secretary Clinton said, “There are several lessons, but most importantly, 1) We need to have supply chains in our countries and immediate regions so that we are not dependent and are able to provide what we need; 2) We have to do a much better job in communicating public health messages. There is a lot of uncertainty, which is
understandable at the start of such a Global pandemic, but we didn’t really communicate effectively with large portions of our population. India and the United States did a great and quick job in bringing vaccines to the market compared to other countries.

But we have to have global responses to curb it, and every country, especially China, has to be more open and transparent in sharing accurate information in real-time. They cannot continue to guard information the rest of the world needs to know; 3) We need to be smarter about getting enough access to healthcare that people might need if it happens again. Public health infrastructure should not collapse when an emergency hits. The whole world should come together and try to cooperate about how we are going to prepare for whatever comes next.”

Sharing her thoughts on the importance of self-reflection and introspection while being in leadership roles, Secretary Clinton said, “We are living in such a fast-paced world and being overstimulated by information as well as misinformation. So I think it’s especially important to shut off social media and your phone in order to have that time for self-reflection. Do an activity like arts, exercise or just a walk in nature without any other digital distractions, which helps you relax and distress.”

Secretary Clinton also shared a few anecdotes from her college life and motivation to keep going in her professional career in public service. Welcoming the distinguished guest, Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IITGN, said, “It is a matter of great honour to host Secretary Hillary Clinton at IIT Gandhinagar today, who has done immense work for various communities around the world. It is this philosophy of improving lives and giving back that has guided the endeavors of IIT Gandhinagar over the years. We believe in adopting a global outlook in our academic and research activities and applying it to address some global as well as regional challenges. Our effort has been to equip our students not only with cutting-edge scientific and technological knowledge but also social empathy.”

Earlier to her interactive town hall, which was moderated by Prof Bhaskar Datta, Secretary Hillary Clinton also visited Palaj village and appreciated significant efforts of the Desai Foundation (one of the Commitment Makers being recognized by Clinton Global Initiative) and their initiatives along with their partnership with IITGN’s social outreach programmes, NEEV and NYASA, in impacting rural youth, women, and communities through skilling,
entrepreneurship, and health programs.

Through the grassroots-level training projects, mentoring, and networking opportunities provided by NEEV, youth and women from these areas have been able to earn a sustainable livelihood and support their families. Through health camps organized by NYASA and its team of student volunteers, hundreds of residents of nearby villages are provided free medical check-ups by expert physicians, orthopaedics, gynaecologists, dermatologists, ophthalmologists and dentists. The beneficiaries are also provided free medicines, spectacles, and essential information related to health and nutrition.

Prof Harish P M, Dean of General Administration, who also coordinated the entire event at IITGN, said, “Our students and community members were eagerly looking forward to hearing from Secretary Clinton, and we were all delighted that she could take time out of her hectic visit to speak to the students. Both her journey and her words were a source of great inspiration for many of our students. Her words of appreciation for our social outreach programme NEEV and student initiative NYASA along with our partnership with Desai Foundation have given us a great impetus to continue creating a more inclusive environment.”

As a gesture of gratitude for spending time with IITGN students, Secretary Clinton was honored with thoughtful gifts as a memory from IITGN, including “Meghadutam – The Cloud Message”, a book having an English translation of the famous lyrical poem by classical Sanskrit poet and dramatist Kalidasa, by Prof Srinivas Reddy, a Guest Professor at IITGN, and an indo-western jacket made using exquisite Mashru silk with traditional Ajrakh print, specially designed and crafted for the guest by artisans of NEEV-IITGN.

Secretary Clinton was in India to help advance Clinton Global Initiative – CGI’s Commitments to Action that are providing employment opportunities and critical health care services to girls and women, while also providing critical support for climate resilience in the region. These Commitments were made by members of the CGI community at the CGI 2022 Meeting, which resulted in 144 new Commitments to Action addressing climate resilience, global health equity, inclusive economic growth, the global refugee crisis, and other critical global challenges.

The Desai Foundation, an IIT Gandhinagar partner in their work to engage students + teachers in social work in the nearby areas, welcomed Secretary Clinton to Palaj village. Here she saw three of their flagship programmes – Heroes for Humanity, a programme born from the COVID pandemic that employs 500 local village residents and provides them with training to deliver local programming. This programme was a part of CGI’s Commitments to Action at the CGI 2022 Meeting. The second is their flagship Asani Sanitary Napkin and Menstrual Equity Programme. And lastly, the Desai Foundation Health Camp, in collaboration with the IITGNNYASA students, a programme that brings healthcare to rural communities.

Decorating Deities Is “A Calling” For This Hindu Temple Artist

(AP) — A computer science graduate, S. Goutham quit his job nearly a decade ago to pursue his calling. He has since followed in the footsteps of his ancestors as a fifth-generation decorator of temple deities. The former computer professional — now a very specialized type of artist — locked his gaze on the deity before him.

On a recent afternoon, 33-year-old S. Goutham was perched on a ladder at the altar of the goddess Durga at the Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Chennai, India. Goutham — his hand moving steadily — was pleating a green silk sari to adorn the deity.

“You cannot get tense when you are doing this work,” he says. “You can’t do this if you are not patient. You need to become one with her.”

A computer science graduate, Goutham quit his job nearly a decade ago to pursue his calling. He has since followed in the footsteps of his ancestors as a fifth-generation decorator of temple deities.

Picture : Philedelphia Tribune

In Hindu temples, idols are mostly made of materials such as black granite, white marble or five-metal alloys that have sacred significance. These deities are worshipped as physical, tangible representations of god (Brahman) who is believed to be infinite, omnipresent and beyond comprehension. Worship in a Hindu temple includes bathing these deities in milk, decorating them with colorful clothes, flowers, perfumes such as sandalwood, jewelry, and even weapons such as swords, clubs and tridents. Oil lamps are lit at the altar, and sacred chants and foods are offered to the gods.

Decorating the deities is a millennia-old practice that is described in the Hindu epic Ramayana, and Goutham has been learning the art since he was a toddler. He crafted his first formal decoration when he was 13 — at the very altar where he stood 20 years later on a day in November.

He has done thousands of decorations, ranging from relatively simple ones that take an hour or two to complete, to others that are more complex and take several days.

Goutham said he became interested in decorating deities as a child because of his father. “When you are little, your father is your hero,” he said. “I wanted to be just like him.”

The first lesson Goutham got from his dad was about the weapons each god would hold. He heard stories about the power of each weapon and how gods would wield them. “The personality of the deity and the story of the god or goddess could change depending on their weapons, the clothes they wear, the expression on their face or the position in which they are sitting or standing,” he said.

When he sets out to decorate a deity, Goutham says he has a concept of what to do, but doesn’t start out with a sketch. He goes step by step — placing the deity’s hands, feet and weapons. Then, he moves on to the clothes and jewelry. Gradually, the god’s form manifests.

There are rules about the types of materials that can be used on deities. “The human body is made up of earth, water, fire, air and space, and everything you see naturally occurring on Earth is made of these elements,” Goutham said. “To show this, we decorate deities using things that occur in nature and are a representation of these elements, like copper, cloth, coconut fibers and so on.”

He says decorating a deity combines elements from art, dance and yoga, in terms of the hand gestures and postures the deities assume. Man-made materials such as plastic are prohibited. Goutham says he uses little pins to hold fabric together, but makes sure the pins don’t directly touch the idol.

He sources the deities’ arms and legs, mostly made from copper or brass, as well as the weapons and jewelry, from artisans.

He has also created an app and website for those who wish to learn more about this art and dreams of establishing an institution to train artists who can maintain the sacred tradition. While most deity decorators are men, he sees no reason why women cannot learn and practice it.

“Everyone is equal under god,” he said. Storytelling is an important part of what he does. One of his favorite installations depicts the friendship between Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu, and Kuchela.

“It shows Krishna washing the feet of Kuchela, a poor man, conveying the message that humility is a virtue — whether you are a human being or god,” Goutham said.

The term “idol worship” may have negative connotations in some faiths. But for Hindus, deities — which are kept in temples, homes, shops and offices — serve as focal points “for to us channel our devotions, our actions and serve as a reminder of all the positive values that are associated with those deities,” said Suhag Shukla, executive director of the Hindu American Foundation.

Shukla says this form of worship is a way for her to connect with her ancestors. “As a second-generation Hindu American, I didn’t grow up with all these things around me where I could absorb through osmosis,” she said. “But just knowing that I’m part of a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation is personally powerful for me.”

In U.S. Hindu temples, community members come together to help create the costumes for the deities, and it is an act of devotion, Shukla said. “No one has to sit there and embroider a skirt or sari for a goddess, but they do it as a display of love,” she said. “It’s humbling and empowering.”

Goutham says he doesn’t view his job as a vocation. “You can call it service because it brings pure joy to so many and plays a role in our spiritual awakening,” he said. “But in my view, it’s much more than that. It has the power to transform people.”

Goutham has decorated deities in temples abroad as he has in tiny Indian villages and little-known temples. He remembers stopping once at a village tea shop and hearing the locals praise his decoration of their temple deity. “It really warmed my heart,” he said. “I love seeing mother Durga whether or not she is decorated,” she said. “But, when I do see her all decked up and looking gorgeous, it makes me so happy. It’s uplifting and empowering.”

There are some decorations which bring tears even to the artist’s eyes. “It’s not just something that is pretty to look at,” Goutham said. “It’s about love and faith. When you touch the deities, clothe them and decorate them, you think of them as your friends or parents. You need skill and vision to do this. But above all, it takes heart.”

Youth Seek Justice for Students Across the Nation

During the film festival, ‘Aane Matthu Iruve: Story of a Republic Day,’ organized by the Bangalore Film Society in collaboration with Pedestrian Pictures, Rushes Film Club – St Joseph’s University, and Gamana Women’s Collective, a panel discussion was held on the theme, ‘Youth’ on 20th October in the context of the short film ‘A Night of Knowing Nothing.’

The panel discussions revolved around the theme, ‘Current state of students in our country’ in the context of attacks against students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia University in New Delhi, and voicing support for students’ rights and the responsibility of the state towards students.

The panel was moderated by Aravind Nair, and panel members consisted of Shalom Gauri, a writer, Ashwini Bodhi, Youth Mentor, Devashree Nath, Filmmaker and Manu.

Panel member, Shalom Gauri said, “The revolution of activism that we saw in 2015, 2016, and the years followed have transformed students and the campuses in the year 2022. For the long term impact of these events, there is a need for long-term perspectives.”

“Activism is something that I found myself protesting on the street for the rights,” Ashwini Bodhi said. “The film ‘A Night of Knowing Nothing’ is a perfect composition of love and art, articulated together with the concept of humanity.”

Filmmaker Devashree Nath shared her experiences with the protest. “The protest began with a spark, but later on, it went totally out of control and left us helpless.” In the context of the protest being held, she raised a question about the impact of protests on one’s family and loved ones, “What about their family, parents, and loved ones back at home? What they are put to suffer should also be considered.”

The event ‘Aane Matthu Iruve: Story Of A Republic,’ which means, “The Elephant and The Ant: Story Of A Republic” Film Festival was organized from 19th-21st of October by the Bangalore Film Society in the capital city of the state of Karnataka.

Biden’s New Debt Relief Proposals For Student Loan Borrowers

Broad student-loan forgiveness isn’t the only relief President Joe Biden is hoping to implement for borrowers this year.

On Tuesday, Biden’s Education Department officially proposed reforms to income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, which where created to give student-loan borrowers affordable monthly payments based on income, with the promise of loan forgiveness after at least 20 years.

As reports over the past year revealed, the plans seldom delivered on their promise. An NPR investigation found that some student-loan companies failed to track payments borrowers’ made on the plans, throwing them off of the path to forgiveness, and oftentimes borrowers had to submit requests themselves to get accurate information on where their payments stood.

In light of those flaws, the Education Department announced a series of reforms to the plans that included streamlining the path to loan forgiveness and cutting payments for undergraduate borrowers in half.

Picture : CNBC

“Today the Biden-Harris administration is proposing historic changes that would make student loan repayment more affordable and manageable than ever before,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. “We cannot return to the same broken system we had before the pandemic, when a million borrowers defaulted on their loans a year and snowballing interest left millions owing more than they initially borrowed.”

Here’s what you need to know about these proposed reforms, and why some advocates are still pushing for further relief.

Is Biden creating a completely new IDR plan?

No – not completely new. The Education Department is amending the Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) plan, the latest iteration of which calculates borrowers’ monthly payments based on their discretionary income with the promise of debt relief after a set number of years in repayment.

This revision mean that the department will also be phasing out other versions of income-driven repayment plans. It will phase out enrollment for borrowers in the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and income-contingent repayment (ICR) plans, and limit when a borrower can switch to an income-based repayment (IBR) plan.

Who is eligible?

If you have a federal graduate or undergraduate student loan, who will be eligible for these reforms.

How will my monthly payments change?

If you make less than $30,500, or if you’re in a household of four with an income below $62,400, you will be given the option to make $0 monthly payments.

These reforms also cut payments for undergraduates in half — the new plan would require them to pay 5% of their discretionary income on their undergrad student loans, down from the current 10%. Borrowers who only have graduate school loans would continue to pay 10%, and borrowers who have both graduate and undergraduate loans would pay between 5 and 10%, based on average calculated from the share of loans borrower for undergraduate versus graduate studies.

When will I receive loan forgiveness on this plan?

According to the fact sheet, the department said it’s “concerned that borrowers with small balances are discouraged from using existing IDR plans – even if they would benefit from lower monthly payments – because of the length of time required to receive loan forgiveness.”

That’s why the department is proposing that borrowers who originally borrowed $12,000 or less will receive loan forgiveness after 10 years of payments. “Every additional $1,000 borrowed above that amount would add 1 year of monthly payments to the required time a borrower must pay before receiving forgiveness,” the fact sheet said.

The department estimated that 85% of community college borrowers would be debt-free after ten years of repayment with this change.

What’s the timeline for implementation?

These proposals will enter a 30-day public comment period, and senior administration officials told reporters that the department plans to implement them this year, alongside Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for federal borrowers (it’s currently headed to the Supreme Court on February 28).

Additionally, Congress did not increase funding for the Federal Student Aid office in its latest spending bill, suggesting hurdles to come with implementation of these reforms. The administration official said the department is disappointed with the lack of funding and notes that it will present a challenge.

What if I’m in default or delinquent on my loans?

The reforms are intended to help at-risk borrowers, as well. The department is proposing to automatically enroll borrowers who are at least 75 days behind on their payments into an IDR plan that would give them the lowest monthly payment. Borrowers already in default would also, for the first time, get access to an IDR plan.

Who is excluded?

Parents who took on PLUS loans — a type of federal student loan that allows a parent to borrow up to the full cost of attendance for their child’s education — are not included. A senior administration official told reporters on Monday that the Higher Education Act of 1965 does not allow parent PLUS loans to be repaid on an IDR plan, and the department is not making any changes to that law.

At this time, parent PLUS loan borrowers only have the income-contingent repayment plan — the most expensive type of plan — which requires them to pay 20% of their discretionary income for 25 years, and the remaining balance after that time period is forgiven.

Advocates lauded the proposed improvements but expressed disappointment with this exclusion. “It ignores the reality that low-income families—especially low-income families of color—are more likely to rely on Parent PLUS loans or need to get a graduate degree to earn the same salary as their wealthier white peers,” Persis Yu, deputy executive director of advocacy group Student Borrower Protection Center, said in a statement.

Nikita Pathakji Wins Masterchef Professionals 2022

Nikita Pathakji, 25 (24 at the time of filming) has been crowned MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2022. As the 16th professional chef to earn the esteemed MasterChef: The Professionals title, Nikita takes her place in MasterChef history alongside other outstanding champions: Derek Johnstone; Steve Groves; Claire Lara; Ash Mair, joint winners Keri Moss and Anton Piotrowski; Steven Edwards; Jamie Scott; Mark Stinchcombe; Gary Maclean; Craig Johnston; Laurence Henry; Stu Deeley, Alex Webb and last year’s winner, Dan Lee.

Nikita entered the prestigious competition alongside 31 other professional chefs, all aiming to achieve culinary perfection, cooking her way to the top after six weeks of increasingly demanding challenges. Nikita impressed Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing, acclaimed chef Anna Haugh and seasoned MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace with innovative, memorable dishes inspired from her travels, mainly around Asia. Critics and leading chefs also raved about Nikita and her food, with William Sitwell describing her as “a force to be reckoned with” and Michelin-starred Jun Tanaka said of her octopus starter at Chef’s Table: “You absolutely nailed it. It really took me back to when I was a child in Japan.”

Picture : NY Breaking

Reacting to her win, Nikita said: “This is incredible and I can’t put it into words. It surpasses every achievement of my life. I don’t know how I’m going to top this. This is the peak, I think I’ve reached it!” Marcus Wareing commented: “She’s a chef that has grown right in front of our eyes. Her food has been sublime and she’s always come up with an amazing twist.”

Anna Haugh said: “Nikita is on the road to creating a very unique cuisine. And that is why she’s our champion. As soon as Nikita walked into the kitchen I could see she had class.” Gregg Wallace added: “Nikita is using food that she fell in love with from her own travels around Asia. That chef is completely and utterly in love with the food she’s producing. She opened up the larder of the world and brought us stunning dish after stunning dish.”

In an intense Final Week, Nikita was cooking against exceptional fellow finalists in increasingly tough culinary tasks and had to bring the very best creativity, technique and skill to the table, to outperform them. The challenges this week included the chance of a lifetime to cook for 20 culinary heavyweights at one of the most prestigious and unique cooking events in the country.

Chef’s Table was held this year at the five-star Lanesborough Hotel in London, and the guests, who hold 19 Michelin stars between them, included Matt Abé (3* Restaurant Gordon Ramsay), Nieves Barragan Mohacho (Sabor 1*), Lisa Goodwin-Allen (1* Northcote), Jason Atherton (The Social Company 3*) and the much-loved MasterChef judge and renowned chef patron of Mere, Monica Galetti.

The finalists’ imaginations were also stretched as they were tasked with creating a plate inspired by a food memory, to transport the MasterChef judges to that time or place. Another formidable cooking challenge was to deliver a showstopping dish for a discerning dining room full of some of the UK’s leading food critics – Jay Rayner, William Sitwell, Leyla Kazim, Jimi Famurewa and April Jackson.

With the stakes at an all-time high, tonight’s exhilarating last challenge for the final three professionals was producing the best three courses of their lives, in just three hours. Tasting their way through the final menus, were judges Marcus Wareing, Anna Haugh and Gregg Wallace, who expected nothing less than the finest cookery on show.

Nikita’s winning menu started with Sea Bass cured in a Citrus Dressing, Smoked Aubergine Purée, Spicy Red Pepper Purée with Pomegranate, Preserved Lemon, Parsley Oil and a side of Aubergine Crisps. On tasting the dish, Marcus said: “This sings what you’re all about.”

Inspired by her favourite dish from her time in Thailand – Khao Soi – Nikita’s main course was Crispy Chicken Thighs, Tortellini filled with Chicken, Mushrooms and Coriander and Coriander Oil, topped with handmade Sev, finished with a Coconut Curry Sauce and a side of Crispy Chicken Skin dusted with Chilli Powder, topped with a Mango, Cumin and Onion Purée. Anna told Nikita: “When I’m eating this, I’m excited and delighted. To see you developing a dish like this is remarkable.”

To finish, Nikita served Cardamom and Custard Tart, Apricot poached in Honey Syrup, topped with a Honey Tuile and an Apricot, Honey and Lemon Sorbet, to which Gregg reacted with: “The whole thing is delightful.”

Anna added: “You have changed so much since the beginning of the competition. Now what we see before us is a stronger and incredibly capable chef. I’m incredibly proud of you.”

Derby-born Nikita grew up in a family for whom food was always a focus. She now lives in Clapham, London, with her mum, step-dad, sister and Dexter the dog. Nikita says: “I always cooked with my dad and my mum throws elaborate dinner parties with several courses. She also introduced me to the London food scene, taking me to Michelin-starred restaurants. But I’d never considered it as a career because my family is so academic.”

After her A-levels, instead of going to university to study Chemistry, Nikita decided to follow her passion and embark on cooking career. She trained with Westminster Kingsway College and at the end of her apprenticeship, travelled for nine months around Asia. This journey further awakened her appreciation for local flavours and styles of the region. She says: “Because I travelled, it opened up a whole different world of cuisine. It was amazing.” Although Nikita is classically trained and has worked in Michelin-starred kitchens across London ever since, her own food is heavily influenced by her experiences in Asia.

Talking about her time in the competition, Nikita said: “MasterChef is always something I’ve thought about, but never felt ready for. My family always wanted me to do it, especially mum. So I entered partly just to get her off my case! I decided this was the year because I’m now in a restaurant environment where I’m very comfortable and confident… but that’s dangerous! It was time to push myself that much further. The Chef’s Table was the most intimidating moment of the competition. Cooking for that room of people was such an immense challenge. I felt like I needed a shot of something strong before going out there to receive their feedback. Equally though, it was an amazing experience, and for it to be hosted in the hotel where I first joined this industry was utterly incredible.

“I didn’t let myself dream of getting to this point when I entered. I’ve given everything to this. Sleepless nights is an understatement!” Working as a Chef de Partie at the time of filming (now Junior Sous Chef) at Michelin-starred restaurant Kitchen W8 in London, Nikita is looking ahead: “Next, I’d love to do pop-ups and festivals to cook for as many people as physically possible. It would be brilliant to work alongside the other MasterChef finalists to do bespoke menus and events. My long-term goal is to be a chef-owner of a successful restaurant where I get to cook my own food every day. I’d want to foster a great working environment, much like my current workplace. Championing women in the industry, as well as creating a good work life balance, is so important to me.” (BBC.Com)

Several Indian-Americans Featured In Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Class Of 2023

Forbes Unveils 30 Under 30 Class Of 2023, Recognizing Young Leaders That Are Turning To Entrepreneurship To Solve The World’s Biggest Problems

Forbes unveiled its 12th annual Under 30 List for the Class of 2023, recognizing 600 trailblazing innovators across North America, within 20 different categories, who have turned to entrepreneurship to solve the world’s most complex challenges – from global warming to reproductive health.

Indian-Americans on the list include Sonali Mehta, Director at Arista Records, furniture designer Urvi Sharma, Ph.D candidates and scientists Shree Bose and Sneha Goenka and many more. Collectively, the Class of 2023 has raised over $5.3 billion in venture funding, nearly 5 times more than the collective $1 billion raised in 2022.

“The 2023 Under 30 Class is Forbes’ is one of the most diverse to date, with nearly half of listers self-identifying as people of color,” said Kristin Stoller, Editor, Forbes Under 30. “More than one-fifth of listers also identify as immigrants, hailing from 46 countries including Afghanistan, Cameroon, China, Ecuador, India, Kenya, South Korea, and Uganda. This year’s list also boasts the highest contingent of Gen Z in Forbes’ history, with 22% of listers aged 25 or younger.”

“Unconventional thinking is at the heart of Forbes’ Under 30 list, and amidst war, market crashes, and layoffs, tomorrow’s brightest minds continue to forge new paths forward,” said Steven Bertoni, Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes. “Many of the honorees on this year’s list derived these innovated business models during the Covid-19 lock down are reimagining the ways we consume media, approach reproductive health, fight global warming, and play games, and so much more.

The 600 bold founders, leaders and entrepreneurs on the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 List have launched creative companies to put a dent in issues like global warming, reproductive health, student debt and financial freedom. To compile their 12th annual list, Forbes writers and editors, with the help of some expert independent judges, evaluated more than 12,000 candidates on factors including funding, revenue, social impact, inventiveness and potential.  

Forbes’ Under 30 Class of 2023 features honorees in 20 different categories, including: art and style, media, entertainment, social media, science, sports, healthcare, energy, enterprise tech, consumer tech, music, finance, food and drink, social impact, manufacturing and industry, venture capital, marketing and advertising, retail and e-commerce, games, and education. To compile the list, Forbes collaborated with an expert panel of judges, including Joe Jonas, singer, songwriter, and actor; Aimee Song, designer and fashion blogger; Bobbi Brown, makeup artist, author, and founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics; and Sid Sijbrandij, co-founder and CEO of business software firm GitLab.

Notable highlights on this year’s list include Dina Radenkovic, who has raised $40 million and counting to make egg harvesting cheaper and safer through her startup, Gameto; Ayo Edebiri, fresh off the success of her recent comedy-drama series The Bear that won praise from fans and critics; Social Impact lister Noah McQueen, whose company Heirloom has raised $53 million to fight global warming; and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who will begin a four-year, $196 million contract extension next year with the team that he negotiated himself.

Miniature Boat Crosses Atlantic Ocean

A miniature boat has washed up on a Dorset beach nine months after school pupils in the US helped launch it into the north Atlantic. The boat, named Inspiration and found near Christchurch, was fitted with GPS and air and water temperature sensors as part of an educational project.

It had travelled more than 9,300 miles (15,000km) in 245 days. The boat was taken to Tiptoe Primary School where the children were “thrilled” to see it.

Inspiration is part of a project entitled Educational Passages involving the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography.

It gives students across the US the opportunity to prepare, deploy, and track their own miniboat while learning about ocean currents, weather and technology.

Inspiration was designed and prepared by third grade students at Central Falls School District.

It was tracked near the Scilly Isles, before they received emails from people who had spotted the craft while walking on the Dorset coast. 

The project blog said: “For a few days after that, we watched it travel up the English Channel in a zig-zag, which we think has to do with the tide.

“This makes the first voyage of Inspiration a success.”

Among those who came across the beached craft on Avon Beach was Peter Waine who spotted and opened it while walking his dog.

Seeing a letter inside asking any finder to take it to a school, he brought it home to his wife Carly, a teacher at Tiptoe Primary School near Lymington.

She said: “It’s not something you’d usually see in Mudeford.

“I brought it to school to talk to the children about it – they were so excited. It’s been wonderful, we are thrilled.”

The boat also contained a uniform and sports top from the university as well as information about the project and the schools involved.

Mrs Waine has made contact with the university and hoping to arrange a video link up with the US school. “They were really excited that it has landed,” she said.

Inspiration will be relaunched back to sea by the Tiptoe pupils to “continue its travels around the world”, with some items from Tiptoe on board.

2 Indian Americans Recognized In Fortune’s 2022 Annual 40 Under 40 List

Two young Indian Americans, Kanav Kariya and Ankit Gupta are featured in Fortune’s annual 40 Under 40 list which “shines a spotlight on influential individuals shaping business in 2022.”

“The founders, executives, investors, and activists on this year’s list are creating and seizing opportunity,” says the US business magazine. “They’re empowering others. They’re exploring new treatments for diseases that affect millions. They’re connecting people.”

Kanav Kariya, who is listed in the Finance and Crypto category, is president of Jump Crypto, a startup incubator for crypto companies. He started out at the company in 2016 as an intern. Ankit Gupta, featured in the Health and Bioscience category, is the Founder and CEO of Bicycle Health, which aims to increase access to high-quality medical and behavioral healthcare for people with opioid use disorder. Bicycle health has treated 20,000 patients and raised $83 million in venture funding.

They’re building upon their successes as athletes and entertainers. They’re trailblazing in their industries,” Fortune wrote. “And they’re even building new ones.”

Kanav Kariya, 26, listed in the Finance and Crypto category is president of Jump Crypto, the rebranded, 170-person digital assets division of Jump Trading Group, a startup incubator for crypto companies.

Starting there as an intern “helping build the early trading platform for the group’s crypto efforts in 2016,” Kariya was handed over the reins of Jump Crypto last year. Since then, “he’s overseen billions in investments in the crypto space and helped position the company as a major player in Web3,” according to his company profile.

Kariya told Fortune that he wants Jump Crypto to be a “key infrastructure builder that is part of the furniture of the industry as it scales.” Fortune notes that Jump Crypto “is undeterred, and has invested in more than 100 crypto companies in a year.

Ankit Gupta,35, is founder and CEO of Bicycle Health which aims to increase access to high-quality, integrated medical and behavioral healthcare for people with opioid use disorder.

Starting out with a single clinic in Redwood City, California, in 2017, Bicycle Health launched its virtual care platform in 2020, which provides specialized telehealth services for opioid use disorder.

It has since expanded to 29 states, treated 20,000 patients, and raised $83 million in venture funding. Before Bicycle Health, Gupta was co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Pulse News.

He graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay with a Bachelor’s in Computer Science, and he earned his Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science from Stanford University, specializing in machine learning.

In his spare time, Gupta volunteers for his non-profit organization, Docs and Hackers, which aims to bridge the gap between the technology and healthcare fields.

As Chinese Students Become Less, Indians Expected To Fill Universities Across USA

India is up. China is down. Very few U.S. students studied abroad during the first year of the pandemic.  Those three points, in a nutshell, represent key findings from recent data released jointly on Nov. 14, 2022, by the U.S. Department of State and the Institute of International Education.

The “Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange” is published each year at the start of International Education Week. It provides detailed insights regarding study abroad and international students.

Most source countries see a growth in students heading to the U.S., including India sending 19% more students, due to steady decline in Chinese students studying in the U.S., its largest group of foreign students, has opened up opportunities for Indian students as the top global destination for higher education seeks to fill the gap in international enrolments since COVID-19.

Though students from nearly all source countries saw a growth in the number of foreign students in the U.S. for the first time since the pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic session, China was among the few exceptions.

For the second consecutive year, Chinese students in the U.S. saw a decline of 8.6% in 2021-2022 at 2.9 lakh students, according the Open Doors 2022 report on international students released on Monday and brought out by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The student numbers from China are the lowest since 2014-2015. In 2020-2021, China reported a decline of 14.8%.

Overall, in 2021-2022, there were a total 9.48 lakh international students in the U.S. — an improvement of 4% over the previous year when students from across the world reported a sharp decline due to travel restrictions during COVID-19. But international student enrolments continue to be behind pre-pandemic level (2019-2020) by 11.8%.

This year’s report shows a 91% decline in the total number of U.S. students who studied abroad during the 2020-2021 academic year. The pandemic also led colleges to develop more online global learning opportunities. In fact, 62% of colleges offered virtual internships with multinational companies, collaborative online coursework with students abroad and other experiences. While the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a 45.6% decline in new international students in 2020, the latest data, covering the 2021-2022 academic year, indicates that the total number of international students in the U.S. – 948,519 – has started to recover. This can be seen in a 3.8% increase over the 914,095 international students in the U.S. in 2020. Still, the number is well below the nearly 1.1 million international students reported in 2018. Much of the recent growth is driven by an increase in the number of new international students – 261,961 – which is up 80% over the 145,528 from 2020 but still 2.14% below the 267,712 from 2019.

Students from China and India comprise more than half – 52% – of all international students. That isn’t anything new, but what is noteworthy is that during the 2021-2022 academic year, Chinese student enrollment fell 9% and the number of Indian students increased by 19% over the prior year. This has big implications for international diversity at U.S. colleges. This is because Chinese students tend to enroll in a range of majors, while most Indian students – 66.4% – study in just a handful of programs: engineering, math and computer science.

China and India each have around 1.4 billion people, but by 2023 the United Nations predicts that India will overtake China as the world’s most populous country. This continued growth will further strain India’s higher education system, leading to more students pursuing advanced degrees abroad. At the same time, poor job prospects at home are driving many Indian students to pursue academic and career pathways that lead away from India. This is especially true in high-paying, high-growth fields like computers and information technology.

Other contributing factors to the increase from India include a change in tone on the part of the U.S. government. The Biden administration is working to reestablish the U.S. as a welcoming destination for international students by enacting reversals of Trump-era immigration policies. Those policies caused uncertainty and fear among international students. The Biden administration has also prioritized the processing of student visas in India.

Janaki Easwar, 13-Year Old India Origin Singer Performs In T20 World Cup 2022

Though India failed at the semifinal hurdle, the T20 World Cup final at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday had an Indian flavour. Janaki Easwar, a 13-year-old girl of Indian origin, performed along with the Australian rock band Icehouse before Pakistan took on England in front of more than 90,000 spectators.

After Team India crashed out of semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2022, Janaki Easwar has been the young Indian-origin singer who is the buzz of finale in MCG. The young singer rocked the historic ground where England locked horns with Pakistan.

Who is Janaki Easwar?

Janaki is a 13-year-old from Australia who is set to perform in the closing ceremony of T20 World Cup 2022. Easwar will be performing alongside Australian rock band Icehouse. The Australian singer rose to fame in 2021 to become the youngest ever contestant of ‘The Voice.’

Easwar parents have been living in Australia from 15 years but they hail from Kerela’s Kozhikode.

“Performing in front of a massive MCG crowd and getting broadcast to millions of people globally will be an unbelievable experience. My parents are ardent cricket fans. It is through them that I got to know the magnitude of this opportunity,” said the young singer while in media conversation with Indian Express.

Janaki Easwar excited to perform in World-Cup final

Janaki Easwar made her TV debut in traditional South Indian and she aims to represent her Indian and Australian Culture.

“I heard that the tickets are already sold out. I am looking forward to performing and also the game. It would have been nicer if India played the final, though,” she said.

“I believe the way I represented my culture on national television also helped as the performance at the World Cup final is going to be a great representation of multicultural Australia,” she further added.

Kerala-Born Godly Mable Is Youngest Licensed Flight Instructor In North America

A Keralite expatriate has become the youngest flight instructor in North America by obtaining Licensed Flight Instructor. Godly Mabel, a resident of Calgary, Alberta, became the youngest Licensed Flight Instructor in North America to obtain a flight instructor rating from Transport Canada at 19. In March 2022, Mabel also became the youngest Indian woman to get a Commercial Pilot’s License.

Picture : TheUNN

Mabel was born and bought up in South India (Kerala) and migrated to Canada with her parents in December 2017. In June 2020, she graduated with her High School Diploma from Bishop McNally High School. She did her Private Pilot License at Springbank Air Training College, her Commercial Pilot License with a Multi-IFR rating at Calgary Flying Club, and her Flight Instructor Rating at Kanata Aviation Training, High River.

According to Transport Canada regulations, one must be 21 years old to fly an aeroplane, thus Mabel will have to wait another two years to fulfil her dream. Soon after receiving her licence, Mabel was approached by a number of Calgary-area flying schools with offers to work as a flight instructor. The eldest child of Keralite immigrants Aby and Rose Aby, who moved to Canada in 2017, is Godly Mabel. Ryan Aby is her brother.

GOPIO Manhattan Organizes ‘Meet & Greet’ For Students From India At The New York Indian Consulate

The GOPIO-Manhattan (NYC) in cooperation with Consulate General of India in New York organized the ‘Annual Day for Students- New & Existing from India’ studying in the Northeast to connect them to the community and providing mentoring opportunities as well as to raise awareness of Consular services to students from the Indian Consulate. The program was held at the Indian Consulate in New York on October 21st. Students from many universities across the Northeast participated in person or virtually.

The program started with a welcome by GOPIO Manhattan Co Secretary and Chair for the event and emcee Ms. Bhavya Gupta. She welcomed Consul General of India at New York Mr. Randhir Kumar Jaiswal to begin the evening’s proceedings.

The host for the evening Ambassador Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, commented, “Welcome to all the students from India with open heart as you pursue your future studies here in the North-East region and help in the growth of economy here in USA and back home in India.”
He further highlighted this year Indian Students were the highest among the international community in USA, and the goal to expand this program to include more students, from the pool of 200,000 students that come to the USA for further studies, to attend in person more interactive sessions and gain exposure to various services offered by the Consulate for the benefit of the students from registration at the Consular Portal, to cultural events to mental health support initiatives.

This was followed by GOPIO International Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham’s address, who also serves as an advisor to GOPIO-Manhattan encouraged the speakers to mentor, motivate and guide the students.

Dr. Abraham said, “In the 1960s and ‘70s when a foreign student joined a university, he/she was given host family, now with connected world and social media, the host family concept went away and the 4.5 million Indian Americans could serve as the host family to the new students.”
Ms. Bhavya Gupta than introduced and invited the chief guest for the evening Ms. Chandrika Tandon and moderator Mr. Gautam Mukunda for a fireside chat. Ms. Tandon who is a Philanthropist, Grammy-nominated artist and humanitarian commented, “Students can succeed whether here in USA or in India, as long as they put in their work with honesty combined with hard work and dedication.”

Picture: TheUNN

She further added that there is a merit-based admissions process at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering and the incoming class has a very promising future with emphasis that new and existing students today have many more choices of majors to pursue such as computational biology not offered couple decades ago….

Ms. Tandon has donated $100 million to Tandon School of Engineering at New York University.
Mr. Gautam Mukunda, Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership, host of Nasdaq’s podcast “World Reimagined” engaged in a fireside chat with Ms. Tandon. His questions varied from her journey starting with her professional career to music to philanthropy.
GOPIO-Manhattan Executive Vice President Professor Rajasekhar Vangapaty introduced the Panel discussion moderated by Mr. Rajeev Kumar Goyle. There were seven panelists in this session who are asked to comment on several questions.

Mr. Rajeev Kumar Goyle, attorney and a lecturer at Wichita State University, shared his experiences with the students and moderated the panel. He indulged the panel to assist students in formulating their choices of major and career path. He further implored the Panel to reflect on the fireside chat and share their thoughts.

Mr. Srikanth Jagabathula, Robert Stansky Research Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor of Tech, Ops, and Stats at the NYU Stern School of Business, shared his experiences with the students and said, “wear different hats, multi-task, go out of your comfort zone, explore and discover.”

Mr. Raj Pandey, CEO of SaaS and Services startup ZopSmart added “students should immerse within the system, learn and connect with the people.”

Mr. Gagan Gujral, Director in the Financial Services Group added “that students should not be afraid to ask for help from teachers and peers as he reflected the cultural differences between homeland and USA.”

Mr. Shobhit Kumar, Senior Tech leader at a major Life & Annuity Company provided insights to Existing and New Students, “Students should be willing to raise their hands and ask for help. It is a sign of commitment.”

Mr. Sridhar Ramasubbu, CFO at Trianz, added, “leadership is not given, leadership is taken.” He further added students should take initiative, be ambitious but without adding stress.

Ms. Monica Arora, a partner and co-head of the Private Funds Group at Proskauer brought her experience with Students and added that “Students focus on the idea that is most important is building real relationships.”

Mr. Dilli Bhatta, commented about his personal journey from F1 to OPT to H1-B to Green Card and suggested students “ask your employer whether they will sponsor your visa or not, but you give your best services.”

He further shared personal views to the students as part of the panel said, “Now that you are here, outside of your studies, you need to network with your professors, peers, everyone & communication is the key, ask for things.”
Mr. Shivender Sofat, President GOPIO-Manhattan, who joined virtually told the importance of mentoring to the students, discussed chapter activities and motivated everyone to volunteer and become members at future events held by GOPIO Manhattan.

Mr. Siddharth Jain, GOPIO Manhattan Board Member & Program Coordinator; started with a condolence prayer for Late Dr Krishnan Goyle, life member of GOPIO Manhattan, husband of Ms. Vimal Goyle, VP and Founding life member of GOPIO Manhattan.

Mr. Jain called on Dr. Abraham to present Chief Guest Ms. Chandrika Tandon and Host Ambassador Randhir Kumar Jaiswal with a memento that included a First-Day Cover from GOPIO Foundation Day and a sheet of 20-Deepawali Stamps.
Mr. Jain concluded with vote of thanks to Chief Guest Ms. Chandrika Tandon, Host Ambassador Shri Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, Dy. Consul Shri Varun Jeph, Panelists the consulate staff. Other GOPIO-Manhattan officials present at the meeting included President Shivender Sofat (attended virtually), EVP Professor Rajsekhar Vangapaty, Treasurer Braj Aggarwal, Co-Secretaries Dr. Lisa George and Bhavya Gupta and Raj Punjabi.

Mr. Jain concluded with vote of thanks to Chief Guest Ms. Chandrika Tandon, Host Ambassador Shri Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, Dy. Consul Shri Varun Jeph, Panelists the consulate staff. Other GOPIO-Manhattan officials present at the meeting included President Shivender Sofat (attended virtually), EVP Professor Rajsekhar Vangapaty, Treasurer Braj Aggarwal, Co-Secretaries Dr. Lisa George and Bhavya Gupta and Raj Punjabi.
“The students had an excellent time networking with students from different universities as well as with speakers and the Consulate and GOPIO officials and we plan to do a much bigger event next year,’ Dr. Abraham added.

In accordance with its mission to serve the larger society and those in need, GOPIO-Manhattan Chapter has taken several initiatives in the recent past. A Community Feeding is organized by the Chapter providing ​vegan or​vegetarian lunch for the homeless and needy at Tomkins Square Park in Manhattan on the last Monday of every month. The chapter appeals to the community to support the initiative by being a volunteer and/or a sponsor.

For more info on GOPIO Manhattan, call President Shivender Sofat at 731-988-6969, e-mail: [email protected] or visit here: https://gopiomanhattan.org/

GOPIO-CT Chapter Hosts Welcome Dinner for Univ. of Connecticut Students

Global Organization of People of Indian Origin Connecticut Chapter (GOPIO-CT) organized a program of welcoming new students from India at the Univ. of Connecticut, School of Business from its Stamford and Hartford campuses with a networking dinner on Friday, October 14th at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Stamford. While it was networking event for the students and the Indian American community, it also served as an interactive session with a high-profile panel of Indian American Corporate Achievers and entrepreneurs. 

The program, chaired GOPIO-CT Exec. VP Prasad Chintalapudi, started with a welcome by President Ashok Nichani, who spoke on the various services provided by the chapter and supporting various charities in Connecticut. Nichani told the students the Indian American community is their host family in America and that chapter will always help whenever they need any help.

Extending a warm welcome to the new students, most of them joining only in  early September, Dr. Abraham said, “America is the greatest country which provides opportunity to open up your mind and you can be whatever you want to become, whether a professional in a large corporation, or help to manage a hedge fund or as a scientist or professor or as an entrepreneur, so, go and grab the opportunities awaiting you.” Dr. Abrahm also added that although, he is a nanotechnologist, his passion was building community institutions since he came in 1973 as a student at Columbia University.

The high-profile panel included Entain CIO Joseph Simon, Eminent Software Services Managing Partner Srikanth Dasugari, Immigration Attorney David Nachman, 3Lines COO Nandu Kuppusamy, Maganti IT Resources President Prasad Maganti, eNcloud Services President Chandra Sekhar Nallam and Maganti IT Resources CTO Sushma Maganti.

Each of the panelists were asked to comment on sets of questions on their journey to where they reached today and how earlier career choices lead them to where they are now. The panelists provided personal experience to their success. The panelists also provided guidance and inputs on educational preparation, necessary prior experience, what skills are the most important and transferable skills to acquire so as to market oneself to the American job market. 

All the students at the event were introduced at the beginning of the panel discussion. A question/answer session followed.  “It was a highly successful program with a larger participation of the students this year,” said program chair Chintalapudi. GOPIO-CT Secretary Prachi Narayan served as the moderator.

The program was coordinated with UConn Business School program Directors Laurissa Berk and Lynsi Jennings. The event was sponsored by Visaserve, an Immigration Attorneys Group headed by David Nachman with office in New jersey, New York and Connecticut.

Over the last 16 years, GOPIO-CT, a chapter of GOPIO International has become an active and dynamic organization hosting interactive sessions with policy makers and academicians, community events, youth mentoring and networking workshops, and working with other area organizations to help create a better future. GOPIO-CT – Global Organization of People of Indian Origin – serves as a non-partisan, secular, civic and community service organization – promoting awareness of Indian culture, customs and contributions of PIOs through community programs, forums, events and youth activities. It seeks to strengthen partnerships and create an ongoing dialogue with local communities.

GSA India Expo @75 Curtain Raiser Honors Indian American Youth

From September 23-24th, Chicago hosted an event of utmost grandeur and elegance. It was called the GSA (Global Strategic Alliance) India Expo @75 Curtain Raiser, which was meant to set the scene for the GSA India Expo that is going to occur in December. This Curtain Raiser truly set the bar, and it set the bar high. This event has made it clear the the GSA India Expo will one hundred percent be one of the most impactful events of our time for India’s recognition and cultural diversity.

 In an event of such spell-binding presence, the Curtain Raiser made it one of its missions to recognize the Indian American youth of the nation for the service they have contributed to both the United States and India. From Arizona to Maryland, 18 Indian American youth under the age of 18 were chosen to receive a timeless and tremendously impactful award on September 24th, 2022. This was the first annual 18under18 Indian American Achievers celebration, meaning that 18 more people will be recognized next year, and the following year, and so on. To make this event as spectacular as possible, the GSA Expo organized a Youth Empowerment Conclave under Dr. Vijay Prabahakar, a guiding light for all Indian Americans looking for cultural exposure and recognition. This conclave featured college students, graduates, adults, senior citizens, doctors, gemologists, and, of course, the 18under 18 youth.

This Youth Conclave served as a free platform for talented, unique minds to get together and bounce off ideas on society, education, leadership, etc. It was a platform of sharing and platform of purpose. The Conclave was held in a conference room that resembled a United Nations conference room or an international diplomacy room. With this, came tons of speeches about life experiences and what it means to look to the future of society. Sathya Padmanabhan, a student leader from Phoenix, AZ moderated the conclave with dazzling influence. He drove the event with determination and confidence and was also honored as one of the 18under18 during the event.

Four honored panelists were featured at the event as they gave their motivational and powerful speeches on the stage. Arushi Jain, a senior consultant at Thoughtium gave her advice to the youth on what it means to be successful and what it means to adapt to life’s changes. Following her, Mohansrinivas Chennakesavalu gave his thoughts on life and encouraged the youth to enjoy the world for what it is while pushing hard to make an impact. As a medical student at the University of Chicago, Mohansrinivas shared some of his experiences as a student and drove the youth to always look to the future when making decisions. Swetha Loka, who is currently pursuing her masters at Stony Brook, shed some light when talking about adversity and what it means to overcome it. Finally, Zak Khan, a debonair gentleman who is currently the director at Lumen Technologies – a fortune 500 company. He shared his style through his speech as he explained how one must always persevere and look for new perspectives as they traverse through the ups and downs, twists and turns, and bends and bumps of life.

The 18under18 were also then prompted to give a speech about their visions, missions, and impact as the Concalve progressed. Here are the profiles of these outstanding, high-achieving 18under18 Indian American youth:

Sathya Padmanabhan from Phoenix, Arizona, is one of the most influential Indian American student leaders of our time. As the Student Wing Secretary of the World Federation of Tamil Youth, Sathya has spoken at Reverend Jesse Jackson’s Press Conference in which he urged for the supply of COVID vaccines to help India during the pandemic, won a Congressional Medal of Excellence at the 11th Congressional Met Gala with Congressman Danny K. Davis, and has also conversed with TamilNadu Chief Ministers and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. He has also founded a 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Brillianaire, that seeks to provide free educational opportunities to students and under-privileged communities internationally. His organization has reached 510+ students, served 1000+ hours, accrued 50+ volunteers, and has even established 5 global chapters. In fact, Sathya was recognized by the Federation of India Association for his work as he was awarded a Youth of the Year trophy for Community Excellence.

Aarya Rajesh from Naperville, Illinois is an ambassador for a global sports nonprofit that connects students for scholarship opportunities. He also leads a team of sixteen at his school to conduct ground-breaking research on advanced photons at Argonne National Laboratory. He was also a political affairs intern for the Borgen Project.

Abhra Ghosh is a cricket player who has put lots of time and effort into expanding the sports scene from students and under-served communities. He connects people globally to appreciate athletics and sports for its talent and dedication.

Advaith Srikanth is a Karate Black Belt and a Tabla enthusiast. The tabla is an Indian musical instrument and Advaith has achieved milestones with his incredible Tabla playing. He has been recognized nationally and he also plays Cricket.

Arul Kolla is a mathematical genius who has a countless number of achievements. He represented the USA in the International Linguistics Olympiad and pushed his team to win a gold medal. He is also ranked in the top 5% of competitive programming. He loves to spread his joy for math, so Arul has alos written and published his own book called Taking Aim in which he describes how to approach math creatively and from outside the box. He has also made a math game called Blocks which has been published on Math Playground, receiving 1.5 million plays. He won the International Telugu Spelling Bee and currently does research on linear algebra with a UCLA professor.

Arushi Kashyap is the pioneer of the no plastic bags campaign in which her nonprofit pushes toi ensure that no oceanic waste in the form of plastic is seen in her community and beyond. She is also involved in lots of research and works to promote the STEM fields.

Arya Babu is an international pianist who has been able to play at Carnegie Hall 12 times. She is the co-founder of Feed the Soul Through Music foundation and has also been recognized in Germany, London, etc. for her piano skills.

Farah Raman is the youth ambassador for Eye Level, which is a STEM academy. She is the head of internal affairs for the Tri-M Honors Society and the President of Youth and Government in her community.

Karthik Rajaram is a school ambassador and outstanding leader that has pledged time to make an impact in his own unique way. Motivated by a slow computer, Karthik has made his own startup selling custom built PCs to people across the nation. As the world advances further and further into tech, Karthik has proven to make a larger and larger difference in society.

Manish Rangan is the creator of UVSET-SAFETouch, which is a multi-patent pending innovation that seeks to eliminate germs from dorr handles and public settings. His vision is to create a germ-free society, especially after witnessing the impacts COVID brought upon our world.

Anirudh Seshadri is the founder of TeenAiders who has volunteered to create immense learning curricula for villages in India. He has been recognized globally for his impacts

Pinakin Kale worked as a legislator in Youth and Government and has been selected by the Rotary Club to attend a selective leadership program. He has also taught computer courses in high school. Riya Kapoor is the winner of the Sudden Cardiac Death Awareness Research Foundation (SCDARF) Scientific Symposium. She has tons of leadership experience as she works hard to further her school’s mission at Lake Forest Academy, and she has also been appointed as the Public Relations Board Driector for the SCDARF.

Rohit Sharma is a financial mastermind and has published a book on financial guidance for teenagers. His book seeks to give advice to teenagers on how to manage their finances as their life goes on.

Sachi Singh is the co-founder of the no plastic bags campaign with Arushi Kashyap and has been working hard with local and national organizations to further their mission of making sure the oceans are clean of any plastic residue.

Sathvik Sankaranarayanan started the Ekam Houston chapter and has raised over $30k to help with COVID relief. He has also made strides in health and hygiene and has brought clean water to hundreds of families in India. Sathvik is also an incredibly accomplished Mridangam player.

Vedant Shukla is the leading volunteer for Sewa International and has served 150+ hours of community service. He loves to play golf, tennis, and volleyball for his school team and he has also organized $5k in funds to school and community clubs.

With this in mind, it is only right that these individuals be recognized for their work in this nation. For that matter, US Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy flew in from Washington D.C. just to present the awards to these 18 amazing individuals.

Researchers Find Ways To Help Teens Get More Sleep

By, Rush University Medical Center

Newswise — Adjusting to a new sleep schedule at the start of the school year can lead to disturbed rest, daytime fatigue and changes in mood and focus for teens. 

Although they need eight to 10 hours of sleep per night to maintain physical health, emotional well-being and school performance, according to the National Sleep Foundation and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, most adolescents get less than eight, especially on school nights.

Newly published research from RUSH in the journal SLEEP sheds light on how adolescents can get more shut-eye. 

“There are a lot of changes a teen goes through,” said Stephanie J. Crowley, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and the director of the Pediatric Chronobiology and Sleep Research Program at RUSH. “One specifically is a change to sleep biology that happens during puberty.” 

“The brain systems that control sleep change in such a way that it’s easier for an adolescent to stay awake later into the evening. One of these systems — the 24-hour circadian clock — shifts later in time,” Crowley said. 

So there are two competing forces: one to go to bed earlier for the school schedule and the other a biological change that happens naturally to a teen’s body.

Because of this complex conflict, RUSH researchers set out to test a two-week intervention that targets the circadian system with different behavioral measures and tries to help the teens figure out a better nighttime routine. 

To combat teen sleep deprivation, the researchers used bright light therapy on two weekend mornings for a total of 2.5 hours. The bright light cues the internal clock to wake up a little earlier. This shift should make it easier for the teen to fall asleep at an appropriate time.

Less tired, irritable

Crowley and her team then helped counteract sleep deprivation by providing time management tools and addressing barriers to an earlier bedtime, like limiting certain after-school activities. 

Researchers were able to shift the teens’ bedtime by an hour and a half earlier, and their total sleep time increased by approximately an hour. 

“The interesting thing is that teens with late circadian clocks shifted by up to two hours earlier,” Crowley said. “And the teens who had an earlier circadian clock didn’t need to be shifted any earlier. They just needed the behavioral support of trying to manage their time in the evening and increase their sleep duration.” 

The researchers also found that the teens in the intervention group were less tired, less irritable and less worried, and they exhibited better concentration. The students’ morning alertness improved as well. 

The RUSH researchers are following the participants in another study to determine whether the adolescents were able to maintain their improved sleep routine.

75 Hindu Youth Honored For Inspiring Leadership

Seventy five Hindu youth were recognized and honored for their strong sense of community, fostering conversations about Indian culture, and inspiring the next generation of leaders with their contributions on September 10th. HGH Past President Partha Krishnaswamy’s brainchild of awarding 75 Hindu youth this year to commemorate India’s “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” – (75 years of India’s Independence) won instant approval by the HGH team. After weeks of intense planning, the event came together at the newly renovated auditorium at Sri Meenakshi Temple. The evening, hosted by the temple, drew over 500 people and was packed to capacity.

Over 44 organizations participated, 75 awardees were selected and included those of Caucasian, African American, Caribbean, Nepali, and Indo American origin. The event was attended by representatives from participating organizations, donors, HGH Advisory board members, community leaders and distinguished guests.

Following tradition, the event commenced with the lighting of the lamps by the Young Hindus of Greater Houston and Hindu Heritage Youth Camp followed by dignitaries and distinguished guests. A soul stirring musical ensemble by the youth of Houston raised the piety of the evening.

The evening was replete with insights, inspiration, and practical takeaways. HGH and Hindu Temple of The Woodlands Founding member Beth Kulkarni highlighted HGH’s prominent role in “encouraging and mentoring” the youth to take pride in their heritage, identity, and their involvement in their organizations.

Renowned strategist, thinker, and motivational speaker Partho Ghosh offered a transformative way of thinking with his brilliant keynote address. His seven-point vision to make the world a better place was compelling, informative, and inspiring. He also dwelt on Vedanta philosophy, how its tenets can drive better leaders and the traits of future leaders.

Young speakers Somansh Agarwal and Naisargi Jaiswal of the National President of Hindu Students Association shared pointers on ways to engage with others in promoting Indian culture and traditions and how the youth could take these practices forward in their colleges.

Interspersed with the speeches was a scintillating Kathak performance from the Shivangini Academy of Performing Arts followed by a brisk Bharatanatyam Thillana by the Abhinaya School of Performing Arts.

Deputy Consulate General of India Sandeep Choudhary congratulated the awardees and spoke briefly of the importance of connectivity of the youth awardees with those in India.

The award presentations were followed by one of the highlights of the evening – a group picture of the 75 Hindu youth holding their awards. The stand-out moment received thunderous applause, and the picture went viral on social media.

Interfaith Ministry of Greater Houston Program Manager Kim Mabry thanked HGH for inviting the Interfaith Ministries to the Hindu Youth Awards ceremony. Highly appreciative, he described the evening as “a beautiful display of the life, art, and culture of the Hindu community of Houston “ and observed that the “entire program presented hope and promise for future generations on the importance of maintaining a Hindu identity in our rapidly changing society.”

The event concluded with a delicious dinner catered by Indian Summers and a surprise 75-item dessert station. The idea of the 75-item dessert station cropped up during a conversation between Meenakshi temple Council Chair Dr. Padmini Ranganathan and HGH Past President Partha Krishnaswamy. The sweets were prepared by BAPS Shayona and Bombay Sweets while Nalini Kannan of Decor One decorated the dessert station in tune with the theme of the evening.

Tanveer Kazi, an attendee, reflected that the evening allowed them to “witness the celebration of the youth, diversity, art, and the cuisine of India’s rich culture. He also appreciated the keynote speaker’s message about the application of rationale and objectivity in today’s era of misinformation.

Anjali Agarwal , an awardee had this to say: “ I am extremely grateful to be honored as a Hindu Youth Awardee in the community. It is a blessing to see all future leaders from all Hindu temples and organizations being recognized as one”.

The meticulous planning, dedication and flawless execution made the evening a super success. Not only was it a fitting way to celebrate India’s 75th year of independence but it also aligned with HGH’s motto of bringing Hindus together.  It was clearly a memorable one for the 75 youth who were energized about contributing their time and talent to keeping India’s traditions alive

75 Hindu Youth Honored For Inspiring Leadership

By, Partha Krishnaswamy

Seventy five Hindu youth were recognized and honored for their strong sense of community, fostering conversations about Indian culture, and inspiring the next generation of leaders with their contributions on September 10th. HGH Past President Partha Krishnaswamy’s brainchild of awarding 75 Hindu youth this year to commemorate India’s “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” – (75 years of India’s Independence) won instant approval by the HGH team. After weeks of intense planning, the event came together at the newly renovated auditorium at Sri Meenakshi Temple. The evening, hosted by the temple, drew over 500 people and was packed to capacity.

Over 44 organizations participated, 75 awardees were selected and included those of Caucasian, African American, Caribbean, Nepali, and Indo American origin. The event was attended by representatives from participating organizations, donors, HGH Advisory board members, community leaders and distinguished guests.  

Following tradition, the event commenced with the lighting of the lamps by the Young Hindus of Greater Houston and Hindu Heritage Youth Camp followed by dignitaries and distinguished guests. A soul stirring musical ensemble by the youth of Houston raised the piety of the evening. 

The evening was replete with insights, inspiration, and practical takeaways. HGH and Hindu Temple of The Woodlands Founding member Beth Kulkarni highlighted HGH’s prominent role in “encouraging and mentoring” the youth to take pride in their heritage, identity, and their involvement in their organizations. 

Renowned strategist, thinker, and motivational speaker Partho Ghosh offered a transformative way of thinking with his brilliant keynote address. His seven-point vision to make the world a better place was compelling, informative, and inspiring. He also dwelt on Vedanta philosophy, how its tenets can drive better leaders and the traits of future leaders. 

Young speakers Somansh Agarwal and Naisargi Jaiswal of the National President of Hindu Students Association shared pointers on ways to engage with others in promoting Indian culture and traditions and how the youth could take these practices forward in their colleges. 

Interspersed with the speeches was a scintillating Kathak performance from the Shivangini Academy of Performing Arts followed by a brisk Bharatanatyam Thillana by the Abhinaya School of Performing Arts.

Deputy Consulate General of India Sandeep Choudhary congratulated the awardees and spoke briefly of the importance of connectivity of the youth awardees with those in India.

The award presentations were followed by one of the highlights of the evening – a group picture of the 75 Hindu youth holding their awards. The stand-out moment received thunderous applause, and the picture went viral on social media. 

Interfaith Ministry of Greater Houston Program Manager Kim Mabry thanked HGH for inviting the Interfaith Ministries to the Hindu Youth Awards ceremony. Highly appreciative, he described the evening as “a beautiful display of the life, art, and culture of the Hindu community of Houston “ and observed that the “entire program presented hope and promise for future generations on the importance of maintaining a Hindu identity in our rapidly changing society.”

The event concluded with a delicious dinner catered by Indian Summers and a surprise 75-item dessert station. The idea of the 75-item dessert station cropped up during a conversation between Meenakshi temple Council Chair Dr. Padmini Ranganathan and HGH Past President Partha Krishnaswamy. The sweets were prepared by BAPS Shayona and Bombay Sweets while Nalini Kannan of Decor One decorated the dessert station in tune with the theme of the evening.  

Tanveer Kazi, an attendee, reflected that the evening allowed them to “witness the celebration of the youth, diversity, art, and the cuisine of India’s rich culture. He also appreciated the keynote speaker’s message about the application of rationale and objectivity in today’s era of misinformation. 

Anjali Agarwal , an awardee had this to say: “ I am extremely grateful to be honored as a Hindu Youth Awardee in the community. It is a blessing to see all future leaders from all Hindu temples and organizations being recognized as one”.

The meticulous planning, dedication and flawless execution made the evening a super success. Not only was it a fitting way to celebrate India’s 75th year of independence but it also aligned with HGH’s motto of bringing Hindus together.  It was clearly a memorable one for the 75 youth who were energized about contributing their time and talent to keeping India’s traditions alive

Hindu YUVA Hosts The Largest Hindu Student Leadership Event In North America

Hindu student leaders from 64 universities gathered for ‘Charaiveti: The Hindu YUVA National Summit’ from September 9-11 in Chicago as a celebration of 15 years of organizational growth and Hindu activism on campuses across North America. Hindu Youth for Unity, Virtues, and Action (YUVA) has 48 registered university chapters that practice, promote, protect, and preserve Hindu Dharma on campus. Amruta Houde, the Hindu YUVA National President, said, “Hindu YUVA has grown exponentially in the last few years and has created an indisputable footprint in the university space while bringing in new leadership across every level.

We saw our 15th anniversary as an opportunity to bring dynamic new leaders together for Charaiveti, the Hindu YUVA National Summit, which was attended by 208 yuvas (young leaders) from across North America.” The Summit Charaiveti, meaning “moving forward”, was the most vibrant gathering of Hindu student leaders to-date, and had the highest representation of universities in any Hindu student leadership event like this in North America.

The sessions were themed around the acronym YUVA: Youth for Unity, Virtues, and Action. There were panel discussions reflecting on the need for Hindu representation in all aspects of society and how to address growing Hinduphobia in university spaces. Speakers also discussed the relevance of Hindu Dharma, and how their experiences can shape the way young leaders create change in society.

Students participated in activities led by various regional and national Hindu YUVA leaders focused on strengthening campus-based activities to carry forward these themes in their local areas. Representatives from Hindu American Foundation, Understanding Hinduphobia, Sewa International USA, International Center for Cultural Studies, Samskrita Bharati USA, Bhumi Global, Hindu Education Foundation, Sewa Diwali, Hindu University of America, Dharma Internship Program, and Aum School presented opportunities for young leaders to engage with various Hindu initiatives. Professor Ved Prakash Nanda, North America Zone President of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, implored students and organization leaders to recognize that the “time is now that Hindus stand together and work in different facets of society towards the same vision.”

Leaders from six Hindu youth organizations BAPS Campus Fellowship, Hindu Students Council, National Hindu Students Forum (NHSF UK), Young Jains of America, Isha Foundation, and International Society for Krishna Consciousness discussed challenges Hindu students face on campus and how they could move forward together to address these challenges. Highlighting this energy, Kajol Desai, full-time voluntary worker of the NHSF (UK) said, “to move forward we must come together, each of us individually and organizationally come with our own experiences, when we begin to engage with one another as we are here at the Summit, we can bring those experiences together and enhance our collective experience.“ 

Energized by the atmosphere of the Summit and bolstered by the support of their peers, the Hindu student leaders returned more passionate than ever to represent the Hindu voice and contribute positively to their campus and community around them.

Vedant Patel, 1st Indian-American To Hold The U.S. Department Of State’s Daily Briefing

Vedant Patel, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, has created history by becoming the first Indian-American to hold the daily State Department news conference that his fellow colleagues said did with the utmost professionalism and clear communication.

With State Department Spokesperson Ned Price on vacation, the 33-year-old Patel from California on Tuesday, September 6th took the briefing room in the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department to represent the country on foreign policy issues before the media.

During his briefing, Patel covered topics ranging from Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine, negotiations around the JCPOA and Liz Truss becoming the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Vedant Patel made an impressive debut from the podium. “Kudos to” Vedant Patel on his podium debut, tweeted Matt Hill, senior Associate Communications Director at the White House. “Representing the United States on the world stage is a huge responsibility, and Vedant did it with the utmost professionalism and clear communication,” Hill said.

Pili Tobar, former White House deputy communications director said: “It’s so great to see Vedant Patel at the podium. Congrats my friend on an amazing debut,” she tweeted.

Patel, who was born in Gujarat, is a graduate from the University of California, Riverside, and previously served as an Assistant Press Secretary and Spokesperson for President Biden in The White House. Prior to that he served as a spokesperson on the Presidential Inaugural Committee and the Biden-Harris Transition. He also held communications positions on the Biden Campaign both in the primary and general election.

Vedant Patel is currently the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, and has previously served as an Assistant Press Secretary and Spokesperson for President Biden in The White House. He has also worked as a Communications Director to both Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Mike Honda.

“Hosted my first Daily Press Briefing at the podium today,” Patel tweeted after his debut. “The Briefing is an important way we stay accountable to U.S. citizens and helps protect our democracy. You have a right to know about the events and policies that shape your life.”

What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About Loneliness And Health

Even though people are becoming more connected through social media and other outlets, the great irony is that many people still feel lonely. That loneliness, in turn, can have far-reaching implications on a person’s health and well-being. Loneliness as a public health issue has been intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing how to recognize loneliness and what can help patients overcome feeling lonely is key.

There’s a gap in feeling connected

“Loneliness is essentially the feeling of being uncomfortable or in distress when someone feels that there is a gap between the connection they would like and the connection they actually have,” said Dr. Bell Washington, adding that “you can be in a crowd full of people, you can know all of them, and you can still feel lonely.”

“So, you might have a lot of superficial social connections, but what you really want is something deeper—someone to know you on the inside,” she said. “It’s really based on perception of the difference between the relationship you’d like and the relationship that you have with others.”

Younger people are feeling lonelier

“Loneliness was already an epidemic of its own, but the global COVID-19 pandemic caused loneliness to increase substantially over the past few years,” said Dr. Bell Washington, who took a course during the last year of her MPH program at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Medicine where she learned the serious complications of loneliness. “A 2021 online survey found that 36% of all Americans—which includes 61% of young adults and 51% of mothers with young children—feel ’serious loneliness.’”

Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “found 63% of young adults also suffer significant symptoms of anxiety or depression,” she said. “That means we have a generation of young people hungry for deeper connection who often do not have the skills or opportunities to achieve it.”

“One’s 20s are filled with countless social expectations including separating from one’s nuclear family, finding a partner, developing a career and finding a ‘tribe,’” Dr. Bell Washington said. “For many this time is complicated by unrealistic social media lives which are often unattainable. That only amplifies the loneliness that young adults feel.”

Social isolation can play a role

“An individual experiencing loneliness will often describe feeling alone. This is distinct from social isolation where there is a paucity of social connectedness,” said Dr. Clark. “Social isolation can be a sequela of loneliness, but there are plenty of individuals who experience loneliness and are still socially connected.”

Additionally, “there are some people who I would consider socially isolated, but they feel perfectly fine with it,” said Dr. Bell Washington. “The pandemic revealed that though some people considered themselves loners, when they truly had to be alone all of the time (due to quarantine or isolation), they found out that they actually do value social connection, and would have preferred to be with other people.”

Social media affects loneliness

“We get these dopamine surges when someone likes our status,” said Dr. Clark, referring to a social media posting. Many, conversely, feel “sad or upset when they do not receive a certain number of likes or have over 1 million followers on their social media accounts.

“And if you’re having an identity crisis—and if you’re letting social media dictate who you are—that can create some loneliness,” he added. “We must be mindful of the psychiatric sequelae of loneliness. These include depression and anxiety.”

Everyone is at risk for loneliness

“We’re all at risk for loneliness in our lives,” said Dr. Clark. “There was a report that came out from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. It revealed that more than one-third of adults 45 or older reported feeling lonely and about a quarter of adults 65 or older were considered to be socially isolated.

“Social isolation in itself was associated with a 50% increased risk of developing a neurocognitive disorder and other serious medical conditions,” he added. “No one is immune to loneliness and social isolation, but there are certain groups who are at increased risk.”

“When we think about historically marginalized groups in terms of immigrants—as well as the LGBTQ+ community—those are groups that have been shown to be at high risk for loneliness and social isolation,” Dr. Clark said.

“Anyone can suffer from loneliness and the highest risk is for those who are not able to remedy the loneliness when they feel it,” Dr. Bell Washington echoed. She added, “The fear of being alone in your loneliness only makes the isolation worse. It is easy to feel you’re the only one who needs social connectedness, but that is not true. There is no shame in being lonely. We were built for connection.”

It’s linked to health complications

“There is some evidence to note that people who are experiencing social isolation and loneliness are at increased risk for premature death,” said Dr. Clark, adding that “social isolation and loneliness were associated with a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% risk of stroke.”

“Now, I’m a romantic and a poet, and there’s something to be said about the broken heart—literally and figuratively speaking,” he said. “If you’re already feeling lonely, that’s going to impact your heart. If you’re feeling socially isolated, that’s going to impact your heart.”

Discrimination is also a factor

Looking at “immigrants and the LGBTQ+ group, why do these groups feel so isolated and lonely? Well, discrimination is a factor that can be a barrier for them being able to feel socially connected,” said Dr. Clark. “The other thing would be language barriers if we’re talking about immigrants where English is not their primary language.”

“It can be difficult to form relationships with others when historically marginalized groups continue to be stigmatized,” he said. “We have to acknowledge our implicit and explicit biases if we hope to seek to embrace humanity in the form of diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Acknowledge how you’re feeling

“Sometimes we are in denial. When we’re in denial, it’s easy to avoid those feelings that we know are bubbling on the surface, but we just try to continue to suppress them,” said Dr. Clark. “If you are feeling lonely, the first thing is, acknowledge that, and then ask yourself: What is contributing to my loneliness?”

“Loneliness is not your fault. Social isolation is not your fault,” he said. “Because, again, there are probably precipitating and perpetuating factors that are contributing to these states of being.”

“We have to remember that we are enough and that we belong,” Dr. Clark said.

Related Coverage

What doctors wish patients knew about family immunizations

Everyone needs a support system

“If we’re wanting people to live longer, healthier lives, we have to be better about investigating how loneliness is impacting our communities,” said Dr. Clark. “Everybody needs a support system. Even the person who says that they have a shy temperament and they’re more introverted—they still need a support system.” “When we’re looking at our AMA declaring this as a public health issue, it speaks to the importance of advocating for connectedness for all communities that will enable them to flourish,” he said. “For example, supports systems are a positive, prognostic factor for individuals who are suffering from mental health conditions, substance-use disorders and personality disorders.”

“We have to make sure people have the available resources that will allow them to cultivate connectedness,” Dr. Clark said, adding that “these resources must be diverse, equitable and inclusive.”

Don’t minimize anyone’s struggle

“People assume if someone is doing well, making money and has a family that they can’t be lonely, but that is not true,” said Dr. Bell Washington. “We all benefit from having a deeper connection with others, no matter what stage of life we’re in.”

“We really can’t minimize anyone’s struggle, because we all have different difficulties that we’re coping with,” she said. “We are human, we have needs and we have a right to express those needs. We should always be kinder than necessary because you never know the hidden battles that people are going through.”

Take loneliness seriously

“Loneliness is something to be taken seriously,” said Dr. Bell Washington. Loneliness “can have serious mental and physical complications that worsen if ignored.” She added that, “social isolation and loneliness lead to higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, anxiety, depression, memory issues and even death.”

“It is not a sign of weakness. You do not have to be a superhero. You don’t have to be strong all of the time and there’s nothing wrong with desiring or seeking connections,” she said. “The same things we needed as little kids; we need as adults too. So, of course you need sleep, healthy food and physical activity, but you also need connection.”

“That connection looks different for different people. For some, it may be connection with a higher power,  family or friends,” Dr. Bell Washington said. “I advise all patients to make sure you are taking care of yourself and seek help if you need it.” Washington

Reach out to your physician for help

“If you notice that you are sad or worried more days than not, that would be a sign that you probably should check in with someone,” said Dr. Bell Washington. “In addition to confiding in a trusted family friend, I’d recommend reaching out to your personal physician.

“They can make sure you are not suffering from depression or other mood issues as a result of your loneliness,” she added. “Your doctor would be a great person because they can be sure to provide you some help as well.”

“Then obviously if you get to the point where you’re feeling so lonely and so isolated that you start feeling hopeless or suicidal, you should reach out to your doctor immediately,” Dr. Bell Washington said, noting “there’s also a new 988 mental health hotline. Whatever you do, don’t suffer in silence, please get help!”

(Two psychiatrists, AMA members share their thoughts on what patients need to know about loneliness as a public health issue. These AMA members are:

  • Tiffani Bell Washington, MD, MPH, an outpatient general, child and adolescent psychiatrist working with Centurion and also in private practice in North Carolina. She is an American Psychiatric Association delegate to the AMA Young Physicians Section, alternate delegate to the Section Council on Psychiatry and a member of the AMA Ambassador Program, which equips individuals with the skills and knowledge to confidently speak to the AMA’s initiatives and the value of AMA membership.
  • Frank Clark, MD, an adult outpatient psychiatrist at Prisma Health in Greenville, South Carolina, and associate clinical professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Greenville. He is also an American Psychiatric Association delegate to the AMA Section Council on Psychiatry.)

Courtesy: https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-loneliness-and-health?utm_source=BulletinHealthCare&utm_medium=email&utm_term=091022&utm_content=physicians&utm_campaign=article_alert-morning_rounds_weekend

A Space in the World

Set in Buenos Aires, from Son’s perspective

I am sitting outside of the school director’s office, one of these uncomfortable plastic chairs the students probably are used to. This British language institute isn’t one of the more famous ones. I found out about it from some ads I saw online, sent an email, and am now hopefully going to get my next job.

It is just my third day in Buenos Aires. A few days in Santiago and I thought, This city is too all over the place for me. I have to get out. A few days in the Southern Cone and I thought, This part of the world is just too cold for me. I flew all the way to the other side of Latin America because I wanted something different, but not in terms of temperature. A few days in Buenos Aires, and I’ve thought, Beautiful buildings everywhere, something that finally reminds me of what I bet the architecture of Spain or Italy would be like. The weather’s a little chilly, but not too bad, typical autumn fare. The wind picks up because there are tall and elegant buildings directing it to its lanes.

As for the people, they’re not always the nicest behaving. Most Argentinians are very white. I have the feeling that they see a person of colour and wonder if I’m out to steal something. Or maybe they are too busy to act nice. Buenos Aires seems like one of those cities in which life takes on the appearance of quickness. I say “the appearance” because even though everyone is running about, I also get the sense that they really don’t have that much going on at all. It’s like their empanadas—the steam runs out quick, but the flavour inside remains soggy for hours.

It’s been about fifteen minutes, past nine, the hour of our appointment. When is the director going to call me in for the interview?

Just as I’m thinking it, the rusty door creaks open and an olive-coloured face with glasses is waving me to come inside. I get off my chair and try to give the woman a handshake, but she avoids my hands even as her face gets closer. I think her lips are puckered, and I am confused.

Her lips go onto one cheek, and I remember that people greet this way in certain parts of the world. I lean in to kiss, but it’s too late. The woman hacks out a chortle.

‘You’re clearly not used to the way we do things,’ she says, in a somewhat forced but accomplished British style of an accent. It’s a little too perfected, if anything, and it makes her put-down that much more grating. I try to put on a smile. Obviously I don’t understand how to do these things. She’s the first local I’ve had to greet like this. In the backpacker hostels, everyone is from another country, and the youngsters who run it are so busy smoking up their cannabis that if they touch someone, it has a very different meaning.

Anyways, I’m thinking about what to say as I follow her into the room.

The woman takes her seat on the other side of her desk and slaps a file down, as if to signal that I should be sitting down on the other side of it. I take my seat and glance about. The room looks like it’s from the era of Eva Perón. There is a purple rug on the floor and posters of famous Argentinian intellectuals whom I can’t quite recognise. One is Borges, one looks like an actor, and some have the stare of politicians. There is a dusty smell to the room. I am glad I am wearing my mask, or I might be sneezing. Cabinets are open, files are laid out all over, and a half-drunk 1ate container is by her computer. She is even lighting a cigarette for herself as she opens up the file.

She is so different from the last boss I had in Mexico City.

I sit there awkwardly, not saying anything. She looks back alertly at me, as if she has remembered she was the one who called me in. She clears her throat and keeps the file in front of her eyes.

‘So, you are looking to teach English in Buenos Aires?’

‘Sí, señora.’

She gives me a little snubbing look through her glasses.

‘You can speak to me in English.’

And I thought my Spanish pronunciation was improving. ‘Yes, yes,’ and I add in Spanish for good measure, ‘Claro que sí.’

She opens one of the files and looks at something. She goes on, ‘So, you haven’t done an official course.’

‘A CELTA or TEFL? No.’

‘And you don’t have much work experience?’

‘I’ve taught a bit in Mexico, but otherwise, no.’

The director swats a bit of the air with her cigarette.

‘Then, why do you think we should hire you?’

I swallow the air, because I’m feeling a very annoyed swirl of emotion in my chest. It would be very easy for me to say exactly what I’m thinking.

Well, why not hire me? I’m a native speaker. Isn’t that enough? I didn’t hear a single native speaker when I was coming up to your office. I bet I could teach these students a more natural English register than your put-on British affect.

But I don’t say that, because I know being a teacher has little to do with pronunciation. The truth is, I might not know grammar better than any of these Argentinians, who probably have decades of experience.

I tell her instead what I’m feeling.

‘Look, señora, I just got into Buenos Aires, and I’m loving it here. Really, your country is amazing. And after spending so many months in Mexico and hating every second of it, I’d really love to be in a place where I’m happy, you know what I mean?’

The director smiles politely, strangely, and then types at her computer.

‘There are a lot of schools here who would hear your perfect English and hire you. We’re not one of them.’

She puts the papers she was looking at back into the file, and I’m able to get a quick glance at them. Huh. It wasn’t actually my résumé she was looking at,  just some internal tax returns that she was reviewing while talking to me.

So, I have my answer. I know how seriously she takes me. I stand up and thank her for her time. But in a bid to be just a little snarky, I also say, ‘I know there are many more schools willing to consider me. I’d be more than happy to be considered by them.’

The director smiles. I’m thinking she’s a little charmed by my temerity, but then she says, ‘I wouldn’t recommend you interview with them, either.’

I push the chair closer to her desk. A lot of emotion is coming out, and I don’t know why.

‘Because you think I’m not good enough for it?’

The director has finished her cigarette. She’s only been smoking it for a few minutes. I’m sure it has plenty more tobacco, and yet she’s snuffing it in her ashtray. And yet she’s looking at me, with the smoke fuming between us. I might have shown a bit too much of my insecurities.

But she’s looking like she’s feeling really sorry for me.

‘No, mi amor. Look at the state of this country you claim to have fallen in love with. We’re having some of the worst inflation in the world. Most of our population is going homeless. Even the teachers we already have, we are considering firing. There’s no space for anyone to come into this country and teach. That’s not just at this school, but any school.’

No, that can’t be true, is my first gut reaction. I’ve hopped all around Central America. I’ve spent hundreds of US dollars to get here all the way from Mexico. I’ve wasted money going up and down this country and Chile and god knows where else it’ll have to be if I don’t get a job here.

There’s no reason to say any of this to her face. She clearly has a busy day ahead of her. I tell her goodbye and take my leave. She doesn’t kiss me again on the cheeks, just shows me to the door, a fresh cigarette in her wrinkled fingers. I take the stairs three storeys down and out of the building.

This director was nice enough, but also not really, and it’d be a little bit of a cliché if I ended up working for some British school all the way in Argentina. I’m better than that.

I’m better than this, is all.

I get out of the school and am immediately greeted by the August chill. It’s a cold breeze that puts me back into the moment. People all around me are wearing sweaters or jackets. I’m probably the only one not well covered up. My hostel is just on the other side of some of these buildings, in a small lane next to a huge avenue, on the other side of one of the city’s major theatres. I’m not in the mood to head there yet. There’s a side of the city that’s on the port. I feel like going in that direction.

The director is right. There are a lot of homeless people about. The person cleaning the rooms at the hostel explained it away to me a few days ago, that all of it is recent, from the inflation and COVID. I was glad to hear it, but I knew she was telling it to me to make me less concerned about how poor Argentina looks. And that worked for a while. I stopped thinking about how discomforting or not it was to see so many people on the streets.

I never put that into the context of what it would mean if I were to try to work here, and in terms of the future of this city and country as a whole. It doesn’t matter how much the colours on these buildings gleam if the people under them are starving.

And that contrast is getting worse. The closer one gets to the port, the taller and more ostentatious the buildings get. It feels like you’re in the thick of New York or Chicago, with skyscrapers all around you. Not that I’ve been to either, but again, that’s just the foreigner’s feeling I am getting. But then at each side end of the boulevard is a person coming up to me and asking for pesos. I say no once, I say no twice, and by the third time I’m aggravated.

Why do I want to take work opportunities from people here, when all I have to do to have a good standard of living is go back home?

It’s been fifteen minutes of walking. I want to go to the port, but I’m also getting tired. I think I’ll have breakfast—some empanadas will be good. I find a place that has a clear queue of hungry people and decide to stand in it. This must mean the place is good.

I get to where I can order and see the sweat on the cashier’s face, and I think, Is it crowded because everyone likes the empanadas, or is it the only thing people nowadays can afford?

I try to order in my bad Spanish. The cashier gets impatient and says something firm with me. I don’t understand because I don’t know Spanish, and she makes a very angered face, passionately swatting the air with her hands and shouting on in her language. A person pulls me aside. I think they’re going to help, but they push me away. Others in the line move forward. One by one they get their empanadas and leave. I’m thinking someone, just anyone, who speaks English will soon come up and help me order, but no one does.

I feel so angry and humiliated that I force myself to go.

This is nothing like Mexico. There, at least, they would have made an effort to help. The people I met liked getting to know foreigners. And if someone didn’t understand me, they might not have liked it, but they were at least polite.

Maybe I shouldn’t have left. It was getting boring, but every place gets boring. I made a huge gamble in coming here, and I just have to accept that it’s most likely not going to pay off. I can hop to Brazil, I can go up north towards Bolivia, but that doesn’t mean that any of it is going to work out.

A calmer voice in my head is trying to tell myself, If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. Let it go.

In reality, there’s nothing but tension running up and down my throat.

“Fuck Buenos Aires,” I shout.

I didn’t want to say that out loud, and now people are staring.

“Fuck Buenos Aires,” I say again.

This time some young guys are looking at me with a smile, nodding to themselves.

“Fuck Buenos Aires,” I say, this time laughing at myself.

I like this city. I really do. People are a little too blunt, people show frustration more than what I’m used to, but I’m still at peace at the end of the day, standing here, with the flow of traffic all about me, with the cedars and the buildings. If I’m not able to find teaching work once classes start, and prices are indeed going up, well, that’s no good news at all. But if I like it here, then I like it here. That is it. I have to give it a shot. There’s nothing wrong with trying a few other interviews here or there. I have the rest of the day—no, I have the rest of the month. I can try to scrounge something up.

I have to have faith in the possibility of being successful in what I want. We need that faith to go anywhere, literally anywhere in life. Otherwise there’s not a chance at all that I will pull through. I’ll go give myself that faith, even if no one else has it in me.

The only one who can give myself space to be in this world is myself.

We are all in our own ways trying to survive—and that includes me.

(KIRAN BHATi is a global citizen formed in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, to parents from Southern Karnataka, in India. I think since I was a teenager I was interested in global themes. Around seventeen, I re-member wanting to tell people I wanted to write a collection of stories for each country in the world, telling a myriad of tales of things happening there. For more details about his journey to over 100 countries in the world, please visit: Kiran Bhat – A a playspace for one person who pretends to be seven billion people at once. (kiranbhatweldgeist.com)

Teens, Social Media And Technology 2022

TikTok has established itself as one of the top online platforms for U.S. teens, while the share of teens who use Facebook has fallen sharply.

The landscape of social media is ever-changing, especially among teens who often are on the leading edge of this space. A new Pew Research Center survey of American teenagers ages 13 to 17 finds TikTok has rocketed in popularity since its North American debut several years ago and now is a top social media platform for teens among the platforms covered in this survey. Some 67% of teens say they ever use TikTok, with 16% of all teens saying they use it almost constantly. Meanwhile, the share of teens who say they use Facebook, a dominant social media platform among teens in the Center’s 2014-15 survey, has plummeted from 71% then to 32% today.

YouTube tops the 2022 teen online landscape among the platforms covered in the Center’s new survey, as it is used by 95% of teens. TikTok is next on the list of platforms that were asked about in this survey (67%), followed by Instagram and Snapchat, which are both used by about six-in-ten teens. After those platforms come Facebook with 32% and smaller shares who use Twitter, Twitch, WhatsApp, Reddit and Tumblr.1

Changes in the social media landscape since 2014-15 extend beyond TikTok’s rise and Facebook’s fall. Growing shares of teens say they are using Instagram and Snapchat since then. Conversely, Twitter and Tumblr saw declining shares of teens who report using their platforms. And two of the platforms the Center tracked in the earlier survey – Vine and Google+ – no longer exist.

There are some notable demographic differences in teens’ social media choices. For example, teen boys are more likely than teen girls to say they use YouTube, Twitch and Reddit, whereas teen girls are more likely than teen boys to use TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. In addition, higher shares of Black and Hispanic teens report using TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp compared with White teens.2

This study also explores the frequency with which teens are on each of the top five online platforms: YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. Fully 35% of teens say they are using at least one of them “almost constantly.” Teen TikTok and Snapchat users are particularly engaged with these platforms, followed by teen YouTube users in close pursuit. A quarter of teens who use Snapchat or TikTok say they use these apps almost constantly, and a fifth of teen YouTube users say the same. When looking at teens overall, 19% say they use YouTube almost constantly, 16% say this about TikTok, and 15% about Snapchat.

When reflecting on the amount of time they spend on social media generally, a majority of U.S. teens (55%) say they spend about the right amount of time on these apps and sites, while about a third of teens (36%) say they spend too much time on social media. Just 8% of teens think they spend too little time on these platforms.

Asked about the idea of giving up social media, 54% of teens say it would be at least somewhat hard to give it up, while 46% say it would be at least somewhat easy. Teen girls are more likely than teen boys to express it would be difficult to give up social media (58% vs. 49%). Conversely, a quarter of teen boys say giving up social media would be very easy, while 15% of teen girls say the same. Older teens also say they would have difficulty giving up social media. About six-in-ten teens ages 15 to 17 (58%) say giving up social media would be at least somewhat difficult to do. A smaller share of 13- to 14-year-olds (48%) think this would be difficult.

Beyond just online platforms, the new survey finds that the vast majority of teens have access to digital devices, such as smartphones (95%), desktop or laptop computers (90%) and gaming consoles (80%). And the study shows there has been an uptick in daily teen internet users, from 92% in 2014-15 to 97% today. In addition, the share of teens who say they are online almost constantly has roughly doubled since 2014-15 (46% now and 24% then).

These are some of the findings from an online survey of 1,316 teens conducted by the Pew Research Center from April 14 to May 4, 2022. More details about the findings on adoption and use of digital technologies by teens are covered below.

Smartphones, desktop and laptop computers, and gaming consoles remain widely accessible to teens

Since 2014-15, there has been a 22 percentage point rise in the share of teens who report having access to a smartphone (95% now and 73% then). While teens’ access to smartphones has increased over roughly the past eight years, their access to other digital technologies, such as desktop or laptop computers or gaming consoles, has remained statistically unchanged.

The survey shows there are differences in access to these digital devices for certain groups. For instance, teens ages 15 to 17 (98%) are more likely to have access to a smartphone than their 13- to 14-year-old counterparts (91%). In addition, teen boys are 21 points more likely to say they have access to gaming consoles than teen girls – a pattern that has been reported in prior Center research.3

Access to computers and gaming consoles also differs by teens’ household income. U.S. teens living in households that make $75,000 or more annually are 12 points more likely to have access to gaming consoles and 15 points more likely to have access to a desktop or laptop computer than teens from households with incomes under $30,000. These gaps in teen computer and gaming console access are consistent with digital divides by household income the Center has observed in previous teen surveys.

While 72% of U.S. teens say they have access to a smartphone, a computer and a gaming console at home, more affluent teens are particularly likely to have access to all three devices. Fully 76% of teens that live in households that make at least $75,000 a year say they have or have access to a smartphone, a gaming console and a desktop or laptop computer, compared with smaller shares of teens from households that make less than $30,000 or teens from households making $30,000 to $74,999 a year who say they have access to all three (60% and 69% of teens, respectively).

Almost all U.S. teens report using the internet daily

The share of teens who say they use the internet about once a day or more has grown slightly since 2014-15. Today, 97% of teens say they use the internet daily, compared with 92% of teens in 2014-15 who said the same.

In addition, the share of teens who say they use the internet almost constantly has gone up: 46% of teens say they use the internet almost constantly, up from only about a quarter (24%) of teenagers who said the same in 2014-15.

Black and Hispanic teens stand out for being on the internet more frequently than White teens. Some 56% of Black teens and 55% of Hispanic teens say they are online almost constantly, compared with 37% of White teens. The difference between Hispanic and White teens on this measure is consistent with previous findings when it comes to frequent internet use.

In addition, older teens are more likely to be online almost constantly. Some 52% of 15- to 17-year-olds say they use the internet almost constantly, while 36% of 13- to 14-year-olds say the same. Another demographic pattern in “almost constant” internet use: 53% of urban teens report being online almost constantly, while somewhat smaller shares of suburban and rural teens say the same (44% and 43%, respectively).

Slight differences are seen among those who say they engage in “almost constant” internet use based on household income. A slightly larger share of teens from households making $30,000 to $74,999 annually report using the internet almost constantly, compared with teens from homes making at least $75,000 (51% and 43%, respectively). Teens who live in households making under $30,000 do not significantly differ from either group.

The social media landscape has shifted

This survey asked whether U.S. teens use 10 specific online platforms: YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, WhatsApp, Reddit and Tumblr.

YouTube stands out as the most common online platform teens use out of the platforms measured, with 95% saying they ever use this site or app. Majorities also say they use TikTok (67%), Instagram (62%) and Snapchat (59%). Instagram and Snapchat use has grown since asked about in 2014-15, when roughly half of teens said they used Instagram (52%) and about four-in-ten said they used Snapchat (41%).

The share of teens using Facebook has declined sharply in the past decade. Today, 32% of teens report ever using Facebook, down 39 points since 2014-15, when 71% said they ever used the platform. Although today’s teens do not use Facebook as extensively as teens in previous years, the platform still enjoys widespread usage among adults, as seen in other recent Center studies.

Other social media platforms have also seen decreases in usage among teens since 2014-15. Some 23% of teens now say they ever use Twitter, compared with 33% in 2014-15. Tumblr has seen a similar decline. While 14% of teens in 2014-15 reported using Tumblr, just 5% of teens today say they use this platform.

The online platforms teens flock to differ slightly based on gender. Teen girls are more likely than teen boys to say they ever use TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, while boys are more likely to use Twitch and Reddit. Boys also report using YouTube at higher rates than girls, although the vast majority of teens use this platform regardless of gender.

Teens’ use of certain online platforms also differs by race and ethnicity. Black and Hispanic teens are more likely than White teens to say they ever use TikTok, Instagram, Twitter or WhatsApp. Black teens also stand out for being more likely to use TikTok compared with Hispanic teens, while Hispanic teens are more likely than their peers to use WhatsApp.

Older teens are more likely than younger teens to say they use each of the online platforms asked about except for YouTube and WhatsApp. Instagram is an especially notable example, with a majority of teens ages 15 to 17 (73%) saying they ever use Instagram, compared with 45% of teens ages 13 to 14 who say the same (a 28-point gap).

Despite Facebook losing its dominance in the social media world with this new cohort of teens, higher shares of those living in lower- and middle-income households gravitate toward Facebook than their peers who live in more affluent households: 44% of teens living in households earning less than $30,000 a year and 39% of teens from households earning $30,000 to less than $75,000 a year say they ever use Facebook, while 27% of those from households earning $75,000 or more a year say the same. Differences in Facebook use by household income were found in previous Center surveys as well (however the differences by household income were more pronounced in the past).

When it comes to the frequency that teens use the top five platforms the survey looked at, YouTube and TikTok stand out as the platforms teens use most frequently. About three-quarters of teens visit YouTube at least daily, including 19% who report using the site or app almost constantly. A majority of teens (58%) visit TikTok daily, while about half say the same for Snapchat (51%) and Instagram (50%).

Looking within teens who use a given platform, TikTok and Snapchat stand out for having larger shares of teenage users who visit these platforms regularly. Fully 86% of teen TikTok or Snapchat users say they are on that platform daily and a quarter of teen users for both of these platforms say they are on the site or app almost constantly. Somewhat smaller shares of teen YouTube users (20%) and teen Instagram users (16%) say they are on those respective platforms almost constantly (about eight-in-ten teen users are on these platforms daily).

Not only is there a smaller share of teenage Facebook users than there was in 2014-15, teens who do use Facebook are also relatively less frequent users of the platform compared with the other platforms covered in this survey. Just 7% of teen Facebook users say they are on the site or app almost constantly (representing 2% of all teens). Still, about six-in-ten teen Facebook users (57%) visit the platform daily.

Across these five platforms, 35% of all U.S. teens say they are on at least one of them almost constantly. While this is not a comprehensive rundown of all teens who use any kind of online platform almost constantly, this 35% of teens represent a group of relatively heavy platform users and they clearly have different views about their use of social media compared with those who say they use at least one of these platforms, though less often than “almost constantly.” Those findings are covered in a later section.

Larger shares of Black and Hispanic teens say they are on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram almost constantly than White teens. For example, Black and Hispanic teens are roughly five times more likely than White teens to say they are on Instagram almost constantly.

Hispanic teens are more likely to be frequent users of Snapchat than White or Black teens: 23% of Hispanic teens say they use this social media platform almost constantly, while 12% of White teens and 11% of Black teens say the same. There are no racial and ethnic differences in teens’ frequency of Facebook usage.

Overall, Hispanic (47%) and Black teens (45%) are more likely than White teens (26%) to say they use at least one of these five online platforms almost constantly.

Slight majorities of teens see the amount of time they spend on social media as about right and say it would be hard to give up

As social media use has become a common part of many teens’ daily routine, the Center asked U.S. teens how they feel about the amount of time they are spending on social media. A slight majority (55%) say the amount of time they spend of social media is about right, and smaller shares say they spend too much time or too little time on these platforms.

While a majority of teen boys and half of teen girls say they spend about the right amount of time on social media, this sentiment is more common among boys. Teen girls are more likely than their male counterparts to say they spend too much time on social media. In addition, White teens are more likely to see their time using social media as about right compared with Hispanic teens. Black teens do not differ from either group.

This analysis also explored how teens who frequently use these platforms may feel about their time on them and how those feelings may differ from teens who use these sites and apps less frequently. To do this, two groups were constructed. The first group is the 35% of teens who say they use at least one of the five platforms this survey covered – YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook – almost constantly. The other group consists of teens who say they use these platforms but not as frequently – that is, they use at least one of these five platforms but use them less often than “almost constantly.”

When asked how they feel about the time they spend on social media, 53% of teens who almost constantly use at least one of the platforms say they are on social media too much, while about three-in-ten teens (28%) who use at least one of these platforms but less often say the same.

Teens who are almost constantly online – not just on social media – also stand out for saying they spend too much time on social media: 51% say they are on social media too much. By comparison, 26% of teens who are online several times a day say they are on social media too much.

When reflecting on what it would be like to try to quit social media, teens are somewhat divided whether this would be easy or difficult. Some 54% of U.S. teens say it would be very (18%) or somewhat hard (35%) for them to give up social media. Conversely, 46% of teens say it would be at least somewhat easy for them to give up social media, with a fifth saying it would be very easy.

Teenage girls are slightly more likely to say it would be hard to give up social media than teen boys (58% vs. 49%). A similar gap is seen between older and younger teens, with teens 15 to 17 years old being more likely than 13- and 14-year-olds to say it would be at least somewhat hard to give up social media.

A majority of teens who use at least one of the platforms asked about in the survey “almost constantly” say it would be hard to give up social media, with 32% saying it would be very hard. Smaller shares of teens who use at least one of these online platforms but use them less often say the same.

The teens who think they spend too much time on social media also report they would struggle to step back completely from it. Teens who say they spend too much time on social media are 36 percentage points more likely than teens who see their usage as about right to say giving up social media would be hard (78% vs. 42%). In fact, about three-in-ten teens who say they use social media too much (29%) say it would be very hard for them to give up social media. Conversely, a majority of teens who see their social media usage as about right (58%) say that it would be at least somewhat easy for them to give it up.

Badminton Star Tanisha Crasto Given Golden Visa From The UAE

Tanisha Crasto of Indian heritage, one of the best new-generation badminton players, is the latest recipient of the UAE’s prestigious ‘Golden Visa’, an honor which is also awarded to elite athletes in recognition of their contribution to the sport.

At 19-years-old, she is one of the youngest beneficiaries of the visa, which grants her a guaranteed 10 years of residency in the country. Crasto is also considered one of the best new-generation badminton players, and the Golden Visa is often awarded to elite athletes such as herself in recognition of their contribution to the sport.

“What’s really special is that my visa lists me as a ‘professional athlete’ which is fantastic and really motivates me.” she said. “Previously my visa said ‘no employment.’ Now that I have the Golden Visa, I will be looking to play a lot more tournaments around the world. It’s going to be a great help because I travel out of Dubai for a lot of tournaments and now that I have the visa I can come and go freely.”

Tanisha, who was born in Dubai to Indian parents from Goa and studied at the Indian High School, Dubai, thanked the Dubai Sports Council for helping her secure the much sought-after 10-year visa.

“When I approached the Dubai Sports Council officials to enquire whether I was eligible for a Golden Visa, they responded positively and, before I knew it, called to say that my request had been approved,” she said.

Tanisha, who is essentially a specialist doubles and mixed-double player, says she can now turn her attention to improving her game and pursuing her lifetime ambition.

“My dream has always been the same — to win an Olympic gold medal,” she said. “But you can say that my current goal is to win a medal at the World Championships. That’s my immediate target.” The WBF World Championships take place in Tokyo, from August 21-28.

Tanisha, who trains under the watchful eye of former All England champion and current India coach Pullela Gopichand, explained why she essentially plays the doubles format.

“When I was younger, there were not enough players to play singles in Dubai,” she said. “So I used to play together with my Dad. Then over the years, I discovered that doubles was my calling.”

Tanisha is the first to admit that there is still a lot of improvement necessary in her game, to take it to the next level, and is prepared to work hard to achieve it.

“You never stop learning,” she acknowledges. “I believe I have so much more to learn about the game and I am confident that by training hard and with top players, I can grow my game, further.”

Tanisha joins a roll call of top sportsmen and celebrities who have been given a UAE Golden Visa including Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, celebrated Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan.

Meteoric Rise In Number Of Americans Injecting Drugs

A recently released study by the Coalition for Applied Modeling for Prevention (CAMP) and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights the colossal rise in injection drug use (IDU) in the United States in recent years.

CAMP’s study estimates that in the last decade, IDU has gone up exponentially. The most recent data, from 2018, estimated that approximately 4 million Americans injected drugs. This is a five-fold increase from the last approximation, in 2011.

The burden of fatal and nonfatal overdoses among those who inject drugs has also gone up sharply, according to CAMP’s research. Injection-related overdose deaths tripled from 2007 to 2018. Data also shows that there are about 40 nonfatal overdoses for every fatal overdose of IDU. 

“Our estimate of the number of people who inject drugs in the U.S. indicates that services need to be substantially expanded — this includes services to meet harm-reduction needs and efforts to reduce escalating rates of overdose mortality, as well as services to address the spread of infectious diseases,” said Heather Bradley, a lead author of a study that CAMP cited in its findings.

The CDC warns that “people who inject drugs are at high risk for HIV if they use needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment.” 

The CDC estimates that a third of people who inject drugs share syringes, needles or other drug injection equipment. 

Biden administration under pressure to up Ukraine’s rocket firepower Zelensky warns of ‘media terror’ of propaganda, disinformation amid Russian invasion 

Though new cases of HIV are down overall, the CDC reports that about 10 percent of new HIV cases in the United States are people who inject drugs.

Hepatitis C cases have also skyrocketed in recent years. According to the CDC, in 2011 there were an estimated 2,700 cases of hepatitis C, and in 2019 the number leapt up to approximately 57,500.

The CAMP researchers note the findings in the study “provide valuable insight” to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on IDU in the U.S. and give researchers and public health officials information they can use to try to implement harm reduction in IDU. 

Tags CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; CDC drug trafficking drugs Drugs hiv illegal drug use injection drug use United States 

The Hill has removed its comment section, as there are many other forums for readers to participate in the conversation. We invite you to join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.

US Embassy in India Announces New Tranche Of Student Visa Interview Slots

International students who will be joining their American universities by the middle of August can now schedule appointments at the US Embassy in India. The US has opened the first tranche of interview slots, for dates in June and the first half of July 2022 in May.

Due to COVID, last year, the US Embassy in Delhi and the consulates in India had opened student visa interviews on June 14.

Many students who were planning to attend US universities and who had already received their student I-20 documents from US universities were waiting for their interviews.

After starting student visa interviews earlier this year, US authorities plan to grant more student visas than the record 62,000 that were granted last year to students enrolling in American universities in the fall of 2021, as per reports.

The students with an I-20 (A form that proves that you are legally enrolled in a program of study in the United State) and applications in process for visa categories F, M, and J may schedule their interview times. Interviews after August 14 will be conducted at consulates, the embassy tweeted.

The US embassy said that the interview slots are now open for students having I-20 who need to apply for visa categories F, M and J at the Embassy and Consulates for interviews taking place after August 14.

“If you need to arrive at school by mid-Aug, book an appointment now,” it said. In a tweet, the embassy announced, “Student visa appointments are available on our website. If you have an I-20, don’t wait! Future F, M, and J appointment openings at the Embassy and Consulates will be for interviews taking place after Aug 14, so if you need to arrive at school by mid-Aug, book an appointment now!”

Harini Logan Is Spelling Bee Champion 2022

Fourteen-year-old Harini Logan spelled a total of 21 confirmed correct words in 90 seconds to take home the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee title on Thursday night.

The San Antonio, Texas, native joined “Good Morning America” on Friday following the historic spell-off — the first in the competition’s history — to share how she made those crucial moments look so effortless.

“For me it was really just getting into that mindset where I could have that just calmness so I could focus on the words rather than getting stressed out,” she said. “I was a little tense and it definitely was a bit difficult but I think I just decided to focus on the words and just plow through.”

Although she missed a few words, Harini said she knew all the ones she spelled correctly.  As for her speedy spelling strategy, she said she “did practice for the spell-off a bit,” but in the end the secret to her success was to “go in fast would [and] really just be focusing on the word, just reading all of the information as quick as I could and keep on going.”

“It definitely takes a lot of dedication and commitment and like so much hard work, and at my house my mom is sort of my coach,” Harini added. “It takes a lot of commitment … and, of course, a passion for the spelling bee.”

The eighth grader still has plenty of ambitious plans ahead: She heads to high school next, where she said she wants to write a book.

Dr. Joseph M. Chalil Donates $100,000 In Honor of, Rev. Dr. Mathew M. Chalil to Nova Southeastern University in Support of International Medical Students

Dr. Joseph M. Chalil, a Best-Selling Author and the Chief Medical Officer of Novo Integrated Sciences, Inc., has donated $100,000 towards establishing a Scholarship Fund in honor of his mentor and uncle, Reverend Dr. Mathew Chalil, a Catholic Priest, based in Kerala, India. The scholarship fund donated to the prestigious Nova Southeastern University will help needy and deserving international medical students at the University.

“Congratulations Fr. Mathew Chalil for being inducted into Nova Southeastern University Cornerstone society today,” a statement issued by the University stated. “We have created a scholarship fund of 1 Lakh Dollars (77 Lakhs Indian Rupees). The $100,000 scholarship will be earmarked for international medical students at NSU MD with significant financial needs.”

Rev. Dr. Mathew M. Chalil, CMI, MSc, Ph.D. is a Catholic Priest belonging to the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), who dedicated his life to education and the environment. Rev. Chalil completed his Master’s Degree in Mathematics from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Chennai) and his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Perdue University in 1982. He returned to India and was appointed as the Professor of Mathematics at Devagiri College, India, and had served as its Principal until 1994. He was appointed as the CMI General Councilor for Education in 1996 and he oversaw all the CMI Provinces in South India, as well as the CMI Activities and Personals in the USA, Canada, and South America.  CMI Congregation owns and manages hundreds of schools, over 30 higher education institutions, and one deemed University in India.

In addition, Rev. Chalil held several additional positions, including as Vice-Chancellor of Dharma Deepti University and as the Registrar of Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram.  His research interest was using mathematical formulas in solving environmental pollution issues. He was a World Health Organization consultant and an advisor to the Government of India and the Kingdom of the United Arab Emirates.

Publisher of The Universal News Network (www.theunn.com), Dr. Chalil is a veteran of the U.S. Navy Medical Corps. Board-certified in healthcare management, Dr. Chalil has been awarded a Fellowship by the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international professional society of more than 40,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems, and other healthcare organizations. Dr. Chalil has held roles of increasing responsibility at DBV Technologies, Boehringer Ingelheim, Abbott Laboratories, and Hoffmann-La Roche.

Additionally, Dr. Chalil is the former Chairman of the Indo-American Press Club. He is an expert in U.S. healthcare policy and a strong advocate for patient-centered care. A strong proponent of providing healthcare access to everyone, Dr. Chalil’s new book, Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Envisioning a Better World by Transforming the Future of Healthcare, is on Amazon’s Best Sellers List.

Describing these as critical times, Dr. Chalil, endowed with the vision to support noble causes, believes that “Medical Education is most needed, especially as the world is continuing to be under the impact of the Covid Pandemic. Health care professionals dedicate their lives to the greater well-being of human beings. Supporting the upcoming generations of Medical students in their mission to help people live healthier lives is very fulfilling.”

Dr. Swati Kulkarni, Consulate General of India in Atlanta, while praising Dr. Chalil’s generosity and contribution to support the needy medical students at the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine (NSU MD), said, “Dr. Joseph Chalil, one of the distinguished Indian American, has attained significant goals in his career and has been at the forefront of helping the needy, especially students. India has a large number of bright students pursuing higher studies in the United States.

Dr. Chalil has donated generously to help these International Indian students at Nova Southeastern University in fulfilling their mission to be the healers of the world. I am certain that Dr. Chalil shall also extend similar monetary help to Medical Colleges in India and brighten the future of aspiring students studying there.  May the generosity of Dr. Chalil inspire many more successful Indian Americans to come forward and donate towards the education of students who seek knowledge and skills at the universities in India and abroad.”

The CORNERSTONE SOCIETY at Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine
Nova Southeastern University was developed to recognize and pay tribute to individuals, foundations, and corporations whose cumulative commitments to NSU MD reach $100,000 by the time the Charter Class graduates. NSU MD is one of approximately 155 M.D. degree-granting institutions in the U.S. The college received Preliminary Accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) on October 10, 2017, to become the eighth M.D.-degree medical school in Florida and the only one in Broward County.

Indian American Dreamers Lobby for ‘America’s CHILDREN Act’ on Capitol Hill

Hundreds of ‘Documented Dreamers’ of Indian origin along with their parents and supporters from across the country gathered on Capitol Hill to push for passage of legislation that would ensure their status as legal residents in the United States.

These Documented Dreamers of Indian origin had immigrated to the country legally as kids and grew up in the United States, while joined some lawmakers argued that unlike other Dreamers, they were here legally and should be allowed to continue in a legal status after they become 21 years old, instead of ‘aging out’.

At a press conference May 18, 2022 on Capitol Hill, they shared their stories and pushed for the America’s CHILDREN Act .These 40 individuals from California, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Florida, and Illinois acted as representatives for the 200,000 or more such Documented Dreamers, according to estimates by Immigration Forum. They are dependents of long-term non-immigrant visa holders of H-1B, L-1, E-1, or E-2, and they face self-deportation at the age of 21 if the Act is not passed.

Immigration Forum notes that “As a result of being Documented Dreamers, these children are left out of policies and solutions meant for Dreamers because they are technically not undocumented. This leaves them with few to no options as a result of current defects of the U.S. immigration system.”

At the press conference, U.S. Representatives Ami Bera, D-California, and Deborah Ross, D-North Carolina, joined U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, D-California, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair, Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, spoke in support of passing the America’s CHILDREN Act, a bipartisan legislation which would protect Documented Dreamers after aging out.

“We’ve got to fix this flaw in our immigration system. We ought to welcome these kids to be part of that next generation to continue to move our country forward,” asserted Congressman, Bera speaking to the crowd.

He told News India Times, “The America’s CHILDREN Act is important since so many South Asian and Indian American kids are caught in this cycle.”

Bera emphasized that the parents of these Documented Dreamers had come to this country legally. “They brought them here legally as children. America is the only country that they know. They’ve gone to school here. They’ve gone to college here and many to grad school here. Yet, they can’t stay here. And we should fix that loophole because, again, they consider themselves Americans and we should consider them Americans as well.”

Addressing the media, Ross echoed Bera’s views. “Documented Dreamers grow up in our communities, attend our schools, and learn alongside our children. They love our country and want to give back to the people and places that raised them.”

Durbin said, “These are young people educated in the United States, grew up in this country, and are looking forward to a future in this country,”

“Our broken immigration system is failing to meet America’s needs in the 21st century,” Padilla contended.

When asked if they have enough bipartisan support to pass this Act, Bera said, “We’re working on it. So, I’m optimistic since there are four Republican Senators, and we need to find six additional Senators. I think these young people who are going to their home State Senators, and telling their impactful stories will help.”

Dreamers Dip Patel, Eti Sinha, as well as Fedora Castelino, of Indian origin, and Mily Herrera of Mexican origin, who addressed the press conference along with lawmakers, also spoke to News India Times and explained their situations.

Patel, founder of Improve The Dream, who led the delegation told News India Times, “We are here with over 40 members of Improve The Dream and Documented Dreamers, children to long term visa holders who face aging out at 21. And we’re advocating for America’s CHILDREN Act, which is a bill championed by Congresswoman Ross and Senator Padilla in the Senate, which has really broad bipartisan support.” Patel sounded an optimistic note. “… we think, it can pass this year to permanently end aging out.”

On May 16th, members of Improve The Dream met with Deputy Assistant to the President for Immigration, Betsy Lawrence, and senior AAPI Liaison, Erika Moritsugu at the White House, and conveyed their concerns.

Sinha, who is currently living in New York City, and pursuing her Ph.D in Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University, told News India Times, “Any legislation reform, especially the America CHILDREN Act, will help bring some stability to my family. I grew up only knowing America since the age of seven. I am American through and through.”

Sinha was born in New Delhi and came to the U.S. along with her twin sister and parents. Her family lives in Fremont, California. At this time, her father is stuck outside the country as the government is not willing to stamp his visa — although his work visa has been approved and renewed several times over the course of 10 years.

“And at this rate, our family will only continue to be more and more separated,” Sinha said. “Once I graduate, without any legislation like America’s CHILDREN Act, I too will have to deport back to India. So my father will be in Canada, I will be in India, and my mom and sister will be in the U.S. That is not what any family wants.”

Castelino, who was born in Mumbai, and is a resident of Apex , North Carolina, said there are several reasons for Congress to pass this Act. A student of Neuroscience at the University of South Carolina, Castelino told News India Times, “I think one of the biggest reasons is to simply acknowledge the fact that we are Americans not only in heart but also on paper. We have spent our entire lives here and this is our home,” he said, adding, “For a country that really pushes justice and equality for all, this needs to include Americans and that’s what we are. This is our home and we are facing situations such as self-deportation.”

Herrera, a 17-year old, who came with her parents from Mexico, and is a high school junior from Texas, said her parents brought her along with her brother at the age of five due to violence and crime. She said she fears self-deportation as well, if the Act is not passed.

The bill was introduced on July 1, 2021, as “America’s Cultivation of Hope and Inclusion for Long-term Dependents Raised and Educated Natively (CHILDREN) Act of 2021” in the House of Representatives by Representatives Ross, D-North Carolina, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, and Young Kim, R-California.

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ilinois), after introducing the Act in 2021, said, “the children of long-term visa holders have grown up in the United States, embracing the American Dream as their own, but the current failures of our immigration system forces them to leave before they have the chance to start their own careers and families here,” adding, “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to provide a pathway for these young people to continue contributing to our nation while building their own American success stories.”

According to Immigration Forum, the America’s CHILDREN Act, H.R 4331, is a solution for the systemic problem that Documented Dreamers face.

The Act prevents them from aging-out “by locking in a Documented Dreamer’s age to the date they file for a green card, as opposed to the date the green card becomes available and is issued; It also allows Documented Dreamers older than 16 to secure work authorization if they have a pending green card application.

GOPIO-CT Outreaches To Indian American Academics In Connecticut

As part of the GOPIO-CT’s outreach to the university faculty, the chapter joined hands with Quinnipiac University for a Meet and Greet Program on Friday, April 22nd at Clarion Hotel in Hamden, CT. It was an event where GOPIO members and other community organization representatives had a networking reception and an open mike interaction followed by an Indian dinner. Academics were from Quinnipiac, Yale, University of Connecticut and University of New Haven. This is first time Indian American and Indic academics from these schools came together on a Pan-Indian platform.

After the networking Meet and Greet, the program started with a welcome by GOPIO-CT Executive Vice President Prasad Chintalapudi who then introduced GOPIO Founder and current Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham. Dr. Abraham, spoke on the journey of GOPIO over the years since 1989 and how, the Indian Diaspora community which was outside the political mainstream in many countries changed over to political mainstream in countries with large Diaspora population.

Dr. Abraham also spoke on the Welcome Dinner for new students from India at the UConn Business School at Stamford and Hartford campuses organized by GOPIO-CT and hoping to do the same in the Hamden/New Haven area.

Dr. Abraham also mentioned that the Indian Am3rican academics could play important roles in correcting misinformation on India and the Indian American community, as for example the recent statement by University of Pennsylvania professor Amy Wax.

This program to reach the academics was initiated by GOPIO-CT Board Member Prof. Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, who has also been a Democratic Party candidate from the assembly district in Trumbull.

“It is a pleasure to have faculty members from Quinnipiac University, Yale University, the University of New Haven, and from the greater South Asian community come together to discuss shared connections and opportunities for collaboration and we look forward to hosting future events that will incorporate students and continue to build programming that serves the local community and highlights the many important contributions of the South Asian community in Connecticut,” said Prof. Gadkar-Wilcox.

Academics who participated included Prof. Ravi Dhar, American behavioral scientist, an expert in consumer behavior and branding, currently the George Rogers Clark Professor of Management and Marketing at Yale School of Management; Prof. K. Sudhir, James L Frank Professor of Private Enterprise, Management and Marketing & Director of the Yale China India Insights Program (CIIP) Yale School of Management; Prof. Shyam Sunder, James L. Frank Professor Emeritus of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Yale School of Management; Prof. Ramesh Subramanian, Gabriel Ferrucci Prof of Computer Information Systems, Quinnipiac; Asha Rangappa, Former FBI agent, Senior lecturer at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, and a commentator on CNN; Kamal Upadhyaya; Professor of Economics and Business Analytics, University of New Haven; Prof. Narasimahan Srinivasan, Associate Professor Marketing, UConn School of Business; Prof. Ewa Callahan, Associate Professor of Interactive Media and Design, Quinnipiac; and Prof. Mohammad Elahee, Professor of International Business, Quinnipiac.

Connecticut Association of Physicians of India (CAPI) was also represented at the event with Dr. Subbarao Bollepalli (Former President of CAPI), Dr. Veena Vani and Drs. Raminder (Micky) and Rachna Walia. The program was sponsored by Wire and Plastics Machinery manufacturer Rakesh Narang and his wife Neelam along with Prof. Wyn Gadkar-Wilcox who is Professor of History & Non-western Cultures, Western Connecticut University.

In the interactive session many new ideas were shared. Plans are ahead to continue this network and to organize a Welcome Dinner for the new students from India in September in central Connecticut and at the UConn, Storrs campus.

Over the last 16 years, GOPIO-CT, a chapter of GOPIO International has become an active and dynamic organization hosting interactive sessions with policy makers and academicians, community events, youth mentoring and networking workshops, and working with other area organizations to help create a better future. GOPIO-CT – Global Organization of People of Indian Origin – serves as a non-partisan, secular, civic and community service organization – promoting awareness of Indian culture, customs and contributions of the Indian Diaspora through community programs, forums, events and youth activities. It seeks to strengthen partnerships and create an ongoing dialogue with local communities.

Nishant (Neal) Patel Becomes Youngest Chairman in AAHOA History

Texas hotelier Nishant (Neal) Patel, CHO, CHIA, is the new Chairman of AAHOA’s Board of Directors. Patel became chairman at the conclusion of the 2022 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show in Baltimore, which was the second major convention AAHOA has held since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The convention was held at the Baltimore Convention Center.

“I’m thrilled to be stepping up to the role of chairman and honored to serve as the association’s youngest chairman in history,” Patel said. “AAHOA has gone through a lot of changes over the past year, and I’m looking forward to helping lead this great organization into the future.”

Patel became an AAHOA Member in 2012 and soon volunteered to serve as an AAHOA Ambassador. He joined AAHOA’s Board of Directors in 2016 after being elected as the Young Professional Director Western Division, a position he held for three years.

“If you’ve ever wondered to what extent AAHOA serves its membership, I am a perfect example,” Patel said. “My parents didn’t have the opportunity to have AAHOA as a resource, but thankfully, when I took over the family business, AAHOA was there for me as I navigated the hospitality industry. AAHOA provided me with the educational tools I needed to run a hotel successfully.”

Patel grew up in Surat, India, and nearly two decades ago, his family left everything they knew to start a new life in Mississippi. “Like the majority of AAHOA Members, we were in search of the ‘American Dream,’” Patel said. “My parents wanted to create a better life for their children and leave a legacy that generations to come would be proud of.”

Patel is a second-generation hotelier who grew up in the industry wearing many hats as he helped his family run their first 20-room independent property in Laurel, MS.

These days, Patel calls Austin, TX, home and is the managing partner of Blue Chip Hotels, which owns and operates multiple hotels. Blue Chip Hotels has more than 1,200 rooms in several states among both branded and independent properties.

“My parents always told me that if you don’t try, you won’t succeed. If you talk too much, you’re not learning,” Patel said. “As I step into my new role, my focus is on our members and serving them well. Going forward, I will be the facilitator to make things happen.”

Patel is inspired to give back to the hospitality industry through service. He serves on the HITEC Advisory Council and promotes organ donor awareness through his volunteer work with Samaj Saves Lives.

“AAHOA helped us create generational success,” Patel said. “After all that AAHOA has given me and my family, I’m looking forward to serving this great organization and giving back to the AAHOA community through listening, learning, bringing new ideas to the table, and enacting change at every level of the organization. Thank you for placing your faith in me as AAHOA’s next Chairman. I am here to serve you, our valued members.”

AAHOA Announces New Secretary and Board Members

Kamalesh (KP) Patel of Santa Cruz, CA, is the new AAHOA Secretary. Patel is the CEO of Aarav Hospitality, LLC, and AKS Hospitality, LLC.

AAHOA Members also elected the following ten members to the Board of Directors:

Alabama Regional Director: Sanjay M. Patel

Central Midwest Regional Director: Arti Patel

North Carolina Regional Director: Pinkesh Patel

Northeast Regional Director: Preyas Patel

Northwest Regional Director: Taran Patel

Upper Midwest Regional Director: Kalpesh Joshi

Washington DC Area Regional Director: Deepak Patel

Director at Large Eastern Division: Pinal Patel

Director at Large Western Division: Hitesh Patel

Young Professional Director – Western Division: Tanmay Patel

“I’m thrilled to welcome our new AAHOA Secretary and all of our newly elected board members. Over the last 30 years, our volunteer leaders have worked tirelessly to make AAHOA a leading hotel association in the U.S. and advocate for initiatives that help the hospitality industry thrive,” said incoming AAHOA Chairman Nishant (Neal) Patel. “As we continue on this road to recovery, it is encouraging to see so many members rising to the occasion and serving America’s hotel owners. I can’t wait to start working alongside the new AAHOA Officers, our Board of Directors, and the entire AAHOA Team. Together, we will work on taking this great association to the next level.”

AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the nation, with Member-owned properties representing a significant part of the U.S. economy. AAHOA’s 20,000 members own 60% of the hotels in the United States and are responsible for 1.7% of the nation’s GDP. More than one million employees work at AAHOA member-owned hotels, earning $47 billion annually, and member-owned hotels support 4.2 million U.S. jobs across all sectors of the hospitality industry. AAHOA’s mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement.

Youth Icon’s Fight For Rights Among India’s Destitute

Pooja Shukla, 25, a socialist candidate, has lost her maiden elections to the provincial parliament in Uttar Pradesh (UP), India. But Shukla is no loser.

A day after the results were announced on March 10, Shukla was back to a rousing reception in her constituency in North Lucknow to thank her supporters for polling 1,04,527 votes for her.

She was with the people again on March 18 on Holi, the festival of colour held annually to celebrate the end of winter and in anticipation of new beginnings.

Shukla told the IPS that she was hoping to win. Of course, she is disappointed, but electoral defeat would not stop her from continuing her struggle to get economic and social justice for the people of her constituency.

Although Shukla belongs to the upper caste community of Brahmins, she has worked hard to develop a personal connection with a cross-section of those who live in North Lucknow, one of the city’s nine constituencies. Lucknow is the capital of UP, the country’s largest, but economically and socially, it is one of its least developed states. More than 400,000 voters are registered in North Lucknow, nearly half of whom are impoverished women.

The constituency is home to Muslims, upper-caste Hindus and thousands of impoverished people belonging to communities who have been living for decades in makeshift shanties, often on the bank of open drains. Some are daily wage earners, and others are without paid work.

Shukla won hearts because she has knocked on every door in North Lucknow and continues to spend time with citizens.

“I have visited every single home in every single neighbourhood in North Lucknow. I will continue to do so as I really care for members of all communities that reside within my constituency,” Shukla adds.

This first-time contestant had faced Dr Neeraj Bora, a seasoned politician from the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), a right-wing party. Despite the formidable challenge, Shukla was leading on the day the votes were counted. She was ahead before her rival finally defeated her by 33,985 votes until noon.

Out of 403 seats in the UP-state parliament, the socialists won 111 seats. The Samajwadi Party (SP) of socialists came a distant second to BJP’s 255 seats, but the party has emerged as the largest opposition party in UP.

This was a golden opportunity to strengthen democracy by converting the numbers won by the SP into a viable opposition to the ruling party, Shukla believes. A well-meaning, vocal opposition is needed, she says, when the ruling party seems to want to wash its hands of all its social responsibility in favour of outsourcing businesses and privatising even essential services like education, health, and employment opportunities.

“Democratic values strengthen when the opposition to the ruling party is strong,” says Shukla, who believes that elections are held to elect representatives who will provide affordable homes, education, and health facilities to voters.

Shukla feels that socially conscious people don’t have to be Marxists to dream of justice in society. The desire to want to see all citizens cared for fairly and equally by the state is a desire of all decent human beings.

Shukla was the youngest candidate in the polls, nursing a constituency that is a sprawling, chaotic cluster of college campuses, traffic jams, markets spilling from every corner and rows of slums with open drains that overflow and swallow up lives during rainfall.

Her dream is to invite educationists to open model public schools for the majority of the poor people in her constituency. She wants low-cost houses for the poor and free health services. She says that time is on her side. She will find many more opportunities to contest elections.

“To win elections is important for me as I want to be a lawmaker and make sure that people-friendly legislation is passed in parliament to protect the interest of the most vulnerable in the country,” Shukla says.

Until she makes it to parliament, she plans to work tirelessly to raise literacy in her constituency and lower the poverty rate. She wants clean drinking water, cleaner drains, and better roads. Women’s safety is her priority, as is a regular and fair wage for the many communities of artisans like potters and weavers.

Shukla has witnessed the police lathi-charge citizens who dared to ask the government for jobs. Social activists have been jailed, kicked around, and beaten in lockdown for participating in protests and questioning the government in UP. There are countless incidents of gruesome crimes perpetrated against women.

Most political parties want women’s votes but are reluctant to share power with them. Therefore, politics in UP today is a constant struggle for any woman who joins the male-dominated world of politics. Shukla’s biggest strength is her belief in herself.

The daughter of a small property dealer, Shukla, learnt to be fearless from Beena, her mother. At first, Beena wanted her to marry a suitable Brahmin boy. However, the constant cry to marry died down after she decided to contest the elections.

Her parents suggested that Shukla choose a more respectable profession like teaching instead. The parents were pained when she was jailed in 2019, and countless criminal cases were filed against her for participating in street demonstrations.

Shukla is the eldest of three sisters, and she feels responsible for her siblings. The family reminded her she was a role model, but she refused to give up her politics. Her determination to remain engaged in public life is less frowned upon now. At least her immediate family members and neighbours are supportive. She is no longer considered a black sheep within the Brahmin community that sees itself as exceptionally respectable.

Shukla has been in the limelight since 2017 when she and fellow students waved black flags at the motor convoy of those in power. She was part of a group of students protesting against the use of Lucknow University funds for a political party event.

She was angry when jailed for protesting peacefully. After 20 days in jail, the University refused her admission for postgraduate studies. Shukla started a hunger strike and forced the University to allow all the students to continue their studies.

Today she is a youth icon. She has emerged as a leader and a role model not just for her siblings but for thousands of other youngsters, students, women and some male members of society.

Shukla says that she stands for a democratic, secular and inclusive India. How will she realise her dream in the cutthroat political culture where all that matters is power and money?

There is no substitute for commitment and hard work, she says with a smile. (IPS UN Bureau Report)

Biden Admn. To Decide On Student Loans In Months

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last week that President Biden’s use of executive action to cancel some federal student loan debt is “still on the table” and that a “decision” could be made in the coming months.

Psaki made the comments during an appearance on “Pod Save America” after being pressed about past comments by White House chief of staff Ron Klain. “Yes, still on the table, still on the table,” Psaki could be heard saying to apparent cheers from the audience attending the live podcast, which was released by the platform on Friday. She then pointed to the Aug. 31 deadline for when the freeze on student loan debt payments and interest accrual is set to lapse, saying: “We have to then decide whether it’s extended.”

“Nobody’s had to pay a dollar, a cent, anything in student loans since Joe Biden has been president,” Psaki said. “And if that can help people ease the burden of costs in other parts of their lives, that’s an important thing to consider. That’s a big part of the consideration.”

Between now and the end of August, Psaki said the moratorium is “either going to be extended or we’re going to make a decision, as Ron referenced, about canceling student debt.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday said President Biden’s use of executive action to cancel some federal student loan debt is “still on the table” and that a “decision” could be made in the coming months.

Between now and the end of August, Psaki said the current moratorium on student loan payments is “either going to be extended or we’re going to make a decision, as [White House chief of staff Ron Klain] referenced, about canceling student debt.”

Biden last extended the pause earlier this month amid mounting pressure from advocates, borrowers and members of his own party to provide further relief.

Biden during his campaign called for federal student loan debt cancellation, and supported forgiveness of at least $10,000 per borrower. However, some top Democrats have pushed for him to go beyond that, canceling up to $50,000 per borrower or wiping out federal student loan debt entirely.

The White House called on Congress to send legislation canceling debt to Biden’s desk, but Democrats are not optimistic about their chances of doing so in the 50-50 Senate given staunch GOP opposition. Sixty votes would be needed to overcome procedural hurdles.

The background: The current pause on federal student loan payments was first implemented under the Trump administration at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic. It has since been extended six times.

Biden last extended the pause earlier this month amid mounting pressure from advocates, borrowers and members of his own party to provide further relief.

10 Facts About Today’s College Graduates

Having a bachelor’s degree remains an important advantage in many sectors of the U.S. labor market. College graduates generally out-earn those who have not attended college, and they are more likely to be employed in the first place. At the same time, many Americans say they cannot afford to get a four-year degree – or that they just don’t want to.

Here are key facts about American college graduates.

How we did this

Nearly four-in-ten Americans ages 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, a share that has grown over the last decade. As of 2021, 37.9% of adults in this age group held a bachelor’s degree, including 14.3% who also obtained a graduate or professional degree, according to data from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. That share is up 7.5 percentage points from 30.4% in 2011.

An additional 10.5% had an associate degree in 2021. About four-in-ten Americans ages 25 and older had a high school diploma with no further education (25.3%) or completed some college but didn’t have a degree (14.9%).

In a reversal, women are now more likely than men to graduate from college, according to the Current Population Survey. In 2021, 39% of women ages 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or more education, compared with 37% of men in the same age range. The gap in college completion is even wider among adults ages 25 to 34: 46% of women in this age group have at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with 36% of men.

In an October 2021 Pew Research Center survey of Americans without a degree, 34% of men said a major reason why they have not received a four-year college degree is that they just didn’t want to. Only one-in-four women said the same. Men were also more likely to say a major reason they didn’t have a four-year degree is that they didn’t need more education for the job or career they wanted (26% of men said this vs. 20% of women).

Women (44%) were more likely than men (39%) to say not being able to afford college was a major reason they don’t have a bachelor’s degree. Men and women were about equally likely to say a major impediment was needing to work to help support their family.

16-Year Old Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Wins Reykjavik Open Chess

R Pragganandhaa, the young Indian chess grandmaster, won the famous Reykjavik Open chess tournament with 7.5 points last week. The 16-year-old defeated compatriot Dommaraju Gukesh in the final round to claim the title. He earned 13.2 elo points for his outstanding performance. Pragganandhaa, Pragg as he is fondly called, finished the 7.5 points from nine rounds, finishing half-point ahead of four players — Max Warmerdam of the Netherlands, Mads Andersen of Denmark, Hjorvar Steinn Gretarsson of Sweden and American Abhimanyu Mishra, the world’s youngest GM, all of whom finished with 7.0 points.

Pragg had a few months back caused a sensation when he defeated World No 1 and reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen in a rapid game. On Tuesday, the 16-year-old topped the field comprising 245 players — most of them youngsters like him as the organizers had given a 50% discount on the entry fee for players 16 and under.

Praggnanandhaa entered the final round on Tuesday sharing the lead with Warmerdam and Andersen at 6.5 points. The two players from Scandinavian countries played out a 16-move draw on the top board, opening up a chance for the Indian GM from Chennai to win the last round and claim the title.

Pragg did just that even though his position in the game against Gukesh deteriorated as they reached the middle game. However, Pragg held on and then eventually reached a winning position thanks to back-to-back blunders by Gukesh. He bagged three points in that game and claimed the title outright.

Rohun Reddy Is Winner Of ABA Annual First Amendment And Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition At Northwestern

Rohun Reddy, a 2L JD-MBA student at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law / Kellogg School of Management and the son of Leela and Dr. Suresh Reddy, former President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) won the Best Brief overall in the competition, one of the top three prizes of the day at the American Bar Association’s 14th Annual First Amendment and Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition.

Rohun, whose interest has been about the intersection of technology, media, and law won the prize along with the co-participant, Michael Choi (JD-MBA ’23) at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.” “The ABA First Amendment and Media Law moot court provided me an opportunity to hone my advocacy skills in an area of law that I am deeply passionate about,” Rohun said after winning the competitive award. “I believe that our brief has been so strong because of the natural passion that Michael and I have for First Amendment law and the mentorship that our coach, Leita Walker, provided us through each step of the process.”

Expressing grateful “for the unwavering support that my parents have provided me not just in this competition but throughout my academic career,” Rohun said,  “I appreciate that competitions such as this one are available to help introduce other students from underrepresented backgrounds in law to careers in First Amendment and media law.”

At law school, Rohun serves as Co-President of the Arts and Entertainment Law Society and is an editor on the Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property. Rohun spent his 1L summer externing for the Honorable David O. Carter of the Central District of California and will be spending his 2L summer at Paul, Weiss in New York. Before law school, Rohun interned at several entertainment companies, such as Viacom and FilmNation Entertainment, and spent several years as a technology and media consultant at Activate Consulting in New York. Rohun holds a B.F.A. in Film/Television from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.”

The annual competition at Northwestern was designed primarily to introduce minority law students to the practice of media law and to lawyers active in the communications law bar. The competition offered cash prizes for superior performance in appellate briefing and oral argument. The hypothetical case at the center of the competition involved timely issues of national significance in the areas affecting communications law. Briefs were judged blindly by a panel of experienced media-law practitioners. Choi and Reddy wrote the highest-scoring brief and each team member received $1,000.

Held via video conference, the Moot Court finals were conducted by three distinguished jurists: Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw, Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals; Justice Carla Wong McMillian, Georgia Supreme Court; and Judge L. Felipe Restrepo, Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

“This award means a lot to me because it is proof that the experts in the field have recognized the hard work that Rohun and I put into understanding the complex sphere of First Amendment and media law and structuring our legal arguments in a persuasive manner,” Choi said. “I am also interested in eventually pursuing a career in media and entertainment law, so this unique moot court experience was an important stepping stone towards my long-term aspirations as an attorney.”

Their mentor, Leita Walker, is a litigator and trial lawyer at Ballard Spahr’s Media and Entertainment Law Group. Other winners of the competition included Amanda N. Marino, Indiana University Maurer School of Law, who won best oralist; and Alexandria Faura and Charles Lam, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, who were awarded the winning team.

Summarizing the experiences of the efforts, collaboration and the success, Rohun exclaimed: “I learned so much from my mentor-coach, the other competitors, and our highly accomplished judges, and I am so grateful for the connections I made throughout the process. [It] has definitely been one of my favorite law school experiences!”

US Colleges See International Applications Surging

Prominent U.S. colleges and universities are reporting a surge in international applications over the past two years, fueled by the easing of pandemic travel restrictions and new policies that allow potential students to apply without SAT or ACT scores.

The Common Application, an online platform for hundreds of schools, found that as of March 15 the number of international applicants had grown 34% since 2020. That far exceeded the 12% rate of growth for U.S. applicants.

The data reveals a tantalizing source of potential students as colleges nationwide grapple with significant enrollment losses since the pandemic. However, those applicants are often chasing big-name schools that are not hurting for students.

“It’s obviously a huge population of young people around the globe who could potentially pursue education here,” said MJ Knoll-Finn, senior vice president for enrollment management and student success at New York University. “There’s a lot of strength in the U.S. market.”

For prospective international students, the past two years have posed intense challenges. The public health crisis disrupted travel worldwide in 2020 and 2021 and threw college enrollment plans into chaos.

The recent growth in applications is uneven. At public Indiana University, international applications for freshman admission were up 11% over two years. At the public University of California system, they were up 17%. Some big-name private schools revealed huge increases: Dartmouth College, up 71%; Yale University, up 99%.

At Yale, one of the world’s most selective universities, applications from all locations, foreign and domestic, topped 50,000 this year for the first time. That’s up 42% from the total the university received in 2020. Yale’s admissions rate, which was 6.5% that year, sank to 4.5% this year.

″More than half of the total increase in the applicant pool over those two years has come from international applicants,” Jeremiah Quinlan, Yale’s dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid, wrote in an email.

Yale is a special case because it is one of a handful of schools that pledge to review international applications without regard to financial need and meet the full need of those who are admitted. Others are Harvard and Princeton universities, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Amherst College. Dartmouth announced in January that it is joining this group.

But the growth in international applications appears to be about more than financial aid. Soon after the pandemic emerged, Yale (like many selective colleges) suspended its admissions testing requirement. It will not require SAT or ACT scores through at least the next admissions cycle. That has lured potential students from around the world who otherwise might have hesitated to apply. “The shift to test-optional has definitely played a role in this increase,” Quinlan wrote.

The pandemic imposed major hurdles in access to testing for students around the world. The College Board, which owns the SAT, found that about 122,000 international students in the high school Class of 2021 took the admissions test. That was down 23% compared with the previous class.

Test access wasn’t the only problem. Health, financial and travel worries have also plagued international students. The Institute of International Education, which tracks enrollment, found the number of international undergraduates in the United States plummeted 14% in the 2020-2021 school year. That exacerbated major domestic recruiting problems. U.S. colleges and universities have shed more than 5% of their enrollment since fall 2019 – nearly 1 million students – amid the pandemic and economic upheaval.

Now, colleges and universities are hoping that the volatility in global higher education is easing. “The pandemic just blew up everyone’s enrollment models and projections,” said John Wilkerson, associate vice president for international services at Indiana University. Wilkerson said he sees signs of a return to normalcy. Some of the international application growth, he said, is due to pent-up demand. Many potential students want to hit the road after not being able to travel for a couple years.

The Common App’s data shows that the top suppliers of international applicants this year, in descending order, are China, India, Canada, Pakistan and Nigeria. Admissions experts point to India as a key source of growth.

Federal data show that a little more than 3% of the 16.5 million undergraduates in fall 2019 were international students. During the Trump administration, colleges worried that hard-line federal policies on immigration and travel from certain countries could drive away international students. “There was huge concern,” said Angel B. Pérez, chief executive of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. With President Joe Biden in office, he said, it appears those questions have receded.

“There is a little bit more optimism from enrollment managers,” Pérez said. As the pandemic eases, he said, “the infrastructure to get students to the United States is also coming back.”

Natalie Bitton, president of the International Association for College Admission Counseling, which is affiliated with the association Pérez leads, said she sees the beginnings of a rebound in demand for U.S. higher education. “Two major barriers have been lifted,” Bitton said. “One is the ability to leave their country and get visas. And the second is the testing requirement changes.”

For the University of California at Los Angeles, international applications for freshman admission have risen more than 30% since 2020 – to about 23,600. The surge coincides with the elimination of test scores as a factor in admissions. The UC system’s shift to a “test-free” policy, said Youlonda Copeland-Morgan, vice provost for enrollment management at UCLA, “has attracted applicants who may have had challenges accessing one of those exams.”

For NYU, international applications are part of its lifeblood. About a quarter of its 27,000 undergraduates in New York are international. The private university also has campuses in Shanghai and the United Arab Emirates. This year, international applications to NYU’s main campus in New York were up 15%, said Knoll-Finn, the NYU enrollment chief.

Like other universities, NYU stepped up its virtual recruiting during the pandemic because admissions officers were unable to travel much in person. Knoll-Finn said that has helped NYU draw a more diverse group of potential students. A more lenient admissions-testing policy was also a factor, she said. “We do think that being test optional has probably lowered a barrier for many students who might have a harder time getting to those tests,” Knoll-Finn said.

Artwork By Sraddha Karthik, A High Schooler From Florida To Be Displayed At The US Capitol

In a proud moment for Indian Americans, the artwork of a community student from Florida is all set to be displayed at the US Capitol. Sraddha Karthik, a Grade 11 student from a Tampa high school in Florida, has been declared the winner of the annual Congressional Art Competition at the Tampa Museum of Art where high school students from across Hillsborough County competed for a spot to showcase their work in the US Capitol.

This year, Sraddha Karthik, who came to the United States at the age of one along with her parents from Chennai, bagged the top prize with her graphite drawing “Pensive Gaze” created with intricacy and precision, said a media release issued by Congresswoman Kathy Castor.

Ms Karthik’s self-portrait tackles perception versus reality.”I wanted to see if I could draw myself as I am and not how I think I am,” she said.

She used different shades of graphite to create depth and dimension for her artwork, the release said. Karthik, the statement said, has been drawing since she was 7 years old when her parents registered her for an art class. “I don’t have as much time as I used to before high school, but I do try to fit in art as much as possible because it’s really helpful for me to express myself,” she said.

Art will add depth to MS Karthik’s career in architecture, which she plans to pursue after high school, said the Congresswoman’s office.

This wasn’t Ms Karthik’s first art competition – she’s been competing in the Salvador Dali Museum annual art competition since eighth grade, and her artwork has been chosen to be displayed every year, it noted. “It was a very talented display of art at this year’s event – this honour could have gone to anyone in the competition!” she said of Castor’s art competition.

It’ll be her first visit to Washington, DC, when she goes for her national showcase this summer. Her artwork will then be displayed in the US Capitol for one year alongside winners for congressional art competitions from throughout the country, the media release said.

The Tampa Museum of Art provides an incredible venue for one of the top high school arts competitions in the country. I am grateful to our parents, teachers and especially students who have turned to arts for encouragement and connection as we mend from the pandemic. Reflective artwork has been a prominent theme and I look forward to welcoming Sraddha to Washington, DC, this summer to represent our talented and diverse community,” Castor said.

Youth Gathering Promotes Interfaith Harmony In India

A Catholic initiative has brought together university students from different religions to help them deepen their respect for other faiths amid the growing intolerance of religious minorities in India.

Some 60 young people from Hindu, Christian and Sikh backgrounds attended the youth program called Yuva Sadbhav (Youth Harmony) organized by the Pilar Pilgrim Centre in Goa, southwest India, on March 26-27.

“The program enabled us to build friendship and understanding,” said Elaine Coelho, a Catholic from Nirmala Institute of Education in Goan capital Panjim.

Such initiatives “will certainly create a society where there is trust, respect and cooperation between people from different faiths and beliefs,” she said.

The participants came from colleges in Goa, which was a Portuguese colony for 451 years until 1961. Catholic leaders in Goa, once the center of the mission in Asia, say the sociocultural dominance of Catholics in the area has faded.

India’s pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) runs the state government, supported by groups that have vowed to make India a nation of Hindu dominance.

“I did not know what it had to offer. However, in two days, I have become a different person”

Hindu groups are blamed for increasing attacks on religious minorities such as Muslims and Christians in several other states, although Goa has not witnessed such violence.

The youth program seeks to create “interreligious awareness and help them overcome prejudices” about religions, said Father Lawrence Fernandes, director of Pilar Pilgrim Centre.

Sanket Yadav, a Hindu participant from Padre Conceicao College, said the program has been a valuable experience.

Yadav said he was hesitant to attend the program. “I did not know what it had to offer. However, in two days, I have become a different person.”

Father Elvis Fernandes, the program convenor, led the participants through group activities of sharing their positive experiences with people from other religions.

He also invited them to list at least five close friends they had since childhood and to what faith they belonged. “It was to help them think about the conscious and unconscious choices they make when it comes to having friends,” he said.

As part of the program, the 2009 documentary film The Imam and the Pastor was screened. Produced by the United States Institute of Peace, the documentary shows Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye working with Muslim and Christian clergy, helping them with conflict prevention, mediation and reconciliation.

Swarnjeet Singh a participant from another Panjim college, said “people who perpetrate interreligious violence can also become agents of peace.”

The program concluded with a prayer meeting participated by representatives from six different religious traditions: Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Muslim, Jain, and Buddhist.

Youth Icon’s Fight for Rights Among India’s Destitute

Pooja Shukla, 25, a socialist candidate, has lost her maiden elections to the provincial parliament in Uttar Pradesh (UP), India. But Shukla is no loser.  A day after the results were announced on March 10, Shukla was back to a rousing reception in her constituency in North Lucknow to thank her supporters for polling 1,04,527 votes for her.

She was with the people again on March 18 on Holi, the festival of colour held annually to celebrate the end of winter and in anticipation of new beginnings. Shukla told the IPS that she was hoping to win. Of course, she is disappointed, but electoral defeat would not stop her from continuing her struggle to get economic and social justice for the people of her constituency.

Although Shukla belongs to the upper caste community of Brahmins, she has worked hard to develop a personal connection with a cross-section of those who live in North Lucknow, one of the city’s nine constituencies. Lucknow is the capital of UP, the country’s largest, but economically and socially, it is one of its least developed states. More than 400,000 voters are registered in North Lucknow, nearly half of whom are impoverished women.

The constituency is home to Muslims, upper-caste Hindus and thousands of impoverished people belonging to communities who have been living for decades in makeshift shanties, often on the bank of open drains. Some are daily wage earners, and others are without paid work.

Shukla won hearts because she has knocked on every door in North Lucknow and continues to spend time with citizens. “I have visited every single home in every single neighbourhood in North Lucknow. I will continue to do so as I really care for members of all communities that reside within my constituency,” Shukla adds.

This first-time contestant had faced Dr Neeraj Bora, a seasoned politician from the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), a right-wing party. Despite the formidable challenge, Shukla was leading on the day the votes were counted. She was ahead before her rival finally defeated her by 33,985 votes until noon.

Out of 403 seats in the UP-state parliament, the socialists won 111 seats. The Samajwadi Party (SP) of socialists came a distant second to BJP’s 255 seats, but the party has emerged as the largest opposition party in UP.

This was a golden opportunity to strengthen democracy by converting the numbers won by the SP into a viable opposition to the ruling party, Shukla believes. A well-meaning, vocal opposition is needed, she says, when the ruling party seems to want to wash its hands of all its social responsibility in favour of outsourcing businesses and privatising even essential services like education, health, and employment opportunities.

“Democratic values strengthen when the opposition to the ruling party is strong,” says Shukla, who believes that elections are held to elect representatives who will provide affordable homes, education, and health facilities to voters.

Shukla feels that socially conscious people don’t have to be Marxists to dream of justice in society. The desire to want to see all citizens cared for fairly and equally by the state is a desire of all decent human beings.

Shukla was the youngest candidate in the polls, nursing a constituency that is a sprawling, chaotic cluster of college campuses, traffic jams, markets spilling from every corner and rows of slums with open drains that overflow and swallow up lives during rainfall.

Her dream is to invite educationists to open model public schools for the majority of the poor people in her constituency. She wants low-cost houses for the poor and free health services. She says that time is on her side. She will find many more opportunities to contest elections.

“To win elections is important for me as I want to be a lawmaker and make sure that people-friendly legislation is passed in parliament to protect the interest of the most vulnerable in the country,” Shukla says.

Until she makes it to parliament, she plans to work tirelessly to raise literacy in her constituency and lower the poverty rate. She wants clean drinking water, cleaner drains, and better roads. Women’s safety is her priority, as is a regular and fair wage for the many communities of artisans like potters and weavers.

Shukla has witnessed the police lathi-charge citizens who dared to ask the government for jobs. Social activists have been jailed, kicked around, and beaten in lockdown for participating in protests and questioning the government in UP. There are countless incidents of gruesome crimes perpetrated against women.

Most political parties want women’s votes but are reluctant to share power with them. Therefore, politics in UP today is a constant struggle for any woman who joins the male-dominated world of politics. Shukla’s biggest strength is her belief in herself.

The daughter of a small property dealer, Shukla, learnt to be fearless from Beena, her mother. At first, Beena wanted her to marry a suitable Brahmin boy. However, the constant cry to marry died down after she decided to contest the elections.

Her parents suggested that Shukla choose a more respectable profession like teaching instead. The parents were pained when she was jailed in 2019, and countless criminal cases were filed against her for participating in street demonstrations.

Shukla is the eldest of three sisters, and she feels responsible for her siblings. The family reminded her she was a role model, but she refused to give up her politics. Her determination to remain engaged in public life is less frowned upon now. At least her immediate family members and neighbours are supportive. She is no longer considered a black sheep within the Brahmin community that sees itself as exceptionally respectable.

Shukla has been in the limelight since 2017 when she and fellow students waved black flags at the motor convoy of those in power. She was part of a group of students protesting against the use of Lucknow University funds for a political party event.

She was angry when jailed for protesting peacefully. After 20 days in jail, the University refused her admission for postgraduate studies. Shukla started a hunger strike and forced the University to allow all the students to continue their studies.

Today she is a youth icon. She has emerged as a leader and a role model not just for her siblings but for thousands of other youngsters, students, women and some male members of society.

Shukla says that she stands for a democratic, secular and inclusive India. How will she realise her dream in the cutthroat political culture where all that matters is power and money?

There is no substitute for commitment and hard work, she says with a smile.

Anushree Unni Among The Six Best High School Musicians In The State Of Connecticut

Anushree Unni, a senior in Trumbull High School has been declared among the six best high school musicians in the north eastern state of Connecticut in the United States last week. Other budding multi-talented artists who are recognized for their passion and talents in music included: Kate Vasquez, Chip Chase, Noah Lafond, Talia Cook, and D’Andre Wright.

According to a FB Post from the Trumbull High School, “This past weekend six students took part in the CT Music Educators Association All-State Music Festival. These students had to pass several auditions to be a part of this festival going up against students from every other school in the state. By winning these auditions and participating in this festival, these students are considered some of the best high school musicians in the stat. Congratulations to them!”

Anushree, who is well known in the fast growing Indian American community for her love for classical music and dance, is the High School’s Chamber Singer and President of the THS 2021/2022 Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter. She was selected by The National Association For Music Education (NAfME) for the All National Honor Ensembles. “This honor is reserved for only the most committed and capable singers in the country, who submitted virtual auditions at the beginning of the year and were selected from thousands of applicants from all fifty states,” a message from the Trumbull High School stated. “Anushree will be participating in the remote festival performance as one of only a small handful of students from Connecticut.

Congratulations to Anushree!”

Anushree was recognized at Trumbull High School in 2021 for earning the Outstanding Vocal Music Achievement Award. Her passion for music and art goes to her very young age. The older daughter of Unni and Radha Thoyakat, Anushree started singing for Freshmen Choir and was lucky to be a student of  Ms. Anne Tornillo, the pervious Choral Music director at Trumbull High who retired in May 2020. Encouraged by her current music teacher Mr. Chris Wasko in her current endeavors.  “None of her musical accomplishments in and out of school would have been possible without the foundational guidence and support from the Trumbull High Music Department.  I am forever grateful to all who have shown their love and kind words,” Anushree says with modesty.

In her Sophmore year, Anushree sang in THS’s Concert choir and was then selected to participate in the Connecticut Music Education Assocoaition’s (CMEA) Western Regional Music Festival, the largest arts education organization in Connecticut and it is under the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) of American music educators who work to promote

and withhold music as a core curriculum in the United States, providing exposure to experts and celebrities, music conductors and adjudicators from all over the country, including grammy-nominated composers and artists,

After she successfully participated in the Western Regional Festival, Anushree became eligible to audition for the CMEA All-State Choir, featuring some of the most talented musicians in the State of Connecticut. In the same year, Anushree was also selected to participate in Nafme’s All Eastern Honors Ensemble which is a selective ensemble for students from 13 states in the East Coast who have made to the all-state level in the past, attain a teacher recomendation, and is evaluated by a distinguished group of judges. Anushree also participated for the All-Nationals Honor Ensembles which is the highest level of honor offered by Nafme. In Anushree’s senior year, she participated in the Western Regional Festival in Greenwich High School this past February and just recently returned from CMEA’s All-State Festival at the Connecticut’s Convention Center from March 31st to April 2nd 2022.

Her passion and dedication to music and art has been recognized by the larger Indian American community. “It was Sept 2009, two little kids started their musical journey with their nursery rhymes on Masconn’s stage. (MASCONN is the local Malayalee cultural association in Connecticut) They carried on with their passions at school  and in community events with great joy. Their respective high school choirs offered support and guidance to participate in several competitions and music festivals organized by National Association for Music Association (NAfME) Western Regional, All-State, All Eastern, and All Nationals. Today they are among the top 200 finest vocal singers in the country.  Congratulations to Anushree & Edwin, who is another Indian American budding talent from the state of Connecticut,” say the proud parents.

During the Covid pandemic, in spite of all the restrictions, she participated at the FLOWERS TV USA SING N’ WIN SEASON 1, Based in Kochi, Kerala(India) & US Studio in Chicago, IL. Her performances were telecast on Flowers TV’s channel and Flowers TV Facebook page several times with viewership worldwide. Among the 300+ singers that participated from all over USA and Canada, she went on to perform Malayalam and Tamil language songs to place herself into semifinals and final. She won the Best Performance Award at the Grand Finale event live Zoom event along with 30 finalists.

Anushee is hopeful that she can make her voice heard in community events, on social media and in boardrooms.  Even more, music will always be close to her heart in all her future endeavors.

9th Annual Winter Medical Conference (WMC) Of Indian American Young Medical Professionals Held

The 9th annual Winter Medical Conference (WMC) was held March 17 -20 at the Grand Hyatt in Tampa, FL and was an overwhelming success!  Filled with interactive sessions to promote career growth, leadership, networking, and more, WMC 9 embraced our theme, “Achieving Excellence” in every facet.   The sessions were designed to go beyond motivating the audience to arming attendees with tools to “Achieve Excellence”.

The feedback from the conference has been overwhelmingly positive with higher than projected attendance and record number of new attendees.  A few highlights include Dr. Latha Ganti’s research workshop which taught members how to maximize their publication productivity.  Dr. Bobby Mukkamala empowered physicians.

Dr. Kiran Patel (Dr. K) inspired attendees and Dr. K. Srinath Reddy educated attendees on the current state of heart disease amongst Indians.  Former Navy SEAL Kevin Stark taught the group breathing techniques to optimize performance.  A historic 5.5 hrs of CME was included.  For the first time, multiple simulators were brought on site for attendees to experience.  Registrants also received “Pearls of Wisdom” with tips from various speakers.

Attendees also enjoyed getting to know each other at social events including a sunset cruise, HOLI games, and various mixers.   We also celebrated MSRF’s Silver Jubilee and there was a record number of poster presentations.  This was also the first year oral presentations were done at WMC.

In addition, the Inaugural Kakani Foundation Award was bestowed on the very deserving Bhavana Patil.  We thank AAPI EC, BOT, the Kakani Foundation, and all our sponsors, without whom this event would not have been possible.

Indian American Kids-Led Trumbull Robotics Team Makes it to World Championship

Robolution 18366 is going to worlds! Team Robolution 18366 from Trumbull, CT is a robotics team is now all set to compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge. FIRST Robotics is a worldwide robotics organization that inspires people to join STEM and pursue robotics in the future.

Incorporated in 1797, Trumbull town was named after Governor Jonathan Trumbull of Lebanon, Connecticut. Located 5 miles north from the Long Island Sound, among the most virant towens in the Fairfield County in the state of Connecticut, this vibrant community offers New England charm with extensive retail, outdoor recreation, and dining options. Known for its diversity, Trumbull has a fast growing Indian American community, which excels in academia with the students of Indian American parents rank among the highest in educational achiements.

The Trumbull Robotics Team is only an example of how the Indian American kids excel and exhibit their leadership and STEM skills, making Trumbull proud. The team consists of Aarav Parekh, Saihari Kota, Ayush Puthiyavettle, Tejas Puthiyavettle, Yash Permalla, Rithik Gunda, Pranav Kodakara, Chandini Kalidindi, Richard Xiong, Arnav Dadarya, and Sharvi Kulkarni. It’s of immense significance that of the 11 team members, 10 of them are of Indian origin.

Trumbull Robotics Team won the 1st 1st place at Connect Award, which “is given to the team that most connects with their local science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) community. We were recognized for helping our local community connect with STEM and actively helping our local community explore opportunities available in STEM.”

The Team won 2nd place at the Inspire Award, which is “given to the the team that best represents what the FIRST tech challenge is about, and is a role model for other teams competing. We were recognized for being strong contenders for several awards as well as having a detailed and informative engineering portfolio, which clearly explains our creative and thoughtful design process.”

Trumbull Robotics Team came 1st at Promote Award, “given to the team that is most successful at creating a video message for the public designed to change culture and celebrate Science, Technology, and Math. We were recognized for creating a unique and engaging video message about the topic: “what I would tell younger self about FIRST.”

Aarav Parekh of the Trumbull Robotic Team has the distinction of being on the Deans List Finalist. This award is given out to a student who are great examples of leaders who have led their Teams and communities to increased awareness for FIRST and its mission. Aarav Parekh was one of two students from across Connecticut to be selected as a Dean’s List Finalist. As a finalist, he has shown leadership within the team and community to increase awareness of STEM and robotics while displaying technical expertise.

“Team Robolution had a very successful day at the CT State Championship on February 26th, 2022, winning first place for both the Connect and the Promote Award and second place for the Inspire Award. In addition to the team’s achievements, junior Aarav Parekh was one of two individuals in the state nominated as a 2022 Dean’s List Finalist. Robolution’s success has qualified them as one of the two teams to represent the state of Connecticut at the FTC World Championship in Houston this April,” the Team’s website stated.

The Goals of the Team as outlined on the website includes: “Competitive engineering process; Improve outreach; Help people around the world; and, Efficient and reliable design with industrial engineering.  The Team of 11 members wants to “Prioritize learning, sharing our knowledge and experience with others.”

Reporting on the Outreach of the Team, the website states: “Impacted 300+ students in outreach events, including offering Online Java programming sessions; FLL team mentoring- T-MECHS; Discord collaboration with FIRST Teams; Trumbull Tutors; Teaching students how to use CAD; and Tutoring students about robotics and engineering.”

Mount Everest Climbers Hold World’s Highest Tea Party

Andrew Hughes, an endurance athlete and adventurer, hosted the party along with his teammates as they sat down to have the hot beverage and snacks at a height of 21, 312 feet above sea level

A group of adventurers have set a new record on the mighty peaks of Mount Everest. And no, it’s not related to climbing!

The climbers held a tea party at a height of 21, 312 feet above sea level on Mount Everest’s Camp 2, setting a new Guinness World Record. The tea party was held last year and has been recognised by Guinness this month for being the world’s highest tea party.

Andrew Hughes, an endurance athlete and adventurer, hosted the party along with his teammates as they sat down to have the hot beverage and snacks at this staggering height.

Hughes shared that the idea for the record began during the pandemic in the Spring of 2020 in a post on Instagram. “When the world stopped and the mountains I climbed no longer were available to adventure to, I found time amidst the isolation and stillness of Covid to ponder the deeper meanings of my relationship to the mountains. For it was not summited I missed, but the sense of connection to nature and the community tied to these special places and peaks.”

“Tea on the mountain and in Nepal is more than the warmth within each cup. It is a way in which people come together and connect at the lodges along the trek into Everest Base Camp and while on the mountain,” he continued. “The warmth in hand also gives an opportunity to warm one’s heart and lift one’s spirit no matter the conditions outside and which you are facing.”

Further, Hughes shared that a lot of research was undertaken to determine the components that had to be included for a new world record to be recognised. “Next was determining what supplies had the durability to survive flying around the world, being transported by yak to base camp, then carried in backpacks through the Khumbu Icefalls and across the Western Cwm all the way up to Camp 2 on Everest,” he said.

The road to setting this record was not an easy one. As the team prepared for the record, a massive storm hit Camp 2. Huge snowfalls began to come down so Andrew made everyone get in their summit suits which they would wear for their summit attempts.

“With cold hands, I carried everything out to a flat spot in the middle of our tents where a fresh blanket of snow laid. Setting the table with everything as the snow coated everything. However, the joy for a small mental break from the summit days ahead of us to simply celebrate with one another, sip tea, and indulge on treats largely absent from our diet on the mountain made the snowstorm just an added unforgettable element to the entire record attempt.”

While many pursue mountain records for their individual accomplishments, the adventurer saw a shared opportunity in Spring last year. It was to use a world record as “a celebration of reconnecting from a long period of painful disconnect and moment of recognition with gratitude for the gift to be together again”.

Upakar Foundation Inviting Student Scholarship Applications For 2022

Upakar Foundation based in Washington, D.C. has announced applications for its 2022 scholarships for citizens and permanent residents of Indian descent to help them attend higher education institutions.

According to 2015 data collected by the Pew Research Center, approximately 7.5% of Indians in the US live in poverty.  US Census Bureau data for 2018 set the poverty threshold for a family of four at $25,465, the Foundation said in a press release.

To date Upakar has awarded 179 scholarships for more than $700,000 to students who meet the criteria of being born in India or who have at least one Indian-born parent.

Upakar opened its application window this year’s Upakar Scholarships on March 1, 2022.  Applicants wishing to apply for a scholarship must submit their applications no later than April 30, 2022.  Full application criteria can be found on the Upakar website at upakar.org.

Upakar Scholarships are $2,000 per year for Scholars attending a 4-year undergraduate program, and $500 per year for Scholars attending a community college program.

The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Financial need is determined by the family’s adjusted gross income. Scholars must have attained a raw high school GPA above 3.6.  As long as a scholar’s GPA exceeds 3.3 in college, Upakar will renew the $2,000 annual scholarship for up to four years.  Upakar Community College Scholarships provide $500 per year for up to two years; and if the Scholar transfers to a 4-year program, Upakar will increase its commitment to $2,000 annually until the Scholar has received a total of four years of scholarship support.  Upakar Textbook Scholarships are one-time awards of $250.

Upakar has 24 Scholars attending their respective colleges in the 2021-2022 academic year, at various stages in their undergraduate degree programs.

Founded in 1997, the Foundation aims to  provide highly qualified college-bound Indian-American students with need-based tuition assistance so that they could graduate without a crushing burden of college debt, the organization said.

As 3 Canadian Colleges Shut Down, Indian Students Stranded

The abrupt school closures prompted scores of students to flock to the Indian High Commission in Canada for assistance, as many of them had been forced to pay up thousands of dollars in fees without warning, only to have their education halted.

Following the abrupt closure of three colleges in Canada’s Quebec that has left thousands of Indian students in a major predicament, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa has issued an advisory for Indian students affected by the sudden change in the status of their educational institutions.

The three colleges — M College in Montreal, CDE College in Sherbrooke, and CCSQ College in Longueuil — soon after pushing up deadlines for tuition fees and requiring students to pay up hefty quantities all of a sudden, issued a notice to students earlier this month that they were closing altogether.

Canada’s CBC News reported that all three colleges — run by the same recruiting firm, Rising Phoenix International (RPI) Inc. — have filed for bankruptcy. The request for creditor protection comes a little over a year after Quebec began to investigate several private colleges, including M College and CDE College, for “questionable” recruitment practices for students in India.

The abrupt school closures prompted scores of panicking international students from India to flock to the Indian High Commission in Ottawa for assistance, as many of them had been forced to come up with thousands of dollars in fees without warning, only to have their education halted.

“The High Commission has been approached by several students from India who were enrolled in the three institutions,” said the High Commission of India, in an advisory released on Friday.

“In the event that they find any difficulty in reimbursement of their fees or transfer of fees, they may file a complaint with Ministry of Higher Education, Government of Quebec,” stated the advisory, assuring students that there were avenues through which they could attempt to recover their lost money.

The advisory noted that the High Commission has been in close contact with Canada’s federal government, Quebec’s provincial government, as well as elected representatives from Canada’s Indian community to provide support to the affected students.

The students were also informed that they are free to approach the Education Wing of the High Commission in Ottawa or the Consulate General of India in Toronto if they require immediate assistance regarding the issue.

In addition, the advisory warned against making payments to any institutions that don’t have their credentials in order. “Students should not make any payments or reveal their personal information to any unverified person/institution offering students visa on payment,” cautioned the advisory.

Comments According to the application for creditor protection by the RPI Group, unpaid tuition fees and refund claims from 633 students against the company are estimated at nearly $6.4 million.

The Most Intelligent In The World Is Of Indian Origin

A 12-year-old Malayalee schoolgirl has achieved the maximum score possible in a Mensa IQ test, a feat achieved by only 1% of those who sit the society’s entry paper. Lydia Sebastian completed the Cattell III B paper supervised by Mensa, the society for people with high IQs, with minutes to spare at the sitting at Birkbeck College, London.

This Indian-origin girl (Parents & Grandparents are from Kerala) in the UK has achieved the highest possible score of 162 on a Mensa IQ test, outwitting physicists Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. The young girl’s favorite subjects include Maths, Physics and Chemistry and she has stated to the media in England that she wants to do something related to Maths in her career.

Her parents are from Kerala, her father Arun Sebastian is a radiologist at Colchester General Hospital while her mom Erika Kottiath is an associate director with Barclays Bank.

Lydia pressed her parents all year to allow her to take the intelligence test, which she finally took during her school break. Sebastian completely downplayed the super tough exam–going so far as to call it “easy.” “At first, I was really nervous but once I started, it was much easier than I expected it to be and then I relaxed, she said. “I gave it my best shot really.”

Arun said seeing his daughter score the highest possible score on one of the tough IQ test he was “overwhelmed”. He said: “Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking got an IQ of 160. To be honest, I didn’t really believe it.”

When asked whether she likes coming to Kerala she said that she has been visiting her Grandparents house in Kerala ever since she was a year and a half and loves living in Kerala. She may come back to Kerala after her studies and possibly contribute to the progress of kerala, the progress of India and of the whole world in turn.

Mensa is considered to be one of the oldest intelligence society in the world. It accepts only those individuals as members who score in the 98th percentile on an IQ test. The eligibility criteria to get the membership is to score at least 132 or higher only.

Share this with every Indian and let us be proud of our 12 year old Malayalee Girl.

Harvard President Vows To Fight Back US SC Move On Asian-American Kids

Hurting after the US Supreme Court announced a decision “that could put Harvard’s forty years of legal precedent at risk,” Larry S. Bacow, the university’s President, has warned that “colleges and universities could lose the freedom and flexibility to create diverse campus communities that enrich education for all”.

The SC has agreed to review a challenge to the consideration of race in college admission decisions, often known as affirmative action.

With three new conservative justices in the SC since its last review, the practice may be facing its greatest threat yet.

The court said Monday it would consider a pair of lawsuits alleging that Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC) discriminate against Asian American applicants.

“Our admissions process, in which race is considered as one factor among many, makes us stronger. It prompts learning in day-to-day exchanges in our classrooms and laboratories, in our residential houses, and on our playing fields and stages. Our students understand these truths and see them reflected in their interactions with their classmates. Diversity opens our eyes to the promise of a better future,” said Bacow, earlier Chancellor at M.I.T. and President at Tufts, in a “dear members of the Harvard community” mail reviewed by IANS.

“Harvard celebrates and nurtures individuality as intensely as this nation. Those who challenge our admissions policies would ask us to rely upon a process far more mechanistic, a process far more reliant on simple assessments of objective criteria. Each of us is, however, more than our numbers, more than our grades, more than our rankings or scores.

Ask yourself, how much have you learned from other people at this University? How much have you grown from conversations across difference? Would these conversations have been as rich if you had shared the same interests, the same life experiences, and — yes — the same racial or ethnic background as your fellow community members? This is why applications of any kind routinely go beyond mere numbers to include interviews, samples of work product, recommendations, and references. Narrowly drawn measures of academic distinction are not the only indicators of individual promise.”

“As the Supreme Court has recognised many times, race matters in the United States,” Bracow argued.

“I long for the day when it does not, but we still have miles to go before our journey is complete. Harvard will continue to defend with vigor admissions policies that were endorsed in the thoughtful decisions of two federal courts that concluded that we do not discriminate; our practices are consistent with Supreme Court precedent; there is no persuasive, credible evidence warranting a different outcome. Though I wish yesterday had turned out differently, I remain confident that the rule of law — and the respect for precedent that perpetuates it — will prevail.”

The SC is taking up two lawsuits filed by Students for Fair Admissions, a Virginia-based group, that says race should play no part in the admission process. The group is led by Edward Blum, a legal strategist.

The group argues that Harvard and UNC intentionally discriminate against Asian-American applicants.

Examining six years of data at Harvard, the group found that Asian-American applicants had the strongest academics but were admitted at the lowest rates compared to students of other races.

It also found that Harvard’s admissions officers gave Asian-Americans lower scores on a subjective “personal” rating designed to measure attributes such as likeability and kindness.

A federal judge in 2019 upheld Harvard’s admissions practices, saying it was “not perfect” but passed constitutional muster. The judge said race-conscious practices always penalise groups that don’t get an advantage, but they’re justified “by the compelling interest in diversity” on college campuses.

An appeals court upheld the ruling in 2020.

The group brought similar claims against UNC, saying its process disadvantages white and Asian American students. A federal judge sided with the university last year.

In its appeal to the SC, the group asked the panel to review both cases and also to overturn the court’s 2003 decision in Grutter v Bollinger, which upheld admissions policies at the University of Michigan’s law school.

That cleared colleges to consider race if it’s done in a “narrowly tailored” way to serve a “compelling interest”. The group’s appeal argued that the Grutter decision “endorsed racial objectives that are amorphous and unmeasurable and thus incapable of narrow tailoring”.

Women Leaders Inspire With Share Personal Life Stories At Women’s Forum During AAPI’s Global Healthcare Summit

“A woman is defined by her courage and self-confidence,” Dr. Tejaswini Manogna, Miss India-Earth 2019 and the titleholder of Divine Miss Earth India 2019, in her eloquent and inspiring keynote address at the Women’s Forum told the hundreds of AAPI delegates during the Global Healthcare Summit in Hyderabad earlier this month. “Be brave to voice your choices and do not give up your goals. Speak up. Do not suffer in silence. Be bold and brave to voice your opinion. If a woman can lead at home, she can lead the world. Dream to do something for others. If I can do it, you all can do it,” Dr. Tejaswini Manogna said.

The Women’s Forum organized by Dr. Seema Arora, Dr. Udaya Shivangi, Dr. Meher Medavaram, Dr. Malati Mehta and Dr. Uma Jonnalagadda, had a galaxy of successful women, who shared with the AAPI delegates their own stories of growing up and facing challenges with conviction and courage, and have today become role models for other women around the world.

The Women’s Forum had Dr. Meenacshi Martin, a practicing consultant Psychiatrist and award winning Theater Artist, Film, Television and Netflix Actress; Dr. Juby A. Jacob-Nara, a Public Health Physician, Vice President and Head of Global Medical Respiratory Allergy & Gastroenterology (Sanofi-Genzyme) who has been a part of over 50 new medicines successfully launched including vaccines in the US and globally; Dr. Shantha Kumari, a senior gynecologist and laparoscopic surgeon, committed to have ‘Cancer Mukt Bharat’ by 2030, to elevate women’s health globally and to stop violence against women; Preity Üpala, a former investment banker turned into ‘Thought Leader, Media Entrepreneur’ and a Miss India International, based in Hollywood, California, is a Geo-political Expert, award-winning International Columnist, and director of The Omnia Institute and, Dr. Tejaswini Manogna, Miss India-Earth 2019 is an Indian model and beauty pageant titleholder. A medical doctor by profession, she won the title of Divine Miss Earth India 2019 and represented India at the 19th edition of the Miss Earth pageant held at Parañaque City, in the Philippines

Miss India-Earth 2019, in her keynote address at the Women’s Forum during the 15th annual GHS 2022 organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in Hyderabad, India, referred to how the “Nature has given us, the women a bigger responsibility of being a mother, who has a huge influence on one’s children.” Stating that her own mother “taught me the value of simple living and high thinking. She did the best to give me the best in life and gave me the path, and attitude of never giving up. Be grounded and humble in spite of all the accruements,” she said.

Telling the audience that she has the vision to be “the voice and be the ambassador for the youth,” Dr. Manogna, the young and charming young leader said, “This vision has given me the inspiration to wear many hats and achieve many things in life.”

Preity Üpala, the Host of a popular show called ‘The Preity Experience’ shared with the audience, her own personal life and stated: “IWhat has inspired me in my life and how my life can be of inspiring to all. In the 21st century, we need to redefine empowerment. Be proud of where you come from and our culture and we have much to teach the world.” While describing that “A woman is a like a tea bag, we would know only when she is in hot water,” she said: “Women are the future of the world.”

She stressed the need for understanding the importance of “Culture, which is my upbringing and values. Power is how you can be in harmony within you and with the others; Dharma, which is the purpose and the path that help make an impact; And, finally,  Fulfilment, which is in the journey but not at the end. Leave the world a better place than you had inherited and have the joy of making a positive impact,” she told the AAPI delegates.

Dr. Shantha Kumari, President of Federation of Obstetric & Gynecological Societies of India, the Treasurer of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics urged her fellow women to “Have the courage to say NO to violence against women. Women across the world are being impacted by violence. If you have the will, you can do it. Encouraged all women to do regular cervical cancer screening to avoid cancer, which will result in ‘Cancer Mukht Bharat.

She advocated for involving local leaders who can help make changes. DHEERA in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF is now offering online certification courses.  Stating that “Women in India are more empowered than women in many other countries of the world,” she said, “Women should have the right to choose her life, when to do marry, give birth to child and raise them.”  Partnering with men, she called upon women to “create awareness about the need for gender neutrality. “You will be empowered only when you can help empower others,” she said.

Dr. Juby A. Jacob-Nara, Vice President and Head of Global Medical Respiratory Allergy & Gastroenterology at Sanofi-Genzyme told the AAPI delegates: “I am here to represent women across the world.” Born in New Delhi to a mother who was extremely poor, but worked hard and became a Nurse and immigrated to the US. “Despite the many hardships, she helped us get the best education and that brought about changes. Mother is the key pillar in one’s life, and let us continue to elevate her.” Stating that, “prevention is more worth than treatment” she said, “Empower. Educate. And, Inform about the need to prevent illnesses.”

Dr. Meenacshi Martin, an award winning Theater Artist, Film, Television and Netflix Actress, shared with the audience her own personal story of how born and  raised in a remote village in India, facing numerous challenges at early ages of life, has helped her achieve many things in life today. Faced with numerous road blocks and overcoming them bravely in life, she told the audience how being a full time mother to a son with cerebral palsy, she has been able to pursue her goals in life, fulfilling her passion for Medicine and acting, all going together. She said, “As we grow and mature, our goals keep changing. We, the women are very adaptive. When faced with resistance or failures, challenges or pushed to the wall, we are forced to react.  Everyone gets that inner courage when you are faced with challenges and pushed to the corner.”

Dr. Seema Arora, Chair, AAPI National Women’s Committee, a Past Chair Board of Trustees of AAPI, and a strong advocate of women empowerment and has been playing an active role in uplifting women in various walks of life, in her introductory remarks, gave an  overview of the programs organized by the Women’s Forum, with focus on “women who inspire.” Introducing the panelists, she called them, “an inspiration to the world.”

Dr. Arora said, “The Women’s Forum had a panel of “Women Who Inspire” from all walks of life who have achieved extraordinary feats in each of their phenomenal lives. This exhilarating forum has been organized with the objective of bringing together some of the most accomplished women under one roof who are role models for all other women around the world.”

Quoting the famous and inspiring words of Mother Teresa, ‘I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples,’ Dr. Meher Medavaram, Chair of GHS Women’s Forum, and the regional director for AAPI Northeast central division, Illinois Indiana and Wisconsin, said, “This is precisely what some of these amazing women leaders are going to shed light in the women’s forum at the GHS summit!”

Dr. Shivangi, Advisor to AAPI Women’s Forum underscored the importance of the Women’s Forum in AAPI convention and Global Healthcare Summit, and how it has evolved and today it’s one of the much sought after event, with distinguished panelists on the Forum. “The Women’s Forum is where successful and powerful women come and share their life’s dreams, challenges and this empower and inspire other women. Today’s Forum is about how career changes by women affect t them and the larger society.”

In her concluding remarks, summarizing the inspiring life stories of brave women who have shown the path to many others around the world, overcoming the challenges, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, the only 4th Woman President of AAPI in the past four decades, said, “That was amazing to hear your personal stories of inspiration.” Reflecting her own life, the Woman Leader, who has made huge contributions to AAPI in her own unassuming manner, while taking AAPI to newer heights, said, “I look at myself and say, ‘you can do it, if only you put your heart and soul into it.’ Nothing is impossible. Impress yourself and be proud of your own self.”

Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 40 years. For more details, please visit:  https://aapisummit.org/www.aapiusa.org

US Supreme Court To Weigh Banning Use Of Race In College Admissions

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider banning the use of race in college admissions decisions, accepting appeals involving Harvard College and the University of North Carolina in what could be a transformational showdown for higher education.

The appeals seek to overturn decades-old Supreme Court precedents that let universities consider race to help create a diverse student body. Affirmative action is common at selective universities, though nine states including California and Florida ban race-conscious admissions at public institutions. The cases are likely to be heard in the term that starts in October.

Opponents are trying to take advantage of a Supreme Court that has become more conservative since a 2003 decision known as Grutter v. Bollinger reaffirmed that universities can take race into account. The Harvard and North Carolina policies are being challenged by an interest group set up to try to abolish racial preferences.

“Grutter is wrong, immoral, and unpersuasive, and has not aged well,” argued the group, Students for Fair Admissions, run by longtime preferences opponent Edward Blum.

Supporters say some consideration of race is crucial for creating student bodies that are racially diverse as well as highly qualified. The Biden administration joined the two universities in arguing that students of all races benefit from having diverse peers and urging the court to reject the appeals.

Although Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s majority opinion in the Grutter decision predicted that racial preferences would no longer be necessary in 25 years, Harvard says they are still needed.

“Universities across the country have followed this precedent in structuring their admissions processes,” Harvard argued. “And the American public has looked to this precedent for assurance that the nation recognizes and values the benefits of diversity and that the path to leadership is open to all.”

Students for Fair Admissions contends that Harvard penalizes Asian Americans during the admissions process, assigning them lower ratings on leadership and likability, while automatically giving preferences to Black and Hispanic applicants.

“Harvard’s mistreatment of Asian-American applicants is appalling,” the appeal argued. The group said the Ivy League college was engaging in “racial balancing.”

Harvard called those assertions “simply false,” saying it considers the race only of highly competitive candidates for admission and doesn’t penalize Asian-American applicants.

The college points to a federal trial judge’s findings of “no evidence of any racial animus whatsoever or intentional discrimination,” and no “evidence that any particular admissions decision was negatively affected by Asian American identity.”

The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Harvard policy in a 2-0 ruling. The case centers on the 1964 Civil Rights Act’s Title VI, which bars racial discrimination by universities that receive federal funding.

In the North Carolina case, the Supreme Court took the unusual step of bypassing the appellate level and agreeing to directly review a trial judge’s decision. U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs said the university complies with the Grutter ruling by using a “highly individualized, holistic admissions program that is narrowly tailored in that it considers race flexibly as only a ‘plus factor’ among many.”

Students for Fair Admissions said North Carolina has “workable race-neutral alternatives” for ensuring classroom diversity, such as setting aside seats for disadvantaged applicants and admitting the top academic performers at each high school in the state.

North Carolina Attorney General Joshua Stein said the university has already implemented race-neutral approaches and has repeatedly studied the feasibility of other steps. “Each time, the university found that no alternative would produce a student body about as diverse and academically qualified as its holistic, race-conscious admissions process,” Stein wrote.

The suit against North Carolina invokes both Title VI and the Constitution’s equal protection clause, which the Supreme Court said in 1978 impose the same legal test. That ruling, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, is best known for first upholding race-conscious admissions as a means of promoting diversity.

Blum’s group filed the Harvard and North Carolina lawsuits on the same day in 2014, saying it was pressing the cases on behalf of members who were denied admission and stood ready to transfer if possible.

The cases are Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 20-1199, and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, 21-707.

SAT College Admissions Exam, No Longer Required By Many Schools, To Go Digital

U.S. high school students will use laptops rather than pencils and paper to take the SAT college admissions exam beginning in 2024, in a move to digitize the standardized test whose use has declined during the pandemic and as many universities no longer require it for admission.

Students who take the new digitized SAT – once a stress-inducing rite of passage for nearly all college-bound Americans – will have two instead of three hours to answer questions and will face shorter reading passages, College Board said in a statement on Tuesday. Test-takers may also use a calculator for the math portion to the exam.

“The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant,” said Priscilla Rodriguez, a vice president at the nonprofit organization that develops the test. “We’re not simply putting the current SAT on a digital platform — we’re taking full advantage of what delivering an assessment digitally makes possible.”

For decades, high school students applying to college would sit in rooms with other test takers and a monitor, and use a pencil to fill in bubbles on a piece of paper corresponding to their answers on the multiple-choice test. The exam is made up of a math and a reading and writing sections and is scored on a 1,600 score scale.

In November 2021, College Board conducted a pilot program for a digital SAT in the United States and other countries. Four out of every five test takers said they found the digital version less stressful.

Starting in 2024, U.S. students will take the test using their own laptop or tablet, a school-issued device or a device provided by the College Board. As in the past, students must take to the exam at local testing sites.

The digital SAT test will be available to international students starting in 2023.

Questions about the effectiveness of standardized testing – along with the COVID-19 pandemic – have reduced the number of students taking the SAT in recent years. Many colleges and universities have dropped it as an admission requirement.

Some 1.5 million students in the high school class of 2021 took the SAT at least once, down from 2.2 million in the class of 2020 due to the pandemic, the College Board said. (Reporting by Brendan O’Brien; Editing by David Gregorio)

As Omicron Fuels Surge, U.S. Students Stage Walkouts To Protest In-Person Classes

Hundreds of students in Boston and Chicago walked out of classes on Friday in protests demanding a switch to remote learning as a surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the Omicron variant disrupted efforts at returning to in-person education around the United States.

In Chicago, the nation’s third-largest school district, the walkout came two days after in-classroom instruction resumed for 340,000 students who were idled during a five-day work stoppage by unionized teachers pressing for tougher COVID-19 safeguards.

Protesting students said they were dissatisfied with the additional health protocols the teachers union agreed to earlier this week, ending its standoff with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) district and Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

“I think CPS is listening, but I’m not sure they’ll make a change,” said Jaden Horten, a junior at Jones College Prep High School, during a rally at district headquarters that drew around a thousand students.

The demonstration followed student walkouts at various schools around the city.

About 600 young people from 11 Boston schools participated in student walkouts there, according to the school district, which serves nearly 52,000 pupils. Many protesting students returned to classrooms later, while others went home after taking part in peaceful demonstrations.

An online petition started by a Boston high school senior branding schools a “COVID-19 breeding ground” and calling for a remote learning option had collected more than 8,000 signatures as of Friday morning.

The Boston Student Advisory Council, which organized the walkout, posted a series of demands on Twitter, including two weeks of online instruction and more stringent COVID-19 testing for teachers and students.

The latest wave of infections has renewed the debate over whether to keep schools open, as officials seek to balance fears about the highly contagious Omicron variant with concerns that children could fall further behind academically after two years of stop-and-start instruction. The result has been a patchwork of COVID-19 policies around the country that has left parents feeling exhausted and bewildered.

Ash O’Brien, a 10th-grade student at Boston Latin School who left the building with about a dozen others on Friday, said he didn’t feel safe staying in school.

“I live with two grandparents who are immune-compromised,” he said. “So I don’t want to go to school, risk getting sick and come home to them.”

In a statement, Boston Public Schools said it supports students advocating for their beliefs and vowed to listen to their concerns.

Earlier this week, students at several New York City schools staged a walkout to protest what they said were inadequate safety measures. Mayor Eric Adams said on Thursday his administration was considering a temporary remote learning option for a significant number of students who were staying home.

Nearly 5,000 public schools across the country have closed for at least one day this week due to the pandemic, according to Burbio, a website that tracks school disruptions.

The Omicron surge appears to be slowing in areas of the country that were hit first. In the last week, the average daily tally of new cases has risen only 5% in Northeastern and Southern states compared with the prior seven-day period, according to a Reuters analysis. In Western states, by contrast, the average number of infections documented every day has climbed 89% in the past week compared with the previous week.

Overall, the United States is still tallying nearly 800,000 new infections a day amid record numbers of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

International Indian Icon (3iii), A Global Platform For Indian Talent Across The Globe

The Grand Finale of 3iii (Three Eye) 2021 International Indian Icon (3iii) Season-V resulted in successful completion of 1st Phase of 5 seasons. The awards ceremony of the Grand Finale was hosted by Sharan Walia, CEO of Gee Vision Inc.

All judges and participants, including legendary music director and Grandmaster Jatin Pandit (DDLJ, KKG, KKHH, Fanah etc.), lyricist and music director Arko Mukherjee, Slumdog Millionaire Jai Ho Choreographer Longinus Fernandes and Ms. India 2013, International celebrity anchor and 3iii Fashion Ambassador Simran Ahuja were present here, along with 148 participants along with their families from all over the world approximately 24 countries.

Winners were picked after 3 days of rigorous semi-final and finale competitions (28th to 30th December 2021) 1st and 2nd runner-ups, along with judges’ choices in different categories for Juniors and Seniors were also declared here. The winners are as follows:

         Abnash Kaur from San Francisco, California USA was declared 5th INTERNATIONAL INDIAN ICON of 3iii 2021 Season-V in singing Senior category.

         Uttara Vaidya from Miami, Florida USA got the title for Dancing senior and tied with Ankur Sharma for Fashion Senior

         Hasini Namala grabbed the Fashion Junior title

         Mrunal Behere-Langote from India got the title in IGT (Whistling) Senior Shrusti Gubbi became the International               Indian Icon in Junior category for singing

         For dancing, there was a tie between groups The Dynamites and Season-II winner Mirava Vekaria

         Ryana Rajesh won the title in IGT category for Instruments.

3iii Multiple episodes are planned to be aired globally on some National/International TV Channel, OTT Platform and/or Streaming Platform (TBD) globally in 2nd quarter of 2022.

Other participants who were recognized as 1st & 2nd Runner-ups, along with judges’ choices in different talent categories under Junior and Senior age categories are:

         Singing: Sunidhi Chiplunkar, Sanika Pandey, Tulip Ghosh, Mahimn Dave, Aupsara Banik, Akshitha jagadeesan, Sohana Mansur, Chirag Chaya, Pranav Shil, Sushmit Das Rahul, Prabodh Chiplunkar

         Dance: Arnav Amit, Mannat Bhagel (India), Rahul Kathak (India), Nayan Nampally, Aruna Ramamurthy, Sanika Lingayat & Ghazal Seth,

         Fashion: Vama Shah, Arnav Amit Mehta, Nayan Nampally, Kashish Joshi (India), Pranjali Sharma & Yatin Kumar (London, UK) , Elena Y Elsoukov, Lori Neena

        Instruments, Acing & IGT: Skipper Crew (IGT, India), Hasini Namala (Instruments, USA), Karthikk Voruganti (Instruments, India), Kaira Gard (Acting, India), Surjit Singh (Instruments, India), Mamta Garg (Poetry, USA), Deepak Krishan Kant (Acting, India)

During 3iii 2021 Season-V, 6951 participants from 24 courtiers of 7 continents registered for on-line audition (Video up-load), online live audition (Zoom) and on-site audition in all 7 talent categories under two age groups of junior and senior.

In India, Gee Vision Inc., with the help of India Partners Ajit Bains & Arun Thakran (Cosmic Energy), Deepak Walia (AGE Group) planned multiple auditions in multiple cities. In Delhi, 3iii audition was held on 12th Nov, Semi-final on 13th Nov and 3iii Indian Icon 2021 finale (Semi-final of 3iii 2021 Season-V) and Awards ceremony on 14th Nov 2021 in Godavari Auditorium (Andhara Association) , 24-25 Lodhi Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 10003.

Gee Vision Inc’s Vision and Mission of building 3iii is to give opportunities to Indian talent of all age groups across the globe to perform and showcase their talent at International level in all types of talent categories, including Singing, Dancing, Instruments, Acting, Fashion, Comedy & I Got Talent (Any Talent) in all three participation categories of Solo, Duet & Group without any restrictions. The aim is to keep the talent close to Indian Art & Culture and make them proud of Indian Art & Culture

3iii is a unique 5 level on-line, on-line LIVE & on-site platform with no restrictions where any talent of any age group of any culture, any gender, any region, any religion and any color can showcase his/her talent and can compete at City, State, Country level to win title of State Indian Icon (California Indian Icon, Delhi Indian Icon) and Country Indian Icon (Indian American Icon, Indian Icon) in their respective category and age group and proceeds to win prestigious title of International Indian Icon (3iii) in their respective category.

Any Indian talent can sing in any language, can perform in any dance format, can play any instrument, can showcase any Indian or non-Indian talent. Only restrictions for Non- Indian participants are to sing on one of Indian languages, perform in one of Indian Dance format, play any Indian instrument, wear Indian dresses and jewelry for Fashion or show any Indian art and culture.

After huge success of 1st four seasons of 3iii International Indian Icon with 1000s of participants from 24+ countries of 7 continents and with multiple Bollywood legendary celebrity judges like Bappi Lahiri, Jatin Pandit, Meenakshi Seshadri, and others, Gee Vision India Pvt. Ltd.  launched 3iii 2021 Season-V in 7th continent Asia and hosted semi-final 3iii Indian Icon 2021 (Semi-final of 3iii 2021 Season-V) in Delhi NCR, India on Nov. 12th to 14th 2021 and Grand-finale International Indian Icon – 3iii 2021 Season-V in Chicago, USA. To give Indian talent international exposure and experience, starting from 3iii 2022 Season-VI, Gee is planning 3iii Episode Production & Grand-finale in different countries.

Sharan Walia, CEO. Gee Vision Inc. / Gee Vision Pvt. Ltd., with the help of partners, is in the process of requesting Indian Govt. to recognize 3iii International Indian Icon as Indian Art & Cultural Program and seeking support from Indian business community and Global Indian community to help 3iii in reaching each and every Indian on this earth to give opportunity to deserving Indian talent.

World-wide 3iii Season-6 audition registration on-line (Video Upload), on-line Live (through Zoom) and on-site will open on Apr 1st, 2022 on 3iii websites and 3iii Apps (iOS & Android). State level competition (Level-3, State Indian Icon) will be completed by end of July 2022 while Country level competitions (Level-4, Country Indian Icon) are planned to finish by end of Sep 2022 so that participants can get sufficient time to get visa to come to USA for 3iii S-6-episode production & Grand-finale in USA.

How Break-Ups, Solitude Disproportionately Affect Middle-Aged Men

Break-ups and years of living alone may increase the risk of ill health and death — but apparently only for men, according to a new Danish study.

A few breakups or years lived alone is not in itself a risk of poor health but the combination of long-term solitude and multiple failed relationships is shown to affect levels of two inflammatory markers significantly, the study by researchers at the University of Copenhagen’s department of social medicine showed. The findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

The researchers used data from the Copenhagen Ageing and Midlife Biobank for over 4,800 participants (aged 48 to 62) between 1986 and 2011. The data included information on serial partnership breakups and the number of years lived alone, apart from the participants’ education, long-term health conditions, medicines etc.

Blood samples were taken to measure the inflammatory markers interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP).

The researchers found that the highest levels of inflammatory markers in men were found in those who had experienced the most partnership breakups. Inflammatory markers were up to 12% higher in the group who had spent seven or more years living alone.

No such associations were found among women, although the study had just 1,499 women. But the authors also suggest that men tend to externalise their behaviour following a partnership breakup, by drinking, for example, whereas women tend to internalise, having depressive symptoms. This may influence inflammatory levels differently.

Partnership breakups and living alone are associated with several adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study, carried out in Denmark, is to investigate whether accumulated numbers of divorces/partnership breakups or years lived alone across 26 years of adult life are associated with levels of inflammation, and if vulnerability with regards to gender or educational level can be identified.

Methods 4835 participants from the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) aged 48–62 years were included. Data on accumulated numbers of partnership breakups and years living alone were retrieved from a national standardised annual register. Inflammatory markers interleukin 6 (IL-6) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured in blood samples. Multivariate linear regression analyses were adjusted for age, educational level, early major life events, body mass index, chronic diseases, medicinal intake affecting inflammation, acute inflammation and personality scores.

Results For men, an association was found between an increasing number of partnership breakups or number of years living alone and higher levels of inflammatory markers. No such association was found for women, and no evidence of partnership breakups and educational level having a joint effect was found for either gender.

Conclusion The findings suggest a strong association between years lived alone or accumulated number of partnership breakups and low-grade inflammation for middle-aged men, but not for women. Among those of either sex with a lower level of education, no specific vulnerability to accumulated years lived alone or number of breakups was identified.

Biden Administration Extends Student Loan Pause Through May 1, 2022

The U.S. Department of Education announced a 90-day extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections through May 1, 2022. The extension will allow the Administration to assess the impacts of the Omicron variant on student borrowers and provide additional time for borrowers to plan for the resumption of payments and reduce the risk of delinquency and defaults after restart.

The Department will continue its work to transition borrowers smoothly back into repayment, including by improving student loan servicing.

“Since Day One of this Administration, the Department has focused on supporting students and borrowers throughout the pandemic and ensuring they have the resources they need to return to repayment successfully,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “This additional extension of the repayment pause will provide critical relief to borrowers who continue to face financial hardships as a result of the pandemic, and will allow our Administration to assess the impacts of Omicron on student borrowers.

As we prepare for the return to repayment in May, we will continue to provide tools and supports to borrowers so they can enter into the repayment plan that is responsive to their financial situation, such as an income-driven repayment plan. Students and borrowers will always be at the center of our work at the Department, and we are committed to not only ensuring a smooth return to repayment, but also increasing accountability and stronger customer service from our loan servicers as borrowers prepare for repayment.”

The pause on student loan payments will help 41 million borrowers save $5 billion per month. Borrowers are encouraged to use the additional time to ensure their contact information is up to date and to consider enrolling in electronic debit and income-driven repayment plans to support a smooth transition to repayment. More information can be found at StudentAid.gov.

This action is one of a series of steps the Biden-Harris Administration has taken to support students and borrowers, make higher education more affordable, and improve student loan servicing, including providing nearly $13 billion in targeted loan relief to over 640,000 borrowers. Actions within that include:

Revamping the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program in October, which has already provided $2.4 billion in loan relief to 38,000 borrowers. As part of that effort, the Department implemented a Limited PSLF Waiver to count all prior payments made by student borrowers toward PSLF, regardless of the loan program. Borrowers who are working in public service but have not yet applied for PSLF should do so before October 31, 2022, and can find out more at StudentAid.gov/PSLF.

Providing $7.0 billion in relief for 401,000 borrowers who have a total and permanent disability. Approving $1.5 billion in borrower defense claims, including extending full relief to approved claims and approving new types of claims.

Providing $1.26 billion in closed school discharges to 107,000 borrowers who attended the now-defunct ITT Technical Institute. Helping 30,000 small business owners with student loans seeking help from the Paycheck Protection Program.

Anahat Singh Wins Jr Squash Open In US

Indian teenager Anahat Singh scripted history by winning the U-15 girls category of the prestigious Junior US Open Squash tournament in Philadelphia last week. The 13-year-old girl from Delhi overcame powerhouse Egypt’s Jayda Marei in the final match 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 played at the Arlen Spectre Centre.

According to information received here, Anahat won the title in the Under-15 category, beating Jayda Marei from Egypt 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5. Earlier, in the semifinals, she had beaten US national champion Dixon Hill 11-8, 11-9, 11-5.

More than 850 squash junior players, representing 41 countries, participated in the World’s largest junior individuals squash tournament.

India’s Harnaaz Sandhu Is Crowned Miss Universe 2021

Harnaaz Sandhu of India was crowned the 70th Miss Universe 2021 on Sunday, December 12th topping a field of some 80 contestants in a pageant that was touched by politics and the pandemic. The previously reigning Miss Universe, Andrea Meza of Mexico, crowned her successor, a Bollywood actress, in the Israeli Red Sea resort town of Eilat.

Harnaaz Sandhu, the Punjabi film actress and an alumna of Chandigarh’s Post Graduate Government College, Sector 11, won the coveted crown 21 years after Lara Dutta won the title in 2000. The 21-year old is described on the Miss Universe website as “a strong advocate for women’s empowerment, particularly their constitutional rights to education, careers, and their freedom of choice.”

In a glittery show held in Eilat overnight for a live prime time broadcast in the US, Miss India took a jaunt around the stage as directed by host Steve Harvey after he announced she had won the Miss Universe 2021 competition.

Sandhu was surrounded by 79 other pageant participants who stood in the background as gold confetti rained down and the crowd cheered while last year’s winner put a crown on her head.

Hailing from Punjab, India, Sandhu beat out Nadia Ferreira also known as Miss Paraguay who placed as runner up, and third choice winner Lalela Mswane, also known as Miss South Africa. Miss India is a model, recently having acted in two Punjabi films, studied information technology and is now working on a master’s degree.

Judges on the panel included some heavy hitters like Lori Harvey, Steve Harvey’s model-actress daughter who owns her own skincare line; Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere of France; actresses Rena Sofer, Urvashi Rautela, Marian Rivera, Adamari López; and supermodel Adriana Lima.

Contestants participated in a series of competitions including swimsuit, evening-wear and rounds of questions. The queens held their composure on stage following three weeks of 3 a.m. wake-ups, late nights and touring the country.

The final question – “What advice would you give to young women watching on how to deal with the pressures they face today?” – was asked to each of the last three women standing. While one contestant was answering, the other two wore soundproof earphones so as not to be affected by their competitors’ answers.

Sandhu replied by saying women need to believe in themselves and speak out in order to rise above the pressures of today’s world.

Israel’s international pop sensation Noa Kirel opened the night with a full dance routine equipped with a backup crew wearing sparkly dresses. The American pop star JoJo performed various numbers throughout the night as women paraded around the stage in evening gowns behind her.

Miss India told the media after the pageant ended that her favorite part of touring Israel was getting into the water and swimming with dolphins at Dolphin Reef in Eilat.

“There are a lot [of memories] and that was one of my favorites. Israel is a beautiful country and the people are so warm, and that’s what I love about Israel,” Sandhu said.

Days before she was crowned Miss Universe, Harnaaz Sandhu, 21, wrote on Instagram the words, “India, this one’s for you.” The days of waiting anxiously, working hard to perfect the deliveries to be made, the walk, the talk, learning to expect the unexpected, all part of this 70th pageant, are over.

On her Instagram site, Sandhu wrote, “It’s been 74 days since the day I was chosen to represent India at Miss Universe 2021. It’s been a ride full of love, fun and immense hard work,” Sandhu. “As I set to walk out on that stage today as ‘India’, I carry with me your prayers & love. Thank you to my family for standing by me, today & always. Thank you to all my panelists & designers who have put together so beautifully this woman who now stands in front of you. Thank you everyone. It would not have been possible without you,” she added, ending with the unforgettable words, “India, this one’s for you.”

Professionally, Sandhu is an actor with two Punjabi LMS (Local Movie Showtimes) slated for release in 2022 and hopes to essay characters in LMS that break stereotypes that the world has of women, the bio says.

Growing up under the wings of a mother who is a physician, specializing in gynecology, Sandhu, appears to have been inspired by her mother’s example, as a woman “who broke generations of patriarchy to become a successful gynecologist and led her family.”

Sandhu grew up working with her mother at health camps addressing women’s health and menstrual hygiene, “at the same time deeply conscious of the privilege her mother’s struggles have gifted her.”

She also draws inspiration from Bollywood-Hollywood actor Priyanka Chopra, who is her favorite actor. In her spare time, Sandhu enjoys the company of friends, loves yoga, dancing, cooking, horse riding, and playing chess. She loves swimming. She believes in the saying – “Great things happen to those who don’t stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful.”

She also stated that she was looking forward to strengthening relations between Israel and India and was super excited about the challenge. She said, “I have to bring back the crown home.” The Bollywood aspirant has kept her word and made India proud. Sandhu said, “One must keep growing through life as we all learn something every day. To believe in yourself is the key to success. I represented myself as the best version of myself.”

Sandhu believes that pageants are a platform where women come forward to celebrate sisterhood and womanhood and people across the world celebrate their beauty queens and their successes with great pride. “According to me, it’s all about being true to the self and people around you will definitely look at that spark in you,” she stated.

The 21-year-old’s winning response to a question on climate change — “This is the time to take action and talk less. … Prevent and protect is better than repair and repent” — helped her clinch the coveted title.

Sandhu’s final statement at the pageant was about the pressures that young people face across societies today. She said: “The biggest pressure the youth of today is facing is to believe in themselves, to know that you are unique and that’s what makes you beautiful. Stop comparing yourselves with others and let’s talk about more important things that’s happening worldwide.
“This is what you need to understand. Come out, speak for yourselves because you are the leader of your life, you are the voice of your own. I believed in myself and that’s why I am standing here today.”

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy Urges Action On Youth Mental Health Crisis

United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a new   Advisory Dec. 7, 2021, to highlight the urgent need to address the nation’s youth mental health crisis.

The “Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health” outlines the pandemic’s unprecedented impacts on the mental health of America’s youth and families, as well as the mental health challenges that existed long before the pandemic.

Murthy calls for a “swift and coordinated response” to this crisis as the nation continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides recommendations that individuals, families, community organizations, technology companies, governments, and others can take to improve the mental health of children, adolescents and young adults.

“Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real and widespread. Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression, and thoughts of suicide — and rates have increased over the past decade.” Murthy is quoted saying in the press release.

“The COVID-19 pandemic further altered their experiences at home, school, and in the community, and the effect on their mental health has been devastating,” Surgeon General Murthy warned.

“The future wellbeing of our country depends on how we support and invest in the next generation. Especially in this moment, as we work to protect the health of Americans in the face of a new variant, we also need to focus on how we can emerge stronger on the other side. This advisory shows us how we can all work together to step up for our children during this dual crisis,” he emphasized.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health challenges were the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people, with up to 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 in the U.S. having a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder.

Additionally, from 2009 to 2019, the share of high school students who reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40%, to more than 1 in 3 students, the press release noted. Suicidal behaviors among high school students also increased during the decade preceding COVID, with 19% seriously considering attempting suicide, a 36% increase from 2009 to 2019, and about 16% having made a suicide plan in the prior year, a 44% increase from 2009 to 2019. Between 2007 and 2018, suicide rates among youth ages 10-24 in the U.S. increased by 57%, – PDF and early estimates show more than 6,600 suicide deaths – PDF among this age group in 2020.

The pandemic has added to the pre-existing challenges that America’s youth faced, disrupting the lives of children and adolescents, such as in-person schooling, in-person social opportunities with peers and mentors, access to health care and social services, food, housing, and the health of their caregivers.

The pandemic’s negative impacts most heavily affected those who were vulnerable to begin with, such as youth with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ youth, low-income youth, youth in rural areas, youth in immigrant households, youth involved with the child welfare or juvenile justice systems, and homeless youth, ther press release said. This Fall, a coalition of the nation’s leading experts in pediatric health declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health.

The Surgeon General’s Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health outlines a series of recommendations to improve youth mental health across eleven sectors, including young people and their families, educators and schools, and media and technology companies. Topline recommendations include:

  • Recognize that mental health is an essential part of overall health.
  • Empower youth and their families to recognize, manage, and learn from difficult emotions.
  • Ensure that every child has access to high-quality, affordable, and culturally competent mental health care.
  • Support the mental health of children and youth in educational, community, and childcare settings. And expand and support the early childhood and education workforce.
  • Address the economic and social barriers that contribute to poor mental health for young people, families, and caregivers.
  • Increase timely data collection and research to identify and respond to youth mental health needs more rapidly. This includes more research on the relationship between technology and youth mental health, and technology companies should be more transparent with data and algorithmic processes to enable this research.

International Student Enrollment Fell 15% In 2020-21

American universities are generally held in high esteem around the world, according to a spring Pew Research Center survey in 16 advanced economies. A median of 59% of adults across these societies describe American universities as either the best in the world or above average relative to those in other developed nations.

Even so, the number of foreign students studying in the United States fell sharply during the 2020-21 academic year according to recently released data from the Institute of International Education, likely reflecting the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Fewer than 1 million foreign students enrolled for either online or in-person classes at U.S. universities in the 2020-21 school year, comprising 4.6% of total enrollment at American higher educational institutions. That not only marks a 15% year-over-year decrease from the 2019-20 school year, but also marks the first time since 2014-15 that fewer than a million international students have enrolled at U.S. institutions.

How we did this

China remained the leading place of origin for international students, with 35% of all international students in the 2020-21 school year hailing from the country. The second most common place of origin was India (18%), followed by South Korea (4%) and Canada (3%). Some of these countries also experienced the largest year-over-year decreases in the number of students who enrolled at U.S. institutions. The largest such percentage decreases occurred in South Korea (-21%), China (-15%) and India (-13%).

The overall decrease in the number of foreign students in the U.S. in 2020-21 was driven by sizable reductions in first-time students coming from abroad – in many cases due to border closings, flight cancellations or other challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even before pandemic, increase in Chinese students had slowed

While the number of Chinese students studying in the U.S. fell sharply in the 2020-21 school year, their growth rate had slowed dramatically even before the pandemic. The slowdown followed years of sharp growth.

Though the exact reasons for the slowdown in Chinese students are unclear, some may find the U.S. a less desirable place to study abroad. Some observers, including the president of Columbia University, have raised concerns that tense bilateral relations between the U.S. and China are damaging American universities’ ability to attract top academic talent, particularly from China. Still others have pointed to policies put in place during the Trump administration to restrict Chinese students studying in certain fields or even revoke their visas.

Chinese students paid an estimated $15 billion in tuition at U.S. colleges in the 2018-19 year. Still, the American public is open to limiting their presence in U.S. academia. A majority of Americans (55%) support limiting Chinese students studying in the U.S., even as a broad majority (80%) say it’s good for U.S. colleges and universities to accept international students in general, according to a February Pew Research Center survey.

Only around a third (31%) of Americans under the age of 30 support limiting Chinese students in the U.S., but the share rises to around half (49%) among those ages 30 to 49 and to around seven-in-ten (69%) of those 50 and older.

There are also differences in views by Americans’ educational attainment. A 59% majority of those without a college degree support limiting Chinese students, while those with a college degree are about evenly split: 47% favor limiting Chinese students in the U.S. and 52% oppose the idea.

Partisan differences are pronounced, too. A majority of Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party (69%) support limiting Chinese students while 56% of Democrats and Democratic leaners are opposed.

U.S. Continues As Top Choice For Students From India

The number of first-time international students enrolling at U.S. universities decreased dramatically by 46 percent amid the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Open Doors 2021 report released Nov. 15 by the Institute of International Education.

But despite challenges due to travel restrictions and bans, 145,528 international students were able to begin their studies in person or online in the United States or from abroad. In total, 914,000 international students enrolled at U.S. universities for the 2020/2021 academic year, a 15 percent decline from the previous year.

In addition, more than 200,000 international students pursued Optional Practical Training, gaining work experience in the U.S. after finishing their academic studies.

The preliminary report did not break down the number of students by country of origin. But a different report released by Statista noted that more than 167,000 students from India were studying in the U.S. during the 2020/2021 school year.

Students from China and India make up the bulk of international students in the U.S., which continues to remain the top choice for studies abroad.

International students represent 5 percent of all students in U.S. higher education and, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, contributed $39 billion to the U.S. economy in 2020.

“The Open Doors® 2021 Report on International Educational Exchange underscores the continued commitment of students and scholars, U.S. higher education, governmental partners, and industry stakeholders to international educational exchange amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said IIE in a press statement. The annual report was jointly released by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and IIE. “(The report) has been an important benchmark for international educational exchange to the U.S. for over 70 years,” noted IIE.

“International students are central to the free flow of ideas, innovation, economic prosperity, and peaceful relations between nations,” said Matthew Lussenhop, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

“As reiterated in the recent Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education by the U.S. Departments of State and Education, the United States is strongly committed to international education as we continue to build back better.”

“Despite the global pandemic, Indian students were able to apply for visas and travel to the United States,” said U.S. Minister Counsellor for Consular Affairs Don Heflin, who is based at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.

“We issued over 62,000 student visas this summer alone, more than in any previous year,” he said, according to a press release from the embassy.

“This goes to show that the United States remains the destination of choice for Indian students looking to study abroad,” said Heflin. “We look forward to issuing many more visas in the year to come, to help Indian students achieve their dreams of U.S. study.”

Biden-Harris Administration’s Efforts Addressing Addiction And Overdose

In its first-year drug policy priorities, the Biden-Harris Administration outlined a strategy that includes expanding access to evidence-based prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support services, as well reducing the supply of illicit drugs. Since January, the Office of National Drug Control Policy has worked with other agencies across the government to advance President Biden’s drug policy priorities. Among the actions taken in the first nine months of the Biden-Harris Administration are:

The American Rescue Plan invested nearly $4 billion to allow the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Health Resources and Services Administration to expand access to vital mental health and substance use disorder services. The funding also included $30 million in supports for harm reduction services—a historic amount that will enhance interventions like syringe services programs.

HHS released the Practice Guidelines for the Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder, which exempt eligible health care providers from Federal certification requirements related to training, counseling and other ancillary services that are part of the process for obtaining a waiver to treat up to 30 patients with buprenorphine. This action expands access to evidence-based treatment by removing a critical barrier to buprenorphine prescribing.

DEA lifted a decade-long moratorium on opioid treatment programs that want to include a mobile component. This rule change will help provide treatment to rural and other underserved communities, including incarcerated individuals.

CDC and SAMHSA announced that Federal funding may now be used to purchase fentanyl test strips in an effort to help curb the dramatic spike in drug overdose deaths.

ONDCP designated six new counties as part of its High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. These counties, located in states like California, Illinois, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, will receive support for regional law enforcement efforts to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations.

ONDCP provided funding for the nationwide expansion of the HIDTA Overdose Response Strategy to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The Strategy brings together drug intelligence officers and public health analysts at the local and regional level to share information and develop evidence-based intervention and support services that reduce overdoses.

ONDCP provided funding to support the establishment of state-level model legislation that advances efforts to expand access to harm reduction services, as well as promote equity in access to treatment and drug enforcement efforts for underserved communities.

ONDCP hosted more than 300 State, local, and Tribal leaders from all 50 States, Washington, D.C., American Samoa, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands for a virtual convening entitled “Opioid Litigation Settlement: Using Evidence to Lead Action.”

At the convening, government officials, researchers, and experts discussed how State, local, and Tribal governments can use evidence and data to guide decisions about how funds from opioid litigation can be spent to address addiction and the overdose epidemic, while advancing equity.

ONDCP, HHS, and DOJ presented to Congress the Biden-Harris Administration’s recommendations for a long-term, consensus approach to reduce the supply and availability of illicitly manufactured fentanyl-related substances (FRS), while protecting civil rights and reducing barriers to scientific research for all Schedule I substances.

ONDCP announced $13.2 million in grants for 106 Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Programs across the country working to prevent youth substance use, including prescription drugs, marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol. In June, ONDCP announced $3.2 million for 65 communities nationwide for its Community-Based Coalition Enhancement Grants to Address Local Drug Crisis Program to reduce youth substance use.

ONDCP announced the release of a model law for state legislatures that would help ensure opioid litigation settlement funds are directed to addressing addiction and the overdose epidemic in impacted communities and with public accountability.

ONDCP released a new, holistic U.S.-Colombia counternarcotics strategy developed by the Counternarcotics Working Group between the United States and Colombian governments that broadens focus to include specific actions on rural security and development, environmental protection, and supply reduction.

HHS announcement of the new HHS Overdose Prevention Strategy, which focuses on expanding primary prevention, harm reduction, evidence-based treatment, and recovery support services for all Americans. The HHS Overdose Prevention Strategy builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s year one drug policy priorities and actions taken by the Administration to address addiction and the overdose epidemic since January.

In addition to these actions, the President’s FY22 budget request calls for a $41.0 billion investment for national drug program agencies, a $669.9 million increase over the FY 2021 enacted level. The largest increases in funding are for critical public health interventions to expand research, prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support services, with targeted investments to meet the needs of populations at greatest risk for overdose and substance use disorder. The FY22 budget request also includes significant investments in reducing the supply of illicit substances.

Reshma Kosaraju Wins Children’s Climate Prize

A teenager from Saratoga, California, has won the prestigious Children’s Climate Prize for Reshma Kosaraju, 15, of Saratoga, California, won the Children’s Climate Prize for 2021.

The Children’s Climate Prize is an international prize annually awarded to young people taking actions to bring sustainable solutions for the planet, according to the website of the organization.

Fifteen year-old Reshma Kosaraju’s project notes that fires are a natural part of a forest’s ecosystem, but the underlying conditions have changed.

The project, ‘AI against forest fires’ created by her can predict forest fires with almost 90% accuracy, said the press release.

Reshma uses open data, such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, soil moisture and human behavior to, with the help of AI, calculate where and when the probability of a forest fire occurring is greatest.

“Reshma hopes the Children’s Climate Prize will draw attention to her project, so that more people can become aware of the AI model’s existence,” the website said.

Forest fires have become a global problem, causing over 339,000 premature deaths worldwide – and threatening biodiversity by destroying animals and nature, the press release says.

The jury which selected Reshma as the winners had the following to say about her work —

Climate change and forest fires mutually reinforce each other and wildfires, today, are in many locations larger, more intense and longer lasting. Forest fires have increasingly become a global and topical issue.

Reshma represents the best of youth entrepreneurship: brave, innovative and solution-oriented. Her model uses AI and technology in an innovative and savvy way in order to accurately predict the risk of forest fires while also accounting for the independent variables of climate, weather and human behavior. A clear and scalable business concept, with a global approach to accessibility. This is an example of an extraordinary and creative solution based on a systemized approach.

The prize celebrates and sheds light on young innovators, entrepreneurs, changemakers and conservators in order to spread hope and inspire others, the website said.

The Children’s Climate Foundation awards the prize annually, works for a long-term perspective and makes it possible for others to partner in the initiative.

The winners of the Children’s Climate Prize are celebrated at a gala event in Stockholm, Sweden. They receive a diploma, medal and prize money of SEK 100,000 to continue developing their projects.

The Children’s Climate Prize was founded in 2016 by Telge Energi, the Swedish frontrunner in renewable energy. Winners over the last several years have been of Indian origin – Aadya Joshi, 17, of Mumbai, in 2020 for her project ‘The Right Green’ on deforestation; Vinisha Umashankar,13, of Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, also in 2020, for her project ‘The Solar Ironing Cart’; Shreya Ramachandran, 16, of Fremont, in 2019 for her project ‘The Grey Water Project’’; and Nav & Vihaan Agarwal, 12 and 15 years old respectively, also in 2019, for their project ‘One Step Greener.’

Drug Overdose Deaths In US Hit Record High Amid Pandemic

More than 100,000 Americans have died from drug overdoses in the yearlong period ending in April amid the raging Covid-19 pandemic, a media report said citing provisional figures from the National Center for Health Statistics.

It is for the first time the number of overdose deaths in the US has surpassed 100,000 a year after increasing almost 30 per cent from the 78,000 fatalities in the prior year, Xinhua news agency quoted The New York Times report as saying.

Overdose deaths have more than doubled since 2015, said the report, adding that it resulted from losing access to treatment, rising mental health problems and wider availability of dangerously potent street drugs.

The fatalities have lasting repercussions, since most of them occurred among people aged 25 to 55, in the prime of life, Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse was quoted as saying.

According to experts, overdoses increased in all but four of the 50 US states. The number of deaths from drugs has now surpassed those from guns, car crashes and the flu.

The highest increase in overdose deaths was recorded in Vermont, where the number of fatalities rose 70 per cent to 209. Vermont was followed by West Virginia (62 per cent) and Kentucky (55 per cent). (IANS)

Pope Urges Youth To Protect Environment

Pope Francis on Sunday praised young people for their efforts to protect the Earth’s environment and told them to “be the critical conscience of society.” Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, filled with hundreds of young faithful, to mark a church day focused on youth in dioceses worldwide. “You have

Pope Francis on Sunday praised young people for their efforts to protect the Earth’s environment and told them to “be the critical conscience of society.”

Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, filled with hundreds of young faithful, to mark a church day focused on youth in dioceses worldwide.

“You have been entrusted with an exciting but also challenging task,” the pontiff said, ”to stand tall while everything around us seems to be collapsing.”

Francis expressed thanks “for all those times when you cultivate the dream of fraternity, work to heal the wounds of God’s creation, fight to ensure respect for the dignity of the vulnerable and spread the spirit of solidarity and sharing.”

He noted that many young people have criticized environmental contamination.

“We need this,” Francis said.

The pontiff said that in a world that “thinks only of present gain, that tends to stifle grand ideals, you have not lost the ability to dream.”

“Be free and authentic, be the critical conscience of society,” Francis exhorted young people.

Social justice and care of the environment have been key messages of his papacy.

The pope is expected to meet with young people from all over the world at the Catholic church’s jamboree in Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2023.

Indian Brothers Win Children’s Peace Prize For Waste Project

Indian brothers Vihaan and Nav Agarwal won a prestigious children’s prize Saturday for a project they launched that aims to reduce waste and pollution and plant trees in their home city of New Delhi.

Vihaan, 17, and his 14-year-old brother, Nav, were handed the International Children’s Peace Prize by Indian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi at a ceremony in The Hague, Netherlands. They said they plan to use the prize and the recognition it brings to expand their network across India and beyond.

“Our thought process is that we need to get the whole world zero waste. And that means not only India, not only going to every single city, every town, every village, but to actually share this message with the whole world,” Vihaan told The Associated Press in an interview a day before the award ceremony.

The brothers got the idea to begin their garbage separation and recycling project, One Step Greener, following a collapse in 2017 at a Delhi landfill and a cloud of pollution that descended over the city the next day. Vihaan has and poor air quality often requires him to stay inside.

The One Step Greener project now visits more than 1,500 homes, schools and offices throughout sprawling Delhi as the brothers and their organization work toward a goal they call “Zero Waste India.”

Vihaan said the success of One Step Greener should serve as a lesson for world leaders tackling climate change and pollution. “You have to be practical and think of solutions that are easy for people,” he said.

“As we saw with One Step … when we did a door to door pickup, it was exceptionally easy for people to just leave their waste outside. So you have to find these solutions, and there are plenty of young people who are finding these solutions all over the world. You have to encourage them.”

The award includes a study and care grant for the brothers and a fund of 100,000 euros, half of which goes to their project. The other half is invested by prize organizer KidsRights in other projects to support children’s rights.

KidsRights founder Marc Dullaert urged governments to do more to reduce pollution. “All children have an inherent right to life and to health,” he said. “How are more than 90% of children in the world breathing toxic air?”

Previous winners of the prize include include Pakistani education advocate Malala Yousafzai and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

Arjun Mehta Named By Variety As Music’s “New Leader”

Arjun Mehta, the co-founder of Moment House, a platform for live-stream music performances and other online events, has been named by Variety Magazine as one of the New Leaders of Music. The company, Mount House was founded in 2019, and already has over 50 employees and hosted Clive Davis’ private virtual Grammy gala this year as well as various artists’ web concerts.

The young budding artist said in a recent interview: “I had always been fascinated with how just an abstract idea in someone’s head can manifest over time into a massive living, breathing thing that can affect people globally. I felt like that process was so magical and special, that I just had to do it for the rest of my life. In parallel, I’ve been an Eminem fan for as long as I can remember and having devoured his Wikipedia page, I’ve known exactly who Jimmy Iovine (and of course Dr. Dre) was and admired them all, since like 4th grade. So when I found out about the program, I felt like it was fate.”

Every year Variety seeks to identify the next generation of leaders in the entertainment business who represent the creative community of film, TV, music and the digital space. The 2021 music industry group has among its ranks hip-hop label Empire’s COO, online event innovator Moment House’s CEO, the manager for Normani and Anitta, a marketing VP for Sony Nashville, an exec-manager whose dual roles include representing Megan Thee Stallion and Young Thug, the CEO of the Kluger Agency, the founder of Milk & Honey Management, a social media SVP for Warner Music, a top songwriter manager, and the agent who signed Billie Eilish at 14.

In 2019, Mehta started Moment House — a platform for high-concept live- stream music performances and other online “elevated ticketed performances” — right out of USC, where he’d proven himself a prodigy in the Jimmy Iovine/ Dr. Dre music business program. Backed by investors including Scooter Braun, he built a company with more than 50 employees that hosted Clive Davis’ private virtual Grammy gala this year as well as presented web concerts by Tame Impala, St. Vincent and Kygo.

As Moment House has taken off, Mehta says the pandemic was “absolutely an accelerant” of people being willing to pay for quality web shows, but it would have happened anyway: “Concerts and livestream exist hand-in-hand.”

Ryan Kaji Is the Most Popular 10-Year-Old in the World

In human years, Ryan Kaji is 10. In YouTube views, he’s 48,597,844,873. If, in our digital age, a person’s life can be measured by their online footprint, Ryan’s is the size of a brachiosaur’s, which, as a lot of Ryan’s fans know, is gargantuan. Another way of putting it is that even if every one of Ryan’s YouTube views were just 30 seconds, he has been watched 4,500 times longer than he has been alive.

There’s a sacred text that talks about an era of peace and harmony, where lions lie down with lambs. The kicker is that a child is in charge of it all. Except for the part about peace and harmony, we are in an age where a child does indeed rule a significant subsection of the Internet. Ryan has been the highest paid YouTube star for three years straight, partly because he has nine channels on the platform. His revenue last year, according to Forbes, was about $30 million. Most of that was from his far-flung merchandise empire: he (or his parents) has lent his name to 1,600 licensed products in 30 countries, including Skechers, pajamas, Roblox, bedding, watches, sporting goods, water bottles, furniture, toothpaste and, of course, toys.

As well as a legion of YouTube videos, Ryan has shows on Nick Jr. (the Emmy-nominated Ryan’s Mystery Playdate) and Amazon Kids+ (Super Spy Ryan) and his own streaming channel. His animated superhero alter ego, Red Titan, will appear for the second time as a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon. “Ryan is bar none the crown prince of YouTube,” says Quynh Mai, founder of Moving Image & Content, a creative agency for digital content. (She does not represent him.)

How did we get to a place where a person can be the linchpin of a media empire before he has armpit hair? And of all the exuberant folks on YouTube, why has this kid raked in the most cash? Part of the answer is that this is no ordinary child, but another part is that Ryan’s rise speaks volumes about the way entertainment, business, technology and family life have changed in the past decade.

Ryan’s prominence, and the existence of the genre of human known as “kidfluencer,” is a source of consternation to many parents, authorities and child-development experts. Four of the 10 U.S. YouTube channels with the most subscribers are geared toward young children. Legislation has recently been introduced in the Senate that may curtail the activities of Ryan and his fellow YouTube toycoons. But his ascent has also shown how profoundly childhood has been and is being reshaped, and that it may be too late to put the jack back in the box.

One thing that everyone agrees on is that much of Ryan’s fame was a result of timing. He was about 3½ in 2015 when he asked his mom Loann Guan—the family changed its name to Kaji to preserve some anonymity as they got famous—if he could be on YouTube like other kids. Loann, 37, was a science teacher on spring break looking for kid-friendly activities. She and her husband Shion, 34, had watched YouTube in college and had a grasp of the format and how the algorithm worked.

Ryan’s ToysReview quickly became one of YouTube’s most popular channels. By 2016, both parents had quit their jobs to make videos full time. Shion is a Cornell-educated structural engineer, which may be why he sensed the danger of having Ryan, just 5, carry the bulk of the show. He beefed up the production team to avoid burnout and had animators create characters based on Ryan’s personality for more content. Shion and Loann also appear in the videos and play with toys and games on their own channel.

Pocketwatch and YouTube issue manuals on how to be both parent and programmer, and Shion hints that he’s trying to start a working group of YouTube families to set industry standards. He won’t go into details, but says he would like more input from YouTube, especially on how families manage their finances, their kids’ time and fame. After all, the platform is taking a healthy cut of the money, and the minors who have made their name on it have few legal protections. The Kajis say a portion of the revenue from the family business goes into trust accounts they’ve established for their children, and they have put all of Ryan’s TV earnings into another trust.

Malala Yousafzai Is Married

The 24-year-old Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner made the announcement on Instagram Tuesday last week that she has tied the knot, just months after she told British Vogue that she wasn’t sure if she would every marry.

“Today marks a precious day in my life,” she wrote on Instagram. “Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life. We celebrated a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families. Please send us your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead.”

Yousafzai’s parents, Ziauddin Yousafzai and Toor Pekai Yousafzai, shared their excitement along with some photos by Malala’s friend, photographer Malin Fezehai.  “It is beyond words,” Ziauddin Yousafzai tweeted. “Toor Pekai and I are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. Alhamdulillah.”

Malala talked with British Vogue earlier this year about her feelings toward marriage, saying her parents had an “arranged love marriage” but expressing doubt about whether she would ever marry. “I still don’t understand why people have to get married,” she said. “If you want to have a person in your life, why do you have to sign marriage papers, why can’t it just be a partnership?”

Her parents disagreed with that notion.  “My mum is like, ‘Don’t you dare say anything like that! You have to get married, marriage is beautiful,'” she said.  She added that her father has received emails from men in Pakistan who wanted to marry her.  “Even until my second year of university, I just thought, ‘I’m never going to get married, never going to have kids — just going to do my work,'” she said. “‘I’m going to be happy and live with my family forever.’ I didn’t realize that you’re not the same person all the time. You change as well and you’re growing.”

Yousafzai is known for her advocacy work on behalf of girls and women, particularly in stressing education for girls across the world.  She became a well-known activist after delivering an inspiring speech at the United Nations when she survived being shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan. She was 15 at the time and was shot because she simply was a girl pursuing an education.

Yousafzai is still is dealing with the effects of the shooting, as she shared in August that she underwent her sixth surgery as a result of the near-fatal injury she suffered nine years ago. She also spoke up for the women and girls of Afghanistan who are once again under Taliban rule after the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

People Magazine Names Paul Rudd As 2021′S Sexiest Man Alive

Paul Rudd has been crowned as 2021’s Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine. Rudd, known for his starring roles in Marvel’s “Ant-Man” films, “This is 40” and “Clueless,” was revealed as this year’s winner Tuesday night on CBS’ ”The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” The actor tells the magazine in an issue out Friday that some will be surprised by him receiving the honor.

“I do have an awareness, enough to know that when people hear that I’d be picked for this, they would say, ‘What?’” he said. “This is not false humility. There are so many people that should get this before me.”

But of course, Rudd won’t turn down the honor. He jokingly hopes the new title will grant him an invitation to “those sexy dinners” with George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Michael B. Jordan — all recent winners. Other past honorees include John Legend, Dwayne Johnson, Chris Hemsworth, Idris Elba, Adam Levine, Channing Tatum and David Beckham.

“I figure I’ll be on a lot more yachts,” Rudd said. “I’m excited to expand my yachting life. And I’ll probably try to get better at brooding in really soft light. I like to ponder. I think this is going to help me become more inward and mysterious. And I’m looking forward to that.”

Rudd’s first major breakout performance came in the 1995′s “Clueless,” a cult classic starring Alicia Silverstone. He also made his mark in several comedies such as the “Anchorman” films, “The 40 Year Old Virgin” and “This is 40,” a spin-off from the comedy “Knocked Up.”

The actor reached superstar status in a slew of Marvel superhero films including “Ant-Man,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Endgame.” He’ll star in the upcoming “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and appear alongside Will Ferrell in the new Apple TV+ series “The Shrink Next Door,” which premieres Nov. 12.

Rudd, 52, said his wife was initially “stupefied” after he told her the news. The couple has two kids, 17-year-old Jack and Darby, who is 12.

“But you know she was very sweet about it,” he said of his wife, Julie, of 18 years. “After some giggling and shock, she said, ‘Oh, they got it right.’ And that was very sweet. She was probably not telling the truth, but what’s she going to say?”

Rudd expects his circle of friends to give him “so much grief.” He won’t blame them, because he would do the same.

“I mean, I’m going to lean into it hard. I’m going to own this,” he said. “I’m not going to try to be like ‘Oh, I’m so modest.’ I’m getting business cards made. But all of my friends will destroy me, and I expect them to, and that’s why they’re my friends.”

How Religious Is Your Average 22-Year-Old?

I’m a quantitative scholar of American religion and politics, so I am used to everyone from religion scholars unused to working with data to anxious parents asking me random questions.

“Are Latter-day Saints attending church with less frequency in the last few years?”

“How similar are Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu Americans in their political views?”

“Are young Southern Baptists less conservative on abortion than their parents?”

Those questions and many more like them are completely valid and worthwhile to ask. But until about 10 years ago, my answer was something like, “It is statistically difficult, if not impossible, to answer with any degree of accuracy.” (This is how quantitative scholars talk.) Until the mid-2000s, the data that most researchers had available was limited in ways that made many potential areas of inquiry problematic.

For instance, the General Social Survey is the gold standard for any researcher who is interested in how American life has changed since 1972. The GSS contains a wealth of questions focused on a variety of topics, including sexuality, drug use, social connections, religious behavior and views of politics and government.

And it is what we call longitudinal: Every year or two, the team at NORC at the University of Chicago conducts face-to-face surveys with about 2,200 respondents and makes the data publicly available. The GSS is therefore an unbelievably valuable resource and has been the foundation for thousands of articles, books and lectures over the last four decades.

The GSS has one major drawback, however: its small sample size. The total number of people ever interviewed by the NORC team is 64,814.

So, let’s say that I wanted to understand the religious attendance patterns of of Latter-day Saints between 2008 and 2018. If I were to use the GSS data, there are a total of 147 LDS identifiers in the data during that 10-year span. But if broken down in individual years, it’s about 20 respondents each year. It’s difficult to learn much about any group by only analyzing the behavior of 20 of them. Thus, it’s statistically impossible to understand how Mormon religious behavior has changed using the GSS.

However, beginning in 2006 a new survey became publicly available that opened up an entirely new world to social scientists — the Cooperative Election Study. In the 2006 version of the CES, there were 36,421 respondents. There were 32,800 in 2008. In total, the CES boasts a sample size of nearly 447,000 respondents. That’s nearly seven times the size of the entire 46 years of the GSS.

To return to our example of Latter-day Saints, there were 764 LDS members in the 46 years of the GSS. In the 2018 wave of the CES, there were 823 Mormons, but in total there are nearly 7,000. That means that a social scientist can now trace the church attendance of just LDS members under the age of 35, say, or nonwhite Latter-day Saints. It’s also possible to have some reasonable level of statistical certainty surrounding how they have voted in presidential elections dating back to 2008.

Questions about the composition of small religious groups like Hindus or Buddhists were difficult to answer before the advent of large surveys like the CES. It was statistically impossible to trace the religiosity of just 18- to 22-year-old people in college before the introduction of these large-scale surveys. Trying to explore combinations, like people who make six figures a year but have only a high school diploma, was unrealistic when a sample only contained five people who fit those criteria. In the CES and other new instruments, those people number in the hundreds.

I can’t count the number of times people have asked me if there is any time in American history that the country has had lower levels of religiosity than it does right now. Unfortunately, we can’t answer that with any degree of certainty. High-quality data doesn’t really exist prior to the 1970s. And, to be honest, we only have limited statistical ability between the 1970s and the mid-2000s.

I think about these issues quite a lot and am of two minds about it.

The first emotion is one of deep sadness for how much we will never know about the contours of American society just a few decades ago. A religious picture of the United States in the 1940s is incredibly blurry, if not entirely opaque, when seen through the lens of quantitative data.

But I have a great sense of excitement when I consider how much better we will understand American society from this point forward. The questions that social science can ask and answer have never been greater and are expanding by the day as social scientists gather new data and compare what we find to what has come before.

The possibility of knowing more things with a greater sense of certainty should be a thrilling opportunity for all of us.

6 Red Flags In Relationship You Shouldn’t Ignore

We’re always told to steer clear of people who exhibit red flags in relationships, but exactly what red flags should we be looking out for?

When you’re dating someone new, the romance and excitement of the “honeymoon phase” can blind you, and you may not be aware of the warning signs. Red flags like constant put-downs can signal a kind of emotional abuse, which is relatively common.

In a 2011 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 47.1% of women and 46.5% of men said they had experienced some form of psychological aggression in a relationship.

It can help to know which red flags to look out for so that you can proceed with caution or cut things off if necessary.

1. Frequent lying

Constantly catching your partner being dishonest isn’t a good sign. “We are all guilty of telling white lies; however, if you notice that your partner is consistently deceiving or getting caught in lies, it is a red flag,” says Samara Quintero, a licensed marriage and family therapist at Choosing Therapy.

These can be small lies, like being dishonest about where they’re going — or big lies, like not telling you how much debt they have.

Being lied to over and over again can make it difficult to build a solid foundation in the relationship or destroy one that you’ve already built, which can lead to a shaky future, Quintero says.

2. Constant put-downs

A partner frequently criticizing you or putting you down, even if it’s in a subtle or passive-aggressive way, can affect your self-esteem.

“This is a form of emotional abuse that can lead to feelings of anxiety and insecurity in the partnership,” Quintero says.

She says some common examples might sound like:

  1. “You’re lucky I’m still with you because you’ll never do better than me.”
  2. “You sound so ridiculous when you try to be funny.”

A 2013 study suggested that emotional abuse could be just as harmful as physical abuse, both contributing to depression and low self-esteem — so this red flag should certainly be taken seriously.

“Addressing this behavior with your partner is imperative, and if they refuse to take responsibility or express a willingness to change, it might be time to reevaluate the relationship,” Quintero says.

3. An unwillingness to compromise

If your partner isn’t willing to compromise even when it comes to the little things, you should proceed with caution.

“If you’re in a relationship with someone who seems to make everything one-sided, you may end up over-compromising and wind up feeling resentful, hurt, misunderstood, and unsatisfied,” says Emily Simonian, a licensed marriage and family therapist and the head of learning at Thriveworks. In healthy relationships, it’s crucial that you consider each other’s needs and desires and that compromise isn’t a one-way street.

4. A tendency to run away from difficult discussions

A partner who lacks the emotional or behavioral skills needed to cope with problems and runs away from them instead can harm your relationship. Some examples are walking away from arguments without hearing you out, or ignoring you for days at a time when things get rough.

People who have trouble tolerating difficult emotions tend to lash out or flee when the going gets tough, Simonian says. Even healthy relationships will go through rough patches, so you want to be sure that your partner will communicate effectively with you instead of running away when things get hard.

5. Controlling behavior and excessive jealousy

If your partner is very jealous, this may lead to controlling behavior. For example, they might feel jealous when you have a social life outside of your relationship, Simonian says. A jealous partner may also suffocate you with excessive calls or texts and try to control what you do.

“Attempts to control usually start off subtly but eventually increase in intensity and can often leave you feeling as though nothing you do is ‘good enough,'” Simonian says. “If you notice yourself feeling smothered or consistently altering your behavior in order to appease their jealousy, it could be a sign of bigger issues to come.”

A 2010 meta-analysis found that as jealousy in a relationship increased, the relationship quality decreased, indicating that jealousy harms romantic relationships. Additionally, a 2014 study suggested that people in relationships where a partner acted too possessive in the early stages were more likely to have an unhealthy communication style later in the relationship.

6. A lack of healthy open communication

A partner who turns to passive-aggressiveness, blaming, or expressing emotions in an aggressive way is exhibiting ineffective communication, Quintero says.

Communication is a foundation of a relationship, so if you both can’t communicate openly and healthily, you’re going to run into problems.

“A healthy relationship provides a safe place for both partners to speak openly on their emotions without fear of judgment or criticism,” Quintero says.

A 2017 study suggested that communication early in a relationship might play a role in future relationship satisfaction and that satisfaction with communication in the beginning of a relationship might result in a more amicable partnership later on.

-+=