A month before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to arrive in the United States and travel to Silicon Valley to meet IT entrepreneurs and the Indian-American community, a petition critical of his “Digital India” plan has set off an Internet war between anti and pro Modi factions in this country.
In an Aug. 27 letter entitled “Faculty Statement on Narendra Modi Visit to Silicon Valley,” posted on the blog of Academe Magazine, 123 U.S. academics, mostly of Indian descent, cautioned U.S. high tech industry leaders to follow standards of freedom of expression and right to privacy if they strike any deals with India on grounds that the Modi government was vitiating these rights and freedoms. It also chastised the Indian-American community for what it described as euphoria over the Prime Minister’s Sept. 27 visit to California.
Prime Minister Modi will be in New York for the United Nations General Assembly meetings Sept. 25, and will make a one-day trip to Silicon Valley to meet IT leaders and the Indian-American community Sept. 27, before rushing back for a one-on-one with President Obama Sept. 28.
The anti-Modi petition described the anticipation over the Modi visit “uncritical fanfare” and said his national project “Digital India” was threatened by a lack of safeguards about privacy of information, “and the near certainty that such digital systems will be used to enhance surveillance and repress the constitutionally-protected rights of citizen.”
Among the signatories were a few non-Indian professors such University of Chicago Divinity School Professor of Religion Wendy Doniger, whose book An Alternative History of India, was pulled off shelves by publishers Penguin India when challenged by a school teacher for hurting religious sentiments. “Those who live and work in Silicon Valley have a particular responsibility to demand that the government of India factor these critical concerns into its planning for digital futures,” the letter said. It also harked back to the U.S. denial of a visa to Modi from 2005-2014 over the Gujarat violence of 2002 where 1,000 people died.
In response, a petition drive on Change.org, by Modi supporters had garnered 1,133 signatures as of Sept. 3, from “professors, researchers, scientists, scholars, students, and professionals with undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degrees from universities across North America,” in other words, going beyond just the humanities scholars and experts on South Asia who sponsored the anti-Modi petition.
Entitled “Oppose Prejudice and Fear-mongering in the “Faculty Statement on Narendra Modi’s Visit” the change.org petition accused the opposing faction of straying “far” from the scope of “sane discourse,” without respect for facts and integrity.
Their critique of Digital India’s potential for increased surveillance of citizens, “seems a desperate ploy rather than any genuine concern for India,” it said, noting that digital initiatives were undertaken before Modi came to power, “a fact that never bothered them (South Asia academics) when the UPA government, with which several U.S. based South Asian academics have had close ties of patronage and privilege, was in power.” The United Progressive Alliance was the Congress Party-led coalition helmed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Bringing up the 2002 violence in Gujarat, the pro-Modi petitioners said, was a “deplorable attempt to exhume ugly lies about Modi’s attitude towards Muslims.” Modi’s massive victory at the polls and in Indian courts, it said, vindicated him, “and unless the South Asia studies faculty who have perpetuated these charges so recklessly have new evidence that they can present before courts in India and before the Indian people, they must recognize that they are running a campaign not for justice but for destroying justice and democracy.”
The pro-Modi letter claimed there was a media conspiracy against Modi. “There is growing evidence of a systematic process of defamation against India and Narendra Modi in the international press and in a large part of the elite English-language Indian media,” the letter said, adding that, “No government that seeks to restrict freedom of speech would permit the amount of calumny that passes off as news in India.”
The letter accused anti-Modi forces of silencing free speech, noting that Modi had been prevented from addressing a Wharton Business School meeting through a video-conference by a similar confluence of academics a few years ago. “It is an unspoken about reality that the academic pseudo-consensus on South Asia, with its demonization campaign of Modi at the center, sustains itself entirely on a system of exclusion, censure and silencing.”
(Orlando, FL: June 21st, 2015) During a terrific convention attended by over 2,500 participants, Dr. Seema Jain, took the oath of office as the President of AAPI on Saturday night, June 20th, 2015. The delegates from across the nation came together to celebrate their achievements and to plan for ways to move forward, enriching and supporting one another for the greater good of humanity through education and dedication to their motherland India and to their adopted land, the United States at the 33rd annual historic convention organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) at the Reniassance Hotel Convention Center, Orlando, FL from Wednesday, June 17th to Sunday, June 21st, 2015. In her first ever Presidential address, Dr. Jain said, “Today, I am pleased to announce our strategic plan for the next 12 months. With your support, dedication and hard work we will make sure that this is a turning point in the history of AAPI. Our key strategic initiatives will be as follows: Excellence of Education, Empowerment,
Enlightenment, and Evolution.”
Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, the out-going President of AAPI, in his address, said, “When I became the President of AAPI, the vision for AAPI was spelled out on a traditional Vedic concept of “Panchasheel” , the five action pillars: Education, Community/Charitable service, Member Support Programs, Mentorship / Mantle, and Legislative Action, to further the voluminous achievements of the past 33 years. As he handed over the reign of AAPI to Dr. Seema Jain on Saturday night at a terrific gala, Dr. Jahagirdar had this to say with much satisfaction and pride, “And as this tumultuous year of achievements for AAPI draws to the close, it is with a premonition that the future will be even more productive and that AAPI is now on an unmistakable march into a bright future.”
Dr. Jayesh Shah, past President, AAPI administered the oath of office as the more than 2,500 delegates cheered loudly, greeting the new President of AAPI, the largest ethnic medical association in the United States. Along with Dr. Jain, Dr. Ajay Lodha as President-Elect, Dr. Gautam Samadder as Vice President, Dr. Naresh Parikh as Secretary, and Dr. Suresh Reddy as the Treasurer of AAPI assumed charge I n the presence of leading luminaries and over 2,000 AAPI delegates from across the nation. Dr. Aravind Pillai was administered the oath of office as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, AAPI by the out-going chairman, Dr. Ajeet Singhivi.
Cutting edge CMEs that offered insights into several healthcare and medical issues, focus on ways to actively participate in the nation’s legislative process, on ways to prevent diseases, while working with the government of India and voluntary agencies to effectively train physicians in India, fashion show, women’s forum, fashion shows, mega entertainment by Bollywood Stars, Sonu Nigam, Dr. KJ Yesudas, cultural programs, healthy living, yoga, health walk, meditation, honoring those who worked hard to make a positive impact in their respective areas of work, and networking and renewing of friendships and bonds were some of the highlights of the 33rd annual convention in the magical city.
The convention was inaugurated here on Thursday, June 18th, 2015 with AAPI members rededicating themselves to give back to their motherland, India. A major objective of AAPI has been about giving back to India and USA. AAPI India Engagement was a way of coordinating these individual efforts for the sake of streamlining them and to make it easier and sustainable in the a way that more members can contribute and help make a positive impact in the lives of millions of Indians.
AAPI had three dynamic speakers, Vani Tripathi, Dr. Margaret McLaren, and Bhakti Sharma, at the Women’s Forum, who were selected for not only for their enthralling speaking abilities and their expertise in their fields, but also for the varied messages they were able to individually convey to a packed audience at the Discovery Hall.
The event also dthe AAPI Golf Classic, AAPI’s Got Talent and the Be Fit Be Cool Walk in partnership with the Orlando Health Foundation as part of AAPI’s National Childhood Obesity program. Notable Speakers at the event included US Surgeon General Vice Admiral (VADM) Vivek H. Murthy, Kailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, recognized for his works against child labor; Sri Sri Ravi Shankar a humanitarian leader and a spiritual teacher; Preet Bharara, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York; and several top Indian performers including Mystic India, Jay Sean, Sonu Nigam and K J Yesudas.
The conference provided an enriching platform for members comprised of medical, mental health, and dental physicians in American to engage with the latest in medical technology, research and advances in the world of all types of medicine and dental. The convention included CME and DME accredited courses as well as variety of panel discussions, presentations and a research competition. There were forums for AAPI Young Physicians Group (AAPI YPS) and for AAPI MSRF for medical students, residents and fellows. A nearly sold out Exhibitor Hall included medical and pharmaceutical products, jeweler, fashion designs, devices and equipment and medical and dental, practice-related services.
Delegates of AAPI that represents nearly 100,000 Physicians, Fellows, and Residents in the United States, were led to meditate after an inspiring address on Yoga and Health by global thought and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The unique event served as a platform for the AAPI members to discuss the importance of meditation in resolving the nation’s pressing health concerns and how Ayurveda, Yoga, and Meditations, the ancient traditions of India offer solutions to the most pressing health problems of the world.
Dr. Jain called upon AAPI members to join in this historic journey: “AAPI’s mission is clear, our programs will continue to strive and our impact is infectious on benefiting society. We as physicians make significant contributions for the betterment of people’s lives. As members we can make these contributions through the 4 E’s: Excellence of Education, Empowerment, Enlightenment, and Evolution. Today I ask you to set aside your differences, and join me in this noble journey to make our mission possible! We make history – starting today!”
New Delhi, India: September 12, 2015. During a historical meeting last week with a delegation of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) led by Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured of his ongoing engagement with the International Indian Medical diaspora, an in particular with the initiatives of AAPI to make healthcare in India. “We were very honored and privileged that the Honorable Prime Minister met with us at his residence,” Dr. Seema Jain told the media after the meeting. “We presented the invitation and agenda for the AAPI Global Health Summit 2016. Shri Modi Ji complimented AAPI and its members for their ongoing support and collaboration towards India’s healthcare,” Dr. Jain added.
Plans are underway and the AAPI delegation was in India to plan the events and to work towards collaborating with the Government of India and its various Ministries, Educational Institutions and Corporate Leaders to work collaboratively for a productive and successful GHS 2016.
“One of our commitments is and has been to engage in meaningful activities, programs and collaborate with Government of India, several professional medical associations, institutions, hospitals and medical colleges – with the objective of giving back to our former home land,” ,” Dr. Jain said. “A passion that is dear to all Indians as someone important once said “you can take the Indian out of India but you cannot take the India out of the Indian,” Dr. Jain emphasized.
AAPI’s Chief Patron the Minster of External Affairs of India, Smt. Sushma Swaraj has confirmed to be the Chief Guest for AAPI’s FIRST Women’s Leadership Forum scheduled for January 2, 2016 from 1.30PM, Dr. Jain announced. Several prominent women leaders will be invited to the forum to discuss the future of women leaders in India, share personal examples of their challenges, struggles and successes. More details are being developed.
During the visit to India, the AAPI delegation was able to gain the commitment from the Minister of State for Tourism, Dr. Mahesh Sharma to be a part of the Cultural Celebrations on January 2, 2016, where a stunning evening depicting the rich culture of music, dance and art will be performed by a leading group of artists, as part of the GHS.
Among the other initiatives, the delegation also succeeded in having the first ever AAIMS-AAPI collaboration, with agreement signed with Dr. M.C Mishra, Director and Head of AIIMS and Dr. Shakti Gupta, Head, Administration. The first project will be the collaboration on the AAPI-led Research Abstract and Poster competition that will be held on December 29th at the prestigious AIIMS institute in Delhi.
After years of persistence and effort of several people, the upgraded and enhanced www.swaasthIndia.gov.in is now up and running. The purpose of this web site to enable physician volunteers from all over the world enlist in various healthcare camps, screening and other philanthropic activities being conducted in India. This website is now being promoted with all the state Ministers of Health and NGO’s to post information about such activities, once that is updated the international Indian medical diaspora will be able to volunteer for activities most relevant to their expertise and in their respective geographies, Dr. Jain informed.
Dr. Jain has called upon AAPI members to join in this historic journey, “AAPI’s mission is clear, our programs will continue to strive and our impact is infectious on benefiting society. We as physicians make significant contributions for the betterment of people’s lives. As members we can make these contributions through the 4 E’s: Excellence of Education, Empowerment, Enlightenment, and Evolution. Today I ask you to set aside your differences, and join me in this noble journey to make our mission possible! We make history – starting today!” Dr. Seema Jain appealed to “all of you, AAPI members, well-wishers, friends and colleagues to join this effort and help ensure that we are putting in solid effort towards making quality healthcare affordable and accessible to all people of India.” For additional information on AAPI and its Global Healthcare Summit, please visit: www.aapiusa.org ; www.aapighsindia.org
Headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Indus American Bank operates a full service branch in Iselin, Jersey City, Parsippany, Plainsboro and Hicksville (NY) and plans to expand to other cities in New Jersey and New York. Indus American Bank has been founded specifically to serve the needs of the South Asians, one of the fastest growing segments of the Asian ethnic group over the coming decade. Presently, Indus American Bank serves both the business as well as the retail customer.
The bank specializes in core business banking products for small to medium-sized companies with emphasis on real estate based lending as well as all the other products that are offered by main-stream banks. Indus American Bank’s focus is to establish and maintain long term relationships with its customers by creating mutually beneficial relationships built on trust and integrity.
The Indus American Bank has become a landmark in the history of Indian immigration to the US with its financial success as well as its efforts to reach out to the community, sponsoring events like India Day Parades and other worthy causes in the tristate. Over the years, it got acclaim for its work to make a difference in the life of the desi community.
To a large extent, the credit for this goes to Anil Bansal, one of the founders and the largest shareholder of the bank in 2005 in Iselin, New Jersey and its chairman since 2011. He became executive chairman next year. His philosophy of helping the community, while doing business has changed the face of the bank from a mere financial organization to a social service partner of the community.
As a community bank, the Bank caters primarily to the needs of consumers and small businesses. More importantly, as a niche community bank it better understands the unique needs of our clients. We do not use a cookie-cutter approach and tailor our solutions to meet the unique needs of our constituents. As a community bank we rely on the community for the funding of our loans, which are concentrated in our geographic footprint. So in effect we act as the community intermediary to channel funds from those who have excess liquidity to those in the community who need funds for growth. We say “Let’s grow together”.
The Bank was established with the mission to be of service meeting the unique banking and financial services needs of consumers and businesses in the Indian-American community in the New York/New Jersey market area. The Bank is striving to be the Bank of Choice for consumers, businesses, their owners and their employees in our catchment area as defined by the CRA Assessment Area. The Bank strives to deliver on the promise of understanding the unique needs of our customers and providing solutions with exceptional personalized service. Help the customer’s business grow through an emphasis on relationship banking over transaction banking.
According to Bansal, while the Bank was founded to serve the needs of the South Asian community, our customers happen to be manly of Indian origin. There are a few reason for this. Over the last 10 years the Indian economy has not only been booming but has also opened up to overseas investment. The sheer size of the Indian population also provides a much broader and deeper base for recent immigrants compared to the other South Asian countries.
Anil Bansal with Senator Bob Menendez
The past one decade has been a period of steady growth. “They say timing is everything. The Bank opened in 2005 and the financial crisis started in 2007. Yes, we hit some serious head winds but were able to come out of the turbulence stronger and resilient. Overall we have been able to achieve the goals we envisaged and believe are on the track for more broad and deeper market penetration.”
As for the future plans for growth, Bansal says, “We follow our clients or members of the community. In ten years we have 5 branches despite the deep recession. We expect our growth to gain momentum as the economy gathers steam and we are able to attract more customers with new and improved products and services. We are celebrating our 10th anniversary with an even greater contribution to the community, both in terms of contributions and time devoted by our employees.
Anil Bansal, Executive Chairman is one of the founders of the Bank and is the largest shareholder. Presently the Bank has over 200 shareholders from within the community. The bank’s market area had been defined to include Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Union, Bergen, Essex, and Hudson Counties in New Jersey and Nassau County in New York. Loans have also been made in the five boroughs of New York City to include Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan and the Bronx. The population in the defined counties is in excess of 6.7 million.
Anil Bansal with Gov. Christie of NJ
The New York and New Jersey metro areas have the largest concentration of Indian-Americans in the country. Indian-Americans are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the U.S. Indian-Americans generally have higher than average household incomes, savings rates, and ownership of real-estate. Bansal believes that while statistically overbanked, there is significant deposit growth in the market to support a niche institution with strong ties to the community. The existing branch network represents a good platform for delivery of services.
And he is full of confidence. “We expect to see continued improvement in the real estate market and government agencies are taking steps to stimulate this sector, being so critical for the overall economy. While Indians have been good savers, they have also been very astute investors. Our advice would be to continue on the path with diversification as a goal. We as a community have done very well in America, our adopted country. We should use our success in continued contributions to our mother land an our adopted country. India is on the cusp of major changes and we as Indian-Americans can play a crucial role.”
According to Bansal, Indus American Bank takes pride in promoting religious and social community events and participating in outreach programs. “We have supported and will continue to support events like India Day Parade which showcase India’s rich history and culture and symbolize India’s growing economic power in today’s world,” he said.
Bansal said that Indus American Bank is committed to the development and growth of the communities in which we operate. “We partner with our communities and build on those relationships.” Bansal has played a leading role in the development of the bank since inception. When IAB started operations in 2006, Mr. Bansal was co-chairman of the bank and over the years has been active in the growth of the institution. As a matter of fact, IAB was selected in 2009 by NJ BIZ as one of New Jersey’s top 50 fastest growing companies, a result of the vision and guidance of the Board.
When he took over as chairman he said, “I am excited at the opportunity to work closely with my colleagues on the Board and with Bank Management to build on the existing business. I believe there is huge potential for the Bank and the community to grow together. We are committed to serving the needs of our customers and the communities we operate in.”
Last year, the bank felicitated Mok Singh, a well-known entrepreneur and president of Sita World Group and Air World Alliance, who rode on the bank’s float as a guest of honor at the India Day Parade in New York City. “The presence of Mok Singh is very appropriate for the occasion as he has brought pride to the Indian American community with his election as president of Skål International, the largest organization of professional travel and tourism leaders around the world which promotes global tourism and friendship,”
Bansal continues as chairman of IA Bancorp, the holding company and the Executive Chairman of Indus American Bank. He has been active in the South Asian business community and is presently president of Asian Indian Chamber of Commerce. The bank has been founded specifically to serve the needs of the South Asians, one of the fastest growing segments of the Asian ethnic group over the coming decade. Presently, the bank serves both the business as well as the retail customer.
Anil Bansal with Shashi Tharoor
An alumnus of IIT Kanpur (BTech-1977), University of Notre Dame (MS materials science-1979) and Syracuse University (MBA-1985), Bansal worked with various institutions in the US before embarking on setting up his own businesses. After graduation, he worked as a senior project manager for Perkin Elmer and later GTE Corporation as an engineer and was primarily responsible for new product development.
He has led successful computer and real estate companies and his interests also include investments in the restaurant business. He is presently CEO of First National Corporation, a real estate investment and management company and Chairman of vSplash, an international web design and development company.
As an international corporate business leader he is on the board of several corporations and charity foundations. In addition, he served for 15 years as vice chairman of the board of trustees at PBI Regional Medical Center, a prominent non-profit acute care hospital located in the City of Passaic in New Jersey.
Bansal also runs the Bansal Foundation, which helps provide academic scholarships and medical help to needy Indians children worldwide. He was on a state level board to suggest strategies for revitalizing Asian American community, when Jon Corzine was the governor of New Jersey.
As a private entrepreneur he was responsible for the introduction of Apple Computers to the school system throughout New Jersey. He understood the importance of computers in daily life decades before it became a reality and he formed a company to supply and train customers in the use of computer systems.
Anil Bansal graduated from IIT Kanpur in 1977 and came to the United States for a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering. After working for a few years as a metallurgist at Westinghouse and GTE, he got more interested in marketing and decided to do an MBA. After completing his MBA, he joined Perkins Elmer but soon decided to go out on his own and start his own business. He tried different businesses, eventually starting a computer business selling PCs to homes and businesses which was fairly successful, and at the height of the 1994-95 computer boom had around $25 million in annual sales. At the time, he had started another business, a real estate company acquiring and renting properties in New Jersey, which is still operating.
In 2005, Bansal joined with few friends who felt there was a need for a bank focused on the Indian immigrant community in US, especially in the New Jersey area which had the second largest Indian-American population. By December 2005, they had got the approvals, raised the capital and opened their first branch in Iselin, New Jersey. Within four years, Indus American Bank had over $200 million in assets with several branches in New Jersey-New York area, serving Indian owned businesses and communities, with personalized services and a staff that can communicate in Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Sindhi and English. In 2009, the bank was honored as one of “Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies” in New Jersey by NJBIZ.
Anil Bansal with his wife Kumud
Bansal began his next venture in 2006, this time in the restaurant business. “I want to try different things” says Bansal, “There are two factors to it -I am a very curious person and I like to learn new things and there are passions that go in different ways, some people have a passion to go deeper into one field, other people have a passion to start and grow business’s, I happen to have a passion where I want to do something different every five years.” Within two years of opening, his restaurant, Mantra in Paramus, New Jersey, was named one of the “25 Best Restaurants in New Jersey” by New Jersey Monthly. Bansal also serves his community as the President of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce, an association of Indian/South Asian businesses in New Jersey, helping create an environment for the businesses to network and
Promote interactions with the state government. He was the vice chairman of Beth Israel Hospital in Passaic for 15 years. Bansal also represented New Jersey state in a national level committee on Diversity, supporting the Governor of New Jersey in promoting diversity in the state and in efforts to create local grassroots organization. “New Jersey is the most diverse state in the US, with immigrants representing countries all over the world, and Indians are the fastest growing new immigrants coming in” said Bansal.
“As a true community bank, Indus American Bank is committed to the development and growth of the communities in which we operate. We partner with our communities and build on those relationships,” Bansal noted. “We believe long-term relationships breed long-term success, which is why we say “come grow with us. Our customers feel proud and refer to us as “My Bank” and feel free to speak their own language with our multilingual employees. All decisions are made locally and our President and senior management team are readily available and accessible to all of you: our customers and partners.”
New York, NY: In their efforts to spread the message of health and wellbeing for all, leaders of the American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI) joined the India Day Parade in New York City on Sunday August 16th, 2015. Applause from the crowds reached a crescendo as the colorfully decorated Float bearing AAPI’s name, symbol, and message of health and wellbeing to all rolled on in New York City. Led by its energetic leaders led by Dr. Seema Jain, president of AAPI, the float marched along with dozens of others, saluting India and the over a billion people of Indian origin around the globe.
A record number of people, both Indian Americans and mainstream Americans thronged the sidewalks, filling Madison Avenue from 38th to 27th Streets, cheering jubilantly as the floats portraying the rich heritage of India and the rise of India as a world power, meandered through the Big Apple. The gods seemed to smile as the clouds lifted and the bright sun shone forth. The crowds acknowledged the contributions and achievements of the Indian Diaspora and their motherland, India.
A host of AAPI leaders, including AAPI’s President, Dr. Seema Jain, President-Elect, Dr. Ajay Lodha, YPS President Dr. Rupak Parikh, YPS President-Elect, Dr Aditya Desai,
Board of Trustee member, Dr. Krishan Kumar, Dr. Sanjay Jain, and Dr. Amy Shah, along with several young Physicians and MSRF members had come into New York from different parts of the country to be part of the largest India Day Parade around the world, organized by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA).
“We are extremely happy to be part of this great event,” said Dr. Seema Jain, after leading the parade in New York City on Sunday. “On behalf of the over 80,000 physicians of Indian Origin in the United States, I want to convey our greetings to all the people of Indian origin, especially to over two million Indian Americans across the United States, who continue to make India proud and make India stand tall among peoples of the whole world. On this very special day of celebrating our freedom, we take special pride in saluting our beloved tricolor. Let us recall with pride the great sacrifice of our freedom fighters, whose undying love for India secured us our freedom,” he added.
Dr. Ajay Lodha, President-Elect of AAPI, who was on the AAPI float in New York, said, “On this happy occasion join me and all members of AAPI in saluting the hard work of all our citizens who have, over these 69 years, helped build a new India. Let us bow our head in memory of all those brave Jawans and all our brave citizens who have sacrificed their lives for the cause of our unity, integrity and progress.”
According to Dr.Amy Shah, “AAPI is very proud to salute India that is united despite its many diversities. An India that is not divided by caste, creed or gender. An India, in which the creativity and enterprise of every citizen can find its full and free expression.” Dr. Krishan Kumar, while greeting the people of India said, “As we celebrate India and its several achievements on this very special day, AAPI is very proud to join in and salute this great nation and its 1.2 billion people.”
Members of AAPI are not only known for their exceptional quality of care they provide to their patients, but also have established an unprecedented professional exchange program between the physicians and researchers in the US and India, augmented medical education curricula and established medical specialties, and emergency services in India, sponsored free medical care in the US and India through free clinics, participated in legislative days in DC, led with exemplary leadership and devotion the AMA – IMG Section and many committees with AAPI.
AAPI is a forum that facilitates and enables over 100,000 Indian American Physicians and Fellows to excel in patient care, teaching and research and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs. Founded with the objective to promote professional solidarity in the pursuit of excellence in patient care, teaching and research, AAPI brings American medicine the distinctive contributions from India, and advance the American creed of one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. For more details, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
Orlando, FL: Joseph M. Chalil, MD, MBA, FACHE, is the honored recipient of the prestigious Presidential Award by the Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). Dr. Chalil was bestowed with the award for pioneering the ground-breaking initiative Global Clinical Research and Trial Network in front of an audience of 2,000 during the 33rd Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly of AAPI–the largest ethnic organization of physicians in the U.S.–on June 19th in Orlando, Florida.
“Connecting to the brand of AAPI and its extensive US Physician network will lead to an increased visibility of pharmaceutical clinical trials here in the USA,” commented Dr. Chalil, Chairman of the new and independent global research network.
Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI, lauded Dr. Chalil’s leadership in heading the pioneering initiative of AAPI. Upon presenting the award, Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, immediate past President of AAPI, praised Dr. Chalil for his leadership of the initiative, affording the AAPI Membership the extensive reach to “educate physicians regarding clinical across the U.S, from small groups as referral sources to larger ones that can already run the research and trials themselves.”
Dr. Joseph Chalil receiving the Presidential Award from Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, immediate past President of AAPI during the annual convention. Also in the picture are: Dr. Ajeeth Singhvi, immediate past Chair, AAPI BOT, and Dr. Amish Parikh, Chairman of the AAPI Convention in Orlando.
Dr. Chalil is a Physician and Executive at Boehringer Ingelheim, the world’s largest privately held pharmaceutical company, and for the past five years has served as Scientific Advisor to AAPI, the second largest physician organization in the US second only to AMA. A veteran of the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, Dr. Chalil is also board certified in healthcare management, and has been awarded 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 holds three US Patents, and his research includes Clinical Trial Management in Cystic Fibrosis, Multiple Myeloma, and publications in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. He was the recipient of the 2013 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award. A Visiting Professor at various universities and board member of various companies, Dr. Chalil is an expert in US Healthcare policy and a strong advocate for patient centered care. The American Association of Cardiologists of Indian Origin (AACIO) honored Dr. Chalil for his achievements in the field of Cardiology in 2013.
IRVINE, Calif. — Syed Ali Jafar, a University of California-Irvine computer scientist who has changed the world’s understanding of the capacity of wireless networks, last month won the 2015 Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists in physical sciences and engineering.
One of three winners chosen from among 300 candidates from highly ranked American universities and research institutions, Jafar will receive a $250,000 unrestricted cash prize and a medal in September at New York’s Museum of Natural History.
A professor of electrical engineering and computer science, Jafar explores the fundamental performance limits of wireless communication networks. Determining network capacity — the maximum data rates that can be reliably supported — is the holy grail of network information theory, according to Jafar and others.
And with the rapid growth of wireless communication networks, the quest has taken on unprecedented urgency. Jafar’s research group has gained worldwide recognition for its numerous seminal contributions to this topic, including its groundbreaking work on interference alignment in wireless networks.
This research found that data rates are not limited by the number of devices sharing the radio frequency spectrum, a discovery that changed the thinking about how wireless networks should be designed.
“This is a truly remarkable result that has a tremendous impact on both information theory and the design of wireless networks,” one of the judges, Paul Horn, senior vice provost for research at New York University, stated in a UCI press release.
Jafar became interested in science in high school. “Einstein’s E=mc2 captured my imagination,” he said. The equation made him wonder about how something so profound could be so simple and beautiful – and it became his lifelong dream to pursue beauty through science.
As a graduate student studying information theory at the California Institute of Technology, Jafar found similar elegance in the formula describing the capacity of an information channel. He realized that much about the capacity of communication networks was still unknown and made it his life’s work to solve the mystery.
Jafar earned a B.Tech. degree at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, an M.S. at Caltech and a Ph.D. at Stanford University, all in electrical engineering. He’s a fellow of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers, and he recently received the UCI Academic Senate’s Distinguished Mid-Career Faculty Award for Research.
Jafar was also recognized as a Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher and included by ScienceWatch among the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds in 2014.
Mobile phone notifications can ruin your focus even if you do not actually pick up the phone to respond to them, a study says. “Although these notifications are generally short in duration, they can prompt task-irrelevant thoughts, or mind wandering, which has been shown to damage task performance,” lead study author Cary Stothart was quoted as saying.
“We found that notifications alone significantly disrupted performance on an attention-demanding task, even when participants did not directly interact with a mobile device during the task,” Stothart said. Study authors, Ainsley Mitchum, and Courtney Yehnert ran volunteers through an attention-monitoring test to reach their conclusions.
Participants were found to perform significantly worse on a task when their phones were buzzing or ringing. In fact, they were three times more likely to make mistakes. The level of distraction was comparable to actually answering a phone call or writing a text message.
“If you really want to keep your mind on a task, just ignoring your phone notifications is not enough. You need to disable them altogether,” the researchers said. An earlier study from Rice University found that phones can be detrimental to learning process. The research said while users initially believed the mobile devices would improve their ability to perform well with homework and tests and ultimately get better grades, the opposite was reported at the end of the study.
Despite having a population of 1.2 billion and the world’s ninth largest economy, India remains excluded from several regional economic organizations like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) — a situation experts say is detrimental to both India and the international community.
India’s economy is only partly integrated into the global economy, particularly regional trade arrangements in a dynamic Asia-Pacific. The emergence of regional trade agreements such as the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) threatens to further distance India from the global supply chains critical to Prime Minister Modi’s “Make in India” initiative.
Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) has convened a high-level, international task force to develop a strategy for India’s membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. To be chaired by Kevin Rudd, ASPI will develop the case for India’s membership in APEC, identify the benefits and obstacles to it, and seek to generate support for India’s membership in India and among APEC members.
Rudd served as Australia’s 26th Prime Minister and as Foreign Minister. As Chair of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism, Rudd is leading a review of the UN system.
Ajay Banga, co-chair of ASPI, is President and Chief Executive Officer of MasterCard and a member of its board of directors. He serves as a member of President Obama’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. Amb. Shyam Saran, another co-chair of ASPI, was Foreign Secretary of India from 2004 to 2006 and currently serves as Chairman for the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), a think tank specializing in studies on economic and trade issues.
The task force will include members from India, the United States, and key APEC member economies from Asia. ASPI will share a report of the task force with the Government of India, APEC member economies, and business communities in all those economies in early 2016. The Confederation of Indian Industry is partnering with ASPI on this initiative.
Rudd noted that India’s delayed entry is as much about the negotiation process as internal economic issues. “The dynamic of any negotiating room at the top is always in the direction delay, it is rarely in the direction of decision,” Rudd said. “There are two things that are eternal: the kingdom of heaven and the bureaucracies of our various countries.”
“Business globally, and especially in the U.S., should be delighted by the prospect of India joining APEC,” said Banga. “An India that’s much more open, much more aligned with the trade protocols and practices of APEC members, is an India that is way better positioned for integration into global supply chains.”
Shyam Saran, one of several panelists appearing via Skype, emphasized that his country realizes the importance of international economic associations. “Let me say very categorically that India is very keenly interested in becoming part of APEC,” he said, adding that the country has in fact applied in the past but was stopped by a moratorium on new members.
Panelists pointed out that some member countries remain skeptical of India’s ability to conform to APEC trade norms and culture. “The U.S. reluctance to embrace India into APEC for these many years has been a fear that India would slow down the process of moving toward greater trade facilitation and liberalization,” Fred Bergsten, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said. “India, along with some other countries, has sometimes caused problems for global trade negotiations.”
Bergsten added that if India were to join APEC, it could pave the way to membership in the even more exclusive Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Being part of an organization like this, according to Peterson Institute estimates, could expand India’s exports by as much as $500 billion per year by 2025.
Sunil Kant Munjal, joint managing director and chairman of Hero MindMine Institute Ltd., said that it’s hard for India to institute the needed reforms as quickly as countries like China did. “There’s literally not one other large economy in the world that has given civil liberties first and has tried to turn itself into a market economy and a global market economy,” he said. “It is a fairly unique experiment in that sense, so some of the things have been slower than we’d like, but it’s also because of the complex and extremely diverse society that we have in India.”
India’s entry into the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC), which accounts for nearly 60 percent of global GDP, would provide a pathway for greater integration into the region’s economy. It would also ensure that trade remains a unifying force in the region, where competing trade regimes are straining ties.
Houston, TX: Dr. Seema Jain, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), highlighted the numerous initiatives on preventive healthcare, AAPI, the largest ethnic association of medical professionals in the United States, has initiated here in the US and in India, during the First World Congress on Preventive Healthcare 2015 at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Friday, July 10th, 2015. Dr. Eduardo Sanches, President of American Heart Association was another speaker who was a special guest to address the delegates at the World Congress.
Dr. Jain emphasized the need for Exercise, Healthy Eating, and Energizing oneself through Meditations and Yoga to be the best means for preventing health risks and staying healthy. She praised the AAPI members who have been in the forefront researching, educating and discovering ways to prevent risks and find healthcare solutions to world’s healthcare problems.
“There is a plethora of Physicians of Indian Origin working globally who have their roots in India,” Dr. Jain, said. “It is estimated that there are 1.2 million Physicians of Indian Origin working not only in India, but also, in most of the countries around the world. Their contributions to the world of healthcare is enormous. AAPI has taken numerous initiatives in preventing health risks and bringing the best healthcare to millions of people.”
Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI, addressing the audience at the World Congress ON Preventive Healthcare 2015
Dr. Jain pointed out that Indian-Americans constitute less than one percent of the population in the United States, but they account for nearly nine percent of the nation’s physicians in the United States, having a very powerful presence across the nation, while serving in almost all parts of the country. They are estimated to provide healthcare to over 40 million patients in the US.
“It was truly an honor to have you endorse and inaugurate the First World Congress on Preventive Healthcare 2015 hosted by the 35th NABC here in Houston,” said Dr. Sumita Chowdhury, Chairperson for the World Congress on Preventive Healthcare, said. “Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and make this a historic event. Your speech was unforgettable and the message was so soulful that it touched the hearts of all the thousands of attendees who were spellbound! I certainly look forward to working closely with AAPI under your leadership with our mission.”
In addition to several workshops on ways to preventive healthcare, the Congress brought medical testing, diagnosis and knowledge about high mortality causes to the fore during the Congress held from July 10-12th. The historic World Congress was part of the North American Bengali Conference (NABC) 2015, organized by Tagore Society of Houston. An overflowing crowd of about 8,000 registered attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, distinguished guests and walk-in visitors to the fair and exhibitors’ area thronged the nook and corner of the sprawling complex.
Bollywood celebrity and music director Jatin Pandit was the Brand Ambassador for the World Congress on Preventive Healthcare 2015. This Congress will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston from July 10th to July 12th, 2015.
Free screenings for clinical cardiac risk parameters, blood tests for advanced lipid parameters, diabetes testing, cardiac rhythm evaluations, and endothelial function tests were some of the services offered to participants during the Congress.
The Congress was an initiative to create global awareness about preventive healthcare to make it a sustainable priority with a mission to: Educate communities on risk factors and preventive strategies; Enact healthy lifestyles, best practices, and equity in access, and empower each individual to implement early intervention and resuscitation because knowledge is power.
A forum to bring together all stakeholders in healthcare to formulate a shared vision towards prevention of disease, The Congress combined the collective wisdom of world leaders in healthcare policy and delivery will create sustainable measures for prevention that can be adapted worldwide and integrated into the fabric of our daily lives.
The Congress was aimed at preventing heart disease, diabetes, and premature death for all. This forum was a way to evaluate the factors contributing to the increased disease risk among South Asians and will help to formulate awareness campaigns to help modify risk factors that are specific to this ethnic group.
The total number of people with diabetes is projected to rise from 171 million in 2000 to 366 million in 2030. In 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes and 13% of Asian Indians had diabetes. $245 billion: Total costs of diagnosed diabetes in the United States in 2012. South Asians have a one in three lifetime risk for developing diabetes.
South Asians living in America carry a very heavy load of coronary disease – one that is much higher than any other ethnic community. While the occurrence of coronary disease has doubled in the last few decades, it is now growing exponentially. Although South Asians comprise a quarter of the world’s population, they carry 60% of the burden of cardiovascular disease.
The Congress brought to the attention of the world that one American dies every 40 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular diseases. A disproportionate burden of this risk is seen in the 3.4 million South Asians that live in the United States. The risks for heart attacks and cardiovascular death can be up to five times higher for South Asians when compared to other ethnic groups. At the event, Dr. Chowdhury appealed to the South Asian community to unite and conquer the epidemics of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes and called on each member of the community to join the South Asian Cardiovascular Registry and contribute to the advancement of science.
Dr. Seema Jain, President of AAPI, addressing the audience at the World Congress ON Preventive Healthcare 2015
“There is a need for greater visibility and cohesion of these Physicians. Their combined intellectual and technical strength can also be a vital force in the development of the healthcare sector, including research and academics. Indian physicians both in India and abroad excel in their fields and have a passion to provide quality care. AAPI through this new initiative, brings their collective power on one platform to help shape healthcare in under served areas and work towards quality healthcare for all,” added Dr. Jain.
