The Indian Panorama Celebrates 18th Year Of Publication At “Gratitude Gala”

The Indian Panorama, a weekly publication from New York, celebrated its 18th anniversary by hosting a Gratitude Gala on February 25 in Hicksville Long Island, NY.

Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj  honored four eminent Indian American, and Congressman Tom Suozzi, felicitated The Indian Panorama and its contributions.

For the news weekly’s Founding Editor and Publisher Prof Indrajit Singh Saluja, it was a double celebration as he also cut a cake for his 80th birthday. Editor-Publisher Indrajit S. Saluja thanked the patrons for their support and loyalty.

In a busy evening program, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amb. Ruchira Kamboj presided and presented awards to the four honorees. Congressman-elect Tom Suozzi thanked Prof Saluja and the Indian community for their support. The Indian Panorama also lent its platform to launch Blitz India’s US edition.

Even as Prof Saluja expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the guests present in the chandeliered ballroom of Pearl Banquet Hall, as well as his readers and the Indian community for their loyal support all these years, he chose to honor four eminent Indian Americans at the event. All were honored with a citation scroll, a shawl, and a model of the Golden Temple.

The four honorees are well-known in the community. Dr. V.K. Raju (Life Achievement Honor) is on a mission to eliminate childhood blindness through his Eye Foundation of America.

Ranju Batra (Excellence in Promotion of Diplomacy Award) honors diplomats at the Diwali Stamp – Power of One awards after securing the Diwali Stamp from USPS.

Harry Singh Bolla (Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award)  runs a billion-dollar chain of gas stations and has started a charity to support good causes here in New York and India. He could not be present in person.

Purnima Desai (Excellence in Culture Award) is the founder of Shikshayatan Cultural Center and Sriniketan Foundation which encourage and support Indian music and arts through training and events.

They were also presented citations from Nassau County Executive  Bruce Blakeman.

Introducing the Chief Guest, eminent attorney Ravi Batra said Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj joined her post when India was already a Member of the UN Security Council and she took it to a higher trajectory.

Amb Kamboj, in her address, commended The Indian Panorama for not only being a mirror of the vibrant roots of our culture but also showcasing the journey of the Indian diaspora. She also called the US diaspora the best in the world.

The new Consul General of India in New York, Amb. Binaya S. Pradhan could not make it because of a conflict in scheduling.

Blitz India Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Deepak Dwivedi and CEO Sandeepp Saxena flew in from New Delhi for the US launch of their news weekly, which is India’s first chronicler of development news and already has a UK edition. The duo was joined by Prof Saluja and other dignitaries and mediapersons to release printed copies of the paper.

Two more media events followed. Journalists Beyond Borders (JBB), a fraternity organization founded by Prof Saluja in 2022, was formally launched. Local publishers and editors joined in to reveal its logo. Through journalism, JBB  aims to protect and promote human rights, human values, and world peace. Prof Saluja used the occasion to facilitate his friend Parveen Chopra on the first anniversary of his ALotusInTheMud.com, a wellness and spirituality web magazine.

The guests at the gala included Padma Shri Dr Sudhir Parikh, Publisher of Parikh Media Worldwide, and Dilip Chauhan who represented NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Prominent Community organizations were represented: Gobind Munjal and Dr Jagdish Gupta from AIA, Dr Avinash Gupta, Srujal Parikh, and Alok Kumar from FIA-Tristate, and Thomas Abraham from GOPIO. IOC-USA was represented by George Abraham.

Veteran Sikh community leader Master Mohinder Singh, a former president of Gurdwara Sikh Cultural Society, Richmond Hill, and a founder President of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Sikh Center was present with Gurmej Singh, a former president of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana.

The media fraternity stood in solidarity with Prof. Saluja. They included: Sunil Hali (Promoter, Radio Zindagi, and Publisher, The Indian Eye), Sharanjit Singh Thind (Editor-Publisher, South Asian Insider), and Varinder Bhalla  (Publisher, Bollywood Insider).

The standing-room-only audience was hooked to the show beginning with the very first item when two lithe dancers from Battery Dance took to the floor. The last item was the adrenaline-pumping bhangra dance. In between, dancers trained by Shilpa Jhurani and Rimli Roy showed their classical moves. The artists were profusely applauded by the audience and thanked by Prof. Saluja.

The evening’s program was dexterously emceed by Piya Jyoti Kachroo, ITV anchor and producer.

The sumptuous dinner with a top-of-the-shelf bar was enjoyed by the guests.  Prof. Saluja expressed his heartfelt thanks to Pearl CEO Gary Sikka and his staff for the excellent food and hospitality.

Those at the event from the electronic media included Pardeep Gill from Global Punjab, Munish Byala, and Gurinder Hothi. Photographers included Mohammed Jaffer, Vijay Shah and Kripa Prasad.

Guests came from various parts of the US and even India. They included  Bidisha Roy, Assistant Editor of The Indian Panorama (TIP) from Tampa, Florida, Zia Khan, a celebrated photographer who looks after TIP’s Dallas edition, and Parminder Singh Aujla, TIP’s California representative, from Sacramento.

Politician Puneet Ahluwalia came from Virginia, social activist Murtaza from Pennsylvania. Harry Singh Panaser, Mrs. Manjit Kaur Panaser,  Harvenderpal Singh, Seema Jagtiani, Nutan Dabholkar, Dave Makkar, Mrs. Rashmi Makkar, Prachi and Surya Makkar, Rimli Roy, Rupinder Singh, and many more from New Jersey.

From India came Arminder Arora and his wife Tript Arora, Sparsh and Bhola.

Prof Indrajit Saluja has become synonymous with The Indian Panorama, a labor of love. He is not only an eminent editor but also a well-respected community leader who has forged links across the ethnic, ideological, and political spectrum.

For Prof Saluja, his paper is an expression and extension of his love for India as well as a platform to project the rich South Asian culture and how our successful community has made a place in the melting pot of America. A trilingual, he has also helped start newspapers in Hindi and Punjabi.

Indefatigable Prof Saluja’s spirit and intensity of work belie his years. He came to the US over 20 years ago after having a long career as a Professor of English Literature at leading colleges in India. Alongside, he founded a prominent monthly magazine titled ‘Punjab Beat’.

Prof Saluja feels proud that The Indian Panorama has remained true to its motto, EVER TRUTHFUL”. “This commitment is not just a slogan but a guiding principle, a promise to our readers, and a testament to the collective effort that sustains the publication,” he insists.

(Parveen Chopra is the founder-editor of ALotusInTheMud.com, the premier wellness and spirituality magazine started in 2022.)