The Indian Panorama

Month: May 2015

  • India’s Energy Minister discusses opportunities in the Power & Coal sectors with U.S. Industry

    India’s Energy Minister discusses opportunities in the Power & Coal sectors with U.S. Industry

    WASHINGTON D.C. (TIP): At an industry roundtable hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) in Washington D.C., Piyush Goyal, Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy discussed the $250 billion investment opportunity in India’s growing energy sector.

    Addressing senior business executives from the energy sector, Minister Goyal said, “Since assuming office, our Government has laid a very solid foundation for the ease of doing business in the country. India’s power generation capacity has grown significantly- we have seen 8.5% growth in power generation year over year. We aim to provide electricity to all Indians by 2019. “

    USIBC Executive Vice President, Diane Farrell said, “Minister Goyal is an excellent representative for Government of India’s commitment to ease of doing business in the country. Power is the backbone of any economy and vital to the Prime Minister’s Make in India initiative. It is encouraging to see the tremendous strides being made by the sector to place India on a firm growth trajectory. USIBC member companies are responsive to the Government of India’s commitment to ease of doing business and remain optimistic about investment opportunities.”

    The event was attended by senior executives from USIBC member companies: First Solar, Oracle, GE, XCoal, Gasification Technologies Council, Vermeer, AECOM, International Paper, 3M, and Westinghouse and others.

    Formed in 1975 at the request of the U.S. and Indian governments, the U.S.-India Business Council is the premier business advocacy organization, comprised of more than 300 top-tier U.S. and Indian companies advancing U.S.-India commercial ties. USIBC is the largest bilateral trade association in the United States, with liaison presence in New York, Silicon Valley, and New Delhi. Ajay Banga, President and CEO of MasterCard, is USIBC’s Chairman.

  • God’s Plenty confuses and causes concern to Republicans

    God’s Plenty confuses and causes concern to Republicans

    NEW YORK (TIP): With Rick Perry, Carly Fiorina, Bobby Jindal, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz  and Scott Walker  ready to throw their hats in the 2016 Presidential ring, the party’s top leaders are growing increasingly fearful  about the  manner and method of the upcoming debates. On Wednesday, May 20, Fox News said that it planned to limit the number of debaters based on how candidates are performing in polls. Such a threshold has drawn pushback from lesser-known candidates who say they lack the national name recognition to dominate early polling.

    New York Times had an  interesting  report on the issue which said : “Is there a more novel and fair way to select the candidates? As a service to the debate organizers, First Draft contemplated alternative criteria.

    Spanish Speaking: Speaking Spanish seems to correlate with success in this Republican field: Jeb Bush and Senator Marco Rubio, two early favorites who sit atop many polls, would automatically be included under this criteria. Senator Ted Cruz has some facility with the language, but is not known to be fluent. In 2012, when running for Senate, he declined an offer to debate his opponent in Spanish.

    Ivy Leaguer: A proud Princeton graduate, Mr. Cruz would be a shoo-in under this rule. Gov. Bobby Jindal would also get a ticket to the debate, thanks to his degree from Brown University. Ben Carson, who attended Yale, would also be included despite his soft polling numbers. Former Gov. Jeb Bush’s brother George W. Bush went to Yale, too, but Jeb himself would not make the cut: He went to the University of Texas at Austin.

    Embroiled in Scandal: The lane closings in New Jersey at the George Washington Bridge would give Gov. Chris Christie a ticket to the big stage if scrutiny by prosecutors was the price of admission.

    But he would not be alone. Former Gov. Rick Perry remains under the cloud of a criminal felony indictment for abuse of power in Texas. And Gov. Scott Walker faces continuing allegations over a “John Doe” scandal in Wisconsin in which he is accused of mixing official business with political business.

    Musical Proficiency: Debates don’t have to be all about yelling. Some of the candidates can carry a tune.

    According to Carly Fiorina’s campaign, the former Hewlett-Packard chief executive is a talented pianist. In this situation, she would face off with former Gov. Mike Huckabee, who was not only a Baptist pastor but also skilled with the bass guitar. While capitalism and religion do not always mix, Ms. Fiorina and Mr. Huckabee could make for an entertaining evening as a duo, if they bring their instruments.

    Surely, Hillary Clinton is amused. So are democrats.

  • Karen Hinton will be the new Press Secretary to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio

    Karen Hinton will be the new Press Secretary to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to hire Karen Hinton, a longtime communications executive and strategist, as his new press secretary, according to information trickling in from people familiar with the matter.

    Ms. Hinton will be in charge of the day-to-day dealings of the mayor’s office with the news media. The hire would fill a position that has been open for several months.

    Ms. Hinton, 56, declined to comment. Phil Walzak, a spokesman for the mayor, too, declined to comment and said a formal announcement on the job is coming next month.

    She is a longtime Democratic aide who worked for the Clinton administration and Mercury Public Affairs, a strategy firm in New York. She owns Hinton Communications, a private firm.

    Ms. Hinton is married to Howard Glaser, a former top aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

  • MEMORIAL DAY – Featured

    MEMORIAL DAY – Featured

    Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country’s armed forces. The holiday, which is observed every year on the last Monday of May, was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service.

    It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

    Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

    Annual Decoration Days for particular cemeteries are held on a Sunday in late spring or early summer in some rural areas of the American South, notably in the mountain areas. In cases involving a family graveyard where remote ancestors as well as those who were deceased more recently are buried, this may take on the character of an extended family reunion to which some people travel hundreds of miles. People gather on the designated day and put flowers on graves and renew contacts with relatives and others. There often is a religious service and a picnic-like “dinner on the ground,” the traditional term for a potluck meal in which people used to spread the dishes out on sheets or tablecloths on the grass. It is believed that this practice began before the American Civil War and thus may reflect the real origin of the “memorial day” idea.

    Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.MEMORIAL DAY IMAGE @

    HISTORY OF THE HOLIDAY

    The practice of decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers is an ancient custom. Soldiers’ graves were decorated in the U.S. before and during the American Civil War. A claim was made in 1906 that the first Civil War soldier’s grave ever decorated was in Warrenton, Virginia, on June 3, 1861, implying the first Memorial Day occurred there. Though not for Union soldiers, there is authentic documentation that women in Savannah, Georgia, decorated Confederate soldiers’ graves in 1862. In 1863, the cemetery dedication at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was a ceremony of commemoration at the graves of dead soldiers. Local historians in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, claim that ladies there decorated soldiers’ graves on July 4, 1864. As a result, Boalsburg promotes itself as the birthplace of Memorial Day.

    Following President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in April 1865, there were a variety of events of commemoration. The sheer number of soldiers of both sides who died in the Civil War, more than 600,000, meant that burial and memorialization took on new cultural significance. Under the leadership of women during the war, an increasingly formal practice of decorating graves had taken shape. In 1865, the federal government began creating national military cemeteries for the Union war dead.

    The first widely-publicized observance of a Memorial Day-type observance after the Civil War was in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 1, 1865. During the war, Union soldiers who were prisoners of war had been held at the Hampton Park Race Course in Charleston; at least 257 Union prisoners died there and were hastily buried in unmarked graves. Together with teachers and missionaries, black residents of Charleston organized a May Day ceremony in 1865, which was covered by the New York Tribune and other national papers. The freedmen cleaned up and landscaped the burial ground, building an enclosure and an arch labeled “Martyrs of the Race Course.” Nearly 10,000 people, mostly freedmen, gathered on May 1 to commemorate the war dead. Involved were about 3,000 school children, newly enrolled in freedmen’s schools, as well as mutual aid societies, Union troops, black ministers and white northern missionaries. Most brought flowers to lay on the burial field. Today the site is remembrance celebration would come to be called the “First Decoration Day” in the North.

    On May 26, 1966, President Johnson signed a presidential proclamation naming Waterloo, New York, as the birthplace of Memorial Day. Earlier, the 89th Congress had adopted House Concurrent Resolution 587, which officially recognized that the patriotic tradition of observing Memorial Day began one hundred years prior in Waterloo, New York. Other communities claiming to be the birthplace of Memorial Day include Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, Carbondale, Illinois, Columbus, Georgia, and Columbus, Mississippi. A recent study investigating the Waterloo claim as well as dozens of other origination theories concludes that nearly all of them are apocryphal legends.

  • ANTI-AGING DRUG MAY BE JUST 5 YEARS AWAY

    LONDON (TIP): A new anti-aging drug may be just five years away , say scientists who have identified the role of an enzyme in muscle wasting and associated age-related problems.

    Researchers at the University of Birmingham believe that inhibiting the enzyme could hold the key to developing ways of preventing, or reversing, the adverse effects of aging.

    The research is a significant step in understanding the role played by the enzyme 11beta-HSD1 in the degenerative effects of aging -including sarcopenia (age related muscle wasting).

    Researchers claim the anti-aging drug could be available to the general public within the next five years. The expression of 11beta-HSD1, responsible for activating the steroid hormone cortisol, was increased in the muscles of older females.

    About 134 healthy volunteers, aged between 20-80, underwent physical and biochemical tests at a clinical research facility. The findings show that expression of 11beta-HSD1 in skeletal muscles is increased 2.72-fold in women over 60 years of age, compared to those aged between 20 and 40. In male participants, no difference was seen.

    “As yet, we don’t know why it appears to only occur in women, it is obviously an interesting area for further research. We are planning to look at whether hormones such as estrogens could be involved,” Dr Zaki HassanSmith, from the University of Birmingham, said. The researchers wanted to investigate novel ways of increasing healthy life span -the years in which people can maintain active lifestyles without the debilitating impact of muscle wasting.

    “Looking at this particular enzyme seemed like an intriguing way forward. We knew how it works in relation to Cushing’s Syndrome, which is characterised by similar symptoms, and thought it would be worthwhile applying what we knew to the aging population,” said Hassan-Smith.

  • Two Indian cities at high risk of terror strike

    Two Indian cities at high risk of terror strike

    LONDON (TIP): Two Indian cities -Imphal (ranked 32) and Srinagar (ranked 49) have been named to be at “extreme risk” of a terrorist attack, mainly aiming to cause mass casualty and destroy public transport networks.

    According to an analysis of the terror risk to 1,300 commercial hubs and urban centres around the world, populations and businesses in 113 Indian cities have been identified to be at some risk – high, medium or low risk of facing terrorist attacks.

    The next major Indian city after these two that faces a terrorist threat is Chennai even though the risk quotient has been marked as medium risk.

    Bangalore is the fourth most prone city even though it is placed at 204th in the global threat list followed by Pune and Hyderabad at 206th and 207th respectively

    Cities like Nagpur (ranked 2010) and Kolkata (2012) have been found to face a higher risk of a mass attack by terrorists that the usually expected targets like Delhi (447) and Mumbai (298).

    Around 64 cities around the world are at “extreme” risk, with most in the Middle East and Asia – and three in Europe.

    London ranked as low as at 400 due to the lack of a terror incident since the 7/7 bombings while Paris has soared into the top 100 cities following the Charlie Hebdo shooting, according to Verisk Maplecroft’s new Global Alerts Dashboard (GAD).

    Arvind Ramakrishnan, head of Maplecroft India said “When it comes to Imphal and Srinagar, terrorist attacks aren’t on commercial targets as much as against the security forces. However n most of the other metropolitan cities, the targets are both to cause mass casualty and cripple its commercial hubs. Public transport networks in India are also prime targets”.

    Ramakrishnan added “The Mumbai attack in 2008 was the turning point for India. But lack of intelligence sharing among states is a big worry. Law and order is still a state subject in India and political rivalries across states leads to state intelligence agencies not sharing actionable data. Virtually all police forces in India lack modern equipment and adequate manpower to counter a terrorist threat. This brings down the overall morale of the force. India does not face threats from cross border terror organisations but also from home grown ones like the Indian Mujahideen”.

    Charlotte Ingham, head of security analytics at Maplecroft UK said in total, 64 cities are categorised as
    ‘extreme risk’ in an online mapping and data portal that logged analysed every reported terrorism incident since 2009.

    Based on the intensity and frequency of attacks in the 12 months following February 2014, combined with the number and severity of incidents in the previous five years, six cities in Iraq top the ranking.

    Over this period, the country’s capital, Baghdad, suffered 380 terrorist attacks resulting in 1141 deaths and 3654 wounded, making it the world’s highest risk urban centre, followed by Mosul, Al Ramadi, Ba’qubah, Kirkuk and Al Hillah. Ingham said “just because a city in India hasn’t seen a terrorist attack in a while does not mean it isn’t potentially facing one. The rankings are based on the frequency and intensity of attacks.

    Belfast has been named as the most dangerous city in Europe while Baghdad topped the list worldwide.

    Outside of Iraq, other capital cities rated ‘extreme risk’ include Kabul (13th most at risk), Mogadishu in Somalia (14th), Sana’a in Yemen (19th) and Tripoli in Libya (48th).

    However, with investment limited in conflict and post-conflict locations, it is the risk posed by terrorism in the primary cities of strategic economies, such as Egypt, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan that has the potential to threaten business and supply chain continuity.

    “An estimated 80% of global GDP is generated from cities,” states Ingham. “Visibility of the sub-national differences in terrorism levels should be an imperative for multinational organisations looking to understand and price the risks to assets, employees and supply chains”.

    As Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria’s role as a commercial hub is central to economic growth across the region. Because of Boko Haram 13 out of the 24 Nigerian cities experienced a significant increase in the intensity and frequency of terrorist attacks compared to the previous quarter.

    Paris (97th and ‘high risk’) has experienced one of the steepest rises in the ranking, reflecting the severity of the terrorist attack in January 2015 that left 17 people dead. The risk level in Paris is representative of a wider trend for Western countries, including Belgium, Canada and Australia, where the level of risk in key urban centres is substantially higher than elsewhere in the country”.

  • American woman gets 24 years jail for pushing Indian-origin Sunando Sen to death

    American woman gets 24 years jail for pushing Indian-origin Sunando Sen to death

    NEW YORK (TIP): A 33-year-old American woman has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for pushing an Indian man to death in front of a subway train in an attack apparently motivated by religious animus.

    Erika Menendez had pleaded guilty in March before Queens Supreme Court Justice Gregory Lasak for pushing Sunando Sen, 46 to his death as the subway train entered the station on the night of December 27, 2012.

    Ms Menendez however insisted that she could not remember why she had pushed  Sen onto the path of an approaching train.

    A report in the New York Post said Justice Lasak expressed his outrage over Sen’s death before sentencing her.

    “For whatever reason, when you gave your statement to police after you were arrested, you said, ‘I hate Muslims and the Hindus.’ Do you remember that?” the judge asked. Ms Menendez replied she did not.

    “You picked out Sen, who was on that platform and you stood behind him and you followed him,” the judge said.

    “This was a particularly brutal homicide. I can only imagine his final thoughts. That’s a horrible, horrible way to die,” Justice Lasak said adding that Ms Menendez’s act terrorized the whole city.

    “Millions of people take the trains every day in New York City to go to work or to go to school or other destinations, and they want to feel safe,” Justice Lasak said. “And this put a chilling effect on all the ridership”, the Judge added.

    Sen, an immigrant from India, had lived in Queens for years and had opened his own printing and copying business near Columbia University.

    He was unmarried and his parents were dead, according to roommates who lived with him in a small apartment.

    Following Ms Menendez’s guilty plea, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown had said she committed “what is every subway commuter’s worst nightmare – being suddenly and senselessly pushed into the path of an oncoming train.”

    He had said Sen was pushed from behind and had no chance to defend himself.

    According to the criminal complaint, Ms Menendez was observed talking to herself and pacing back and forth on the subway platform around 8 pm on December 27.

    Sen was on the platform waiting for the train’s arrival when suddenly Ms Menendez approached him from behind and pushed him onto the tracks as the train came into the station.

    Sen was struck by the train and died of multiple blunt force trauma.

    Ms Menendez had later told authorities that her hatred for “Hindus and Muslims” prompted her to push Sen off the subway platform.

    She had also said that even though the attack on Sen was too sudden, he had still tried to save himself briefly before he fell onto the tracks.

    Ms Menendez had said in a jailhouse interview after the attack that she “just wanted to hurt Muslims and Hindus ever since [9/11].”

  • The Hindu Temple Society of North America, New York to celebrate the first International Day of Yoga, June 21

    The Hindu Temple Society of North America, New York to celebrate the first International Day of Yoga, June 21

    NEW YORK (TIP): A press release from the Hindu Temple Society of North America, New York says that it will be celebrate “International Yoga Day on June 21st 2015 as declared by the Honorable Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi.”

    According to the information provided by the Society, Bowne Street between Holly Avenue and 45th Avenue in Flushing will be blocked with the permission of the local authorities for vehicle and traffic on June 21st. Blocked area will be used for education and publishing activities, primarily to get access to various Yoga related materials like books, clothes, etc. Tents will be installed within the temple complex. The tent area will be used for suryanamaskar /aasana presentation and practice, lectures, video presentation and various consultation activities. Temple has created a dedicated website for the International Yoga Day (
    www.621yogaday.com), which has all the essential information.

    Leading up to the event day, starting from May 24th –  One identified Yoga posture will be demonstrated every week. Participants will be encouraged with guided practice, explanation of technique, variations in the same posture, benefits and areas to watch. A similar education will be provided for an identified pranayama and meditation technique. The same information will be available at the website.

    The program for the day -June 21- will start at 10:00 AM with special prayers, invocation by the temple priest, and blowing the conch. The event is planned to start and end with meditation. The program for the day features Yoga workshops to cater to individual & group needs, special lectures, group performances, demonstrations, pranayama (breathing exercise), meditation, Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar), Satvic
    (wholesome) food, consultations with experts in the field of Ayurveda, Nutrition, Pulse Reading, Video and audio presentations. Guided performance of Sun salutations, along with Pranayama, is designed at every hour, starting 10 AM. Special lectures from eminent scholars include ‘Why Yogasana’ by Sharmila Desai, ‘Karma and Reincarnation’ by Professor Dr. Prasad and ‘Ayurveda and its influence on Yoga’ by Dr. Naina Marballi.

    Tributes will be paid to the great Yogis like HH Swami Buaji, Sri BKS Iyengar, Sri Krishnamachari, Sri HH Swami Sivananda etc, the Yogis who truly believed and lived their lives through yogic practices.

    Special events are designed for senior citizens, children and workaholics. A special feature of the event includes desk yoga – a technique that brings yoga to the desk for sedentary occupation (people who need to spend majority of their time at the desk as part of the job) and senior citizens. As part of this, nine techniques will be introduced that will focus on neck, shoulder, hands, wrists, palms, elbow movements and eyes. Health specialists in Nutrition, Ayurveda and Pulse Reading will be available during the event for
    one-on-one consultation. Events will conclude by 5:00 PM.

  • CRY America Calls for Support to Make Children’s Dreams a Reality

    CRY America Calls for Support to Make Children’s Dreams a Reality

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): CRY- Child Rights and You America Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization that works to restore the rights of underprivileged children, especially in India, hosted its annual benefit dinner ‘Pledge 2015’ on May 8th, at The Taj Pierre, New York.

    While India seems to hold the promise of being a potential engine of global growth with investments happening in manufacturing, insurance and other sectors, its children appear to be the most neglected segment, with the rights of children being vastly ignored. In 13 years of existence, CRY America’s work with 70 projects has resulted in 191,901 children being immunized, 104,972 child births registered ensuring them an identity, and 367 public healthcare centers activated. Further, 1,187 public schools have been activated and 498,738 children enrolled in public schools today.

    Speaking at Pledge 2015, Shefali Sunderlal, President of CRY America shared, “India has the largest child population in the world. Children have big dreams and given an equal opportunity, they can rise to their full potential and make their dreams come true. What we need is strong political and economic will to ensure children are part of our country’s growth.”

    “We need to address the various factors that come in the way of children achieving their dreams. Even today, 50% of our children continue to die due to malnutrition. Over 10 million children are forced by circumstances to do forms of work, often in hazardous or exploitative conditions. Girl children are killed in infancy or even while they are still in their mother’s womb. CRY America has been able to reach out to 600,558 children, a feat that would not have been possible without the support of our donors, volunteers and grassroots partners,” she added.

    Former Indian Ambassador to the US, Ms. Nirupama Rao at the dinner shared, “Gender is now mainstreamed into the national debate in India. This is a crucial development because it enables a clearer focus on the challenges that confront women and young girls today. The issues of security, freedom from violence, and empowerment for women are now imprinted on the national conscience.”

    Professor Aswath Damodaran, Kerschner Family Chair at Finance, Stern School of Business at NYU shared, “The best gift you can give a child, poor or rich, is hope, and there is not a better instrument for delivering hope than a good education. While the challenge of educating hundreds of millions of children in Asia is daunting, each of us can make a difference, and I hope that I can deliver that message”.

    Also present at the event, Dan Nainan, Professional comedian, shared, “I’m honored to have been asked to be part of the event for CRY America. While the problems faced by children in India are certainly no laughing matter, I’m very much looking forward to doing my best to raise as much as we can to help these very deserving children have happier childhoods and get an education.”

    Pledge 2015 was attended by a hundred high profile individuals from New York and New Jersey, who came together to partner CRY America’s work to benefit underprivileged children. Over $75,000 was raised at the event-valuable resources that will be directed towards funding several projects to ensure lasting change for children. The key speakers at Pledge 2015 were inspiring personalities including Ms. Nirupama Rao, Dr. Aswath Damodaran and Dan Nainan and the event was attended by prominent members of the South Asian community.

    Paintings donated by famous Indian artists Murali Nagapuzha, Anu Kulkarni, Suresh Gulage, Abhang Balasaheb, Nitin Nangare, Arvind Kolapkar, an autographed bat and ball by Cricket legend Saurav Ganguly were auctioned at the New York dinner.

    Since its inception 13 years ago, CRY America has enabled people to take responsibility for the situation of underprivileged children. Sunderlal concluded, “Your support will help us bring children’s dreams to life. It will allow us to continue to ensure many more children are able to go to sleep educated, healthy and protected. Your solidarity is needed today, more than ever.” She appealed for people to join CRY America as donors, volunteers and supporters and visit www.america.cry.org for more information.

    For more information: visit http://america.cry.org or write to support@cryamerica.org

    (Based on a press release)

  • BUDDHA JAYANTI

    BUDDHA JAYANTI

    Buddha Jayanti, also known as Buddha Purnima, celebrates the birthday of Lord Buddha. It also commemorates his enlightenment and death. It’s the most sacred Buddhist festival.

    Buddhists regard Lumbini (which is now part of Nepal) to be the birthplace of Buddha. Named Siddhartha Gautama, he was born as a prince into a royal family sometime in the 5th or 6th century BC. However, at the age of 29 he left his family and began his quest for enlightenment after seeing the extent of human suffering outside the walls of his opulent palace.

    He became enlightened at Bodhgaya in the Indian state of Bihar, and is believed to have lived and taught mostly in eastern India.

    Buddha Jayanti is celebrated at the various Buddhist sites across India, particularly at Bodhgaya and Sarnath (near Varanasi, where Buddha gave his first sermon). Celebrations are widespread in predominantly Buddhist regions such as Sikkim, Ladakh, and Arunachal Pradesh as well.

    The festival is also celebrated in Buddha Jayanti Park, Delhi. The park is located on Ridge Road, towards the southern end of Delhi Ridge.

    How is the Festival Celebrated?

    Activities include prayer meets, sermons and religious discourses, recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation, processions, and worship of the statue of Buddha.

    At Bodhgaya, the Mahabodhi Temple wears a festive look and is decorated with colorful flags and flowers. Special prayers are organized under the Bodhi Tree (the tree under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment).

    Rituals Performed During Festival

    Many Buddhists visit temples on Buddha Jayanti to listen to monks give talks and recite ancient verses. Devout Buddhists may spend all day in one or more temples. Some temples display a small statue of Buddha as a baby. The statue is placed in a basin filled with water and decorated with flowers. Visitors to the temple pour water over the statue. This symbolizes a pure and new beginning. Other statues of Buddha are worshiped by offerings of incense, flowers, candles and fruit.

    Buddhists pay special attention to Buddha’s teachings Buddha Jayanti. They give money, food or goods to organizations that help the poor, elderly, and those who are sick. Caged animals are bought and set free to show care for all living creatures, as preached by Buddha. The usual dress is pure white. Non-vegetarian food is normally avoided. Kheer, a sweet rice porridge is also commonly served to recall the story of Sujata, a maiden who offered the Buddha a bowl of milk porridge.

    The Birth of the Buddha

    Twenty-five centuries ago, King Suddhodana ruled a land near the Himalaya Mountains.

    One day during a midsummer festival, his wife Queen Maya retired to her quarters to rest, and she fell asleep and dreamed a vivid dream. Four angels carried her high into white mountain peaks and clothed her in flowers. A magnificent white bull elephant bearing a white lotus in its trunk approached Maya and walked around her three times.

    Then the elephant struck her on the right side with its trunk and vanished into her.

    When Maya awoke, she told her husband about the dream. The King summoned 64 Brahmans to come and interpret it. Queen Maya would give birth to a son, the Brahmans said, and if the son did not leave the household he would become a world conqueror. However, if he were to leave the household he would become a Buddha.

    When the time for the birth grew near, Queen Maya wished to travel from Kapilavatthu, the King’s capital, to her childhood home, Devadaha, to give birth. With the King’s blessings she left Kapilavatthu on a palanquin carried by a thousand courtiers.

    On the way to Devadaha, the procession passed Lumbini Grove, which was full of blossoming trees. Entranced, the Queen asked her courtiers to stop, and she left the palanquin and entered the grove. As she reached up to touch the blossoms, her son was born.

    Then the Queen and her son were showered with perfumed blossoms, and two streams of sparkling water poured from the sky to bathe them.

    And the infant stood, and took seven steps, and proclaimed “I alone am the World-Honored One!”

    Then Queen Maya and her son returned to Kapilavatthu. The Queen died seven days later, and the infant prince was nursed and raised by the Queen’s sister Pajapati, also married to King Suddhodana.

    Aspects of this story may have been borrowed from Hindu texts, such as the account of the birth of Indra from the Rig Veda. The story may also have Hellenic influences. For a time after Alexander the Great conquered central Asia in 334 BCE, there was considerable intermingling of Buddhism with Hellenic art and ideas. There also is speculation that the story of the Buddha’s birth was “improved” after Buddhist traders returned from the Middle East with stories of the birth of Jesus.

    There is a jumble of symbols presented in this story. The white elephant was a sacred animal representing fertility and wisdom. The lotus is a common symbol for enlightenment in Buddhist art. A white lotus in particular represents mental and spiritual purity. The baby Buddha’s seven steps evoke seven directions – north, south, east, west, up, down, and here.

    In Asia, Buddha’s Birthday is a festive celebration featuring parades with many flowers and floats of white elephants. Figures of the baby Buddha pointing up and down are placed in bowls, and sweet tea is poured over the figures to “wash” the baby.

    Newcomers to Buddhism tend to dismiss the Buddha birth myth as so much froth. It sounds like a story about the birth of a god, and the Buddha was not a god. In particular, the declaration “I alone am the World-Honored One” is a bit hard to square with Buddhist teachings on nontheism and anatman.

    However, in Mahayana Buddhism it is said the baby Buddha was speaking of the Buddha-nature that is the immutable and eternal nature of all beings. On Buddha’s birthday, some Mahayana Buddhists wish each other happy birthday, because the Buddha’s birthday is everyone’s birthday.

    The Enlightenment of the Buddha

    Siddhartha sat beneath a sacred fig (Ficus religiosa), known ever after as the Bodhi Tree, and settled into meditation.

    The work of Siddhartha’s mind came to be mythologized as a great battle with Mara, a demon whose name means “destruction’ and who represents the passions that snare and delude us. Mara brought vast armies of monsters to attack Siddhartha, who sat still and untouched. Mara’s most beautiful daughter tried to seduce Siddhartha, but this effort also failed.

    Finally, Mara claimed the seat of enlightenment rightfully belonged to him. Mara’s spiritual accomplishments were greater than Siddhartha’s, the demon said. Mara’s monstrous soldiers cried out together, “I am his witness!” Mara challenged Siddhartha–who will speak for you?

    Then Siddhartha reached out his right hand to touch the earth, and the earth itself roared, “I bear you witness!” Mara disappeared. And as the morning star rose in the sky, Siddhartha Gautama realized enlightenment and became a Buddha.

  • Celebrating International Day of Yoga

    Celebrating International Day of Yoga

    How does a common man picture Yoga?  Thanks to proponents of Yoga, like Baba Ramdev, yoga is just pranayam and asanas. But, in fact, Yoga is much more than the asanas, though asanas are an important part of the Yoga.

    My friend Parveen Chopra has written an excellent article on Yoga which our readers can find on page 16 of this edition (web Link –International Day of Yoga – A GLOBAL CELEBRATION). Tracing the history and concept of Yoga, he writes,” Yoga is at least 5,000-year-old and one of the six systems of Indian philosophy. It was codified by Maharishi Patanjali in 200 AD as Yoga Darshan, containing 195 Yoga Sutras. The core essence of Patanjali is the eightfold path or Ashtanga Yoga containing observances and practices for the holistic growth of a human being – physical, moral, mental and spiritual. Yoga’s literal meaning of union (of individual consciousness with universal consciousness) lays out its higher reaches.

    “In today’s world, though, yoga to most people has come to mean the practice of asanas – physical postures, but Patanjali’s treatise has only one sutra about postures- sthira-sukham asanam (2.46), which translated from Sanskrit means: posture should be stable and comfortable. So where are the numerous asanas practiced in yoga classes coming from? The answer is, they originate from the age-old Hatha Yoga tradition, one treatise for which is called Hatha Yoga Pradipika.

    Undoubtedly, the global observance of the International Day of Yoga and related events will make millions of people to become aware of the tenets of yoga, encouraging many to follow a yogic lifestyle, a life that is healthy and harmonious. In turn, IDY is an opening for the world community to realize human oneness, and move beyond war and strife towards peace and harmony.”

    I feel tempted to use Mr. Chopra’s words, yet again, to conclude,” Undoubtedly, the global observance of the International Day of Yoga and related events will make millions of people to become aware of the tenets of yoga, encouraging many to follow a yogic lifestyle, a life that is healthy and harmonious. In turn, IDY is an opening for the world community to realize human oneness, and move beyond war and strife towards peace and harmony.”

  • MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee goes in to the Eighth Edition

    MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee goes in to the Eighth Edition

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): At a glittering event held at the Indian Consulate and attended by top dignitaries including the India’s Minister for  Power & Coal, Touchdown Media Inc., the leading multicultural advertising firm, announced May  19, the launch of the eighth season of the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee. MetLife, a leading global provider of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management, returns as the title sponsor of the contest.

    The event is open to children of South Asian descent up to 14 years of age. It will give South Asian children a chance to test their spelling skills in their core peer group. Interested spellers need their parent or guardian to register them online at www.southasianspellingbee.com.

    Organized by Touchdown Media Inc., the 2015 MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee will be conducted in 12 locations across the United States starting on June 13. Regional level events will be held in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C. Metro, New Jersey, New York and Boston. All events will be free to attend and open to the public.

    SONY Entertainment Television Asia, the exclusive broadcast partner for the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee will be airing the series across 120 countries. Seen in the picture (from L to R): Jaideep Janakiraman, Head of North America SONY Entertainment Television; Rahul Walia, Founder of South Asian Spelling Bee; Neeraj Arora, EVP , International SONY Entertainment Television
    SONY Entertainment Television Asia, the exclusive broadcast partner for the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee will be airing the series across 120 countries. Seen in the picture (from L to R): Jaideep Janakiraman, Head of North America SONY Entertainment Television; Rahul Walia, Founder of
    South Asian Spelling Bee; Neeraj Arora, EVP , International SONY Entertainment Television

    “For the past seven years, the Bee has consistently provided a firm platform for the community to come together and hone their craft. It’s become a family activity that contributes towards the overall development of the child. We are proud to enter our eighth consecutive year and look forward to engaging some of these wonderful spellers,” said Rahul Walia, founder of the South Asian Spelling Bee and CEO of Touchdown Media Inc.

    Each competition will begin with a written test of 25 words. The participants must spell 15 or more words correctly to advance to the afternoon oral round, which will be conducted by experienced pronouncers and judges. The top three in the oral round will receive prize money.

    The top two spellers of each regional competition will advance to the finals to be held in New Jersey in August. Similar to previous years MetLife has once again funded the $10,000 champion’s grand prize that will be awarded to the winner at the finals.

    “MetLife is pleased to serve once again as the title sponsor of the South Asian Spelling Bee competition,” said Laurel Daring, assistant vice president, MetLife Premier Client Group. “This event allows youth from across the country to test their spelling skills in a national forum and helps them gain a better understanding of how much they can achieve through hard work and dedication. For MetLife, it also underscores our commitment to serving and giving back to the South Asian community.”

    This year, the Bee is powered by Kawan-the world’s most popular Roti paratha brand and as always, SONY Entertainment Television Asia is the exclusive broadcast partner for the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee and will be airing the series across 120 countries.

    “Kawan is proud to return as a sponsor and we have tremendous faith in contributing towards crucial family time for the community. We look forward to getting to know the spellers and their families through this wonderful journey,” said Tim Tan, Managing Director Kawan Food.

    “Year over year, the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee has made for great programming that gels with our ethos of compete family entertainment. We are all about family values and encourage platforms such as these that highlight the talent of our community,” said Jaideep Janakiram, Head of North America, Sony Entertainment Television-Asia.

    For a complete schedule, registration and any other information, please visit:
    www.SouthAsianSpellingBee.com.

    Find us on Facebook at South Asian Spelling Bee and you can follow us on our Twitter handle at Spell South Asian.

    About MetLife

    MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the largest life insurance companies in the world. Founded in 1868, MetLife is a global provider of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management. Serving approximately 100 million customers, MetLife has operations in nearly 50 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit
    www.metlife.com.

    About Sony Entertainment Television Asia:

    Since its launch on the Indian subcontinent in 1995, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) has enjoyed rapid success, leading to the establishment of European, North American and African feeds known as SET Asia. SET and SET Asia are now available in over 150 countries. The channels offer their viewers a distinctive blend of entertainment programs twenty-four hours a day, including, soap operas, dramas, sitcoms, concerts, movies, and game shows. For more information, visit
    www.setasia.tv.

    About Touchdown Media Inc.:

    Touchdown Media Inc. is a specialized South Asian advertising and promotions firm based in New Jersey. Now in its 11th successful year, Touchdown has helped clients- both mainstream and otherwise, reach out to the lucrative South Asian market, Touchdown Media represents more than 35 years of collective experience in this niche market. As a full service ad firm, Touchdown has helped many clients achieve their media and marketing goals within the South Asian Diaspora in the US.

    (Based on a Press Release)

  • IAF JET LANDS SUCCESSFULLY ON YAMUNA EXPRESSWAY

    IAF JET LANDS SUCCESSFULLY ON YAMUNA EXPRESSWAY

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Indian Air Force has carried out a successful trial of landing a combat jet on a road runway.

    The IAF’s Mirage 2000 successfully landed on Yamuna expressway near Mathura on May 21.

    It’s a kind of first for military aviation in India.

    The aircraft landed at about 6:40am, senior IAF officers said, adding that the force has plans to activate more such stretches on highways in the future.

    The IAF has been considering the use of national highways for emergency landing by fighter aircraft.

  • NRI investments to be considered domestic

    New Delhi (TIP): In an attempt to attract overseas funds, the Centre on Thursday said non-repatriable investments by non-resident Indians (NRIs), overseas citizens of India (OCIs) and persons of Indian origin (PIOs) will be treated as domestic investments and will not be subject to FDI caps.

    The Cabinet approved some amendments, including changes in definition of NRI, to be incorporated in the FDI policy.

    “Investment by NRIs under Schedule 4 of FEMA (Transfer or issue of security by persons residing outside India) Regulations will be deemed to be domestic investment at par with the investment made by residents.” an official statement said.

    The NDA government, which has liberalised the FDI policy for sectors such as Defence, Railways, infrastructure, medical devices and insurance, is keen to tap NRIs, OCIs and PIOs.

    The government wants to channelise the funds of NRIs, who now have set up large companies abroad, by treating their non-repatriable investments as domestic investment.

    NRIs have been demanding the government that their investment be considered as domestic investment.

    A committee set up to look into the possibility of treating non-repatriable NRI funds as domestic investment, had earlier said that NRIs might prefer investing through corporate entities.

    “It was intended to provide NRIs an incentive to bring funds into India without repatriation rights, at a time when foreign exchange reserves were limited and capital inflows were modest,” the statement said.

    The provision should continue to incentivise investments by NRIs, including OCIs and PIOs, resulting in increased investments in the country.

    “This will enable investments by NRIs, OCI and PIO cardholders under Schedule 4 on non-repatriation basis, across sectors without being subjected to any of the conditions associated to foreign investment,” it said.

    During the April-February period of the previous fiscal, FDI rose by 39 per cent to $28.81 billion as against $20.76 billion in the same period last fiscal.

  • COAL SCAM: COURT GRANTS BAIL TO NAVEEN JINDAL, RAO, KODA & OTHERS

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, ex-Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and seven others were today granted bail by a special court in a coal block allocation scam case.

    Jindal, Rao, Koda, formed coal Secretary Harish Chandra Gupta and others appeared as accused before the special CBI Judge Bharat Parasar and moved separate pleas seeking bail.

    During the arguments, senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, appearing for Jindal, told the court that his client had joined the investigation as and when called by the CBI and there was no apprehension that he would abscond or flee from justice.

    The counsel representing other nine individual accused told the court that their clients were not arrested during the investigation and there was no likelihood that any one of them will abscond.

    Senior public prosecutor V K Sharma opposed the bail pleas saying the accused in the case are high profile industrialists and politicians and most of the prosecution witnesses are their employees and could influence the witnesses or tamper with the evidence if released on bail.

    The judge, after hearing the submissions, granted bail to the ten individuals accused, saying, “I deem it appropriate… to admit all ten accused on bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each with one surety of the like amount.”

    The court also directed the accused not to leave India without its prior permission and fixed the matter for further hearing on June 1.

    Besides Jindal, Rao, Koda and Gupta, the other accused who were granted bail are Suresh Singhal, Director of New Delhi Exim Pvt Ltd, Rajeev Jain, Director of Jindal Realty Pvt Ltd, Girish Kumar Suneja and Radha Krishna Saraf, both Directors of Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd (GSIPL), K Ramakrishna Prasad, Managing Director of Sowbhagya Media Ltd and chartered accountant Gyan Swaroop Garg.

  • TAMIL NADU GOVERNOR INVITES AIADMK CHIEF JAYALALITHAA TO FORM GOVERNMENT

    TAMIL NADU GOVERNOR INVITES AIADMK CHIEF JAYALALITHAA TO FORM GOVERNMENT

    CHENNAI: On a day of quick developments, Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosiah Friday invited AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa to form a government, marking yet another milestone in Dravidian politics. At around 8.15am, chief minister O Panneerselvam handed over his resignation to the Governor, making way for his party chief to take over the administrative reins.

    A Raj Bhavan press release issued at 8.30am by principal secretary to the Governor said he accepted the resignation of Panneerselvam and his council of ministers with effect from forenoon of May 22. “The Governor has requested the CM and his present council to function until alternative arrangements are made,” the release said.

    Another press release said the Governor had invited Jayalalithaa to form the ministry at the earliest and requested her to send the list of persons to be appointed as ministers with their portfolios. The AIADMK chief is scheduled to meet Rosiah at around 2pm today to stake claim to form the government. She is likely to be sworn in as chief minister at a gala ceremony in the city on Saturday morning.

    Popularly referred to as ‘caretaker CM’, this was Panneerselvam’s second stint as Tamil Nadu chief minister, both for brief periods. Around 8.15am, Panneerselvam, accompanied by the AIADMK’s core committee members, went to Raj Bhavan and handed over his resignation as per schedule, ending his nearly eight-month stint.

  • PM Modi’s remarks abroad on birth in India slammed by opposition, social media

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks abroad on how people earlier used to think what sin they committed to have been born in India and how this has now changed sparked angry reaction from opposition parties on Tuesday, May 19, besides triggering a storm of protest on social media.

    Congress said it is “really pained” at the remarks made by Modi, calling it shameful while the JD(U) said it has
    “devalued” the stature of the prime minister and lowered the dignity of his office. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in a sarcastic response said it appeared there were no Indians who took pride in their country before May 16, 2014– the day when BJP stormed to power unseating the UPA government.

    Modi’s remarks evoked a strong reaction from Twitterati, some of whom criticised the Prime Minister for “insulting” his own country. It triggered one of Twitter’s top trends, the hashtag #ModiInsultsIndia. “We are really pained over the remarks as no leader in independent India has ever made such a statement”, former Union Minister Kapil Sibal said at the AICC briefing, expressing shock and dismay. “Why those who occupy the highest offices today become self-centric instead of country centric when they go abroad ?”, Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi said on micro-blogging site Twitter.

    Congress spokesperson, Sushmita Dev, was scathing. “PM is perceived as a good orator by many, but gradually his content is hitting rock bottom. Shameful statements being made overseas”, she tweeted. Omar, the National Conference working President, while expressing surprise over the remarks said, “So it seems there were no Indians who took pride in their country before 16th May 2014. I was completely blind to this amazing fact.

    “Or at least no Indians abroad who took pride in their country. I’m so glad you have since been temporarily rescued from your misery”.

    “Born in England, choose to carry an Indian passport & no Mr PM I’ve never been embarrassed to show my passport anywhere, ever,” he said in another tweet. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said Modi’s remarks were “despicable” while JD(U)’s Pavan Verma said it has lowered the dignity of the office of the prime minister. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi hit out at the Congress for being obsessed with “self-guilt”.

    “The impression is being given as if the Prime Minister has given an official diplomatic statement regarding India’s past government or something like that, which is not true at all,” he said.

    Addressing the Indian Diaspora in Seoul, Modi said, “There was a time when people used to feel that what sin they committed in their past life which resulted in taking birth in India, is this what you call a country and a government, is this how the people are, let’s leave it and go somewhere else, and people did leave. Now I can say it with firm belief that intelligent people from all walks of life, renowned scientists too, even if they are earning big abroad but now they are eager and happy to come back and settle India for even lesser incomes,” he said. In Shanghai, Modi had said, “Indians were feeling pessimistic about their own country till recently but my government has tried its best during its first year in office to change that.

    “Ppl may dislike many things happening in India. Go abroad for better opportunities. But they’re NOT ashamed of being Indian,” said one tweet. Many others pointed out that they were proud of India, no matter who was the Prime Minister.

    “We are not ashamed of being born in India. Bapu, Netaji, Bagha Jatin, Khudiram Bose all died for India!
    #ModiInsultsIndia,” said another Twitter user. “Prime Minister should maintain the dignity of the post and should not try to play dirty politics everywhere,” said another tweet.

  • Indian held for fraud in United States

    Indian held for fraud in United States

    DALLAS (TIP): An Indian-American businessman has been sued by US federal regulators for offering fraudulent oil and gas investments in a petroleum joint venture he owned, raising about$4 million through the scheme.

    Sameer Praveen Sethi and his firm Sethi Petroleum face an emergency civil action filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. At the Commission’s request, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas has entered a temporary restraining order halting the offering, as well as orders to freeze his assets.

    The complaint alleges that, since January 2014, Sethi and his firm, raised approximately $4 million via the fraudulent offer and sale of securities in the Sethi-North Dakota Drilling Fund-LVIII Joint Venture.

    The offering materials represented that 70 per cent of investor funds would be used to acquire working interests in and drill and complete 20 oil and gas wells in the Bakken Shale formation in North Dakota.

    But the Commission alleges that Sethi and his firm spent less than 25 per cent for these purposes. Instead, he spent a majority of the investor funds on undisclosed and unapproved expenditures such as diverting$1.6 million to himself and his family, and Sethi Petroleum’s parent company and over a million dollars to sales employees.

  • Hurdle cleared in Senate on bill to give Obama fast-track authority on Pacific Rim trade deal

    WASHINGTON (TIP): President Obama got a respite when Republicans and a small number of Democrats rescued his trade agenda from the brink of failure Thursday, May 21, clearing a key hurdle in the Senate.

    However, doubts linger about the final outcome. The legislation’s fate in the House remains a tossup because Obama faces entrenched opposition from his own party.

    But the Senate victory on Thursday   kept alive Obama’s bid to secure a broad trade deal with Pacific Rim nations by advancing legislation that would give him expanded authority to complete the accord.

    On a vote of 62 to 38, the measure for fast-track authority received just enough Democratic support to keep it moving, following a last-ditch lobbying effort by Obama and his top advisers. The fate of the legislation, known as trade promotion authority, hung in the balance for more than 30 minutes during the vote.

    During an afternoon meeting with his Cabinet at the White House, Obama thanked the senators who supported his push for fast-track powers, calling the vote “a big step forward this morning on a trade agenda that is consistent with strong labor standards, strong environmental standards and access to markets that too often are closed even as these other countries are selling goods in the United States.”

    “It’s an agenda that is good for U.S. businesses, but most importantly, it is good for American workers,” Obama said.

    Obama has said that he needs fast-track authority to complete the deal with the other nations, which represent about 40 percent of the global economy. If approved by Congress, it would allow for a trade deal to be presented to the House and the Senate under strict timelines and require a simple up-or-down vote without any amendments or requirements of a Senate super-majority to end debate.

    Senate leaders hope to finish with the legislation over the weekend, possibly as early as Friday.

    This week’s near-breakdown came as about 10 Democrats – who wavered over the legislation last week – issued a demand that congressional GOP leaders assure them that they would approve an extension of the federally backed bank that helps U.S. corporations sell their goods abroad. Many conservatives, particularly in the House, oppose renewing the charter of the Export-Import Bank because they consider it a form of corporate welfare that favors large, well-connected businesses, particularly Boeing.

    Republicans, who have worked unusually closely with the Democratic administration over the past few months on their shared goal of advancing global trade, warned before the vote that those senators supporting the Export-Import Bank should not expect help from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) if Thursday’s vote failed.

    As the roll call blew beyond the originally planned 15 minutes, the lawmakers reached a deal on the Export-Import Bank that tipped the scales for Cantwell and Sen. Patty Murray (D), senators from Washington State, which relies on the thousands of jobs at Boeing plants that are tied to Export-Import Bank loans. Working with Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), whose state also has large Boeing factories, they brought with them four additional Democrats to clear the 60-vote hurdle.

    In the end, 49 Republicans and 13 Democrats voted to advance the legislation, while five Republicans and 33 members of the Democratic caucus opposed it.

  • Global Transactional Attorney joins BakerHostetler

    Global Transactional Attorney joins BakerHostetler

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): International and domestic transactional attorney, Partner Rajiv Khanna has joined BakerHostetler’s Business Group in the firm’s New York office. Khanna comes to BakerHostetler from Seyfarth Shaw LLP.

    Khanna brings more than 35 years of experience, including four years practicing in New Delhi, India, counseling publicly and privately held clients on domestic, cross border and multijurisdictional M&A transactions, securities offerings, corporate and project finance and real estate transactions. His business background allows him to advise clients in a business friendly manner in technology, pharmaceutical, financial services, energy, consumer products and other industries through mergers and acquisitions, initial and follow-on public offerings and other transactions. Khanna most recently counseled a Fortune 500 company on its mergers and acquisitions. His fluency in Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi allows him to serve multinational clients with interests in South Asia. He is recognized as a New York Super Lawyer (2006-2008) and is listed in Jewels of India.

    “BakerHostetler is excited to welcome Rajiv to the firm,” said John Gherlein, Chair of the firm’s Business Group. “His international skills leading cross border transactions, especially in India, and experience serving as outside general counsel for international companies is a complement to the team’s international capabilities.”

    “Rajiv utilizes his business acumen to help his clients achieve their business goals not only from a legal perspective, but from a business perspective as well–that tenet is the cornerstone of our Business Group,” said George Stamboulidis, Managing Partner of the firm’s New York office. “He is a welcome addition to our office and practice group.”

    “The transactional matters I handle on a daily basis are at the sweet spot of the firm,” said Khanna. “BakerHostetler is known for its innovative approach to provide cutting-edge legal services to its clients. This platform will allow me to continue to guide my domestic and global clients in unique and original ways.”

    Khanna earned his LL.B (J.D.)  in 1979, and his B.Com (Honors) (B.B.A.) in 1976, both from the University of Delhi. He received his LL.M from the University of Miami School of Law in 1984, where he graduated first in his class. He serves as the President of the India-America Chamber of Commerce and he is frequently called on to speak at and chair conferences related to national and international transactions. Khanna routinely hosts visiting dignitaries from India to facilitate cross border investments between the U.S. and India.

    One of the nation’s leading law firms, BakerHostetler helps clients around the world to address their most complex and critical business and regulatory issues. With five core national practice groups -business, employment, intellectual property, litigation, and tax – the firm has more than 900 lawyers located in 14 offices coast to coast. BakerHostetler is recognized for its role as court-appointed counsel to the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) Trustee in the recovery of billions of dollars in principal lost in the Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Bernard L. Madoff. Additionally, BakerHostetler is widely regarded as having one of the country’s top 10 tax practices, a nationally recognized litigation practice, data privacy practice, and an industry-leading middle market business practice. For more information, visit www.bakerlaw.com.

  • Aishwarya Rai Bachchan @ Caines sayswill be protective mother

    Aishwarya Rai Bachchan @ Caines sayswill be protective mother

    Dressed impeccably in her couture gowns, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan cuts a perfect picture at the Cannes Film Festival year after year. But unlike earlier, in tow, this time, is her three-year-old daughter Aaradhya Bachchan who has been attracting her share of clicks too, as she accompanies her celebrity mother around town — something Ash has mixed feelings about.

    Talking to us from the festival, Ash says, “I used to initially wonder what she must be making of the media around her. What she must be thinking every time we walked out of an airport or got surrounded by the media. But this is normal for her. She is born to believe that this is life. However, the mother in me will always be protective about her. Whenever we’re surrounded by paparazzi, I get extra protective to ensure that she isn’t affected by the ruckus around — it is a natural instinct that’ll always be there. But it is certainly interesting to see how, as she grows up, her perception of things will evolve.”

    Coming back to Cannes, the film festival holds a special place in her heart for reasons more than one. “Aaradhya completed six months here. Also, my mother’s birthday is in the same month, and I am invariably here to celebrate it. It does have a personal mother-daughter connection,” she says.

    This time around, Ash is in Cannes to promote her film Jazbaa. The first look of the film was unveiled at the festival. But the actress isn’t too happy about it being touted as her comeback film. “I had signed Mani Ratnam’s film last year, but that did not get made for technical reasons. Meanwhile, Jazbaa happened and it became the first. I wanted Mani Ratnam’s film to be the first because it is based on a very strong subject. I spoke to him recently and he said that he plans to revisit it.”

    Meanwhile, after years of playing hide and seek with Karan Johar, Ash has finally agreed to work in his upcoming film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. “I would have said yes to Karan all along, but my schedule never permitted me. Since I have just gotten back to working in films, I have the time to prepare a schedule. Since the time I joined the industry, I have always juggled four films on an average, which is why I never could accommodate Karan’s film,” she tells us, explaining why she couldn’t be part of blockbusters Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Dostana — all of which were first offered to her.

  • Heatwave Hits Telangana, Andhra Pradesh; 175 Dead

    Hyderabad (TIP): Severe heatwave conditions continued on Friday in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Temperatures were high at several places in the two states. The death toll due to the heatwave in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh combined rose to 175.

    The death toll increased to 89 in TS on Friday and 86 in AP. Most deaths in TS were recorded in Nalgonda (25), Khammam (17), Warangal (16) and Karimnagar (15). Krishna district in AP recorded 17 deaths, while 28 people in Nellore and Prakasam districts died till Friday. Official reports, however, from the two state governments stuck to the death toll at 21 in TS and 22 in AP.

    Khammam recorded a blistering 47ºCelsius on Friday as did other places of TS like Nizamabad, Nalgonda and Ramagundam. In AP as well, unusually high temperatures were recorded in Vijayawada, Nandigama and Kavali. Vijayawada recorded a high of 45ºCelsius while the heat wave scorched Nandigama at 47 degrees Celsius.

    Hyderabad temperatures also remained high at 43.6ºC on Friday although many places reported higher temperatures. Meteorologists also said that temperatures of 47ºCelsius will continue to be recorded in both states over the next couple of days.

  • House Democrats to Call for End to Family Detention Program

    House Democrats to Call for End to Family Detention Program

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard and a growing number of other House Democrats, alongside former detainees and legal advocates, will call on the Department of Homeland Security to end its immigrant family detention program in a press conference Thursday, May 21, at 10:00 AM ET.

    The lawmakers, led by Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren  and Congressman Luis V. Gutiérrez, will voice concerns over inhumane conditions and the harmful effects of incarceration on the psychological health and well-being of children and families as they await the adjudication of their cases in immigration court.

    The family detention program, administered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has come under increasing criticism following the recent and rapid increase in detention – particularly for the purpose of detaining vulnerable asylum seekers, families and children.  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the New York Times Editorial Board, and Members of Congress have called on the Administration to end its policy of incarcerating children and women, and instead discharge detainees on supervised or monitored release pending the disposition of their case.

  • Indian American Vijay Mohan Dies After Accident in PA

    Indian American Vijay Mohan Dies After Accident in PA

    WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES:  A 26-year-old aspiring Indian-American filmmaker, Vijay Mohan, has succumbed to his injuries after he was hit by a car while riding a bike in his home town of Philadelphia.

    Vijay Mohan was born in a suburb of Chicago, attended high school in India and studied at the Temple University, where he earned a degree in film and media arts.

    Mr Mohan sustained multiple fractures and head trauma after he was hit by a car shortly after midnight on May 10,  police said.

    The Philadelphia film and television community has mourned the death of Vijay Mohan.

    “We will greatly miss his gentle, funny and creative spirit. He was truly committed to our work and demonstrated it daily through his interactions with PhillyCAM producers,” said PhilyCAM, city’s public-access television station.

    “He was very welcoming and able to communicate technical things to people who didn’t have much experience in a way that would make everyone feel comfortable,” said Gretjen Clausing, executive director of Philly Community Access Media.

    Mr Mohan will also be remembered for his work as a student at Temple University, Scribe Video Center, BlackStar Film Festival and Philadelphia Asian Film Festival besides organising with local community organisations in his neighbourhood and throughout the city. He has touched the lives of many individuals and communities in Philadelphia and beyond, PhilyCam said.

  • Louisiana’s Indian-American Governor Bobby Jindal geting set for 2016 US Presidential Run?

    Louisiana’s Indian-American Governor Bobby Jindal geting set for 2016 US Presidential Run?

    WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES:  Louisiana’s Indian-American Governor Bobby Jindal has taken another step towards a possible 2016 presidential run by forming an exploratory committee and launching a national website, www.bobbyjindal.com

    Though Mr Jindal has said he isn’t an official candidate yet, he is expected to formally enter the race after the Louisiana Legislature adjourns on June 11, according to local Times Picayune newspaper.
    Forming an exploratory committee allows a potential presidential candidate to “test the waters” for a national campaign, raise money, take out-of-state trips or conduct polling for a potential presidential campaign.

    “For some time now, my wife Supriya and I have been thinking and praying about whether to run for the presidency of our great nation,” Mr Jindal said in a statement.

    “If I run, my candidacy will be based on the idea that the American people are ready to try a dramatically different direction. Not a course correction, but a dramatically different path.”

    Mr Jindal has made frequent visits to key early voting states in recent months, testing a message centered on the need to “restore the American Dream.”

    But despite his experience as governor and a compelling personal background as the American-born son of Indian immigrants, Mr Jindal has struggled to make an impact in national polls of potential Republican candidates, the Washington Post noted.

    “Bobby Jindal would likely face an uphill battle for the nomination if he decides to run with a Republican field already extremely crowded with six declared candidates and another half-dozen expected to announce in the coming month,” it said.

    Former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker have already launched aggressive fundraising efforts, in part with the help of allied super PACs which can raise and spend unlimited sums of money to advocate for or against political candidates.

    On the Democratic side besides former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, presidential exploratory committee have been formed among others by former senator Jim Webb and Senator Lincoln Chaffee, former Rhode Island Governor

    Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has also said he would be seeking Democratic nomination.