The Indian Panorama

Year: 2017

  • India, Pak begin high-level talks on Indus Waters Treaty

    India, Pak begin high-level talks on Indus Waters Treaty

    The World Bank-brokered water talks with Pakistan are taking place over Thursday and Friday, in Washington DC. Since the Pathankot and Uri attacks last year, Delhi has discouraged any kind of dialogue unless cross-border terrorism comes to an end.

    NEW DELHI (TIP): India and Pakistan have submitted themselves to the World Bank for the second time in two months, to help resolve a dispute over their respective interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty, signalling a softening of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tough line on Pakistan. The presence of Deepak Mittal, joint secretary in charge of the Pakistan desk in the Ministry of External Affairs, in the delegation led by Water Resources Secretary Amarjit Singh is significant.

    The World Bank-brokered water talks with Pakistan are taking place over Thursday and Friday, in Washington DC.

    Since the Pathankot and Uri attacks last year, Delhi has discouraged any kind of dialogue unless cross-border terrorism comes to an end. Reacting to India’s participation in the talks, Bimal Patel, member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) and Law Commission, told The Indian Express that he “doesn’t know what the government’s intention is, but it is uncalled for to participate in such meetings to perpetuate a third party role”.

    Patel said he was speaking in his personal capacity. The five-member NSAB is led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. “I don’t know why we are going to the World Bank. We should not go to the World Bank. I fail to understand why they (the government) are doing this, inviting the World Bank to play a role which should not be there,” said Patel. The dispute is over the construction of two hydroelectric plants on the Kishenganga (330 MW) and Ratle (850 MW) tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab respectively. Pakistan complained that India was violating the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, signed under the aegis of the World Bank, because it was given unrestricted use of the waters of the two “Western Rivers” in the Indus system under the treaty.

    But the treaty also allows other “uses”, including the construction of hydroelectric plants. India has taken this to mean that it can not only construct the Kishen ganga and Ratle dams, but also several other projects, such as the 1000 MW Pakal Dul, 120 MW Miyar and 48 MW Lower Kalnai on various tributaries of the Chenab. Pakistan objected and asked the World Bank to set up a Court of Arbitration; as the upper riparian state, India was not adhering to its treaty obligations, Pakistan said. India, meanwhile, requested the World Bank to appoint a neutral expert to look into the matter.

    Asked about the Bank’s role in the India-Pakistan talks and what it expected from them, Bank spokesperson Elena Karaban told The Indian Express: “The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty are taking place in Washington, DC on September 14-15. These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries.”

    Delhi’s decision to drop its earlier objections and agree to participate in a Bank-brokered dialogue with Pakistan in August in Washington DC surprised all sides. Senior Bank officials even complimented both delegations for displaying a new spirit of “goodwill and cooperation”.

    Deepak Mittal, the MEA official, was present in those talks as well. His participation in this second round is being seen by all sides as a signal that the Modi government is softening its position on Pakistan.

    Source: The Indian Express

  • CBSE FOR PSYCHOMETRIC TEST OF ALL SCHOOL STAFF

    CBSE FOR PSYCHOMETRIC TEST OF ALL SCHOOL STAFF

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Placing the onus on schools for the safety of students on their premises, the Central Board of Secondary Education today issued new security-related guidelines that included a psychometric test for the teaching and non-teaching staff.

    Psychometric tests are used to measure an individual’s mental capabilities and behavioural style. The tests are designed to measure a candidate’s suitability for a role based on the required personality characteristics and aptitude.

    The evaluation is done by a professional psychologist.

    The Board has asked schools to complete the evaluation process within two months and implement the other guidelines, failing which they would face derecognition.

    The directive comes amid increased concerns about the

    safety of students on school premises following the killing of

    a seven-year-old boy in a Gurugram school and the rape of a five-year-old girl by a peon in Delhi. “Such verification and evaluation for non-teaching staff such as bus drivers, conductors, peon, and other support staff may be done very carefully. Source: PTI

  • India rushes relief materials for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

    India rushes relief materials for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

    NEW DELHI (TIP): India on Thursday rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis after nearly 400,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees fled to the country from Myanmar following the ethnic violence in the Buddhist-majority nation.

    “Operation Insaniyat: High Commission handed over 1st consignment humanitarian assistance by India to Bangladesh,” the Indian mission here tweeted.

    The first Indian consignment comes days after Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and briefed him about the problems faced by Dhaka due to the influx of the refugees. “India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Government of Bangladesh in this hour of need,” an Indian External Affairs Ministry statement said on Thursday. It said New Delhi always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of the two countries. “In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh,” the ministry said. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets, tents etc. Source: PTI

  • UK’s serious fraud office starts probe into laundering by Mallya

    UK’s serious fraud office starts probe into laundering by Mallya

    NEW DELHI (TIP): In a major development that may spell more trouble for controversial businessman Vijay Mallya, Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is conducting a probe against the liquor baron for alleged “money laundering” in UK and beyond.

    Top sources said that British investigators are probing alleged use of several companies for laundering money from India to UK through a circuitous route and a complex web of companies, and further to Switzerland and other countries.

    In fact, sources said, SFO has already collected substantial information about Mallya’s movable and immovable assets, his investment and shares in various companies in the UK and bank account details. The financial investigation agency decided to initiate an independent probe against Mallya to examine whether the alleged money laundering involved British companies linked to him.

    The UK authorities have informed India about its independent ‘formal’ probe against Mallya while seeking details of alleged money laundering and assets abroad from CBI and ED.

    Government sources say the SFO action should strengthen India’s extradition case against Mallya, presently being heard in Westminster Court. To enable extradition of Vijay Mallya from London, a ‘dual criminality’ clause of his illegal activities has to be established according to the extradition treaty between two countries. The clause demands cheating of public banks in India by Mallya, and subsequent, money laundering has to be proved a ‘crime’ in the eye of British law as well. Source: TOI

  • India, Japan agree to boost ties for peaceful Indo-Pacific

    India, Japan agree to boost ties for peaceful Indo-Pacific

    GANDHINAGAR (TIP): Deepening their strategic ties further, India and Japan on September 14 agreed to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region in the midst of China’s growing assertiveness and pitched for a “zero tolerance” in combating terrorism, including towards Pakistan-based groups JeM and LeT.

    The two countries signed 15 deals in key areas, including civil aviation, trade after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, trade and civil nuclear energy.

    The two leaders also deliberated upon important regional and global issues and affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight.

    But significantly, the joint statement issued after their talks did not mention South China Sea directly unlike last year’s joint statement.

    After the 2016 summit during Modi’s visit to Japan, the joint statement had said, “regarding the South China Sea, the two Prime Ministers stressed the importance of resolving the disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law including the UNCLOS.”

    Addressing a joint press event with Abe, Modi said, “the range of special strategic and global partnership is not just limited to bilateral and regional sphere. We have close cooperation on global issues as well.”

    In an apparent message to Pakistan, the two sides also called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists.

    The two prime ministers also called for Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including those involved in Mumbai (2008) and the Pathankot (2016) strikes.

    “They looked forward to the convening of the fifth India-Japan Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Jaish-e- Mohammad (JeM), Lakshar-e-Taiba (LeT), and their affiliates,” said a joint statement issued after the Modi-Abe talks.

    It said Modi and Abe condemned in the “strongest terms” the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism and shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of “zero tolerance”.

    “Accordingly, the two Prime Ministers called upon all UN member countries to implement the UNSC Resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions designating terrorist entities,” said the joint statement.

    The reference also assume significance in the backdrop of China repeatedly blocking India’s move to declared JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN.

    On his part, Abe said, “we have just signed a joint statement which will serve as a milestone to open a new era for Japan- India relationship… based on that we will strongly promote Japan-India special strategic and global partnership to drive peace and prosperity for Indo-Pacific region and the whole world.”

    Modi and Abe underlined that the two countries could play a central role in safeguarding and strengthening a rules based order in the Indo-Pacific and to this end, they pledged to reinforce their efforts to enhance defence and security cooperation and dialogues, including the MALABAR and other joint exercises, the statement said.

    During his press statement, Abe also referred to the recent Malabar Japan- India-US naval exercise and said cooperation would be further strengthened.

    Source: PTI

  • NO RESTRICTIONS ON H-1B VISA, SAYS US OFFICIAL

    NO RESTRICTIONS ON H-1B VISA, SAYS US OFFICIAL

    NEW DELHI (TIP): A senior US official on Thursday sought to allay India’s concerns on the H-1B visa programme, which is being “reviewed” by the Trump administration, saying there are no “restrictions” in place.

    The official said around 70 per cent of the visas issued under the H-1B category over the past nine months have gone to Indians and that a record 1.2 million visas of Indians were adjudicated by the US last year.

    The year-over-year increase in terms of issuance of H-1B visas and L1 visas (work permit) to Indians is six per cent each, the official said.

    “The President (Donald Trump) spoke about review. There are no restrictions but it (H-1B) is under review,” he said, adding the issue was not on the agenda for the upcoming Indo- US bilateral dialogue on consular relations, but it may come up in the course of the talks.

    The issue of the repealing of the Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA) programme, which has hit more than 7,000 Indian-Americans, may also figure in the talks scheduled to be held on September 27 in Washington.

    Trump had signed an executive order in April for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop “visa abuses”.

    The DACA amnesty programme granted work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children.

    The official also said the US processed around 88,000 student visa applications last year, which is an increase of 15 per cent over 2015. Currently, there are around 1.6 lakh Indian students in the US, which is the second highest number of international students, after China.

    Indian citizens made up six per cent of worldwide immigrant visa applicants, making them the fifth largest group of new immigrants after those from China, Philippines, Dominican Republic and Mexico.

    Source: PTI

  • September 15 New York Print Edition

    September 15 New York Print Edition

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  • Indian American Doctor chased, stabbed to death in Kansas, allegedly by Patient

    Indian American Doctor chased, stabbed to death in Kansas, allegedly by Patient

    Sources quoted the US police as saying that the attacker repeatedly stabbed Dr Achutha Reddy after a conversation

    KANSAS (TIP): A 57-year-old doctor from Telangana was stabbed to death at his clinic in Kansas on Wednesday. Achutha Reddy, a psychiatrist, was found with multiple wounds in an alley behind his clinic in East Wichita. One of his patients, a 21-year-old man, has been arrested and charged with first degree murder.

    This is the second killing this year of an Indian in Kansas where Srinivas Kuchibhotla, also from Telangana, was shot dead in February.

    Reports quoted the US police as saying that the attacker, identified as Umar Rashid Dutt, “repeatedly stabbed the doctor after a conversation”. He allegedly chased the doctor, who tried to get away.

    The accused man was found at a country club after a security guard reported a suspicious person sitting in a car in the parking lot with blood on his clothes.

    Besides running the Holistic Psychiatric Services, Dr Reddy was affiliated to various hospitals in the region and was known to be a yoga and fitness expert.

    The father of three was from the Nalgonda district and graduated from the Osmania Medical College in 1986. Three years later, he completed his residency in psychiatry from the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita. After practicing for more than two decades, he started his clinic.

    Dr Reddy’s wife, Beena Reddy, is also a doctor Fellow doctors and members of the community described his death as a loss to society. The Wichita Eagle newspaper quoted Denis Knight, president of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County, as saying: “The Medical Society is heartbroken over the loss of Reddy.”

    In YouTube videos, Dr Reddy said he also treated chronic physical pain through a system he called “Absolute Yoga”. He said he had suffered chronic back pain for 10 years, which drove him to research and develop the system which stressed on the “right mindset”.

    In February, Srinivas Kuchibotla was killed by a man who shouted: “Get out of my country”. The police say Dr Reddy’s killing does not appear to be a hate crime.

    (Source: NDTV)

  • Indian American Lawmaker Ro Khanna and Senator Sherrod Brown Introduce Legislation to Raise Wages of Working Families

    Indian American Lawmaker Ro Khanna and Senator Sherrod Brown Introduce Legislation to Raise Wages of Working Families

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) introduced joint legislation in the Senate and House on Sept 13 that would give working families a much-deserved wage boost to compensate for 40 years of wage stagnation. The Grow American Incomes Now (GAIN) Act would greatly expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) so that more working families and childless workers are eligible to receive it. More than 50 members of Congress are cosponsoring the bill.

    The bill comes at a time when the Trump Administration and Republicans are supporting devastating budget cuts to programs that help working families in exchange for tax breaks for the very wealthy and big corporations.

    The GAIN Act roughly doubles the EITC for working families and increases the credit for childless workers almost six-fold. Under the proposal, the maximum tax credit available increases to $12,131 for families with three or more qualifying children; $10,783 with two qualifying children; $6,528 with one qualifying child; and $3,000 with no qualifying children. Currently, a family of three can receive a maximum credit of $6,318 and someone with no children can receive at most a $510 tax credit.

    The proposed EITC expansion would also be phased out at higher income levels and remain fully refundable. It would allow for a worker with no children who makes up to $37,113 annually to still be eligible to receive the tax credit and covers a family with three or more children making up to $75,940 a year to receive the EITC. The current maximum qualifying income to receive the EITC is $15,010 for childless workers and $48,340 for families with three or more children.

    “Americans are working longer hours, but too many aren’t seeing that hard work reflected in their pay. And worse—our tax system can actually tax workers into poverty. That’s not how we grow our middle class or our economy,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown. “Updating the EITC will make sure all workers can keep more of the money they earned for their work.”

    “The EITC is already proven at lifting people out of poverty. By strengthening it to reach more families and individuals, it can have a lasting impact on our economy,” said Rep. Ro Khanna. “In today’s age of automation and globalization, where work is sometimes seasonal and hours are often curtailed, this bill provides every hard-working American with a fair income for their labor.”

    The bill also recognizes many Americans live paycheck to paycheck and includes a provision that would provide an Early Refund EITC as an alternative to payday loans and other predatory lending products. EITC advances would be capped at $500 each taxable year and would be subtracted from the recipient’s total credit when they file their annual tax return. Instead of receiving the lump sum once a year, this early refund makes it easier for working families and individuals to pay their monthly bills and provide financial security. The bill also lowers the qualifying age for the EITC from 25 years old to 21 years old.

  • Indian American Congressmen Bera, Krishnamoorthi Included in Jobs for America Task Forces

    Indian American Congressmen Bera, Krishnamoorthi Included in Jobs for America Task Forces

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Two Indian American Congressmen – Ami Bera (California) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (Illinois) have been named as co-chairs of “Jobs for America” task forces which were launched on Sept 13. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-NY) announced the launch of the unified effort from House Democrats to craft a real legislative agenda for America that will benefit the hardest-working Americans and middle-class families in Queens, the Bronx, and across the nation.

    The task forces will create opportunities for job growth, boost hardworking families, and give every worker the opportunity to achieve the American dream by developing legislation focused on investing in key industries, restoring worker benefits, removing barriers to help workers find stable and well-paying jobs, helping our veteran communities transition to the workforce, and identifying jobs of the future.

    “Our economy isn’t working for far too many Americans. Middle-class families and hardworking men and women struggle to attain the opportunities they so greatly deserve, find financial security, and retire with confidence,” said Chairman Crowley. “Americans want to know what Democrats stand for and how we’ll fight for them. This effort will provide a specific roadmap for how families in Queens, the Bronx, and across America can obtain better wages, better jobs, and a better future.”

    The task forces will be chaired by a cross-section of members of the House Democratic Caucus. During the coming months, co-chairs of the task force will meet with business and labor leaders, entrepreneurs, and middle-class Americans to develop a legislative package that will benefit all Americans.

    The co-chairs of the task forces are Reps. Matt Cartwright (Pennsylvania), Jimmy Gomez (California), Donald Norcross (New Jersey), Bonnie Watson Coleman (New Jersey), Don Beyer (Virginia), Brendan Boyle (Pennsylvania), Brenda Lawrence (Michigan), Raul Ruiz (California), Ami Bera (California), Lisa Blunt Rochester (Delaware), Mark Pocan (Michigan), Marc Veasey (Texas), Suzan DelBene (Washington), Debbie Dingell (Michigan), Raja Krishnamoorthi (Illinois), Darren Soto (Florida), Julia Brownley (California), Ruben Gallego (Arizona), Donald McEachin (Virginia), and Brad Schneider (Illinois).

     

  • Legendary Vocalist Bhoomi Trivedi Rocks Chicago

    Legendary Vocalist Bhoomi Trivedi Rocks Chicago

    “The whirling dancers, clapped hands, and later added distinct sound of wooden sticks struck together in perfect harmony by toe tapping music and people, especially ladies including small girls wearing colorful dress. Tempo of dance picks up gradually as time progressed” – Bhoomi Trivedi

    CHICAGO. IL (TIP): New Era Entertainment Presented Garba Dandia Masti by legendary Vocalist Bhoomi Trivedi, also known as Ramleela Girl for the famous hit song “Udi Udi Jay”. This event was 1st time ever in Chicagoland for Bhoomi, presented by National Promoter Gaurang Patel, A.B Entertainment Altaf Bukhari, Pankaj Raval & Payal Shah. The event was held at Bartlett park district spacious gymnasium from on Saturday, September 02, 2017 at Bartlett park district, 700 South Bartlett Road, Bartlett, IL

    This annual ritual colorful Raas Garba festivity was presented during pre-Navaratri time. Navratri is an annual holy event celebrated in honor of Goddess Durga Mataji; also worshiped are goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, the goddesses of health, prosperity and knowledge, respectively.

    There was overwhelming participation from predominantly young, enjoying the memorable evening. Many in the audience, especially ladies and children wore very vibrant colorful and dazzling traditional Indian dresses for this special juncture with appropriately matching ornaments and extravagant hairstyles. Navaratri Garba is very special for me as it honors Shakti in very rhythmic ways said Nisha Deshpande. Her mother Dina Modi added that “we all love the whole atmosphere of colors, the clothes and of course, the music and then there is always the fun of dressing up”. She further explained to Asian Media USA that western dress is replaced by Lengha-choli, matching jewelry and foot wear. “Some prefer to wear traditional outfit while others go for modern look” she added. When asked main purpose of organizing such event, Dina replied that “this type of organized event promotes Indian culture to new generation who are born here Music for Navaratri festival has to keep balance between devotion and entertainment”.

    Internationally acclaimed Indian singer, 28, hails from Vadodara, India. Trivedi hails from a musical family from Vadodara of Gujarat.  She started to learn music while she was in 8th grade. Trivedi began her Bollywood career with 2012 film Prem Mayee with the song “Bahne Dey”. However, she rose to fame with her rendition in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2013 released film Goliyon Ki Raasleela. Her song Ram Chahe……became an instant hit.

    Before that she is well known as the participant of the national singing competition show Indian Idol 3,4 and 5 editions. In the 5th edition she was selected as one of the three finalists Other than Bollywood songs, she also had recorded for several Gujarati films. Her recent hit was “Udi Udi Jaye” in film Rees in year 2017 written by Javed Akhtar.

    Bhoomi’s category of singing talent includes Filmi, electronic pop and rock music. It was natural for her to progress to one of the most renowned popular singer during festival of Navratri entertaining hefty crowd by her spiritual and mystical singing of “Raas and Garba”

    There were various booths at the event ranging from designer attire and jewelry to dish services, banking products and even best-selling books on success! Payal Shah did a marvelous job of colorful complimentary decoration for the occasion of the hall including the entrance.

    Explaining the importance of the festival Altaf Bukhari, CEO of A.B Entertainment said that such event is intrinsic as it carries the message of unity and brotherhood to new generation who are born in this county. He also thanked to audiences and volunteers for hard work and dedication

    It was one of the most organized events of its kind that Chicago has seen in recent years. The tremendous energy of the packed auditorium was evident with the non-stop dancing that lasted for hours with participants ranging from youth to seniors. The event also included prizes for the best female and male dancers for Garba and Raas as well as best dressed couple.  The event concluded in wee hours of morning highlighted by devotional Arti of Mataji.

    Sponsors of the events were New York Life Insurance, American Family Insurance, Big Suchir, Deshi Hut Restaurant, Suga Builders, M. K. Shah Financial services, Raag and Rock Entertainment, Suburban Medical, Dr. Ritish Patel, R.N. International, Verandah Senior Living, World Smart LED, Devon Travel, Universal Accounting, Mr. Nilesh Topiwala, Accu Tax, World Money Exchange Inc, Hitesh Gandhi and Anil Shah

    Media Partner of the event were Hi India, Asian Media USA and T V Asia

    (Photograph and Press release by Asian Media USA)

  • Zeenat Aman Honored with DCSAFF Lifetime Achievement Award

    Zeenat Aman Honored with DCSAFF Lifetime Achievement Award

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Veteran Bollywood diva Zeenat Aman was felicitated with lifetime achievement award for her contribution in the field of cinema at the DC South Asia Film Festival (DCSAFF) which was held Sept. 8-10 at Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus in Washington, D.C. The sixth annual DC South Asian Film Festival was presented by the DC South Asian Arts Council, Inc. in Partnership with Montgomery College.

    Indian American philanthropist Frank Islam presented the award to the 65-year-old actor saying that she ‘defined girlhood and womanhood for generations of South Asians.’ Zeenat Aman is best known for her work in Hindi films during the 70s and 80s. An award-winning actress, Ms. Aman is credited with a making a lasting impact on the image of its leading actresses by introducing the modern look to Hindi cinema. Ms. Aman has won numerous awards including Filmfare Best Supporting Actress for Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1972), Bollywood Awards ‘Award for Lifetime Achievement’ – Lifetime of Glamour (2003), and Best Contribution to Indian Cinema at the 11th IIFA awards (2011).

    The event featured three days of the premieres of award-winning films from South Asian countries. Screenings included feature films, short films by Montgomery College Students, and documentaries as well as Q & A sessions with directors and actors. The opening and closing night galas featured stars and acclaimed guests including Zeenat Aman, Adil Hussain, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Delegate Aruna Miller (now running for Congress in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District), directors Anant Mahadevan, Vinay Pujara, Indira Somani among others.

    Alankrita Shrivastava-directed “Lipstick Under My Burkha” received the best feature film award while special jury mention for best feature film went to “The Valley” and “Elephants in the Coffee” bagged the prize for the best documentary. Ananth Mahadevan got Best Director award for Dr. Rukhmabai. Adil Hussain received best actor award for Hotel Salvation and Pragati Kolagewas adjudged as the best actress for Palyawadasi.

  • Chicago gears up for largest South Asian Film Festival in Midwest

    Chicago gears up for largest South Asian Film Festival in Midwest

    CHICAGO (TIP): Now in its 8th year, Chicago South Asian Film Festival, (CSAFF) will take place from September 29th to October 1st and will screen films in three distinct locations across the Chicagoland area – the Showplace ICON Theater in Downtown Chicago, DePaul University, and the AMC Theater in Oakbrook.

     This year of CSAFF has been made possible by arts-conscious sponsors DePaul University, Counsel General of India Chicago, Bank of America, B-Raja, West Monroe Partners, and Air India.

    “Our mission at CSAFF is to further diversity and cultural education in Chicago so that young multicultural filmmakers and artists can be given a strong platform to tell their stories and share their art”, said Festival Manager Jigar Shah. “At the 2017 CSAFF we look forward to our third year of in-competition sections for both feature and short films and a focus on the pivotal role of women in South Asian cinema. As part of this focus, we are proud to host the illustrious Indian actors, Shabana Azmi, Aparna Sen, Rajkummar Rao, and Akshay Oberoi who will be joining us on the Red Carpet at 6 p.m. on Opening Night, September 29th in Oakbrook.”

    A carefully curated collection of independent films, shorts, documentaries, events and discussions will create the three-day Festival experience. The Festival will open at the Oakbrook AMC Theater, with Red Carpet performances by local dance companies on the central festival theme of “Women in Cinema”.

    There is a stellar lineup of films this year including Trapped, Dobara Phir Se, You Are My Sunday, Sonata, Newton, Gurgaon, and many other short films and documentaries. Filmmakers will also be present for moderated Q&A sessions throughout the weekend through most of these films.  Closing night festivities will take place at the Showplace Icon in the South Loop at 8 p.m., including an awards ceremony.

    Renowned actors Shabana Azmi and Rajkummar Rao will walk the Red Carpet and Ms. Azmi will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Opening Night will close with the Chicago premiere of Newton by director Amit Masurkar and includes dynamic performances by Rajkummar Rao. Newton premiered at the Berlin Film Festival to rave reviews earlier this year. There will be a Q&A session with Mr. Rao after the film.

     

  • Bollywood Boulevard: A Journey Through Hindi Cinema

    Bollywood Boulevard: A Journey Through Hindi Cinema

    India’s Identities Through Bollywood Cinema: Panel discussion at Lincoln Center

    By Mabel Pais

    India’s Identities through Bollywood Cinema, was a panel discussion at one of Lincoln Center’s Film Center, in early August.  It explored the Hindi film industry’s (colloquially known as Bollywood) role in uniting Indians from different religious, ethnic, linguistic, economic, and class backgrounds. For over a century Bollywood has attempted to represent the country’s multitude of voices.

    The panel of expert filmmakers, journalists, and academics explored how Bollywood cinema represents India’s various identities and how that storytelling can continue to evolve and include all Indians.

    The moderator, Pulkit Datta, a freelance filmmaker, led the discussion.  He has worked on a wide variety of productions internationally, in addition to writing, directing and producing his own passion projects. Datta is also the Media Producer for The India Center Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting dialogue and cultural exchange between the U.S and India.

    Panelists were Tejaswini Ganti (Associate Professor, NYU), Sri Rao (screenwriter/producer), and Anisha Jhaveri (Film Critic, Indiewire).

    Bollywood Boulevard: A Journey Through Hindi Cinema, was the mainstay to the dual events on Bollywood.  Created by MELA Productions in association with Aaditaal Music Project, the song-and-dance presentation debuting in August, was part of Summer 2017 Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors Festival at Damrosch Park.  It attracted over 4,000 patrons.

    Scenes from various Bollywood movies.
    Photos / courtesy Heena Patel, MELA Group
    Scenes from various Bollywood movies.
    Photos / courtesy Heena Patel, MELA Group

    Bollywood Boulevard — a harmonious fusion of live music, dance, and film — led you from the birth of Hindi cinema to present day. You experienced the spirit, artistry, and history of India’s famous film industry from the classics of the black-and-white era and the timeless songs of Bollywood’s Golden Era to the foot-tapping blockbusters of today.

    The event was inspired by the music of R.D. Burman, Lata Mangeshkar, and A.R. Rahman, the dance moves of superstars like Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra, and romance as captured by Raj Kapoor and Yash Raj Chopra. It was an escape to grand palaces and mustard fields and dance clubs. Bollywood had captured the hearts of billions across the world over the generations for its vibrance, emotions, and heart-pounding beat that inspired the world’s largest entertainment industry.

    While the performance cast hails from the Tri-state, the project itself was an international collaboration between creatives based in the U.S. and India. Featuring 18 dancers, 9 musicians, digital backdrops and short films, over 100 years of Indian artistry of Hindi cinema was alive during this exuberant stage show. This vibrant group of dancers and musicians took the audience on a journey through time as they captured the history of Bollywood, from black-and-white classics to colorful blockbusters, stringing the spirit and romance of India’s grand palaces, mountain vistas, and sweeping mustard fields to Damrosch Park.

    Bollywood Boulevard demonstrated the magnetic power of Hindi cinema and Indian entertainment. Audience members engaged in the performance by singing along with the singers and dancing in the aisles.

    Lincoln Center not only served as the presenter of the show, but also the lead commissioning partner, breathing life into an idea conceived by Heena Patel of MELA Productions and created in partnership with Rushi Vakil of Aaditaal Music Project.

    “There are so many skilled Bollywood dancers and musicians in the five boroughs and New Jersey – Lincoln Center’s backyard – but with limited professional opportunities. By commissioning this show, it was an opportunity for us to invest in the next generation of creators from this community and showcase what they are capable of,” says Jill Sternheimer, Director of Public Programming at Lincoln Center.

     “Every person involved is an ardent fan of Hindi cinema and their passion could be seen in each aspect of the show,” says India-based executive producer, creator, and music director Rushi Vakil.

    “The premiere was more than what we could have imagined. It truly was an evening of pure love, joy, and beauty, and to see the show so thoroughly enjoyed made all the hard work of the last 8 months worth it,” says U.S.-based executive producer, creator, and dancer Heena Patel.

    Scenes from various Bollywood movies.
    Photos / courtesy Heena Patel, MELA Group

    With the overwhelmingly positive response, Bollywood Boulevard will commence on a tour in early 2018 with a series of performances in February and March in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New York before heading across the country later in the year.

    Executive Producer Heena Patel, MELA Productions (USA); Rushi Vakil, Aaditaal Music Project (India)

    Artistic Director Heena Patel; Music Director, Original Music, Background Score Rushi Vakil; Music Team Kanishka Bhatia, Maharshi Patel, Anil Jeengar; Choreographer Rohit Gijare (USA); Assistant Choreographer Aaliya Islam; Scriptwriter Bhargav Purohit (India); Film and Animation Faldu Studio (India); Backdrop Production Nyasa Productions (India); Costume Designer Vaishali Vakil, Kasbee (India)

    Scenes from various Bollywood movies.
    Photos / courtesy Heena Patel, MELA Group

    Dancers included Aaliya Islam, Aria Dandawate, Avinash Gabbeta, Barkha Patel, Bhumit Patel, Bindi Patel, Geatali Tampy, Heena Patel, Manav Gulati, Minal Mehta, Payal Kadakia, Poonam Desai, Pranav Patel, Proma Khosla, Rhea Ghosh, Rohit Gijare, Rohit Thakre, Sean Kulsum

    Musicians included Achal Murthy (Bass), Varun Das (Drumkit), Niranjan Nayar (Guitar), Rohan Prabhudesai (Keyboard), Sanjoy Karmakar (Percusion), Harini (Rini) Raghavan (Violin), Harini (Rini) Raghavan, Harshitha Krishnan, Krishna Sridharan, Neel Nadkarni (Vocals).

    Bollywood Boulevard was commissioned by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, along with the Bushnell Center for Performing Arts, and The Jay and Linda Grunin Center, with additional support from the Patels. Additional support for the Lincoln Center presentation came from the India Center Foundation, Anil Bansal, and Raoul Bhavnani.

    For more information on Bollywood Boulevard, please visit: http://bollywoodblvdshow.com/

    (Mabel Pais is a freelance writer.  She writes on the arts and entertainment, health and wellness, social issues and spirituality)

  • Indian American Raj Shah Appointed to Key White House Position

    Indian American Raj Shah Appointed to Key White House Position

    WASHINGTON (TIP):  President Donald Trump announced, September 12, appointment of his close aide Raj Shah to a key White House position. The Indian American will serve as Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary. Mr. Shah formerly served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Communications Director.

    Before joining the White House, Shah, who is in his early 30s, was in charge of opposition research in Republican National Committee where he led a team of experts to carry out research against Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate. Shah was behind all the anti-Clinton campaign during the presidential elections.

    Shah’s parents immigrated to the US from Mumbai with origins in Gujarat. First his father came to the US for studies in 1970s then moved back to India. But after marriage his father and mother moved back to the US in late 70s. They lived in Chicago and then moved to Connecticut. Shah was born and raised in Connecticut. He attended Brien McMahon High School and was named an Ettinger Scholar in Norwalk. He studied government at Cornell (2002-2006) and received the bachelor’s degree in 2006.

    Shah volunteered in Bridgeport for Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) during high school and interned for Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and others in Washington as his interest in politics developed. He interned in the White House in 2005.

    By the 2012 presidential election cycle, Shah was deputy research director at the RNC and he said in that job “he learned what not to do in the 2016 election”. He worked with campaign staff and manager of the Mitt Romney campaign and others to plan how, particularly, to try to defeat Hillary Clinton well before she announced she was running in 2016. Shah was also a co-founder of America Rising, “a right-leaning political action committee that produces opposition research on Democratic candidates”.

     

  • Murdered Indian techie’s widow gets US work visa

    Murdered Indian techie’s widow gets US work visa

    WASHINGTON (TIP): An Indian woman, who lost her residency rights in the US following the murder of her techie husband in a suspected hate crime, can stay in the country for now after an influential lawmaker helped her get a temporary work visa.

    Sunayana Dumala, whose 32-year-old husband Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed at a Kansas bar in February, fell out of status because her permission to reside in the US was tied to Kuchibhotla through marriage, Congressman Kevin Yoder was quoted as saying by NBC News, September 14.

    “We’re not going to let this happen to Sunayana,” Yoder said on Twitter. Dumala managed to regain her residency status as she lost it after the killing of her husband.

    Kuchibhotla, an aviation system engineer and programs manager at GPS maker Garmin, was in the US on a temporary non-immigrant H-1B visa.

    “When Sunayana lost her status, to me it really added insult to injury,” Yoder said. He later helped her get a temporary work visa of her own.

    “It would have been a real tragedy, on top of the initial tragedy she suffered, to attend her husband’s funeral in India and then be locked out of the US because of it,” Yoder was quoted as saying.

    Dumala was part of a group of Indian immigrants who came to support the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, according to Yoder, the Bill’s lead sponsor. The legislation seeks to eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based immigrants, allowing Green Cards to instead be given on a first-come, first-serve basis.

    (Source: PTI)

  • India Celebrates 70 Years of Independence at the United Nations

    India Celebrates 70 Years of Independence at the United Nations

    UNITED NATIONS (TIP): Ambassador Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the UN was present along with PRs/Ambassadors of several countries at the celebration of 70 years of India’s independence, hosted by the Permanent Mission of India.

    It was Indian ambience all over at the Delegates Dining Room at the United Nations building on September 8, 2017. In fact, the invitation itself with the picture of a man playing dhol (Indian drum) left one in no doubt that the event will offer music and, of course, food. And, so it was.

    Guests enjoying the musical extravaganza

    Over 600 hundred guests who descended at the beautiful venue, with East River flowing by and the colorful lights of Manhattan and Long Island lending romance and charm, were treated to Indian traditional and modern music and a delectable cuisine from various parts of the vast country that India is. It will be no exaggeration to claim here that India offers the most variegated food in the world. And, all of it is delicious.

    Guests were treated to a scintillating evening of music and dances
    Guests were treated to a scintillating evening of music and dances
    Guests were treated to a scintillating evening of music and dances

    A scintillating musical evening awaited guests who were treated to lovely Indian classical and modern music and enchanting dances, presented by Surati Performing Arts headed by an accomplished dancer Rimli Roy who has earned for herself the reputation of being a great promoter of Indian dance forms.

    Traditional welcome. Tilak being applied on a guest’s forehead

    The Indian hospitality was evidenced by the fact that the host, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin with his lovely wife Padma Akbaruddin, personally welcomed every guest. The deputy PR and his wife also joined them in welcoming guests who all were greeted at the entrance with a tilak on the forehead, an Indian way to show respect and express warmth.

     

     

  • Vegetarian Vision Takes a Leap Forward with International Health and Wellness Expo

    Vegetarian Vision Takes a Leap Forward with International Health and Wellness Expo

    NEW YORK CITY, NY (TIP): Vegetarian Vision presented its first International Health and Wellness Exposition on September 9th and 10th at Penn Pavilion in New Yok City.  Drawing crowds of thousands from New York and visitors world wide, the two-day event celebrated plant based lifestyle, and health and wellness awareness.  Renowned speakers included dozens of internationally recognized physicians, scientists, authors, and wellness experts, who spoke about the many health and environment benefits of a plant based/vegetarian diet.  Exhibitors and booth demonstrators filled a 40,000 square foot arena at Penn Pavilion’s expo hall, entertaining guests with live food demonstrations, on site yoga exercises, holistic therapies and new age massage techniques, and the very latest in health and wellness products.

    Speaker: Dr. Joel Fuhrman
    Speaker: Dr. Brian Clement

    Vegetarian Vision founder H.K. Shah, and his wife Malti Shah, expressed their joy at a ribbon cutting ceremony, which marked the inception of the event and the organization’s 25th jubilee anniversary.

    President, Chandra Mehta, then opened the exposition with an auspicious lamp lighting ceremony, alongside featured guest and Bollywood actress, Mahima Choudhary.  Attendants also included, Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parekh, H. R. Shah, Patri Ji, meditation guru, Vandana Sharma, Air India Regional Director, David Green, president of Vegan Association, and Mr. K. K. Mehta, convention chair, Nitin Vyas convention coordinator, and all Vegetarian Vision executive committee members.

    The exposition was a first for the Vegetarian Vision organization, bringing plant based lifestyle and wellness, to a global stage.  Null, host of award winning radio shows, and author of numerous NY Times best sellers, delivered a keynote lecture on reversing heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and mental decline through vegetarian and veganism.  Harvard trained cardiologist, Dr. Robert Ostfeld spoke further on the many benefits of plant based diet Dr. Brian Clement of Hippocrates Health Institute lectured on advanced healthcare, preventing and reversing disease, premature again, and renewing happiness.  Dr. Joel Fuhrman, New York Times bestselling author of Eat to Live, The End of Diabetes and The End of Heart Disease, further demonstrated the healthiest ways to eat, and scientific principles of superior nutrition. Mark Becker, yoga specialist, who opened the first Non-Hindu yoga center in NYC, Serenity, over 40 years ago, focused on “ahimsa,” nonviolence, as a spiritual cornerstone of vegetarianism.  Pavilion hosts, booth exhibitors, and other speakers displayed unique healing techniques through crystal bowl sounds, infrared light saunas, hydrogen water, and ayurvedic remedies.   Famous vegan chefs, including, Mark Reinfeld, lit up the Expo with live cooking demonstrations featuring their celebrated recipes.  The food hall also showcased a variety of oriental teas, live juice and smoothie samples, and vegan meals by Chickpea.

    Fashion Show Participants

    Saturday culminated in a dazzling night, with Bollywood superstar Mahima Choudhary, who starred as chair and judge of the Mr. and Miss Vegetarian Beauty Pageant.  The event brimmed with a colorful spectacle of fashions, and was attended by an audience of hundreds.

    Mr. and Ms. Vegetarian Pageant Winners: (L to R) Ms. Vegetarian, Mr. Vegetarian, Chandra Mehta, H K Shah, Mahima Chaudhry
    Committee Appreciation: (L to R) Animesh Goenka, Suhag Mehta, Flora Parekh, Chandra Mehta, Mahima Chaudhry, H K Shah, K K Mehta, Malti Shah, Mrs. Becker, Vinod Shah, Mark Becker

    The pageant was followed by a special gala event, hosted with honorable congressman Tom Suozzi and Vegetarian Vision Founder H. K. Shah.  The night featured a keynote speech by Vegetarian Vision president, Chandra Mehta.  Mrs. Mehta, expressed her delight with the exposition, and wished for a joyful and memorable experience for all guests.  She spoke of her hopes for continued education on the health and lifestyle benefits of plant based diets, and increased vegetarian and vegan options for students at schools, and universities, and guests at hotels by working with communities and businesses.  She suggested separate cutting utensils when preparing vegetarian meals, and different oils to fry vegetarian foods as a universally accepted standard at all restaurants.  The gala event continued with live music and dance and performances.

    On Sunday, more guests from around the New York metropolitan area arrived at the Health and Wellness Exposition, attending the featured lectures, and visiting the pavilion hall’s booths and exhibitions.

    Vegetarian Vision Committee Members

    The Expo culminated in a grand finale Sunday night.  The finale centered around a live fashion show, beautifully organized by Suhag Mehta, president of Shreenath Enterprise Inc, MC’d by Flora Parekh, and was graced once again by the events favorite Bollywood star, life-long vegetarian Mahima Choudhary.

    Vegetarian Vision’s International Health and Wellness Exposition proved to be a success of mega proportion.  Attended by thousands, and hosted by a star-studded list of pioneers and wellness experts, the Expo made for a special, and memorable experience.

  • The Varli Food Festival 2017: A Delectable Experience

    The Varli Food Festival 2017: A Delectable Experience

    By I.S. Saluja

    NEW YORK (TIP): My friend Paul Chhabra who runs two restaurants known as Rajput Restaurant and pretty popular ones in Norfolk, Virginia, called a couple of days ago to say that he was flying with a scientist friend and his wife who is a culture tsar in her own way, in the latter’s private plane to New Jersey to attend Varli Food Festival on September 10. And he wished that I visit the culinary expo which will also be an opportunity to see each other.

    Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor addressed the visitors. He is seen here with Varli Singh

    I have known Varli to be a great connoisseur of food and a pioneer in the field of culinary events. A couple of years ago, Mr. Garry Sikka had hosted Varli Food Festival at Mint Restaurant in Garden City, Long Island and I was one of the invitees. And I must say, I was impressed and pleased with myself that I had attended a great food festival. What I know is Varli launched the Food Festival named after her in 2011 The food festival opened to much acclaim and soon became a popular event, with restaurants and caterers lining up for the festival and connoisseurs of food rushing to the event.

    Varli, her husband Rickey Singh and their daughter are seen in the middle of the crowds at the Varli Food Festival on September 10

    The Varli Food Festival at the beautiful outdoor location of Martinsville Gardens in New Jersey was hosted by celebrity chef and entrepreneur Sanjeev Kapoor. It was a pleasure to meet him after a long time and exchange pleasantries with him although he was constantly mobbed for photographs. Even I had a photograph with him about which my daughter Jaskiran commented that I appeared to be blushing. Well, who wouldn’t in the company of the genius that Sanjeev is.

    Visitors listening to the Master Chef
    Visitors throng the food stalls

    I was told that 40 restaurants, chefs and celebrities from across the globe participated in the food festival. And the Indian cuisine, the main one, was simply delectable. And, on top, there was a huge number of visitors crowding each of the scores of food joints.

  • SANKARA EYE FOUNDATION Partners with EVENTGURU INC for Diwali at Times Square

    SANKARA EYE FOUNDATION Partners with EVENTGURU INC for Diwali at Times Square

    NEW YORK CITY, NY (TIP):  EVENTGURU INC, organizers of Diwali at Times Square announced September 12 their tie up with SANKARA EYE FOUNDATION (SEF), an organization committed to eradicating curable blindness in India for this year’s Diwali at Times Square. SEF aims to reach out to the underprivileged communities in India and provides them with quality eye care free of cost by building operationally self-sufficient super specialty eye care hospitals across the country.

    Ms. Neeta Bhasin, the founder of EVENTGURU INC. said, “Diwali is the harbinger of hope and all things good, which is why charitable works are encouraged during this time of the year. To fulfill the most important tenets of Diwali, we are pledging to support Sankara Eye Foundation and I urge everyone to donate and spread the light of sight.”

    This year’s Diwali at Times Square’s objective is to stand up with Sankara Eye Foundation’s work, raising awareness on visual impairment that affects almost 55 million people and to facilitate fundraising opportunities. SEF has, to this date performed over 1.6 million free eye surgeries for the needy This Diwali, Diwali at Times Square urges everyone to donate and gift the light of sight. To quote the Founder and CEO of Sankara Eye Foundation, Mr. Murali Krishnamurthy “SANKARA EYE FOUNDATION is very happy to partner with EVENTGURU INC for “Diwali at Times Square. This partnership will help SEF bring light into the lives of many more visually handicapped people. On the occasion of this grand “Festival of Lights” let us light many, many  lamps and spread love – Jyot se jyot jalate chalo, Prem ki Ganga bahate chalo.”

    For more information please visit https://www.giftofvision.org/

    ABOUT EVENT GURU: Event Guru World Wide is a premier full-service event company specializing in festivals, concerts, tradeshows, gala dinners, and press conferences. We conceptualize and implement events of all sizes and statures. We have built a team of passionate individuals who are sure to create impactful and memorable experiences for its clients.

    For more information contact: Alvaro Olmedo, Diwali at Times Square (212-216-9306) /media@diwalitimessquare.com

  • HAB Bank is not affiliated with habib bank limited (HBL)

    HAB Bank is not affiliated with habib bank limited (HBL)

    “In light of recent news regarding HBL, HAB Bank, strongly affirms it has no direct, indirect or any affiliation whatsoever or shared ownership with Habib Bank Limited, a Pakistan-based financial institution with an office in Manhattan”, as stated in a press release issued by HAB Bank, New York.

    The release further stated that HAB Bank is a U.S.-based community bank headquartered in Manhattan with FDIC membership. HAB Bank has no operations outside the US.  The institution has operated continuously and successfully since its original incorporation in 1983 and has branches in NY, NJ and CA.

    “HAB Bank proudly serves our consumer and commercial banking customers in the New York Tri-state area and California for over three decades,” said Saleem Iqbal, President and CEO of HAB Bank.

    We reached out to HAB Bank’s President & CEO Mr. Saleem Iqbal to seek clarification on the penalties assessed by the New York State against Habib Bank Limited. In an exclusive interview with this newspaper, Mr. Iqbal answered a series of questions clarifying HAB Bank’s position. on the whole matter and reiterated the fact that HAB Bank has no affiliation, direct or indirect, with Habib Bank Limited or HBL.

    Reporter: What is the difference between HAB Bank and Habib Bank Limited or HBL?

    Saleem Iqbal: HAB Bank is a US chartered, FDIC Insured bank with branches in three states. Our charter dates back to 1983. Habib Bank Limited on the other hand is Pakistan based foreign bank with a branch in New York City. As we have categorically stated over the last so many years, HAB Bank is not affiliated in any manner whatsoever with Pakistan based Habib Bank Limited or HBL.

    Reporter: How does this action by the NY regulator impact you?

    Saleem Iqbal: This has no impact on HAB Bank, we are two different banks.

    Reporter: How do you safeguard and protect your bank from such matters?

    Saleem Iqbal: HAB Bank, from day one of its inception, has built a strong culture of compliance. We recognize that banking industry in our country is highly regulated and there are number of federal as well as state laws that applies to us as a community bank. We have a top-down approach in complying with various regulations including Anti Money Laundering laws currently in place. Our frontline personnel are fully aware of such laws and trained by the Bank on an ongoing basis. Then there is active oversight by the senior management and the board of directors in addition to an extensive risk management framework.

    Reporter: What does future hold for HAB Bank?

    Saleem Iqbal: The Bank has shown steady and consistent growth; we are one of the largest South Asian-American banks in the US with assets over $1.3 billion with branches in three states. We were one of the few community banks in the US which remained unscathed and actually grew during the Great Recession, which started in 2007. We will continue to grow and to serve the banking needs of the South Asian community in the US.

    HAB BANK was incorporated in 1983 as a New York State Chartered Bank. HAB is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and holds $1.3 billion in assets as of June 30, 2017. Headquartered in New York, the Bank and besides Manhattan maintains branches in, Jackson Heights, Richmond Hill, Hicksville in NY, Iselin in NJ, Artesia and Downtown Los Angeles in CA.

    For further information, please visit HAB Bank’s website at www.habbank.com and Click on “Important Announcement”.

     

  • Diwali At Times Square

    Diwali At Times Square

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  • Diwali at Times Square Diwali Memory Contest

    Diwali at Times Square Diwali Memory Contest

    Enter the contest and win a prize

    Diwali is around the corner and we can feel the magic in the air. In the spirit of Diwali, we are giving away a gift a week for our #DiwaliMemory contest*! We want to hear from you! How do you celebrate Diwali? Share a picture, a video or a story post and every week the post with the most likes will win a gift.

    Steps to enter:

    1) Share your Diwali Memory post on Facebook

    2) Like Diwali at Times Square Page & tag us on your post

    3) Use the #DiwaliMemory

    4) Tell all your friends to like your post – the more likes you have the more likely you are to win!

    Our first winner will be announced on September 18th!

    * Rules and Regulations: https://goo.gl/6xKC7j

    * This contest is only valid for residents of the US and Canada.

  • New strategy, old game: on Trump and Afghanistan

    New strategy, old game: on Trump and Afghanistan

    By Varghese K. George

    “The Trump administration has presented its plan for Afghanistan as a regional approach — it’s anything but that”, says the author.

    “This is a continuation of the Obama administration’s policy. In 2015 and 2016, it had held back part of reimbursements to Pakistan from the Coalition Support Funds. Though Mr. Trump spoke tough on Pakistan, it is still unclear what could be the tough measures. Mr. White thinks overdoing this could be counterproductive: “Increased pressure is likely to push Pakistan into a corner, unlikely to deliver results in terms of cooperation on critical security issues. The insurgency in Afghanistan is largely organically funded. The safe havens help the Taliban, but I don’t think they are vital to the Taliban. So even if the pressure on Pakistan produces results, I don’t think its impact on the situation in Afghanistan will be significant.”

    “The core goal of the U.S. must be to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaeda and its safe havens in Pakistan, and to prevent their return to Pakistan or Afghanistan… And after years of mixed results, we will not, and cannot, provide a blank check (to Pakistan)… As President, my greatest responsibility is to protect the American people. We are not in Afghanistan to control that country or to dictate its future,” said the President of the United States, announcing a “regional strategy” for Afghanistan after the worst year of the conflict. The President was Barack Obama and the year was 2009.

    On August 21, when President Donald Trump unveiled his new “regional strategy” for Afghanistan, it was in large part a reiteration of the above speech in terms of strategic objectives. By now 2016 has become the worst year of the conflict. Mr. Trump’s speech was high on rhetoric and low on detail. Three weeks later, do we know better? Interactions with people close to the subject, including Ahmad Daud Noorzai, head of the office of President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan, and Joshua White, who was Director for South Asian Affairs at Barack Obama’s National Security Council, provide some clues.

    Junking timelines

    Mr. Trump’s announcement of military commitment without a deadline in Afghanistan could be a game changer, both agree. “The word on the street is that Afghans are happy. This allows us to create a culture of peace, to build institutions and improve delivery of public services,” Ahmad Daud Noorzai, said during an interaction with a group of journalists and experts at the Afghanistan embassy in Washington last week. He said the most important reason for Afghanistan’s failure to stabilize has been the uncertainty around security.

    Not announcing a timeline is wise strategy, feels Mr. White, who played a crucial role in President Obama’s Afghanistan strategy. “We examined the risk of drawdown and the outcomes looked ugly. Withdrawal would have been unwise. Significant scaling up of American troops would also have been unwise — that is the lesson that we learnt from the surge (in U.S. troop deployment in Afghanistan). We could not have fundamentally changed the balance of power without a large number of forces there forever,” he said in an interview at the Johns Hopkins University, where he teaches now (http://bit.ly/JoshuaTWhite).

    Mr. Noorzai said Mr. Trump’s declaration that the U.S. would go after terrorists has already made a difference on the ground in Afghanistan: “From the military point of view, this is a huge change. This has already impacted the armed insurgents. When your commander-in-chief says to go after the terrorists, the nature of the military presence changes.” So more than the number of American boots on the ground, the nature and quality of America’s military presence has changed, and this could make a difference.

    Pressure on Pakistan

    The most tangible measure against Pakistan came a week after Mr. Trump’s speech as the administration decided to keep $255 million in military assistance to Pakistan in suspension until Islamabad demonstrates action against terrorist groups. This was earmarked in the U.S. budget for 2017. In July, Defense Secretary James Mattis did not provide certification that Pakistan was taking action against the Haqqani network, and held back $50 million from reimbursements to Pakistan for logistical support for the war in Afghanistan.

    This is a continuation of the Obama administration’s policy. In 2015 and 2016, it had held back part of reimbursements to Pakistan from the Coalition Support Funds. Though Mr. Trump spoke tough on Pakistan, it is still unclear what could be the tough measures. Mr. White thinks overdoing this could be counterproductive: “Increased pressure is likely to push Pakistan into a corner, unlikely to deliver results in terms of cooperation on critical security issues. The insurgency in Afghanistan is largely organically funded. The safe havens help the Taliban, but I don’t think they are vital to the Taliban. So even if the pressure on Pakistan produces results, I don’t think its impact on the situation in Afghanistan will be significant.”

    Mr. Noorzai said Mr. Ghani is trying to impress upon Pakistan to make the best use of Afghanistan’s economic potential: “We have excellent relations with the countries on the north, west and south. New trade routes and opportunities are opening up and Pakistan has a lot to gain from it all.”

    Mr. Trump called upon India to play a larger role, but Washington’s expectations from India are very modest. No specific demand for monetary assistance has been made.

    Expectations from India

    The Trump administration, it appears, would like India to help in working with Afghanistan’s domestic factions in widening and buttressing the political legitimacy of the current government, and helping it improve its governance. For his part, Mr. Noorzai finds India’s increasing role in Afghanistan very welcome. “The Indian private sector must come to Afghanistan,” he said. “Start your business, make your profit. We could start with IT, we have so many needs. There is an impression in India that Indians are targeted in Afghanistan; Indians will need as much security as any other, but they can do their business. India needs to create a positive view in the country about Afghanistan so that the private sector understands the economic opportunity in Afghanistan.” Mr. White believes India has been self-restrained — “for good reasons” — in its role in Afghanistan, though from 2012 onwards the Obama administration was open to New Delhi playing any role that it could agree with the Afghan government. “There is value in signaling that the U.S. sees India as a critical partner for Afghanistan. But there is also a risk, because feeding Pakistan’s anxiety about Indian influence in Afghanistan is not necessarily helpful to either Washington or New Delhi,” he said.

    Following Mr. Trump’s speech, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said India has a role to play in changing Pakistan’s behavior: “India and Pakistan, they have their own issues that they have to continue to work through, but I think there are areas where perhaps even India can take some steps of rapprochement to improve the stability within Pakistan and remove some of the reasons why they deal with these unstable elements inside their own country.”

    Mr. White feels this is continuation of U.S. policy under President Obama: “The Trump administration has spoken more clearly and more directly about safe havens, not only for Afghan-focused groups but also for Indian-focused groups. But again, near the end of the Obama administration there were some strong statements and acknowledgment on that issue, particularly after the Uri attack.” He adds that America always wanted India to remain constantly engaged with Pakistan, “despite the disappointments India and the U.S.” had with Islamabad. There is an unmistakable level of continuity between the Obama and Trump administrations in viewing the India-Pakistan rivalry as a potential nuclear catastrophe. In fact, Mr. Trump mentioned that in his South Asia speech, and he has inherited the idea from the Obama era.

    Not exactly regional

    The Trump administration has presented the new strategy as a “regional” approach, but in the last three weeks it is clear that there is hardly any regional cooperation evolving or to be expected. Russia has termed the strategy a “dead end”, China has said Pakistan should be on board. The administration has acknowledged that Russia will work to undermine America in Afghanistan, but believes that China is interested in stability in Afghanistan. In June, the Pentagon’s half-yearly report on the situation in Afghanistan described India as “Afghanistan’s most reliable regional partner” and noted the interests — conflicting in many cases — of countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia and the Central Asian states in Afghanistan, not to mention Pakistan. The new strategy does not appear to be addressing this factor and other measures of the Trump administration could aggravate the rivalries. Herein lies the most serious challenge in making any meaningful progress in Afghanistan.

    (The author is a columnist with The Hindu)

     

  • Bullet Train to boost India-Japan bilateral ties

    Bullet Train to boost India-Japan bilateral ties

    Modi, Abe jointly Lay foundation stone for Rs 1.08 lakh-cr Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed train; 15 agreements signed GANDHINAGAR

    (TIP): It may have been a dream come true for PM Narendra Modi when, on September 14, he and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe jointly laid the foundation stone of India’s first much-hyped Rs 1.08 lakh crore bullet train corridor between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

    The two Prime Ministers also oversaw the signing of 15 memoranda of understanding, including on disaster risk management, skills development, connectivity, civil aviation and science and technology. On the second and concluding day of Abe’s visit, the two leaders issued a joint statement at the end of the 12th Indo-Japan Joint Summit.

    Speaking at the business summit, Abe said the foundation of the friendship between the two countries was laid when his grandfather, who was the then Prime Minister, visited India 60 years ago and his then Indian counterpart Jawaharlal Nehru accepted him with open arms though Japan then had just started to recover from the battering of the World War.

    “Today I and Modi have decided to start a new chapter in the friendship and develop stronger bonds between the two countries,” he said.

    Modi described Abe as a “great friend of India” and his “best friend”. Modi said in 2016-17, Japan invested $4.7 billion in India, 80% higher than the previous year. “Japan is the third largest investor in India. This shows the optimism in Japan about India’s economic development and bright future,” he said.

    Expecting the bullet train project to be completed by 2022-23, Abe said it would stand out as a towering example of the growing close ties between the two countries. He hoped that during his next visit to Gujarat, he would “come to Ahmedabad in the bullet train from Mumbai with Modi beside him, enjoying the beautiful scenery of India”.

    Both PMs also unveiled the plaque for an institute in Vadodara to train about 4,000 personnel to run the bullet train. The project would provide direct and indirect employment to about 20,000 people.