Year: 2017

Tillerson in focus as ExxonMobil investigation intensifies

New York Attorney-General probing if company misled investors on impact of climate change when Secretary of State was its chief executive

NEW YORK (TIP): Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, may be questioned as New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman expands his sweeping probe into whether Mr. Tillerson’s former employer, ExxonMobil, misled investors about the impact of climate change.

Mr. Schneiderman’s office considers the nation’s chief diplomat a central figure in a case that pits the ambitious Democrat against a Texas energy giant and has divided attorneys general nationwide.

It remains unclear whether he will ultimately force Mr. Tillerson to answer questions under oath, but he told The Associated Press he has the legal authority to question the secretary of state, who served as Exxon’s CEO until joining the Trump administration.

“We haven’t gotten to the point where that’s necessary, but yeah, we have the legal right to conduct depositions. I don’t know that we’re going to have to get to Mr. Tillerson, but sure,” Mr. Schneiderman said when asked whether he has the right to question Mr. Tillerson.

Mr. Schneiderman opened the Exxon investigation in November 2015, shortly after reaching a settlement with another fossil fuel giant, Peabody Coal. In that case, Mr. Schneiderman’s office determined that the coal company misled shareholders, regulators and the public about the company’s financial risks related to climate change.

Now, Mr. Schneiderman is using the subpoena power of his office to determine whether Exxon did the same.

After being forced to produce internal communications about the impact of climate change on its business, Exxon earlier this year acknowledged that Mr. Tillerson used the “Wayne Tracker” alias during email communications. The company says the alias was created to help the former CEO avoid a flood of messages after environmental activists obtained his actual email address.

Most of the “Tracker” emails have been deleted, Exxon says, citing the company’s practice of automatically deleting emails after a certain period of time. Exxon officials testified that the company allowed several months of Mr. Tillerson’s emails to be deleted even after Mr. Schneiderman’s office flagged them for preservation.

For now, Exxon says that many of the messages can be retrieved by collecting emails from those he communicated with.

The New York Attorney General’s office will depose nine Exxon witnesses in the coming weeks in a series of lower-level depositions in a chain that is ultimately expected to lead to Mr. Tillerson. The State Department declined to comment on Mr. Tillerson’s involvement in the Exxon probe. The secretary of state has retained a private attorney to represent him in the matter.

The judge presiding over Mr. Schneiderman’s investigation, New York Supreme Court Justice Barry Ostrager, has so far allowed the Attorney General to use his broad subpoena power to investigate Exxon. But he has been critical about both sides’ behaviour.

Jul 7, 2017 – 6:34 am EDT
Israel backs India’s fight on terror

CEOs hope to take bilateral trade to $20 billion in 5 years

NEW DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up a three-day visit to Israel with a meeting with CEOs of various companies who reportedly signed agreements worth about $4.3 billion.

Businessmen attending the first meeting of the “CEO forum” for India-Israel cooperation, which also met Mr. Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, said the focus was on building ties currently overshadowed by one-way defense trade between the countries. A document of “joint intentions” issued by the forum, organized by FICCI, said that it hoped to take current bilateral trade of about $4-5 billion to $20 billion in five years “if untapped potential is fully harnessed.” The document listed the biggest problems as restrictive “laws for investors” in India, and Indian business visas, which are only granted for one year presently. “The real potential is allowing Israeli technology to access the Indian market by manufacturing products for the world,” Shiv Khemka, Vice-Chairman of the Sun Group that partners with hi-tech Israeli companies like Eccopia that produces robotic non-water cleaners for solar panels at a factory in Haryana, and water purifiers told media.

“We’ll share our technology with India & provide clean water for millions. I’m proud of Israel!” Mr. Netanyahu wrote in a tweet, adding to a photo of him and Mr. Modi standing in the shallows that there is “nothing like going to the beach with friends.”

On Wednesday, India and Israel also launched a research and development fund for innovation worth $40 million contributing, $20 million each. While the figure is small, officials say they hope to kickstart the process of helping students to take their inventions to product lines, and that their success would spur more such innovations.

Earlier, Israel supported India in its fight against terrorism. Israel believes that there is no difference between Pakistan based “Lashkar-e-Taiba” and the Hamas group operating in Israel and Palestine, senior officials in Jerusalem said, pointing out that the Israeli government has unequivocally supported India on the issue of terrorism.

Jul 7, 2017 – 6:01 am EDT
MTA finalizes Glen Cove ferry plan for displaced LIRR commuters

NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The MTA has finalized one of the last pieces of its plan to transport displaced Long Island Rail Road commuters this summer, and on Wednesday, July 5 announced the names of the two companies that will operate ferries to and from Glen Cove.

Five days from the beginning of what Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has dubbed “the summer of hell,” the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said National Ferry, of Washington D.C., and Manhattan-based New York Cruise Lines will operate the ferry services to be provided from Glen Cove beginning Monday and lasting through around Labor Day.

“The capacity of New York Cruise Lines’ vessel is 149 passengers, and it will go to Wall Street/Pier 11,” MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said in a statement. “National Ferry’s vessel, the Patriot II, has a capacity of 225, and will go to 34th Street.”

The Wall Street-bound ferry will depart at 6:10 a.m. and arrive at 7:30 a.m. The 34th Street ferry will leave at 6:35 a.m. and arrive at 7:45 a.m. For the return trips, the Wall Street ferry will depart at 4:30 p.m. and arrive at Glen Cove at 5:50 p.m., and the 34th Street ferry will leave at 6:20 p.m. and arrive at 7:30 p.m.

The ferries are one of the options being provided to commuters as an Amtrak infrastructure renewal plan at Penn Station is forcing the LIRR to reduce rush-hour service to and from the station by about 20 percent. The LIRR will also provide express buses to and from Manhattan and eight locations on Long Island, and will bolster service at its other New York City terminals, Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn and Hunterspoint Avenue in Queens.

Flaws at Penn will take years to fix

To encourage commuters to avoid Penn Station in July and August, the MTA is reducing fares to the alternative terminals for July and August. And, addressing one concern raised by riders since the discount was announced, the MTA confirmed Wednesday that, because the service disruptions have not yet begun, the reduced-fare tickets to the alternative terminals will be honored at Penn Station until Sunday.

“They can go into Penn or they can go to Hunterspoint without any additional cost,” MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota said.

Beginning Monday, customers wanting to use a ticket to or from Atlantic Terminal or Hunterspoint Avenue will have to pay the difference between a Zone 1 fare and a Zone 3 fare. Once Amtrak’s work begins, Lhota said he would encourage commuters to avoid Penn Station, even if they miss the last train out of Hunterspoint Avenue in the evening.

“I’d like as many people as possible to avoid Penn Station, which is why we’ve come up with this whole array of options for them,” Lhota said.

Jul 7, 2017 – 5:54 am EDT
INOC USA expresses serious concern over the growing mob violence and lawlessness in India

NEW YORK (TIP): ‘The government of India appears to be failing big time from its constitutional and solemn duty of protecting the lives and property of its citizens.’ ‘The mob rule and vigilante justice currently taking over the country are posing a direct threat to its revered institutions and the rule of law’ said George Abraham, Chairman of the Indian National Overseas Congress, USA.

We fully support Mrs. Sonia Gandhi’s observation that the culture of violence that is on the rise is being actively supported by those supposed to enforce the law. According to her, the country’s inclusive rule is under attack, and the domestic misrule is one of the big challenges facing the country.

Mrs. Gandhi said,” The tried and tested the idea of India has been thrown fundamentally into question by rising intolerance, by malevolent forces that tell Indians what they cannot eat, who they cannot love, what they can say, indeed, what thoughts they cannot hold”.

The Congress President urged people to speak against the wrongs committed, asserting that “if we do not raise our voices, if we do not speak up, our silence will be taken as consent”.

She cautioned “let us not forget that though their language is modern, they seek to take India backward to further their narrow sectarian vision, their modern jargon conceals pre-modern beliefs.”

In the latest incident, 16-year-old Junaid Khan was lynched to death in a train by cow vigilantes who accused him of killing cows and eating beef. In Jharkhand’s Dhanbad, Usman Ansari was thrashed by a mob, house set on fire over a dead cow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon returning from U.S. made a statement that ‘killing in the name of cow is unacceptable.’ However, it is high time that his words are also matched with strong action from the central government.

The Prime Minister may also share some responsibility in this regard as one of the major themes of the 2014 campaign was a supposed “pink revolution” that Congress was promoting, an insidious plan to slaughter more cows and make money of their meat. It seemed to have played well at that time with his constant charging the opposition of ‘minority appeasement.’

INOC, USA urges NRIs worldwide to speak up urgently on the need to stop the politics of religious hatemongering and making India a subject of ridicule internationally.

Jul 7, 2017 – 5:51 am EDT
Loretta Lynch denies offering assurances to Clinton campaign over email probe

WASHINGTON (TIP): Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch pledged Thursday, July 6, to cooperate with a Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into whether she assured the Hillary Clinton campaign last year that the FBI probe into Clinton’s emails wouldn’t go too far, according to a report in Politico.

In a statement from her lawyer, Lynch also denied ever making such an assurance to a former Clinton campaign aide, Amanda Renteria — an allegation fueled by a Russian intelligence memo that’s credibility has been called into question.

“Ms. Lynch does not know Ms. Renteria, did not discuss the Clinton email investigation with Ms. Renteria, and did not communicate to Ms. Renteria, either in words or in substance, that ‘she would not let the FBI investigation into Clinton go too far,’ says a letter Thursday from her attorney, Robert Raben, to the leaders of the Judiciary panel.

“Likewise,” the letter continues, “to the best of her knowledge and recollection, neither Ms. Lynch nor any representative of the Office of the Attorney General discussed the Clinton email investigation with Ms. Renteria, Representative [Debbie] Wasserman Schultz or her staff, or any DNC official.”

The letter says Lynch “intends to cooperate fully” with the Senate probe.

Last month, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California, along with other members of the panel, sent Lynch a letter seeking answers about the Russian intelligence memo.

The intelligence memo, which was obtained by the FBI, suggested Lynch had assured Renteria that the investigation into Clinton’s emails would not go too far.

The existence of the Russian intelligence memo was first disclosed in April by The New York Times, which said it played a role in Comey’s decision last year to bypass the normal chain of command and make a public announcement that the FBI was not recommending criminal charges against Clinton. He reportedly was worried that the Justice Department’s credibility could be called into question if the announcement came from Lynch, and Russia later leaked the document.

The details about the intelligence memo came to light in a Washington Post report in May that said U.S. intelligence officials believe it might be unreliable or even a fake.

Renteria and others involved in the issue told the Post they did not know each other and had never gotten such an assurance from Lynch.

Jul 7, 2017 – 5:44 am EDT
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka appointed to a second term as Executive Director of UN Women

UNITED NATIONS (TIP): The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on July 5, appointed Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for a second term as Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) for a period of four years.

“This renewed term is our opportunity to reflect constructively, build our momentum, and surge ahead. In these years we are going to be putting our new Strategic Plan 2018-2021 into practice, supporting Member States and our diverse partners to accelerate their implementation of the 2030 Agenda with gender equality and women’s empowerment and full realization of their rights at its heart; we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of our establishment; and we will drive hard towards this and the other key milestones of 2020 as a firm platform for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,” said Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka.

The Secretary-General’s decision came following consultations with Member States and the Executive Board of UN Women. The two-day annual session of the Executive Board had met earlier the previous week to fine-tune the strategic planning for the next four years, expressing its confidence in UN Women’s vital mandate and strong leadership.

Commenting on progress to date, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka emphasized the high caliber and commitment of UN Women’s staff: “Their energy and dedication keep us going through all the challenges, and make our organization what it is. Together with Member States and all our partners, we are fiercely ambitious for the women and girls of this world, and positive that greater equality bears fruit for all,” she said.

Under Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women has played a significant role in ensuring that women were put front and center of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and that the responsibility of ending gender inequality became everyone’s responsibility. She established game-changing movements such as HeForShe that engages men and boys.

She has been influential in transforming conversations and knowledge on the most important issues affecting women’s lives such as discriminatory laws, unequal pay and unpaid care work, violence against women, disenfranchisement, and conflict and humanitarian crises through flagship programming that coordinates response through the UN system. Through this she has broadened the base of both state and non-state actors that influence transformative and irreversible change.

Before joining UN Women, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka worked with women and girls in different capacities in civil society and as a public representative. Her work has focused on political and economic rights as well as girls’ education; her experience includes promoting gender equality for women in both the private and the public sectors. She was involved in her country’s struggle against Apartheid. As World YWCA coordinator for young women’s programs, she worked with young women all over the world.

Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka was the first woman to hold the position of Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008. She initially became a Member of Parliament in 1994, chairing the Public Service Portfolio Committee. She was Deputy Minister in the Department of Trade and Industry (1996-1999), Minister of Minerals and Energy (1999-2005), and briefly served as acting Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology in 2004. In all her portfolios she was actively involved in policy and legislation that impacted positively on the lives of women and girls. She holds a PhD in technology-based education.

UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. For more information, visit www.unwomen.org. UN Women, 220 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017, New York. Tel: +1 646 781-4400. Fax: +1 646 781-4496.

Jul 7, 2017 – 5:40 am EDT
The 2017 South Asian Spelling Bee Boston & New Jersey winners announced

METUCHEN, NJ (TIP): Continuing its quest for the best speller in the community, the 2017 South Asian Spelling Bee (www.SouthAsianSpellingBee.com) traveled to Massachusetts and New Jersey this past weekend with stops in the Boston and New Brunswick.

With a huge turnout this year as well, the Bee attracted some top talent as well as young and new spellers that competed for the coveted prizes and titles.

In the Boston Regional, Sravanth Malla (13) of Haverstraw, New York was the regional champ, Anmol Dash (12) of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, was the first runner up, and Richa Juvekar (13) of Westford, Massachusetts, was second runner up.

In New Jersey, Sujata Choudhury (10) from Cherry Hill, New Jersey was named regional champ, Abhilash Patel (9) from Harriman, New York was first runner up, and Agranya Ketha (13) of Montville, New Jersey, was the second runner-up.

The event is open to children of South Asian descent up to 14 years of age. It gives 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 South Asian Spelling Bee is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and with regionals being held in 8 locations across the United States. Apart from Boston and New Jersey, regional centers include Chicago, Seattle, Washington D.C. Metro, Charlotte, the Bay Area, and Dallas. All events will be free to attend and open to the public. An international regional in Accra, Ghana was conducted earlier this year, from where spellers of South Asian descent will qualify for the finals.

“For the past nine 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 Tenth 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.

The top two spellers of each regional competition will advance to the finals to be held in New Jersey in August. Champion’s grand prize of $3,000 will be awarded to the winner at the finals.

This year, the Bee is proudly powered by Kawan- the world’s most popular Roti paratha brand returns as the powered by sponsor and as always, SONY Entertainment Television Asia is the exclusive broadcast partner for the 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 South Asian Spelling Bee has made for great programing 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 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.

Jul 7, 2017 – 5:31 am EDT
Donald Trump is an ‘outright thug,’ says Padma Lakshmi

The celebrity Indian American chef says the president would rather tweet www videos “than read a security briefing or actual health care bill.”

NEW YORK (TIP): In fact, even that would be a charitable description judging from the way she described the 45th president of the United States on Monday.

“So, it’s official, we have an outright thug in the WH who tweets www videos rather than read a security briefing or actual health care bill!”

So, it’s official, we have an outright thug in the WH who tweets www videos rather than read a security briefing or actual health care bill!

Lakshmi’s tweet came in response to a doctored video that Trump posted on Saturday where the president is seen body slamming an opponent with a CNN logo imposed on his face.

Lakshmi, an author and well-known host of Top Chef, a reality competition aired on Bravo, has been quite active on twitter. Lately, she has been campaigning against a Republican effort to repeal Obamacare, especially GOP lawmakers’ attempt to defund Planned Parenthood.

Recently, the celebrity chef also featured on a video explaining why every woman deserves access to birth control and highlighting the work Planned Parenthood is doing.

This was not the first time the Indian American aired her contempt for Trump publicly. During the presidential election last year, she had called Trump a buffoon. “Even if he wasn’t the racist buffoon that he is making himself out to be, I probably wouldn’t vote for him,” Lakshmi said, Variety reported. “But as an immigrant, I obviously don’t see his worldview as mine.”

Laxmi was in India in February to promote her book Love, Loss and What We Ate: A Memoir.

Trump’s tweet was part of his continuing tirade against CNN and other media organizations.

A few hours after the controversial CNN tweet, Trump tweeted again saying, “At some point the Fake News will be forced to discuss our great jobs numbers, strong economy, success with ISIS, the border & so much else!”

In response to Trump’s tweet, CNN tweeted, “The President is no way form or fashion has ever promoted or encouraged violence. If anything, quite the contrary.”

Jul 7, 2017 – 5:25 am EDT
Chairman Crowley Introduces Citizenship Empowerment Act to Provide Voter Registration Forms to New Citizens

WASHINGTON DC (TIP): House Democratic Chairman Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA) have introduced legislation to require that all newly sworn-in U.S. citizens be uniformly provided voter registration forms at naturalization ceremonies, making it easier for them to exercise their core right as a citizen: the right to vote.

Currently, only some states and local election officials provide such materials to newly sworn-in citizens. The Citizenship Empowerment Act (H.R. 3113) would require officials to provide voter registration forms in citizenship packets and would allow election officials to set up informational tables outside naturalization ceremonies.

“We should do everything within our power to make it easier for Americans to vote, as that is the fundamental tool for ensuring a more perfect union,” said Chairman Crowley. “Newly sworn-in Americans have demonstrated their commitment and dedication to our country, and they are often eager to make their voices heard. Providing voter registration forms at naturalization ceremonies would go a long way into making that a reality. I applaud Congressman Boyle for his leadership on this important issue and hope my colleagues will be inspired by the Independence Day Holiday to support this legislation.”

“The right to vote is the foundation of our democratic system. We should make it easier, not harder, for citizens to vote or register to vote whenever possible,” said Congressman Boyle. “We should do all we can to provide all citizens a fair opportunity to participate in our democracy – and in fact encourage them to do so – regardless of the location they happen to be naturalized as a U.S. citizen. The first step of a truly representative democracy is participation. I am proud to introduce this legislation with Joe to cap off Immigrant Heritage Month and commemorate July Fourth.”

The legislation is endorsed by Common Cause and the National Partnership for New Americans.

“Many immigrants to the United States fought and died for the right to vote,” said Aaron Scherb, director of legislative affairs at Common Cause. “Ensuring that new American citizens can fully participate in our democracy is a common-sense reform, and Common Cause commends Representative Boyle for introducing the Citizenship Empowerment Act.”

Providing new citizens with voter registration forms at their naturalization ceremonies is allowed but not required by federal law. This is an obvious disparity, whereas one new U.S. citizen can be sworn-in and immediately be given the opportunity to register to vote, while another may have to jump through multiple hoops to track down the necessary paperwork.

Jul 7, 2017 – 5:21 am EDT
Hindus seek Diwali holiday in all Wales schools

NEVADA (TIP): Hindus are urging all state and independent/private schools in Wales (United Kingdom) to close on Diwali, most popular of their festival, which falls on October 19 this year.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) said that it would be a step in the positive direction, as it was important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of Hindu pupils.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that Wales schools should make efforts to accommodate the religious requirements of Hindu students and show respect to their faith by not conducting regular business and scheduling classes on Diwali. We did not want our students to be put at an unnecessary disadvantage for missing tests/examinations/papers, assignments, class work, etc., by taking a day-off to observe Diwali.

If schools had declared other religious holidays, why not Diwali, Rajan Zed asked. Holidays of all major religions should be honored and no one should be penalized for practicing their religion, Zed added.

Zed suggested that all Wales schools, state as well as independent/private, to seriously look into declaring Diwali as an official holiday, thus recognizing the intersection of spirituality and education. Zed noted that awareness about other religions thus created by such holidays like Diwali would make Wales students well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow.

Rajan Zed urged Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones and Cabinet Secretary for Education Kirsty Williams to work towards adding Diwali as an official holiday in all the state schools of Wales, and persuading the independent/private schools to follow.

Zed further says that Hinduism is rich in festivals and religious festivals are very dear and sacred to Hindus. Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil.

Jul 7, 2017 – 5:14 am EDT
Masaba Gupta to present designer wear on July 8

SAN JOSE (TIP): Bay area-settled Indian actress Jaishree Chandrasekar is presenting Urban Panache USA in partnership with House of Masaba to cast Masaba spell on Silicon Valley.

She is presenting international designer Masaba Gupta founder and creative head of House of Masaba at Amber India, 4296 El Camino Real, Los Altos on July 8 between 1 PM and 5 PM.

Gupta is the daughter of the National Film Award winning powerhouse of an actress, TV host and Theater producer, Neena Gupta and the legendary King of Swagger and Cricket, Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards.

Gupta gave tennis, dance, music, radio jockey and acting a shot. Sixth time was the game changer for this young lady as she enrolled herself into fashion school. And like a phoenix, she rose and continues to soar high.

Back in 2009, her mentor Wendell Rodricks encouraged her to apply for Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai at the tender age of 19 under Gen Next category. By 2010 she won the award for Best Emerging Designer by Cosmopolitan (2010).

Gupta kept scaling newer heights, as the fashion world raved about the ethereal Sonam Kapoor as she debuted Masaba Saree at Cannes 2011. Masaba became a celebrity favorite, and her designs featured on every major Fashion magazines and blogs. Her ability to turn everyday objects into retro prints caught the attention of women across the seven seas, including me. In 2015 Vogue Italia (2015) awarded her India’s most promising talents.

Masaba a diffusion line – unique and revolutionary is one of India’s most successful fashion labels. The strength of the label lies in the ability to marry traditional Indian sensibilities and aesthetics while keeping the modern context alive.

By 2017 she made it to the prestigious Forbes India’s 30 under 30 list. The headline rightfully said, “Masaba Gupta’s instinct-driven designs belie her age”. The Brand That Talk To the Mighty Girls

Her lust-worthy brand appeals to the modern women across the globe. From the ones who enjoy fuss-free kitschy clothing to the elegant show-stoppers. Her clothes are versatility personified. They can effortlessly transition from the tech conferences in Silicon Valley to the bustling streets of Florence.

Sonya & Trisha Suri, the dynamic mother and daughter duo founded Urban Panache. Trisha, a Business Management major and currently a student getting her masters in Computer Science at CMU, was helping her friend with her wedding trousseau. It was then that Trisha realized that there was a shortage of options in the United States when it came to catering locally to the American brides.

Jaishree is an Indian actress who has acted in Tamil-language films in the 1980s. She was introduced by veteran Tamil director C. V. Sridhar in the movie Thendrale Ennai Thodu in 1985. She got married in 1988 and lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband Chandrasekar and two sons.

Jaishree went back to school educated herself in Technology and has been a t technology professional for the past 17 years. However, she made a comeback with movie titled Kadhal 2 Kalyanam in 2014, but the movie release has been delayed. On Christmas Day 2016, Jaishree’s other comeback film Manal Kayiru 2 (the sequel of the original 80s iconic hit) released in theaters internationally. She is the granddaughter of late S Jayalakshmi singer and actress and is grand niece of globally renowned artist and painter S. Rajam & Veena Vidwan Padmabhushan S. Balachander, both her grandmother’s brothers.

She is now venturing into social media marketing with her page ‘Jaishree Chandrasekar Presents’.

For years, Jaishree’s clothing, jewelry, make-up style, cooking, recipes, kitchen ideas, travel ideas and suggestions & comments on assorted topics such as settling in the US, raising children have been of interest to her friends and family.

On her Facebook page, Jaishree Chandrasekar Presents, she hopes to expand this to a broader audience. The Face book page will promote items that she recommends & enable limited edition items and services as well, thereby opening up a vetted and credible shopping experience.

Jaishree and her team are currently in the process of quality-testing select vendors in the fashion industry, resorts and jewelry designers. One such company is Vaishali bangles inspired by the tradition meet modern design. They customize Jewelry according to the trend and also to suit custom requirements. Look out for recommendations on this page soon. For vendors who would like to reach quality clientele via Jaishree. Contact Jaishree at jaishreechandrasekarpresents@gmail.com

By Prakash Swami

Jul 7, 2017 – 4:08 am EDT
Making of a monumental crisis

Parliament must resist a proposed amendment that compromises the 100-m no-construction zone

By Nayanjot Lahiri

“India’s monuments form an irreplaceable archive of our civilizational heritage. Our pride in our heritage has always been surplus while caring for that heritage suffers a huge deficit. Surely, India’s archaeological heritage, as diverse and priceless as our natural heritage, seventy years after Independence, deserves better than what has fallen to its lot”, says the author.

India’s monumental heritage is on the brink of a shameful shift. The Central government is poised to introduce an amendment to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, in Parliament, which would remove the security net that exists around our nationally protected monuments.

Endangered structures

Why is this security net necessary, and why is its proposed infringement shameful? Our protected monuments, from the Taj Mahal to the monuments of Mamallapuram, have a designated prohibited area — at least a 100-m radius — to protect them, where no new construction is allowed. It is similar to the zoning around tiger reserves where the core area is set apart for the animals to live in, and where human disturbance is not permitted. Just as this is done to prevent human-animal conflict, zoning around monuments is necessary to prevent monuments from defacement and to prevent the present from displacing the past by marring historical landscapes. Monuments, it needs to be remembered, are endangered structures and vulnerable to human interference. If tigers have disappeared across large parts of the habitats they occupied even till the early part of the last century, so have several of India’s protected monuments. As it is, there are a mere 3,650 monuments which are nationally protected in a country where the records with the government show some 5,00,000 unprotected and endangered monuments.

The track record of the government in maintaining our nationally protected monuments, to put it most charitably, is an indifferent one. There are encroachments by government agencies and individuals. The 2013 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) noted that of the 1,655 monuments whose records were scrutinized and which were physically inspected, 546 of them were encroached. This may well be because of a lack of basic manpower in the form of monument attendants. In 2010, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stated on record that its staff strength did not permit the deployment of even a single person on a regular full-time basis at more than 2,500 of its monuments. This meant that more than two-thirds of India’s monuments that the Central government is supposed to protect were poorly guarded. At the same time, the CAG pointed to connivance by ASI officials as well. As the files of the ASI reveal, there are also numerous instances where politicians have proactively protected those who have illegally occupied the prohibited zone around monuments.

The only protection for our defenseless heritage has come from courts of law because there are legal provisions which, at least on paper, prevent the encroachment of the prohibited zone around monuments. The idea itself, that a security net ought to be created around heritage buildings, can be traced to Jawaharlal Nehru. As Prime Minister, he complained to the Union Minister of Education in 1955 that India’s old and historical places were getting spoilt by new buildings being put up around them. In order to prevent intrusions, Nehru suggested that the government “lay down that within a certain area no building should be put up without permission”. An example of his proactive approach in creating such protective barriers is the enclosure encircling the tomb of Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana in Nizamuddin. This was built after Nehru had visited the site and suggested that the adjacent grounds be converted into a garden because, as he put it, he did not want the colony of Nizamuddin East to extend into the area around the tomb. This idea eventually found its way into the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules of 1959 which unambiguously, for the first time, noted a prohibited and a regulated zone around protected sites and monuments.

Because of these rules, the High Court of Delhi in 2009 struck down all permissions that had been illegally granted by the ASI through an Expert Advisory Committee. As a consequence of this judgment, in 2010, the Government of India set up a committee which recommended a new bill to Parliament. It is now known as the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act. Unanimously passed in March 2010, this legislation brought the prohibited and regulated zones around monuments within the ambit of the Act itself.

As a consequence of this statute, the National Monuments Authority was set up. It is shocking that even after these years, a major task of this authority remains to be done, that of preparing heritage bye-laws for nationally protected monuments. If India’s rulers cared at all for our monuments, by now not only would the bye-laws pertaining to the 3,650 national monuments have been prepared, they would also have been tabled in Parliament as was required by law. Instead of expediting the preparation of those bye-laws, the government has sought to dilute the 100 m prohibited area around nationally protected monuments. The proposed amendment aims to allow the Central government to construct within that area all kinds of structures. Incidentally, the Cabinet note shows that the Ministry of Culture, instead of protecting monuments, is now acting a clearing house for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The amendment is necessary, the Cabinet note states, because, among other things, an elevated road needs to be built in front of Akbar’s tomb in Agra! The Ministry of Culture needs to be reminded that it is the nodal agency for protecting our monuments, not endangering them. Otherwise, it is better for the government to abolish this ministry since cultural protection is far from what it seems to be doing.

One people, two norms

What makes this amendment shameful is that our Ministers live in the Lutyens Bungalow Zone in New Delhi where overhead metro lines have not been permitted because, quite rightly, they would have permanently marred the aesthetics of the area. Hundreds of crores of rupees have been spent to ensure that there are no ugly railway corridors across that area. Yet, the ruling class has no compunction in pushing for a legislation which would allow overhead contraptions in the vicinity of our national monuments. Does the government believe that the aesthetics around government bungalows matter but not around monuments? Or is it possible that they believe that monuments do not matter and only highways do?

India’s monuments form an irreplaceable archive of our civilizational heritage. Our pride in our heritage has always been surplus while caring for that heritage suffers a huge deficit. Surely, India’s archaeological heritage, as diverse and priceless as our natural heritage, seventy years after Independence, deserves better than what has fallen to its lot

(The author is a historian and archaeologist of ancient India and a professor of history at Ashoka University)

Jul 7, 2017 – 3:59 am EDT
Another successful visit

Modi-Netanyahu chemistry alchemizes ties

Judging even by the high standards of personalized diplomacy set in place in the last three years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day visit to Israel has to be judged as an astounding success. The Prime Minister was serenaded in lavish terms; the reddest of red carpet was rolled out for him, just as stiff protocol niceties were rolled away to honor him; we are told that the standards and excellence of hospitality and courtesies extended to him were so far reserved only for the mightiest of global leaders. Narendra Modi had always had, reportedly, a special relationship with his Israeli counterpart, based on mutual respect and admiration that leaders reserve for strong, tough practitioners of hard politics. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu naturally went out of his way to lionize our Prime Minister; and, it was only natural that the visit should have produced a ‘strategic partnership’.

A ‘strategic partnership’, in many ways, has become a charming amulet, diplomats have devised to upgrade a relationship. We have, for example, a strategic partnership with the United States, but we have very many valid and legitimate reasons to feel disappointed at Washington’s lack of appreciation of our strategic concerns and sensibilities. On the other hand, even without a strategic partnership, New Delhi has had a steadily growing, pragmatic, working relationship with Tel Aviv. Both countries have a shared sense of victimhood against global terror. This working arrangement already had in place all the ingredients of a strategic partnership. What the Modi visit has done is to put the de jure stamp on a de facto relationship.

Over the decades our relationship with Israel had got hyphenated with the knotty Palestine issues. There were both domestic and geostrategic reasons for a cultivated ambivalence; the India-Israel ties were overdue for an upgrade as most of these reasons for diffidence have melted away. Domestically, for the first time New Delhi has is a ruling regime that believes that it does not need to get bogged down by the Muslim community’s traditional sensitivities, at home or abroad. It is this substantive change in our internal political calculus that has lent a new substance to our ties with Israel.

(Tribune India)

Jul 7, 2017 – 3:22 am EDT
The wheeling-dealing world of lobbying – As I See It

By Harvinder Khetal

“A lobbyist is an activist who seeks to persuade government members to enact legislation that would benefit their group. It is inextricably linked to the democratic political process. But equally true is that such petitioners are associated with bribery and looked down upon for endeavoring to influence decisions through wheeling and dealing and wining and dining”, says the author.

When the Prime Minister of India, the largest democracy in the world, met the President of the USA, the second largest democracy (in terms of population), last week, he got a red carpet welcome and the privilege to hobnob in the White House precincts. Among the other perks that come with the territory, Mr. Modi got to stay in the iconic Willard InterContinental Hotel that is located at a stone’s throw from the presidential mansion in Washington DC. He joined legends who have stayed in this luxurious property and contributed to the historic value of the 200-year-old hotel.

Due to its ideal location, the hotel has been the center of the US’ social and political scene. And, Willard loves to prop up the fascinating folklore attached with its celebrated guests. It is famously said that Martin Luther King Jr gave the finishing touches to his famous “I have a dream” speech here. Another tidbit: that Abraham Lincoln walked in its corridors before his inauguration.

Then, due to the goings-on in the hotel because of its strategic location, Willard has also had a role in the legitimization of a word – lobby, as in ‘seek to influence (a legislator) on an issue.’

Though lexicologists trace the term lobby to the British Parliament, the hotel has been fanning the myth related to its foyer. Most likely, the hotel’s saga helped reinforce and push the word into gaining acceptance worldwide. So, how is the Willard’s lobby related to the term lobbying?

The story originated during the presidency of Ulysses S Grant (1869-1877). President Grant enjoyed his drink and cigar while relaxing in the hotel lobby. And not-so fortuitously, folks fancying favors, flocked the foyer for a favorable influence on his decision-making. Thus, it came to be said and was even reported in newspapers that President Grant had coined the term by referring to the petitioners as “those damn lobbyists.”

Of course, now lobbying has evolved into an art that does not necessarily take place in a lobby. A lobbyist is an activist who seeks to persuade government members to enact legislation that would benefit their group. It is inextricably linked to the democratic political process. But equally true is that such petitioners are associated with bribery and looked down upon for endeavoring to influence decisions through wheeling and dealing and wining and dining. Wheeling and dealing is an attempt to make a deal or get an advantage by using complicated and sometimes unfair or dishonest means. And, to wine and dine someone is to entertain someone to a lavish meal and fine wines, usually with an ulterior motive.

In this context, I must confess that as a journalist, I have partaken of meals that often exude of a flavor of lobbying. I guess it’s a job hazard that a good professional would know how to deal with objectively.

Interestingly, the ‘Washington Post’, quoting a Gallup poll, has reported that the occupation most despised in the USA is lobbying. While lawyer jokes are legion and salesmen are lampooned routinely, lobbyists are so despicably low on ethics that they don’t even merit ridicule. The practitioners move around with such fancy titles as ‘government relations officer’.

No surprise that the Willard has, of late, been choosing to distance itself from the myth related to the coining of the term lobby.

In India, a public relations firm came for flak and ultimately winded up following the leak of its notorious ‘Nira Radia tapes’. But it is Dhirubhai Ambani who is synonymous with mastering the knack of corporate lobbying. His dealings in the corridors of powerful authorities during the rise of the Reliance group reveal wheels within wheels (hidden or unknown things that influence a particular situation, making it more complicated than it seems at first).

It seems that the warp and woof (the foundation of any structure or organization) of Ambani’s journey from a schoolteacher’s son to a giant tycoon is cemented by lobbying, along with competence, hard work, management skills and foresight. The phrase warp and woof comes from weaving, in which the warp — the threads that run lengthwise — and the woof — the threads that run across — make up the fabric.

I got a peep into Ambani’s fascinating and, at times, dark style of functioning on one of my trips abroad as I laid hands on his unauthorized biography ‘The Polyester Prince: The Rise of Dhirubhai Ambani’ by Hamish McDonald. The book is banned in India.

The book sums up human interactions thus: “Nobody is a permanent friend, nobody is a permanent enemy. Everybody has his own self-interest. Once you recognize that, everybody will be better off.” And, lobbying is justified by quoting Ambani himself thus: “You should not do anything illegal. First of all, the law should be changed.” So, he did exactly what he preached with prowess: by establishing connections with lawmakers.

(The author can be reached at hkhetal@gmail.com)

Jul 7, 2017 – 3:18 am EDT
BAPS hosts Annual Blood Drive in Parsippany, NJ

PARSIPPANY, NJ (TIP: Dozens of members of the local community committed its focus to the annual BAPS Charities Blood Drive in Parsippany, NJ. With a continuous need for blood donors from a diversity of backgrounds, the blood drive, held on Sunday 25^th June 2017, gave community members an opportunity to save lives and close the gap on supply shortages faced by blood banks.

A total of 26 pints of blood were collected, which has the potential to save up to 78 lives in the community. Through a local partnership with Red cross, all of the collections were donated to local blood banks to serve nearby communities.

The Blood Drive organized by BAPS Charities is a crucial part of national efforts to address shortages. Statistics suggest that every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. According to the American Red Cross, the majority of blood donations come from local, community-based drives such as this.

“We are happy for the opportunity to do this service on a regular basis and assist area agencies through our community’s contribution,” said Shailesh Patel referring to the event.

BAPS Charities also used the event as a platform to raise awareness around the need for regular blood donations and the significant impact they have, especially during demanding periods. Punit Patel from Parsippany, a blood drive participant, remarked, “I am glad to have come out today and participated in the blood drive. It is empowering to know that my donation could potentially save someone’s life and I look forward to sharing what I have learned with my friends and colleagues at work, so they will hopefully do the same.”

The Blood Drive event is one of several service events held by BAPS Charities each year. Health fairs, walkathons, children’s health and safety events, and bone marrow drives are also held annually and in multiple locations across the country. Through these activities, BAPS Charities aims to develop a broader spirit of volunteerism to enable individuals of all ages to make meaningful contributions to society.

(SOURCE: BAPS Charities)

Jul 7, 2017 – 3:13 am EDT
Indian American student wins National Speech and Debate Tournament

NEW YORK (TIP): Kapur, an Indian American Sikh high school student at Valley High School junior in West Des Moines, Iowa, has won this year’s National Speech and Debate Tournament which is considered as the most prestigious high school competition in the US.

The win continued his impressive string of victories, which included first-place finishes at the Emory University, Minneapple and Harvard University tournaments and the Barkley Forum for High Schools.

As an original orator, Kapur composed his own persuasive speech addressing a social issue. His speech, “Let’s Dance,” started out with a lively Bollywood dance and focused on his experiences as a Sikh American youth. He earned top rankings in the semifinal and final rounds of the Tournament of Champions before earning the championship trophy.

The Tournament of Champions is the most prestigious high school speech and debate competition in the U.S. To qualify, debaters must receive two bids, earned by advancing to late elimination rounds at select individual tournaments. Held annually at the University of Kentucky, the tournament provides the most successful debaters from individual tournaments with a chance to compete with each other. Valley seniors T.J. Foley and Trent Gilbert also made it to the elimination rounds of the Tournament of Champions.

Jul 7, 2017 – 3:11 am EDT
Indian American Doctor Pariksith Singh recognized as the Frist Humanitarian Award Winner for the Year by Oak Hill Hospital
BROOKSVILLE, FL (TIP): Oak Hill Hospital recently recognized Pariksith Singh, MD, as this year’s Frist Humanitarian Physician Award winner.

The Frist Humanitarian Award was founded in 1971 and honors outstanding individuals for their humanitarian and volunteer activities. It is one of HCA’s Awards of Distinction and is one of the highest honors that HCA bestows on employees, physicians and volunteers. Named in honor of Dr. Thomas F. Frist Sr., a founder of HCA and renowned humanitarian, this award recognizes individuals whose daily dedication and care giving, epitomize the highest standards of quality and personal commitment.

Dr. Singh was presented with the Special Doctor Service Award by iLa Ganeshan, a member of Parliament in India

In recognizing Dr. Singh, his nomination included the following:
1. Provides excellent healthcare to the community
2. He puts his patients first
3. His actions speak louder than words
4. He shows respect for everyone
Dr. Singh received his medical training in India and completed his residency at Mount Sinai Elmhurst in 1996. He has held his Board Certification in Internal Medicine since that time. Upon completion of his residency, he moved to Florida and began his medical career. In 2001, he co-founded Access Health Care, LLC, where he continues as CEO, Medical Director, owner and physician.

Dr. Singh began the Auroveda Operating Foundation which includes the Community Outreach Center, Auro Community Garden, and the Kids’ Garden at Pine Grove Elementary School. Other organizations he supports include People Helping People, Disabled American Veterans, the Crescent Community Clinic, Wounded Warrior Project, and neighborhood schools

In addition, he has established the Auroveda Integral Foundation in Jaipur, India. Through the foundation, he has organized an Ayervedic and Homeopathic dispensary. The center provides cost-free treatment. Further, the foundation has submitted a proposal to establish a healthcare wellness and AYUSH Center in Jaipur that would have satellite locations in rural areas. AYUSH is an acronym that is used to describe the non-allopathic medical system in India. AYUSH refers to Ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha and homeopathic.

Recently Dr. Singh was presented with the Special Doctor Service Award by iLa Ganeshan, a member of Parliament in India. The award was in recognition of Dr. Singh’s contributions to healthcare.
Jul 7, 2017 – 3:08 am EDT
Indian Americans charged in $4 million fraud scheme

CHICAGO (TIP)The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged two top Indian-American former executives in greater Chicago area in the accounting fraud scheme, alleging that they siphoned off more than $4 million from the company over nearly five-year period. A criminal information filed in federal court in Chicago charged Quadrant 4 executives Nandu Thondavadi 63, of North Barrington, and Dhru Desai, 55, of Barrington, with wire fraud. Nandu Thondavadi was CEO of Schaumburg-based Quadrant 4 System, and Dhru Desai was its chief financial officer and chairman.

Quadrant 4 provides software products, platforms and consulting services to customers in the healthcare and education sectors. In 2015 the SEC launched an investigation of Quadrant 4 based on indications that the firm may have violated federal securities laws. The FBI initiated an investigation of Quadrant 4 in 2016. As set forth in the information against Thondavadi and Desai, the investigation revealed that Thondavadi and Desai engaged in a wide-ranging scheme to defraud Quadrant 4’s shareholders by misappropriating more than $3 million from the company, fraudulently inflating Quadrant 4’s revenue, and regularly concealing Quadrant 4’s liabilities. The information charges that Thondavadi and Desai certified false SEC reports.

The fraud scheme also involved numerous misrepresentations related to Quadrant 4’s acquisitions, including misrepresentations about the terms of Quadrant 4’s purchase of Momentum Mobile in 2013. As set forth in the charges, the investigation further revealed that Thondavadi and Desai attempted to obstruct the SEC’s investigation of Quadrant 4 as it related to the Momentum Mobile acquisition.

Jul 7, 2017 – 3:03 am EDT
Indian American and an Indian receive California’s premier air quality award

SACRAMENTO (TIP): The California Air Resources Board on June 21 honored recipients of the 2016 Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards, California’s premier award recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions to improving air quality. Two Indians– Dr V. “Ram” Ramanathan, Distinguished Professor, Climate and Atmospheric Sciences, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego and Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Centre for Science and Environment, India were among the recipients.

“The Haagen-Smit Award is our way of honoring individuals who have championed public health with extraordinary contributions to air pollution research, science and clean air technology,” CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols said. “From shaping our understanding of air pollutants and informing policy on climate health, to advocating for the right to clean air in severely polluted cities, their long and distinguished careers have changed how we address climate change and fight air pollution around the world.”

Considered the “Nobel Prize” in air quality achievement, the Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards are given annually to individuals who have made significant lifetime contributions toward improving air quality and climate change science, technology and policy, furthering the protection of public health.

Dr. Veerabhadran “Ram” Ramanathan is being recognized for his sustained and innovative contributions to understanding complex linkages between manmade emissions and climate change, especially the need for simultaneous and deep reductions of short- and long-lived climate pollutants in order to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of global warming. Dr. Ramanathan’s historic research on climate and atmospheric science has been widely recognized around the world. Because of his research, atmospheric physics was linked to atmospheric chemistry, leading to a paradigm shift in the way climate scientists approached the problem of global warming.

Anumita Roychowdhury is being recognized for her notable work on a suite of emission control strategies to mitigate severe air pollution. Ms. Roychowdhury has a long list of success stories for clean air and public health in India. Her most recent policy victory was the national adoption of sweeping new emission standards for cars, trucks, buses, two-wheelers and three-wheelers. Anumita remains a central force in air pollution control in India and throughout the developing world.

Jul 7, 2017 – 3:01 am EDT
Carnegie Corporation honors two Indian Americans with Great Immigrants tribute

NEW YORK (TIP): The Carnegie Corporation of New York honored 38 immigrants, including two Indian Americans with their annual Great Immigrants tribute on July 4. Chairman, president, and CEO of Adobe Systems Incorporated Shantanu Narayen and former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy were honored with the prestigious awards.

Every year, Carnegie Corporation of New York, established by Scottish immigrant Andrew Carnegie, recognizes naturalized citizens who make America strong. Each year since 2006, the Corporation has recognized the contributions of naturalized citizens, and for 2017, the honorees represent more than 30 different countries of origin, a wide range of personal immigration stories, and a high level of professional leadership in numerous fields.

“Our annual tribute to Great Immigrants demonstrates the richness of talent, skills, and achievements that immigrants from around the world bring to every sphere of American society,” said Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York. “This campaign reminds us of the debt the United States owes to generations of immigrants who become citizens and contribute to the progress of this country. Today, we celebrate and thank them.”

Originally from Hyderabad, India, Shantanu has an undergraduate degree in electronics engineering, a master’s degree in computer science, and an MBA from UC Berkeley. He is a board member of Pfizer and U.S.-India Business Council, and was named one of the world’s best CEOs by Barron’s magazine in 2016 and 2017.

Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy was confirmed on December 15, 2014, as the 19th United States Surgeon General. Dr. Murthy has devoted himself to improving public health through the lens of service, clinical care, research, education and entrepreneurship. As a clinician-educator, Dr. Murthy has cared for thousands of patients and trained hundreds of residents and medical students.

Jul 7, 2017 – 2:58 am EDT
Carnegie Names Indian American Milan Vaishnav as New Director for South Asia Program

NEW YORK (TIP): The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace announced that Senior Fellow Milan Vaishnav will serve as the director of the South Asia Program in Washington.

The author of the widely acclaimed new book, When Crime Pays: Money and Muscle in Indian Politics (Yale University Press and HarperCollins India, 2017) and co-editor of the recent Rethinking Public Institutions in India (Oxford University Press, 2017), Vaishnav is an expert on India’s political economy and examines issues such as corruption, ethnic politics, governance and state capacity, election finance, and voter behavior. He joined Carnegie in 2012 after serving as a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Global Development. He holds a PhD in political science from Columbia University.

“This is a critical moment in the internal and external trajectory of South Asia,” said Vaishnav. “I am excited about what my colleagues and I can accomplish together and honored to take on this new role at an institution I care so much about.”

Carnegie President William J. Burns said, “Milan offers a vivid demonstration of Carnegie at its very best. He is a first-rate scholar with uncanny policy savvy and a deep-seated commitment to offer real world solutions to some daunting governance challenges. He has more than earned his reputation as one of the most thoughtful analysts of his generation and one of the most admired members of the Carnegie Endowment family.”

Jul 7, 2017 – 2:33 am EDT
AAPI supports Dr. Jerome Adams for United States Surgeon General

CHICAGO, IL (TIP): “The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin is pleased to support the nomination of Dr. Jerome Adams for United States Surgeon General, currently serving as Indiana Health Commissioner with a proven leadership record with a steadfast dedication to improving the lives of the communities around him,” said Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI, in a statement issued here.

Dr. Jerome Adams was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the new Surgeon General of the United States on June 29th. Adams, a physician anesthesiologist, has a long-tenured history in the health industry and is from Vice President Mike Pence‘s home state of Indiana.

If he is confirmed by the US Senate, he would serve a four-year term and would take over for Sylvia Trent-Adams, who’s served as the acting surgeon general since April 21 when Trump asked Vivek Murthy to resign from the top job as America’s Doctor. Murthy, a member and friend of AAPI, had served in the role since December 18, 2014 and was nominated by President Barack Obama.

According to Dr. Samadder, who assumed charge as the President of the largest ethnic organization of physicians in the US representing nearly 100,000 physicians and fellows of Indian origin, Dr. Adams has demonstrated this leadership on numerous fronts including during the recent HIV outbreak in southeast Indiana and with the ongoing opioid abuse epidemic nationally. He is also an active leader within organized medicine and serves on the Health and Public Policy and Governmental Affairs Committee for the American Society of Anesthesiologists and has served on several boards of the American Medical Associations including the Young Physicians Section.

Dr. Jerome Adams with YPS members

Dr. Adams is an anesthesiologist who has been outspoken against the opioid epidemic. He began serving as the Indiana State Health Commissioner in 2014 under then-governor Mike Pence and was in that role during the 2015 outbreak of HIV that spread among users of a prescription opioid, Opana. In the role, Adams oversees a number of branches of the state’s health departments: Public Health Protection and Laboratory Services, Health and Human Services, Health Care Quality and Regulatory, and Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Commissions. In addition to serving as the health commissioner, he’s also the secretary of the Indiana State Department of Health’s executive board and is also the chairman of the Indiana State Trauma Care Committee. Adams has testified in front of the US Congress and the Senate Committees

Dr. Adams holds a master’s degree in public health and was a key player in navigating Indiana’s response to an HIV epidemic directly associated with drug use in 2015. “I would respectfully suggest that we’re here today not so much to look back at what happened,” Adams said to the committee. “But to make sure it doesn’t happen in another community. You need to ask yourself, ‘Are you helping more people than you’re hurting?” Adams, who earned his medical degree from Indiana University’s School of Medicine, currently works as an assistant professor of clinical anesthesia at the school and also works as a staff anesthesiologist at Eskenazi Health. At Eskenazi, he’s the chairman of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee.

Dr. Adams, with his wide range of experiences in the healthcare sector, understands the healthcare landscape, and will be a strong advocate for state public health, bringing a unique and valuable set of skills to the nation’s healthcare system. “AAPI would like to work closely with Dr. Adams in helping shape healthcare policies and programs benefiting the entire nation and the people of this great nation,” said Dr. Samadder, who has made making AAPI’s voice heard in corridors of power in the nation a top priority of his presidency.

Jul 7, 2017 – 2:26 am EDT
The Fourth World Tamils Economic Conference – 2017 in Durban, from 16th to 19th November 2017

DURBAN (TIP): The Fourth World Tamils Economic Conference is being held in Durban from November 16^th to 19^th, 2017. This was disclosed to The Indian Panorama by Dr.V.R.S. Sampath, founder and convener of World Tamils Economic Foundation who is also President of Madras Development Society.

In a note sent to The Indian Panorama, Mr. Sampath said, “The aim of this conference is to bring the Tamils and the Indian Community the world over together, in order to foster co-operation and tap the vast human and material resources for a collective growth. This will be a platform to discuss business and investment opportunities, professional networking, knowledge sharing and discuss present economic situation in the world

“The Fourth World Tamils Economic Conference will present a unique, dynamic, five day forum of not to be missed networking experience. This Conference will include Plenary Sessions, Paper presentation, Project Presentation, Community Leaders Speech, Awards, Exhibition, Networking, Get-together and Cultural Program. The participants will be coming from all over the world. Businessmen, Industrialists, Professionals will be attending this conference.

“The First World Tamils Economic Conference was held from 5th to 7th January 2009 at Chennai, 600 delegates participated from 25 countries. The Second World Tamils Economic Conference was held in Dubai, U.A.E from 1st to 4th October 2011 in which 650 delegates from 20 countries participated. The Third World Tamils Economic Conference was held in Chennai from 1st to 5th October 2016, 700 delegates from thirty countries participated in the conference.

“Ministers, Ambassadors of the various governments, distinguished guests, business leaders, community leaders, economists, professionals and academicians will be the key speakers of this conference.”

Visit conference website: www.economicconference.in for more information and registration.

Jul 7, 2017 – 2:09 am EDT
Glen Cove Annual Vaisakhi Mela draws thousands

Vaisakhi spirit of celebration and service to the fore

GLEN COVE, NY (TIP): Vaisakhi commemorates the beginning of Sikhism. It is a festival celebrated by 25 million Sikhs around the world. Gurdwara Glen Cove celebrated their annual event joyously on June 25th, 2017.

The architect of Vaisakhi Mela Manmeet Kaur Lamba, General Secretary of Gurdwara Mata Sahib Kaur poses for a photograph with Neeta Bhasin, creator of Diwali at Times Square (right) and Harvinder Bhatia, Mela committee member (left)

Whether or not one believes number 13^th to be inauspicious or otherwise, for the organizers the number turned out to be auspicious as it was the 13th year of Vaisakhi Mela and the organizers told The Indian Panorama they were overwhelmed by joy with the turnout of 12,000 visitors and many dignitaries from Nassau County.

A view of the appreciative crowd

Surely, it was a matter of pleasure and pride for them to welcome such a large crowd and a number of dignitaries who included Judge Richard McCord, Congressman Thomas Suozzi, Ms. Barbara Peebles, Deputy Mayor of City of Glen Cove, George Maragos, Nassau County Comptroller, Dilip Chauhan, Director of Southeast Asian Affairs for Nassau County Comptroller.

Vaisakhi Mela committee members with Gurdwara Glen Cove head priest Bhai Paramjit Singh (Right)

“We welcomed all faiths, beliefs to enjoy, learn and celebrate together through a diverse range of colorful displays, engaging activities, entertainment and a lavish layout of free food (Langar). A shuttle service and parking was arranged for our visitors. All arrangements were organized and planned by a selfless and dedicated mela team which consisted of families from the Glen Cove Gurdwara and volunteers from all over who gave selflessly their valuable time to make the mela a memorable one”, said Manmeet Kaur Lamba, General Secretary, Gurdwara Mata Sahib Kaur.

Jul 7, 2017 – 2:05 am EDT
Dr. Avdhoot Shivanand honored by Nassau County

MINEOLA, NY (TIP): Nassau County Comptroller Hon. George Maragos welcomed Dr. Avadhoot Shivanand to Nassau County at a ceremony hosted by the Shiv Yog Foundation at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, June 13.

Dr. Avadhoot Shivanand is a celebrated humanitarian and spiritual leader of the global Indian community with followers in over 100 countries. His teaching of self-empowerment, sharing unconditional love, and accepting everyone in their originality is believed by his followers to have cured many psychosomatic diseases. His followers, who lovingly call him Baba Ji, felt like they were in the presence of divinity.

The honoring ceremony was attended by a standing room only audience of Nassau County followers.Comptroller George Maragos in his remarks welcomed Dr. Avadhoot Shivanand as “an inspirational spiritual leader” and presented Baba Ji with a Proclamation to commemorate the honor of his visit.

Dilip Chauhan, Prominent South Asian Community leader said the uplifting presence of Dr. Avdhoot Shivanand which could draw over 600 people in New York for such an intense spiritual ten day event is commendable. He said he was elated as an Indian American and lover of Indian culture for the official recognition extended to Dr. Shivanand. Shiv Yog Foundation has undertaken many projects to serve the humanity such as feeding the hungry, helping farmers, providing education for the poor, distributing free school uniforms, serving the disowned animals and providing free ration to the needy villagers, Chauhan added.

In his remarks, Dr. Avdhoot Shivanand expressed his happiness and praised the Shiv Yogis for their hard work in making the event a grand success. In his remarks, Shivanand Ji noted the success of the Indian community in Nassau County but reminded his followers that “one cannot achieve happiness and success without first health and family. If those two conditions are met, then the attainment of happiness is possible.”

Jul 7, 2017 – 1:53 am EDT