NEW YORK (TIP): Bengaluru-based dancers Shubha Nagarajan and Srividya Angara will be performing a rare jugalbandi of Kuchipudi-Odissi classical dance across the US between 22 April and 22 May.
Titled #SAMAAGATI – a Sanskrit word for ‘taking steps together’, is a synergy between the two dancers as they share stage and energy and synergy in presenting the very graceful and lyrical classical Indian dance forms of Odissi and Kuchipudi in the US.
The spring of 2017 will see this duo present this unique concept in their maiden tour of the US. In the six weeks that is the span of their tour, they are scheduled to perform at six venues covering major towns along the East coast including New York City before heading to the West coast where they perform at Los Angeles and San Francisco amongst other cities.
Kuchipudi is the state dance style of Andhra Pradesh. Marked by dramatized expression and intricate footwork, this ancient dance-drama tradition came into being around the 15th century AD. Odissi, the lyrical and sensuous dance form from Odisha, in the eastern part of India is characterized by fluidity of upper torso, graceful gestures while displaying strength in footwork.
Both Ms. Nagarajan and Ms. Angara are graded artists with the Doordarshan -India’s national television network. Together they set out to juxtapose these ancient and celebrated styles that share between them a similarity in lightness of the technique, while remaining discrete on how this technique is exercised within the plane of movement.
SamAgati brings to fore the immense scope of expression that Kuchipudi and Odissi have, and when presented together, gives the audience a clear view of how close and yet how distinct the two styles are. The concept showcases traditional and original choreographies in both styles, with the dancers coming together to share stage for the finale.
While this is their first time presenting a creative collaboration together, individually, these dancers are not new to the US. Both of them have at some point been residents of the US and have umpteen solo performances in the past.
While Shubha began her journey with Odissi while staying in Bay Area, under the tutorship of Guru Niharika Mohanty, Srividya has completed her Diploma in Kuchipudi under the guidance of her guru Vijayavalli Priya. Moving to the US after marriage, Srividya evolved as a choreographer and soloist; and has the distinct honor of being the very first classical Indian dancer to be chosen to present her original work at the 27th Annual Choreographer’s Showcase in College Park, Maryland, and at the Norristown Dance Festival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Shubha and Srividya wear their passion on their sleeve, holding their technique and their love for the art, close to their heart. But combine this with an element of risk-taking, and the resulting brew has endowed these two dancing mothers with the determination and fortitude to step out and take on the world in a way only they can.
Worried about frequent hate crimes against Indian-origin people in the US, a senior Indian-American Congressman has urged President Donald Trump to refrain from using Islamophobic language that pits one group against another.
“We’re certainly hearing that there’s some anxiety,” Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera, a three-term Democratic lawmaker from California told PTI.
Now increasingly playing the role of mentorship to other aspiring Indian-American politicians and other elected leaders, Bera said it is important for community to speak out against such hate crimes.
“It’s not reflective of who I believe we are as a country, we’re a nation of immigrants and I think the majority of Americans understand we’re a nation of immigrants,” he said.
He is the senior most Indian-American lawmaker in the US House of Representatives which now has three other members from the community Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal.
Bera, 52, said he would like President Trump to speak out more forcefully against these hate crimes.
“In fact, some of the hateful language that he used on the campaign trail I think has actually allowed some of the groups (involved in hate crimes) to come out of the shadows,” he said.
“You’ve seen some of the high profile crimes, like what happened in Kansas, what happened in Washington State and South Carolina … Again, that’s not the country that I believe we are as America,” said Bera. Though the number might not be that big, but the community is now a vibrant part in the US, he said.
“It’s the most affluent demographic in America. Many of the start-ups and the innovations that are occurring in America are coming out of the Indian-American community.”
“Go to any State across this country, you have Indian American doctors, entrepreneurs, engineers working in fully integrated into the community. So, we are a part of the fabric of America. I think it’s important for the community to come together and let America know that this is not okay. It’s not who the US is,” he asserted.
Urging Trump to stop tweeting, Bera said he would tell the US President to not use language that pits one group against another.
“Certainly, he has used some Islamophobic language. The travel ban is the wrong direction because I think it’s targeting the specific group of individuals,” he said, adding that he is also worried a bit about America’s reputation taking a hit across the world.
“I think it’s important for people like myself to speak out and make sure people around the world and places in India understand we’ve not changed what our values are, the people of America haven’t changed.”
“Many of us believe the strength of America is this integration of different cultures, different religions, people coming together. That’s unique in the world and that’s something which has always made America a special place,” he said.
WASHINGTON (TIP): A group of 107 members of U.S Congress have written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to temporarily lift the restrictions on American Christian charity Compassion International (CI) until a permanent solution can be found. The union government has ordered banks in India to stop processing wire transfers from CI to its Indian partners, bringing the charity’s operations to halt. CI supports 145000 children in India with donations raised in the U.S.
The U.S lawmakers said they were “long time supporters of U.S -India partnership” but the Indian government’s treatment of CI has “caused serious concern within the U.S Congress.”
“It is with this in mind that we write to express our deep concern over the lack of transparency and consistency in your government’s enforcement of the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act,” the members wrote.
The Indian government has put CI on a priority watch list, accusing it of carrying out religious conversion in the country. No case has been filed against the organization. American lawmakers, most of them staunch supporters of India, have raised the issue with the Prime Minister’s Office earlier, but the Indian government has not budged.
The letter to the Home Minister has been organized by the Republican Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce and Democrat Ranking Member Eliot Engel.
“As long time supporters of the U.S.-India partnership, we have worked diligently to deepen ties between our two countries. As the largest and oldest democracies in the world, India and the United States share bonds rooted in political pluralism and respect for the rule of law. It is with this in mind that we write to express our deep concern over the lack of transparency and consistency in your government’s enforcement of the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act.
The ongoing case of U.S.-based Compassion International, which will have harmful consequences for many Indian children, has caused serious concern within the U.S. Congress. As you may know, Compassion International has worked in India since 1968, and today, its programs support over 145,000 Indian children, providing critical tutoring, health and nutrition, and medical services,” they said in the letter to Mr. Singh.
The members of Congress said: “Tragically, Compassion will soon be forced to terminate its service to India after nearly 50 years of working in your country. We are writing because we believe the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an inter-bank circular preventing all commercial banks in India from processing CI’s wire transfers without prior Ministry approval. As a result, Compassion is unable to process the funds it needs to continue, and will be forced to close its sponsorship programs on March 15th, to the detriment of the hundreds of thousands of children Compassion serves in India. Many of our constituents, who have built emotional attachments through years of building relationships with these kids, are devastated by this wrenching cutoff.”
‘Respect the Indian law’
Requesting Mr. Singh’s urgent attention into the matter, the U.S lawmakers said: “We want to be clear with you that we expect all American entities operating within India to respect India’s laws, including Compassion. Having seen the important poverty alleviation work being done by CI, it is our sincere hope that this situation can be resolved quickly by your issuing a temporary reprieve. This would allow Compassion International to process their wire transfers and keep their programs serving the Indian people operating until a more permanent solution can be found in accord with India’s laws.”
John Prabhudoss, President of Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations said in statement that the CI program “helps break the cycle of poverty and indignity these children have experienced.”
“We believe that this action by Modi government against Christian aid agencies is an attempt by the political-Hinduism to hijack the rich religious traditions of religious Hinduism and the people of India,” he said. “The hardline approach of the Hindu nationalist government under Modi has the potential to cause serious damage to the US-India relationship,” said Mr. Prabhudoss.
To commemorate International women’s day, Indian Academy Awards launched IAA WOMEN ACHIEVERS AWARDS; a campaign urging NRI women to share their personal success stories so that they could be rewarded and felicitated.
IAA aims at felicitating those women holding positions of decision making. We are requesting NRI women to share their real life stories in their respective field with the intention to empower the women of today.
In today’s world, women play important roles in Politics, ecommerce, education, investing, travel, fashion, arts etc. However, it is not easy in another country especially in the USA.
Vandana Krishna, Director, Brainstorm Entertainment adds “As an initiative of the Indian Academy Awards we want to share the success stories of real women with the world, to encourage all the Non-Residents of India. True stories of women entrepreneurs are an inspiration to change the world. Today’s women are making the difference with their innovative ideas, seeking solutions and reclaiming their status as equals. We want to create a platform to honor these women and to share their success with the world.”
The Indian Academy will now celebrate woman empowerment through nominations and authenticated online voting process. Women achievers will be honored for their achievements as strong Indian-American women. Those who have made a significance will be nominated for a special category of awards which would be part of the main event scheduled on 26th March, 2017.
Tanvi Prenita ChandraFounder and Presidentof Renascent Media, who is also theorganizerand local promoter for hosting IAA WOMEN ACHIEVERS AWARDS. Tanvi, a highly respected personality has been dedicated to help the South Asian Community in New Jersey for over 17yrs through her work at Radio, Television, Stage, Marketing and Events.
The winners will be selected via a nomination process by EY. The final jury members comprising of Bollywood actresses Manjari Phadnis and Chitrashi Rawat, Wellness and grooming expert Avni Gandhi Varma will make the final selection.
Actor & Activist Shabana Azmi would be the guest of honor for the final event.
The legendary poet, Kaifi Azmi & his daughter Shabana Azmi’s NGO, Mijwan Welfare Society has been invited by The IAA to showcase the exquisite hand embroidery called Chikankari by Mijwan Women. The ‘Mijwan Summer Couture 2017’ by designer Manish Malhotra would be the highlight of the evening.
The fashion show is a fundraiser and the proceeds collected at the event would be donated to the NGO to support its aim, i.e Education and Empowerment of the girl child.
Manish Malhotra has pulled women out of oblivion and brought their craft to the doorsteps of Bollywood by creating glamorous outfits in his signature style. By giving women gainful employment, he has given the women to negotiate more space for themselves within the family structure.
The show epitomizes the continuous realization of Kaifi Saab’s vision and the wonderful legacy of hope for his village, Mijwan. (www.mijwan.org)
Mijwan today is not only a story of the progress of a small village in India, but it’s also the story of women journeying on, past the patriarchal conforms of their society. It’s the hope for a better tomorrow, beating in the hearts of rural women who have taken charge of their own destinies.
Recently, the Indian Academy Awards celebrated the first of its kind, The Indian Worldwide Academy and all that it stands for, was announced by superstar Shah Rukh Khan in Mumbai @ US Consulate and in January it was launched by Actor Madhuri Dixit in California!(AV Link – FB & YT of both the AV’s)
From exchanging cultures to building bridges for tourism, engaging cinema lovers to creating a platform to identify potential talent for the Indian film industry, the IAA, is a real-time celebration for cinema lovers, by cinema lovers and of cinema lovers across the world.
What makes these awards stand out, is the fact that it invites a global audience to be part of the jury, by a simple registration process.
The Academy also has one of the biggest certifying agencies in the world to make the voting process authentic.
This is how it becomes a truly global, democratic award ceremony that will redefine the entertainment world.
Managed by Asia’s largest production company Cineyug and choreographed by contemporary dance guru of Bollywood Shiamak Davarthis extravaganza, will be nothing short of a mega show that bringing the best of Hollywood, Bollywood and Tollywood together to create history in the entertainment world and will be hosted at the Oracle Arena in the Bay Area of California.
INDIAN ACADMEY AWARDS – HOSTED, PRESENTED & CURATED BY INDIAN CINEMA
AWARDED BY THE VIEWERS!
www.indianacademyaward.com www.iaawomenachievers.com Facebook – Indian Academy Awards Indianacademyawards17@gmail.com
NEWARK, NJ (TIP): Two Indians were each sentenced to 17 months in prison for their roles in a conspiracy to illegally transport foreign nationals into the United States via commercial airline flights, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced, March 21, 2017.
Nileshkumar Patel, 42, and Harsad Mehta, 67 previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to separate superseding informations charging them each with one count of conspiracy to smuggle foreign nationals into the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. Judge Martini imposed the sentences in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Patel and Mehta admitted that from June 2013 through October 2015, they conspired to make money by recruiting Indian nationals to enter and reside in the United States illegally. Patel and Mehta admitted that on July 24, 2014, they brought two Indian nationals to Bangkok, Thailand, so that they could be transported into the United States. They also admitted paying an individual – who was actually an undercover officer – to transport the foreign nationals from Thailand into Newark.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Martini sentenced Patel and Mehta to three years of supervised release.
CAMDEN, NJ (TIP): An Indian American resident of Delran, New Jersey, faces charges that he abused his position as a U.S. Postal Service supervisor to steal cash deposits, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced earlier this month.
Amar D. Patel, 35, is charged by complaint with knowingly embezzling, stealing, purloining, and converting to his use U.S. Postal Service funds exceeding $1,000.
According to the complaint, filed in July 2016, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General started investigating shortages in cash deposits reported by the Riverside, New Jersey, Delanco, New Jersey, and Delran post offices. Patel – who was a supervisor at those three offices -had access to deposit bags containing cash acquired during retail operations. As part of the investigation, agents installed covert surveillance cameras inside the Riverside post office. On Jan. 14, 2017, one of the surveillance cameras captured images of Patel tearing open a sealed deposit bag, removing cash deposits, and placing the funds into his pocket. According to U.S. Postal Service financial records and bank deposit records, the Riverside office’s deposit was short $1,650 on Jan. 14, 2017. Based on this and other information, Patel is accused of stealing $15,700 in U.S. Postal Service funds on 12 separate occasions from Feb. 20, 2016, through Jan. 14, 2017.
The embezzlement charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
(Source: Press Release/ U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey)
NEW YORK (TIP): Harpushpinder Singh, 46, an Indian citizen residing in Richmond Hill, Queens, New York, was sentenced on March 18 to time served (9 months in jail) as a result of his trial conviction for transporting aliens unlawfully present in the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Chief Patrol Agent John C. Pfeifer, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
Singh was convicted after trial in October 2016 of transporting two Indian citizens who were in the country illegally, from Champlain, New York, until he encountered the Border Patrol immigration checkpoint on Interstate 87 in North Hudson, New York.
Singh had been incarcerated since his arrest on June 12, 2016. As part of his sentence issued by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Singh will also serve one year of post-imprisonment supervised release.
The FBI has information that indicates associates of President Donald Trump communicated with suspected Russian operatives to possibly coordinate the release of information damaging to Hillary Clinton’s campaign, says a CNN report, claiming US officials told CNN.
“This is partly what FBI Director James Comey was referring to when he made a bombshell announcement Monday, March 20, before Congress that the FBI is investigating the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, according to one source”, says the CNN report.
CNN report further says: “The FBI is now reviewing that information, which includes human intelligence, travel, business and phone records and accounts of in-person meetings, according to those U.S. officials.
The information is raising the suspicions of FBI counterintelligence investigators that the coordination may have taken place, though officials cautioned that the information was not conclusive and that the investigation is ongoing.
“In his statement on Monday Comey said the FBI began looking into possible coordination between Trump campaign associates and suspected Russian operatives because the bureau had gathered “a credible allegation of wrongdoing or reasonable basis to believe an American may be acting as an agent of a foreign power.”
“The White House did not comment and the FBI declined to comment. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said Thursday the Russian government would not comment on information from unnamed sources.
“This is another piece of information without any sources which can’t be commented on, neither can it be taken as some serious thing,” Peskov told reporters in response to a question about CNN’s reporting.
“White House press secretary Sean Spicer maintained Monday after Comey’s testimony that there was no evidence to suggest any collusion took place.
“Investigating it and having proof of it are two different things,” Spicer said.
“The FBI cannot yet prove that collusion took place, but the information suggesting collusion is now a large focus of the investigation, the officials said.
“The FBI has already been investigating four former Trump campaign associates — Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone and Carter Page — for contacts with Russians known to US intelligence. All four have denied improper contacts and CNN has not confirmed any of them are the subjects of the information the FBI is reviewing”. (Source: CNN)
WASHINGTON (TIP): President Trump’s deal making expertise failed to convince many Republican Congressman that the Republican Healthcare Bill was any better than Obamacare. There has been a feverish activity in the Republican camp to muster enough support to pass the bill in the House on March 23. President Trump visited the Capitol, meeting with Congressmen, held a meeting with them in the White House to impress upon them how important it was to replace Obamacare with a Republican Healthcare. But, until late in the afternoon, the numbers required to pass the bill seemed to elude Speaker Ryan and President Trump.
First, Speaker Ryan did not hold the proposed press conference, and later, it was announced that the vote on the healthcare bill was postponed.
The announcement of the delay appeared to catch even the president unaware. Moments after the news broke, Trump told a group of truckers at the White House that the vote would still be held on Thursday. “We’ll see what happens,” he said. “It’s going to be a very close vote.” Earlier in the day, Press Secretary Sean Spicer was guaranteeing a victory. “It’s gonna pass. So, that’s it,” he told reporters.
The move was an indication that a series of meetings Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan had with reluctant members in the party’s conservative and centrist wings had failed to achieve a consensus. Members of the House Freedom Caucus left a meeting with the president early in the afternoon saying there was “no deal” as they pushed Ryan to move the bill further to the right. And for Trump and Ryan, the delay dashed their hope of voting to dismantle the law on the seventh anniversary of its signing by former President Barack Obama.
GOP leaders summoned all 237 Republicans to a 7 p.m. meeting in the Capitol to discuss possible changes to the American Health Care Act, and lawmakers said the party still hoped to hold procedural votes on the bill on Thursday night, with final passage on Friday. But even that plan was tentative, and tensions within the Republican conference were rising as the chances grew that the GOP would whiff on its longstanding promise to repeal and replace Obamacare.
“The days of talking are over. It’s time to vote,” said Representative Bradley Byrne of Alabama, a strong supporter of the GOP plan. “The longer we wait, the worse our chances get.”
Leadership officials were increasingly frustrated with the Freedom Caucus, which withheld its support even after winning Trump’s support for a change that would strip out Obamacare’s requirement that insurance plans cover maternity care, mental-health treatment, preventive services, and a host of other “essential health benefits” defined in the law. One leadership aide questioned whether Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina, the group’s leader, could deliver its roughly three dozen votes after personally promising the president he would. A Meadows aide said the Freedom Caucus was pushing for even broader changes that would repeal the insurance regulations forbidding discrimination based on preexisting conditions and lifetime-coverage limits. But that is a non-starter for many House Republicans, and party leaders believe a bill that broad could not pass.
Members like Byrne wanted the leaders to simply put the bill up for a vote, gambling that many of the rank-and-file lawmakers who have withheld their support wouldn’t dare let it go down in defeat in such dramatic fashion. “As a Republican, you’ve got one choice,” he said. “You either are going to vote with Donald Trump to repeal and replace Obamacare, or you’re going to vote with Nancy Pelosi to defeat the only bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. If you’re a Republican, that’s a pretty simple choice.”
While the Freedom Caucus bargained for more conservative provisions, more moderate Republicans were peeling off the bill. Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington state and Mark Amodei of Nevada declared their opposition on Thursday, and Trump planned to meet at the White House with the Tuesday Group, a coalition of moderates.
Thursday’s push came after Ryan spent more than two hours Wednesday night meeting with more than a dozen members of the Tuesday Group and lawmakers representing swing districts. The pow-wow was inconclusive. The Republicans slipped out of the Capitol without speaking to reporters, and immediately after he left, Representative Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, a co-chairman of the Tuesday Group, instructed his staff to release a statement formally opposing the leadership’s bill.
“I believe this bill, in its current form, will lead to the loss of coverage and make insurance unaffordable for too many Americans, particularly for low-to-moderate income and older individuals,” Dent said. “We have an important opportunity to enact reforms that will result in real health-care transformation-bringing down costs and improving health outcomes. This legislation misses the mark.”
The GOP bill, which would replace the ACA’s subsidies with less generous tax credits while repealing its insurance mandates, has run into opposition from across the political spectrum. Aside from the Chamber of Commerce, most industry groups have lined up against it. And despite the president’s hearty support, conservative activists and the billionaire Koch brothers say it falls far too short of a full repeal and have vowed to punish Republicans who support it.
Late Thursday afternoon, the Congressional Budget Office released a revised estimate of the GOP bill’s cost after amendments were added earlier in the week. The nonpartisan scorekeeper found that the changes to Medicaid and tax policy would cost nearly $200 billion more over a decade than the original bill, but they would have little effect on insurance coverage or premiums. The CBO is still estimating that 24 million fewer people would have health insurance by 2026 and that average premiums would rise in the first couple years after the passage of the bill before falling by about 10 percent over a decade.
Depending on how many lawmakers vote, Republicans can lose no more than 21 or 22 votes on their side and still achieve a majority. Democrats will vote en masse against the bill. Public whip counts put the defections at well over that number, but party leaders can still cross the threshold if they flip the group of conservative opponents led by Meadows. The bill would still need to pass the Senate, which would be an even more Herculean task for GOP leaders, considering they have a narrow, 52-48 seat majority and several Republicans have also declared the House plan unacceptable.
Meanwhile, President Trump delivered an ultimatum to House Republicans on Thursday night: Vote to approve the measure to overhaul the nation’s health-care system on the House floor Friday, or reject it and the president will move on to his other legislative priorities.
“We will never give in to terror”, British PM Theresa May said, following Westminster attack
LONDON (TIP): Asolo assailant, identified by police as Khalid Masood, plowed a car into people on Westminster Bridge in London, near Parliament, killing two people and injuring many others, before crashing into a railing, March 22, 2017. Aysha Frade and US tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, were killed on the spot, while a 75-year-old man died on Thursday, March 23 evening.
According to witnesses, the assailant had sped up, mounted the pavement, and began hitting pedestrians indiscriminately. After the car crashed into railings outside the Houses of Parliament, Masood, armed with a knife, left his car and ran towards Parliament, where he was confronted by police. PC Keith Palmer – who was not armed – was stabbed and killed. Masood was then shot dead by armed officers. Parliament was suspended and politicians, journalists and visitors to the buildings were locked inside for about five hours. Hundreds were also evacuated from Parliament to nearby Westminster Abbey for safety.
Masood, 52, who was born as Adrian Elms in Kent,had a range of previous convictions for assaults, including grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offenses. Prime Minister Theresa May told the House of Commons that the attacker had been investigated some years ago over violent extremism but was “peripheral” figure. “He was not part of the current intelligence picture,” she added.
“There was no prior intelligence of his intent or the plot.”
Three women and five men were arrested in London and Birmingham on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts following March 22 attack.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, calling the perpetrator a “soldier of the Islamic State” in a release from their Amaq news agency.
US president Donald Trump spoke to Theresa May to offer Britain the full cooperation and support of the United States. He “pledged the full cooperation and support of the United States Government in responding to the attack and bringing those responsible to justice,” a White House statement said.
In the summer of 2005, London was rocked by the worst single terrorist attack on British soil. On 7 July 2005, four men with rucksacks full of explosives attacked central London. The target was London’s transport system. Four bombs went off there – three on the London underground and one on a bus. More than 50 people had lost their lives and hundreds more were injured. The attacks became known as the 7/7 bombings.
NEW YORK (TIP): ‘It is a recipe for disaster for the state of Uttar Pradesh however; it is part of a carefully calibrated plan by the BJP to further sow the seeds of polarization and conflict to profit from especially looking at the upcoming Parliamentary election. The real face of the RSS will be on full display soon’ said George Abraham, Chairman of the Indian National Overseas Congress, USA.
‘We are indeed shocked to see that this firebrand Yogi Adityanath whose virulent public pronouncements often borders outright contempt for the minorities in India is anointed by the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah combine as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in India’ said Harbachan Singh, the Secretary-General of INOC.
According to the New York Times report, Mr. Adityanath, 44, was born Ajay Mohan Bisht, and studied mathematics before joining the priesthood. He rose to prominence as part of the campaign to rebuild the Ram temple, and has repeatedly been charged with fanning religious tensions.
In 2007, he spent 15 days in jail on charges of inciting riots, The Hindustan Times reported. He was booked again later in the year, when riots broke out after he made a speech. He is still facing trial in the two cases, the newspaper reported.
Mr. Adityanath was a forceful defender of the Hindu mob who lynched Muhammad Ikhlaq, a Muslim man suspected of slaughtering a cow, and argued that Mr. Ikhlaq’s family should be prosecuted for possessing the meat. When some Indians complained that they should not be required perform a “sun salutation” as part of International Yoga Day celebrations, saying it was a religious act, he recommended that those who were offended should “drown themselves in the sea.”
Mr. Adityanath has openly called for India to be enshrined as a “Hindu Rashtra” and supports the rebuilding of the temple in Ayodhya in place of razed 16th-century mosque. During the State Assembly polls, Adityanath was a major campaigner for the party across UP. The Gorakhpur-based politician enjoys a substantial following in Eastern U.P. where he founded Hindu Yuva Vahini whose volunteers are known to use strong-arm tactics during communal riots, cow-protection drives and to prevent ‘love-jihad.’
INOC urges the NRIs in America to strongly express their disapproval of the selection of a Hindutva extremist to be the leader of the most important state in India. ‘Opposing Trumpism in America while remaining silent on the fundamentalist ascendance in India would tantamount to nothing less than duplicity’ the statement added.
The arrest Friday of a 17-year-old boy accused of strangling his mother sent shock waves through western Wake County’s Indian community, according to a Morrisville town councilman.
It took more than a year for investigators to gather enough evidence to make an arrest in the Dec. 17, 2015, death of Nalini Tellaprolu, a popular 51-year-old mother of two who worked at Duke Medical Center. Friends of the family were shocked when Cary police charged her son, Arnav Uppalapati, with her murder; “It’s very devastating. There’s never been an incident where a son has taken the life of his own biological mother.
Arnav Uppalapati was arrested by Cary police on Friday for the death of his 51-year-old mother Nalini Tellaprolu who worked at Duke Medical Center. Tellaprolu was strangled on December 17, 2015 with a plastic bag over herhead.
It really sends shock waves,” Satish Garimella, a Morrisville town councilman of Indian descent, was quoted as saying by the local ‘The News&Observer’. Uppalapati was 16 when he reported coming home from school and finding his mother’s body in the garage with a plastic bag over her head. Her feet were in the back seat of a car. She may have been beaten before she was strangled, the report said, citing the autopsy report.
Uppalapati was a person of interest in the case from the outset, said Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman. One telling clue were early reports that indicated there were no signs of a forced entry into the family’s two-story, USD 450,000 home at the Upchurch Farms subdivision, Freeman said.
“We’re shocked as a community. This was not something we expected to hear. She focused all of her energy on her kids,” said Padma Tummala, a long-time friend of Tellaprolu. “I still don’t believe it. This is completely out of the blue,” said Vijay Javvadi, another family friend. It wasn’t clear how police finally broke the case or what motive played a role.
Police said in a statement that Uppalapati would be tried on a class B1 felony charge, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Tellaprolu’s death was ruled a homicide by the Medical Examiner’s Office. Her body was covered with bruises and scratches on her face, neck, torso and arms. There were minor blunt force injuries, and the cartilage in her neck was fractured, the report said.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): America’s premier film festival representing the Indian subcontinent, New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), kicks off its 17th anniversary season on Sunday, April 30th, with Alankrita Shrivastava’s women’s empowerment film LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in the Financial District. The film premiered at the Tokyo and Mumbai Film Festivals, where it won the Spirit of Asia Prize and the Oxfam Award for Best Film on Gender Equality. In January, India’s Central Board of Film Certification refused to certify the film because it claimed the story was too “lady-oriented,” so the film is currently banned in India. The red carpet reception for the New York premiere of the film will be followed by a gala benefit dinner, open to the general public.
The festival’s centerpiece film is the New York premiere of Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla’s critically-acclaimed documentary about India’s Aam Aadmi Party activist Arvind Kejriwal called AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN. After its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September of 2016, the film has traveled to multiple festivals around the world, including London, Busan and Mumbai, and makes a stop at NYIFF in May.
The festival will close its programming on Sunday, May 7th, with the North American premiere of Milind Dhaimade’s YOU ARE MY SUNDAY, an uplifting, and slice-of-life comedy about five close friends who struggle to find a place to play soccer in Mumbai every Sunday. The closing night screening will take place at Mason Hall on the Baruch College campus (17 Lexington Avenue at 23rd Street), and it will also be preceded by a red carpet reception for media interviews and followed by the NYIFF 2017 Award Ceremony and gala closing night party.
NYIFF’S SIDEBAR PROGRAMMING: Sibling Filmmakers: DeepaMehta & Dilip Mehta present their respective New York Premieres of ANATOMY OFVIOLENCE and MOSTLY SUNNY on Saturday, May 6th. Both films’ world premieres took place at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2016.
OM PURI TRIBUTE: A DEATH IN THE GUNJ, directed by Konkona Sen Sharma, pays tribute to the late Om Puri, one of India’s most versatile character actors who starred in more than 147 films during his illustrious career; he was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India in 1990. NYIFF Screening on Monday, May 1st.
PRIYANKA PRODUCES: VENTILATOR and SARVAAN, produced by actor Priyanka Chopra- NYIFF Screenings on Thursday, May 4th.
MOBILE BOLLYWOOD: One Minute Cell Phone Films (NYU Tisch Cinema Studies students)
SHOOT A SHORT FILM: Workshop by National Award-Winning Filmmaker Umesh Kulkarni – May 5th & 6th Industry Panels (May 4th).
A former IALI President Gobind Munjal is sworn in as President
The Association of Indians in America (AIA), New York Chapter held an Inauguration / Oath Ceremony of the Newly Elected 2017-2018 Executive Committee at the Consulate General of India here.
Presidents all. Past presidents of AIA. Also seen areConsul General Riva Ganguly Das (5th from right), and Regional Manager of Air India Vandana Sharma (6th from right).
The ceremony was attended by the Chief Guest Consul General of India, Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, Deputy Consul General Dr. Mohapatra, NYC Comptroller Mr. Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President Mrs. Gale Brewer, Past Presidents of AIA National & Chapter Presidents, community leaders, Media and prominent guests from tristate area.
Ceremony was invoked with the Ganesh Vandana performed by Melana Krishna ofNritya Saagaram Dance Academy and an energizing performance by students of Nartan Rang Dance Academy of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, after the renditions of national anthems of USA and India by Gita Setia, ITV Host.
Immediate Past President Mr Sunil Modi, introduced by Asmita Bhatia, talked about accomplishments of his 4-year Presidency. Mr. Modi expressed his full confidence that AIA’s future under the new leadership of Mr Gobind Munjal is bright and that the NY Chapter will further flourish.
The Newly Elected President Gobind Munjal and the following Executive Committee was sworn in:
The Executive Committee members with New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer (holding a commendation)
NYC Comptroller, Mr. Scott Stringer saluted contributions of the Indian Immigrant community to the City of New York, and emphasised the importance of the diversity, while presenting the commendation certificate to AIA. Manhattan Borough President Mrs. Gail Brewer, a long-term friend of AIA, congratulated the team, and reinforced her support to the Indian community, citing examples of her support for the suspension of parking during Deepavali.
AIA National President Dr. Shashi Shah proudly shared AIA’s achievement such as obtaining the minority status and the inclusion in the census.
Mr. Munjal laid down his vision for expanding the youth programs and stressed the need for membership drive for the youths and get them involved. He expressed his commitment to upholding AIA’s objective of “Indian Heritage, American Commitment” thru expanded program such as Desi Next, a forum for the younger generation, commitment to local Philanthropic projects to serve the Indian community, in addition to the continued commitment to Deepavali Festival. AIA proudly celebrates its 50th year, and the program concluded with a vote of thanks by the Secretary Mr. Vimal Goyal.
The new President Gobind Munjal has for long been associated with many social and cultural organizations. He has been President of India Association of Long Island (IALI), a 39 year old organization of over 2,000 members and he successfully led a highly successful India Fest attended by an overwhelming crowd of over 10,000 people, which showcased the rich Indian Culture & traditions, Arts & Crafts, Fashion shows, Shopping, Mehndi, children games, and food stalls with different types of Indian cuisine.
In 2012, As Convener of the very first highly successful India Day Parade in Hicksville, Long Island, he raised substantial funds and help in bringing all the community based organizations together.
In 2014, as Chairman of the IALI India Center Committee, Mr. Munjal achieved the goal of owning the IALI India Center, a long-cherished dream of the Indian Community.
His spirit and passion for community service is never ending. He has been involved in various organizations; as a Secretary of the GOPIO, LI Chapter and Co-Chairperson of Indian American Night, which started Kite Festival. He has also been helping almost all other organizations like RANA, NFIA, India Home, Vegetarian Vision, etc. in whatever way he can.
The Indian Panorama sought views of Mr. Munjal on a couple of issues. We are glad he was good enough to respond promptly.
Here are the questions and their answers.
What is your future Vision?
Mr. Munjal: My vision is to expand the youth programs and to stress the need for membership drive for the youths and get them involved. Desi Next has been launched to provide platform for the young Adults encouragement. He expressed his expanded program such as Desi Next, a forum for the younger generation, commitment to various local Philanthropic projects to serve the Indian community, the Children Diwali program in schools & Museums, recognition of Diwali holiday in Public Schools, in addition to the continued commitment to Deepavali Festival celebrations at the Iconic South Street Seaport in Manhattan.
At the moment, AIA is known more for its cultural work of organizing the signature Diwali Mela. What will you do to make AIA socially more relevant?
Mr. Munjal: We are planning to add a few socially active programs like networking events, senior health information related seminars and TV interviews on latest community related topics of common interest to increase awareness, picnic and cruises etc. We would also look into helping in any way we can for the senior adult housing.
Any plans to make it a political arm of the community, because all around we hear of ‘get involved’ and ’empower’ yourself.
Mr. Munjal: Although we are not a political organization, but we will try to bring the issues of the Indian Community to the forefront, especially issues of hate crime and discrimination etc. and help in any way we can to increase awareness and write to the appropriate authorities to take the strict steps to stop discrimination and the nonsense killings of the innocent people
About AIA
The New York Chapter of AIA was established in 1968 and is well known for its social, cultural and educational activities. Among its various activities, celebrating Diwali at South Street Seaport in New York City has become one of its major functions since 1987. AIA organizes Diwali celebrations on a grand scale, where more than 100,000 New Yorkers from all walks of life turn up to watch the splendor and glory of a showcase of Indian culture, arts and crafts, jewelry, Indian traditional clothes and a taste of Indian dishes from various regions of India. Political Dignitaries, senators, members of US Congress and Indian Diplomats are invited as Guest of honor at this function to promote better understanding between US and India. Topping it all, the program closes with a spectacular display of fireworks in the east river leading to a grand finale, watched by over a million New Yorkers.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress, has been elected the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans. She succeeds her Democratic congressional colleague Indian-American Dr Ami Bera.
Tulsi was elected in 2012 to the United States House of Representatives, serving Hawaii’s 2nd District. She is one of the first two female combat veterans to ever serve in the U.S. Congress, and its first and only Hindu member.
An advocate for environmental policy, Tulsi was elected to the Hawai ‘i State Legislature in 2002 when she was just 21 years old, becoming the youngest person ever elected in the state. A year later, she joined the Hawai’i Army National Guard to serve Hawai’i and our country. In 2004, Tulsi volunteered to deploy with her fellow soldiers, becoming the first state official to voluntarily step down from public office to serve in a war zone.
Tulsi served in the U.S. Senate as a legislative aide to Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), where she advised him on energy independence, homeland security, the environment, and veteran issues. Tulsi serves on the House Armed Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee where she is a strong advocate for veterans.
COLUMBUS, OH (TIP): Dr. V.K. Raju, MD, FRCS, FACS, the Founder and Medical Director of the Eye Foundation of American, who is on a crusade to eliminate avoidable blindness around the world, has been selected for induction in to the Global Medical Missions Hall of Fame.
Eye Foundation of America began its work in 1979 in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. EFA grew out of his earlier work providing services and treatment near his birthplace in Rajahamundry, a town in Southeast India’s Andhra Pradesh. Raju organized teams to go to remote areas and deliver eye care in areas where there otherwise were none. These traveling clinics were known as “eye camps.” (Eye camps remain a standard part of the Foundation’s services today.)
Today, Foundation has grown far beyond its original size and scope but never outgrew the vision of its founder, who continues to look ahead. EFA has built modern eye hospitals and trained ophthalmic assistants and other personnel to carry on our work. We provide workshops and fellowships for physicians and medical students throughout the world. We also conduct research to find better ways of preventing blindness, to learn how to distribute Vitamin A efficiently
His team has done wonders, considering the tremendous work done by them.
* 2 million+ outpatients
* 300 thousand+ eye surgeries
* 25 thousand+ on children
This is completed by the Eye Foundation of America team since 1977 in India and 21 other developing countries. Additionally, the Eye Foundation of America lays great emphasis on teaching and training of health professionals who receive the Foundation’s support at every level.
The induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 1, 2017 in the Howard L. Collier Building on the UT Health Science Campus. Following the induction ceremony, which begins promptly at 7:30 p.m., there will be a plaque unveiling and reception in the Jacobs Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center Atrium.
ISLAMABAD (TIP): The World Bank today approved a financial assistance worth $450 million to Pakistan to support its efforts to help the poor and most vulnerable people in the country.
The Finance for Growth Development Policy (FGDP) is a policy credit of $300 million that would assist Pakistan’s efforts in promoting an inclusive and transparent financial sector, a statement by the World Bank (WB) said.
The bank said the programme aims to raise financial access throughout Pakistan to 50 per cent of adults, including 25 per cent women, by 2020, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
According to the statement, in the next three years, FGDP aims to boost private sector credit access to small and medium enterprises to 15 per cent from 7 per cent in 2015.
“Pakistan has made significant progress in the implementation of economic reforms,” WB Country Director for Pakistan Illango Patchamuthu said.
However, despite the substantial development in the initial reform programmes and recent progress in the financial sector; there remains a significant unfinished reforms agenda as financial access and inclusion remain low, Patchamuthu added.
An amount of $100 million, under the National Social Protection Programme, will help Pakistan strengthen the national social safety net systems for the poor in a bid to improve their human capital and to promote beneficiary families’ access to complementary social and productive services.
It will also support the Benazir Income Support Programme for accurately identifying right candidates for cash transfers, other social programmes and incentivise improvements in service delivery systems.
The WB will also provide an additional sum of $50 million under the Punjab Tourism for Growth Project to strengthen institutions, increase private sector participation and improve infrastructure to support the tourism sector in Punjab.
The project will allow the private sector to lead the development of the tourism market while ensuring that public institutions help facilitate these processes while fulfilling their respective mandates, said the statement.
According to the WB, some 100 million adults in Pakistan do not have access to formal and regulated financial services and this number represents about 5 per cent of the world’s unbanked population.
“This needs to change for Pakistani women and men to realise their aspirations,” Patchamuthu said. The credit is financed from the International Development Association (IDA), the WB Group’s grant and low-interest arm.(PTI)
ISLAMABAD (TIP): : In what will come as bad news for India, ‘all-weather friends’ China and Pakistan are set to not just increase weapons exchanges, the former is also expected to ‘authorise’ the latter to produce ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, and battle tanks, China’s state-run media reported on March 16.
The weapons exchanges include the mass production of FC-1 Xiaolong, a lightweight and multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the two countries, reported Global Times, the Chinese Communist Party’s news outlet. The two sides also agreed to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation and strike terrorist forces including China’s insurgent East Turkestan Islamic Movement.
These were the outcomes of yesterday’s meeting in Beijing between Pakistan’s army chief+ Qamar Bajwa and a top Chinese military official, Fang Fenghui. In exchange for Beijing’s largesse, Islamabad agreed to ensure the safety of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)+ .
“Pakistan and China enjoy a special friendly relationship with each other and have a common destiny,” Bajwa reportedly said at the meeting, according to a statement on the website of China’s defence ministry.
Pakistan has deployed more than 15,000 troops to protect CPEC+ and the country’s navy has raised a security contingent to protect the Gwadar Port, said Masood Khalid, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, at a news conference on Tuesday, according to Global Times. The Port is a key CPEC project.
“As Pakistan faces frequent threats from terrorist forces such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda, military support is necessary to ensure a safe environment for the regions where there is huge investment from China”, said Song Zhongping, a military expert who has served in the Chinese army, to Global Times.
Pakistan’s Bajwa is reported to have said the country’s army is willing to “deepen the cooperation with the Chinese army and fully support the Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism in Counter Terrorism by Afghanistan-China-Pakistan-Tajikistan Armed Forces.” (PTI)
Modi’s preoccupation with domestic politics may continue through the Delhi municipal elections or even till elections in Gujarat. But he must not let foreign policy issues adrift………The Prime Minister cannot alternate between a pugnacious fighter at home and occasionally a statesman abroad,” says the author – KC Singh.
March 11 marked a significant landmark for Modi’s evolution as a dominant national political force, the future of AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal and the fate of ‘young’ leaders, 43-year-old Akhilesh Yadav and 46-year-old Rahul Gandhi. The murmurs are the loudest in the Congress against leadership, particularly when despite winning more seats than the BJP in Goa and Manipur, the governments have been formed by the latter.
After winning an unprecedented mandate in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India, Modi could have shown humility in victory and espoused more collegial governance. Instead, he seems succumbing to hubris, as the BJP, particularly in Goa – despite their Chief Minister and six ministers being rejected by the electorate – have induced Independents, including those who campaigned on anti-BJP platform, with ministerial berths to devise an unethical coalition. The Supreme Court Bench of the Chief Justice disappointed in ignoring past guidelines in judgments and advice in commissions by worthy predecessors like Justices Sarkaria and Punchhi on how Governors should deal with split verdicts. Even if the swearing-in of Manohar Parrikar had to go ahead when the floor test was being advanced, how were all non-BJP supporters allowed to be sworn in as ministers?That clearly taints the process.
The April-end municipal elections in Delhi are now critical for the Congress, and even more so for the AAP. Gujarat, where the Patel agitation and poor governance post-Modi has created political uncertainty, looms next and there is talk of election, due later this year, being advanced to keep opponents from regrouping. Gujarat is literally the last hurdle beyond which Modi’s path to re-election in 2019 should be clear.
He is now like Indira Gandhi in her prime, the predominant figure to beat. But strange are the ways of the Indian masses as they both feed the rise of a strong leader and then resist power accumulation. The AAP in Delhi or the Janata Dal in Bihar benefited from this counter urge. Henry Kissinger in his book ‘On China’, comparing India and China, writes that the latter has continuously been a unitary state since 221 BC. India, contrariwise, only thrice: the Mauryas, Guptas and the British, as even the Mughals never controlled the entire south. Indira Gandhi realized after imposing the Emergency in 1975 that she now ruled over a sullen people waiting to punish her. Modi can ignore this lesson of history at his own peril.
Meanwhile, the external Indian environment has evolved drastically while Modi has been in the domestic mode. Victory of Donald Trump and the coming elections in Europe, in the Netherlands on March 15 and then in France and later Germany, can rewrite the future of the European Union. President Xi Jinping of China, with greater power accretion than any leader since Mao, faces the quinquennial 19th party congress later this year when new faces that may lead China in future should emerge. While the fourth generation ruled from 2003 to 2012, it remains to be seen if Xi will pass the baton to a successor in 2022, accepting the 10-year leadership change principle, or will linger as China faces a slowing economy and a mutating and less benign global order. India-Pakistan relations continue to fester as Pakistan is far from isolated. They have just joined Saudi Arabia’s Sunni coalition by sending troops to defend their border with Yemen. Pakistani economy is also on the mend, returning to 5 per cent GDP growth.
Modi’s preoccupation with domestic politics may continue through the Delhi municipal elections or even till elections in Gujarat. But he must not let foreign policy issues adrift. The first concern is to insulate gains in India-US relations over the last two US administrations from vagaries of Trump’s immigration policy, approach to Asia and global regimes. Second is India-Pakistan relations in state of persistent tension. That is hardly a strategy to deal with a nuclear weapon-possessing neighbor. Thirdly, relations with China are getting testier over India’s unwillingness to kowtow over the Dalai Lama while the Chinese become intransigent over Indian membership of the NSG and the listing of Pakistan-based terrorists by the UN Security Council sanctions committee.
Pakistan policy has, time and again, been on hold while Modi fights domestic electoral battles, including subliminally using terror emanating from there as an electoral weapon. Starting with the Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir elections in 2014, it has been a recurring tactic. By what definition was the terror attack in Uri comparable to the 26/11 carnage or attack on Indian Parliament in 2001 or the 2006 Mumbai train bombings? When red-lines are shifted to the walls of Indian cantonments then peace is unattainable, as any two terrorists can disrupt it with, or without, Pakistani support.
On the other hand, Pakistan in the last few months has been sending subtle signals. A new army chief, handpicked by PM Nawaz Sharif, appears in line with him. The detention of Hafiz Saeed and some associates may be a beginning that can be reversed or sharpened. Indian Punjab gets a new government with Capt Amarinder Singh, known to be sensitive to Punjabiyat, as a nebulous and diminishing link between the two divided Punjabs. Modi needs to test the window reopening for engagement and the calibrated resumption of normalization, or even talks.
For a start, Indian NSA Ajit Doval needs to talk to his counterpart, who is a former general, with a line to army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. Signals at a recent India-Pakistan track II were that General Bajwa may indeed be the partner Nawaz has been seeking since 1998, when Vajpayee travelled by bus to Lahore. The cultural and ideological space needed for this can be created between the twin cities of Amritsar and Lahore.
The Prime Minister cannot alternate between a pugnacious fighter at home and occasionally a statesman abroad. He has a limited opportunity to test Pakistani signals and build a consensus behind a new approach to Pakistan. Forcing Pakistan deeper into Chinese arms complicates dealing with both, particularly in an uncertain Trumpian world, when the need to defend Indian diaspora, whether holding Indian citizenship or not, can sour relations. The foreign policy ball has rolled back down the hill which Modi must, like Sisyphus, re-climb.
(The author is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India)
HOBOKEN, NJ (TIP): Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer introduced on Wednesday, March 15 a municipal budget to the City Council that includes a 1.25% municipal tax cut.
“Through hard work and collaboration with the City Council, this is the seventh straight year we’ve held the line on municipal taxes”, Zimmer said.
Zimmer claimed in a statement to The Indian Panorama that since she “became Mayor, we have made fiscally responsible decisions that have resulted in a budget surplus, improved credit rating to AA+ from junk bond status and balanced budgets each year that fund critical projects for our City”.
The Mayor added: “And, I’m proud that our budget includes a capital plan with substantial investments in upgrading our water main system. In total, we are making a $42 million investment in our water mains over the next six years. As you may know, the $7 million water main replacement on Washington Street is already underway.”
NEW YORK (TIP): The University of Scranton will welcome three distinguished guests from India to participate in the fourth annual Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series on Wednesday, March 29, at 5:30 p.m. in the Moskovitz Theater of the DeNaples Center.
Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, consul general of India, and Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, deputy consul general of India, will join Dr. Nathan on a panel to discuss “India: Ancient. Culture. Democracy.” A classical Indian dance performance by Kadhambari Sridhar and a reception featuring traditional Indian food will immediately follow the panel discussion.
The event, which is free of charge and open to the public, is made possible through the generosity of Dr. Nathan, a former professor in Scranton’s Kania School of Management who is currently serving as a professor of management at St. John’s University in Queens.
Darla Germeroth, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Scranton, will moderate the panel discussion.
The Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series invites international scholars to visit The University of Scranton to address issues that will enlighten and benefit students, faculty and the community at large. While visiting the campus, scholars deliver presentations on topics of interest to the academic community and meet informally with attendees, students and faculty.
NEW YORK (TIP): Indian American community in New York celebrated victory of BJP in U.P., Uttarakhand and other states. Community leaders of various organizations joined in congratulating Modi for landslide victory.
“Modi magic has worked again. It is the pro-poor and pro-farmer policies of the Prime Minister which have resulted in BJP’s historic victory in Uttar Pradesh,” said Jagdish Sewhani, president of American India Public Affairs Committee. “This is also an endorsement of the demonetization policy of the Prime Minister. This shows people have full faith in him,” he added
This is vote for Development. People are happy with performance of Prime Minister Modi, said Mr Sewhani
Dr Shashi Shah, president AIA, Mr Gobind Munjal, Nagendra Gupta andRavi Bhooplapur also spoke at the function.
Starting April 3, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions, a statement issued by the USCIS stated. This suspension may last up to 6 months. While H-1B premium processing is suspended, petitioners will not be able to file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for a Form I-129, Petition for a Non-immigrant Worker which requests the H-1B nonimmigrant classification. We will notify the public before resuming premium processing for H-1B petitions.
The premium processing service allows an applicant or his potential employer to pay $1,225 to receive a response to his petition within 15 days. If USCIS has not responded within 15 days, the fee is refunded, though the application still receives expedited processing, according to a bulletin issued by the agency March 3. H-1B visas are used by U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers, most often from India, in specialty occupations.
“This temporary suspension will help us to reduce overall H-1B processing times. By temporarily suspending premium processing, we will be able to process long-pending petitions, which we have currently been unable to process due to the high volume of incoming petitions and the significant surge in premium processing requests over the past few years; and prioritize adjudication of H-1B extension of status cases that are nearing the 240 day mark,” said the agency in a bulletin.
USCIS has said the temporary suspension of premium processing could last as long as six months. The agency has said it will reject any form I-907 – request for premium processing – filed with an H-1B petition. If a check is issued to cover both applications, USCIS noted it will have to reject the H-1B application as well.
“Since FY18 cap-subject H-1B petitions cannot be filed before April 3, this suspension will apply to all petitions filed for the FY18 H-1B regular cap and master’s advanced degree cap exemption (the ‘master’s cap’),” noted USCIS, adding that the suspension also applies to petitions that may be cap-exempt.
H-1B petitioners can still expedite their applications if they meet one of the following criteria: a severe financial loss to company or person; an emergency situation; humanitarian reasons; a non-profit organization whose work benefits the cultural and social interests of the U.S., certain Defense Department situations; or USCIS errors. Such requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The temporary suspension does not apply to other non-immigrant classifications. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has ruled that Green Card holders and visa holders, like those on H-1B, L-1, J or F-1, H4 visa, and even those having an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) must carry legal documents papers when traveling in and out of the country and at all times within the United States, or face the risk of being fined or imprisoned, or even both.
With a large-scale immigration crack-down on undocumented foreigners imminent after President Donald Trump’s new executive orders, it’s important for all documented residents in the US to keep proof of their legal status in the country.
And for those in the pipeline for a Green Card, a misdemeanor charge could have terrible repercussions when it comes to being adjudicated for legal permanent resident status. The same applies for Green Card holders who wish to become US citizen.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services rule states: ‘Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.’
Another sub-section of the rule says: ‘Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Attorney General is authorized to require any alien to provide the alien’s social security account number for purposes of inclusion in any record of the alien maintained by the Attorney General or the Service.’
NEW DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is challenging BJP leaders to spread the party’s ideology to the farthest corners of the country. And he is doing it with a directive cloaked as a caution – “na baithunga, na baithne dunga” (Neither will I rest nor will let you).
Modi’s exhortation, at a meeting of BJP parliamentarians in New Delhi on Thursday, was on the lines of a similar statement he had made just after he was installed as the Prime Minister in 2014.
Then it was targetted at corruption, one his key election planks. “Na khaunga, na khaane dunga,” Modi had said, warning people that neither he will accept bribes, nor allow anyone to do so.
The Prime Minister’s new goal for BJP leaders was aimed at ensuring the party’s victory in the 2019 parliamentary polls, said party sources who attended the meeting.
Modi led the BJP to spectacular victories in the recent five-state assembly polls, winning Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand with overwhleming majorities. The BJP also managed to form the governments in Manipur and Goa despite ending up as the second-largest party. The only black spot was the defeat in Punjab where its alliance government wiht the Shiromoni Akali Dal was ousted by the Congress.
At the BJP parliamentary party meeting, the sources quoted Modi as telling MPs that after nearly three years in office, people have started believing that this government was “performing”.
And the party must now explore new options to reach out to more people.
“One untapped area is youth. Before May 26 (the government’s third anniversary), you should come out with suggestions to make youth the brand ambassadors of BJP. No institution should be left out,” he said.
Modi also set out another target for party leaders between April 6 and 14, between the party’s foundation day and BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary.
And that is to promote the government’s ambitious plan of making India free from open defecation under the Swachchta Mission. He also asked MPs to promote the of the BHIM app among street vendors, part of the government’s mission to create a cashless economy.
“Become vistarak (campaigner) for the party for at least 72 hours during this period,” Modi said.
“Bhim is a new currency. It will transform lives of people of lower starta,” Modi said, hinting the more it was used there could be incentive through banks. “It will bring them out from the clutches of money lenders.”
MPs gave Modi and party president Amit Shah a standing ovation at the meeting.
Parliamentarians also adopted a resolution hailing Modi for leading the party to the historic victory. Sweets from the Tirupati Venkateswara Temple, arranged by parliamentary party secretary Balasubrahmanyam Kamarsu, were distributed to all MPs.
In his speech, Shah said the result of the 2017 assembly elections has unshackled democracy from three ills –casteism, nepotism and appeasement.
Maintaining that a new order of polity is emerging, Shah said the Vikas Yatra that started from Gujarat has been ratified by the people.
“2014 victory was historic. People attached significance to the 2017 elections as well. Victory should not make you complacent. 2019 should be the target now,” Shah said.
Earlier during the day, MPs greeted Modi with a slogan when he walked into the Rajya Sabha.
“Dekho dekho kaun aya, Gujarat ka sher aya (See who has come, the lion of Gujarat has arrived)”.
Opposition MPs, however, taunted BJP for its loss in Punjab.
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