The Indian Panorama

Month: March 2018

  • Indian Overseas Congress, USA condemns vandalizing of statues in India

    Indian Overseas Congress, USA condemns vandalizing of statues in India

    NEW YORK (TIP): The IOC Vice Chairman George Abraham, in a statement to The Indian Panorama said that the Indian Overseas Congress strongly condemned the vandalizing of statues in India.

    “We strongly condemn the widespread vandalizing of statues across India to score cheap political points thereby exacerbating tension between communities and political parties’ said George Abraham, Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA. ‘attacking and defacing statues of Indian icons such as Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, and Periyar Ramasamy is a symptom of growing intolerance in the society that is anathema to the basic tenets of the democratic tradition’ Mr. Abraham added. IOC also condemns the destruction of statues in Tripura and West Bengal and calls for the peaceful transition of power after an election.

    “Undoubtedly, under BJP rule, a climate of division and intolerance has been fostered for political gains. It is to be noted that these acts of vandalism are primarily directed at figures mostly revered by Dalits, whom some of the BJP supporters disdain. Emboldened by the BJP victory in Tripura, the vandals appeared to have destroyed the statue of a Lenin and ransacked the offices of the Communist Party of India.  While BJP is trying to woo the Dalits with their ‘Hindu card’ strategy, the true color of their attitude towards them is quite evident with their destructive and polarizing actions.

    “We welcome the statement by the Prime Minister condemning these pernicious acts by a few and call upon the authorities to bring those who are responsible for to swift justice”.

  • Police gun down hit-and-run driver who fatally struck man amid rage-filled crime spree

    Police gun down hit-and-run driver who fatally struck man amid rage-filled crime spree

    Mohammed Jaffer

    NASSAU COUNTY, NY (TIP): A hit-and-run driver who killed a Brooklyn pedestrian Monday, March 5, was later fatally shot in a bizarre confrontation with police on Long Island, authorities said.

    The fatal shooting in Great Neck capped a bloody, rage-fueled crime spree that began at 8:35 p.m. Saturday, March 10 when the suspect punched out a 77-year-old man in the South Bronx and robbed him of $20, authorities said.

    At 3:45 a.m. Monday, the 46-year-old culprit, whose name wasn’t immediately released, struck a 50-year-old pedestrian at Metropolitan Ave. and Grand St. in Williamsburg.

    The pedestrian, who has a young son and lives in Brooklyn and relatives in Mexico, died of head trauma at Woodhull Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

    The spree then spread to Manhattan, where the killer carjacked a Honda Odyssey from a woman delivering newspapers at Madison and Montgomery Sts. at 4:30 a.m., leaving the hit-and-run vehicle behind.

    About 10 minutes later, at West and Harrison Sts. in Tribeca, he punched the driver of a 2018 Acura in the face and switched cars again.

    His rampage ended at Maple St. and East Shore Road in Great Neck at about 10:30 a.m. — when the 46-year-old, by then driving a Volkswagen, refused to move at a stop sign, Nassau County police said. When two van drivers behind him started honking, he emerged, baseball bat in hand and the clobbered driver in the head.

    A cop on patrol confronted him, but he refused to drop his bat. A good Samaritan then rushed to help, and the suspect hit him in the head with the bat too, Ryder said. “And the officer had no option but to fire,” he said.

    Medics rushed the bat attacker to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, where he died. The bat-attack victims were also treated at the same hospital, while the officer went to Nassau County Medical Center.

  • Man kills his 1-year-old daughter, stepdad and half-brother in Brooklyn home before shooting himself

    Man kills his 1-year-old daughter, stepdad and half-brother in Brooklyn home before shooting himself

    Mohammed Jaffer

    BROOKLYN, NY (TIP): A festering family feud ended in a Brooklyn bloodbath, with a deranged gunman executing his 1-year-old daughter, stepdad and half-brother before turning the gun on himself.

    The bodies of Terrance Briggs and his three relatives were discovered Wednesday, March 14 in the blood-spattered apartment when Briggs’ mother returned home around 5 a.m., police said.

    Briggs marched methodically from room to room, pumping bullets into the heads of his victims, including helpless little Laylay Briggs, Loyd Drain Jr., 57, and his 16-year-old namesake son Loyd III.

    Briggs, whose previous domestic battles with the stepdad brought cops to their home at least twice, saved the last bullet for himself, cops said.

    Manhattan dad recalls shock of learning nanny killed his two kids

    The little girl’s mother, Olivia Callender, was away on an overnight gambling trip when the horror unfolded, police sources said.

    “My baby! My baby,” the 27-year-old woman wailed at a prayer vigil outside the Riverdale Osborne Towers in Brownsville.

    “She’s gone. She’s not coming back. My Laylay. Oh my God,” she cried, her tear-streaked face buried in her hands.

    Cops believe Briggs, 27, shot his stepfather first in the bathroom, then blasted his teen brother in a bedroom as he played video games. He finally killed his own daughter in a second bedroom.

  • 60-year-old dies after man he met for rendezvous bashed him in the head with dumbbell

    60-year-old dies after man he met for rendezvous bashed him in the head with dumbbell

    Mohammed Jaffer

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): A Brooklyn man was bludgeoned to death with a dumbbell Wednesday, March 14, by a man he tried to put the moves on, police said.

    Clifford Williams, 60, met the 21-year-old suspect on the street outside his apartment on Willoughby Ave. near Marcus Garvey Blvd. in Bedford-Stuyvesant shortly before 2 a.m., sources said.

    The pair went up to Williams’ fifth-story apartment, where Williams came on to the suspect, cops said.

    The younger man allegedly grabbed a dumbbell and smashed Williams in the head.

    Williams’ stepfather, who also lives there, called 911.

    The septuagenarian was rushed to Woodhull Hospital, where he died, according to authorities.

    The suspect remained in the apartment, where cops took him into custody pending charges.

  • Indian American Senator Vin Gopal introduces Firearms Restrictions Bill Package

    Indian American Senator Vin Gopal introduces Firearms Restrictions Bill Package

    Bills concern those convicted of animal cruelty, safe storage of firearms, and seizure of firearms from those considered a threat.

    TRENTON, NJ (TIP): Senator Vin Gopal introduced, March 7, three pieces of legislation to better regulate firearms in the wake of the tragic Parkland, Florida, shooting that claimed 17 innocent lives and the subsequent national outcry for more stringent gun laws.

    The three-part bill package includes a bill that prohibits an individual who has been convicted of animal cruelty from possession or purchasing a firearm; a bill requiring the safe storage of a firearm and establishing penalties for improper firearm storage; and a bill which establishes a process by which a family or household member, law enforcement agency, or an employee of a high school or institution of higher education may petition a court to have a person’s firearms temporarily seized upon finding that the person poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to self or others.

    “These are common sense measures designed to keep gun owners, their families and their fellow New Jersey residents safe,” Sen. Gopal said.

    “Animal abuse and human violence tend to be linked. The FBI sees animal cruelty as a predictor of violence against people and considers past animal abuse when profiling serial criminals. In assessing youth at risk of becoming violent, the U.S. Department of Justice stresses a history of animal abuse.

    “There is absolutely no reason for individuals with violent histories towards animals to obtain the weapons necessary to continue their acts of violence against humans.

    “In the Parkland, Florida, shooting, there were multiple institutional failures and as a result, we have seen a national call for increased preventative measures. In keeping weapons out of the hands of individuals who have proven their propensity for violence, or who pose a threat to the safety of others, it is my hope that we can prevent future tragedies and save innocent lives.

    “I implore New Jersey firearms owners to embrace the tenets of responsible gun ownership and keep all weapons stored securely.

    “This is a simple, common sense measure that can and will go a long way in keeping gun owners, their families and their communities safer. If a firearm is not in use, there is no reason for it to be left out and accessible. Responsible gun ownership extends beyond when a weapon is in use. New Jersey gun owners must take responsibility for keeping their firearms secure at all times to prevent unnecessary accidental discharges and the resulting injuries or fatalities.”

    “As we saw in Parkland, school district officials, law enforcement officials, students and staff members were aware of the shooter’s propensity for violent outbursts and troubling behavior. In establishing a process by which those closest to a dangerous individual can petition a court to remove their weapons, citizens are empowered to speak out. If a troubled individual even makes it on to school property with a weapon, we have already failed. By removing a weapon from a troubled individual with a documented history of violence or concerning behavior, we are significantly reducing the likelihood of that individual carrying out a violent attack on a large scale.

    Prohibiting Possession and Purchase of Firearms by Individuals Convicted of Animal Cruelty

    Bill S2239 prohibits a person convicted of animal cruelty from possessing a firearm and from being issued a firearms purchaser identification card or a permit to purchase a handgun.

    Current law provides that a person who is convicted of certain crimes is prohibited from purchasing, owning, possessing, or controlling a firearm.  These offenses include, but are not limited to, aggravated assault, arson, burglary, homicide, robbery, aggravated sexual assault, and certain animal cruelty crimes, such as dog fighting, harming or killing a law enforcement animal, and harming or killing a service animal or guide dog.

    The bill provides that a person who has been convicted of any animal cruelty offense also would be prohibited from possessing a firearm.  A violation of the bill’s provisions would be a fourth degree crime. Fourth degree crimes are punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. Additionally, the bill disqualifies a person who has been convicted of an animal cruelty offense from being issued a firearms purchaser identification card or a permit to purchase a handgun.

    Safe Storage of Firearms

    In New Jersey, there are storage requirements and penalties that protect minors from accessing loaded firearms when they are not in use in the home.  However, there currently are no general requirements for storing firearms when they are not in use.

    Bill S2240 requires a legal owner of a firearm that is not in use at a premises under the owner’s control to store the firearm: in a securely locked box or container; in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure; or to secure the firearm with a trigger lock.  If the owner of the firearm fails to properly store the firearm as required under the bill, the owner will be guilty of a disorderly person’s offense punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

    Under current law, the legal owner of a firearm is authorized to lawfully keep or carry a firearm at the owner’s place of business, residence, premises, or other land owned or possessed by the owner, and is permitted to transport the firearm under limited circumstances, as specified under current law.  The bill clarifies that these provisions of current law regarding a legal owner’s right to keep or carry a firearm are not modified by the bill. Current law also provides that the legal owner of a firearm may temporarily transfer a firearm to another person under certain circumstances, whether or not that person has a firearms purchaser identification card or a permit to carry a handgun.  The bill clarifies that its provisions do not apply to or modify current law regarding the temporary transfer of a firearm.

    Process for Seizure of Firearms

    Bill S2238 establishes a process by which a family or household member, law enforcement agency, or an employee of a high school or institution of higher education may petition a court to have a person’s firearms temporarily seized upon finding that the person poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to self or others.

    Under the bill, a family or household member, law enforcement agency, or school employee would be permitted to petition the court for an extreme risk protection order which would allow a law enforcement agency to hold a person’s firearms for one year.

    The bill requires a court to hold a hearing and issue an extreme risk protection order upon a finding by a preponderance of the evidence that the person poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to self or others by having a firearm in the person’s custody or control, or by purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm. In determining whether grounds for an extreme risk protection order exist, the court may consider: a recent act or threat of violence by the person against self or others, whether or not the act or threat of violence involves a firearm; a pattern of acts or threats of violence by the person within the past twelve months; any dangerous mental health issues of the person; and other factors.

    Under the bill, a family or household member, law enforcement officer or agency, or school employee, by motion, may request a renewal of an extreme risk protection order at any time before the order expires.

     

  • OFFICIALS TO MTA: RESTORE ORIGINAL “FREEDOM TICKET” PLAN

    OFFICIALS TO MTA: RESTORE ORIGINAL “FREEDOM TICKET” PLAN

    Elected Say Eliminating Proposed Discounted LIRR Fare Between Southeast Queens and Penn Station Renders Freedom Ticket Pilot “Inferior” and “Set Up For Failure”

    QUEENS, NY (TIP):  In advance of the upcoming Board Meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Borough President Melinda Katz, U.S. Representatives Gregory Meeks, Senators Leroy Comrie and James Sanders, Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman and Clyde Vanel and Councilmembers Adrienne Adams and Daneek Miller in a joint letter to MTA Chairman Joe Lhota expressed their opposition to the MTA’s proposed revision to the “Freedom Ticket” plan, which would force Freedom Ticket riders seeking to get to and from midtown Manhattan to first transfer at Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn.

    The proposed revision would eliminate the discounted LIRR one-way $6.50 Freedom Ticket fare originally proposed in 2015 between six southeast Queens stations (Rosedale, Laurelton, Locust Manor, St. Albans, Hollis and Queens Village) and Penn Station in Manhattan or Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn. Currently, the $10.25 one-way peak weekday fare is cost prohibitive for many between the Queens stations and Penn Station or Atlantic Terminal.

    “As you know, we have been avid supporters of the ‘Freedom Ticket’ plan put forward by the New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC) in 2015,” the elected officials wrote in a joint letter this week to Chairman Joe Lhota. “The inferior Freedom Ticket pilot program now under consideration, however, would force users… a transfer that would substantially increase their commuting times…  Given this significant limitation, without the option of Penn Station, I expect few southeast Queens residents would use Freedom Tickets if the pilot program is implemented in its current state. The pilot is therefore being set up for failure, an outcome that is unacceptable, as it will not properly serve SEQ residents, allow for sufficient outreach in the community, nor gauge their use of a long term program.”

  • New York State Catholic Conference Blocks Access to Justice for Sex Abuse Survivors

    New York State Catholic Conference Blocks Access to Justice for Sex Abuse Survivors

    Testifies at budget hearing on Child Victims Act, opposes look-back window for survivors

    A February 15 Quinnipiac poll finds that 90% of New Yorkers support the Child Victims Act

    NEW YORK (TIP): The New York State Catholic Conference just released its testimony from the joint Legislative Hearing regarding the 2018-2019 Public Protection Budget, which addressed the Child Victims Act (CVA).

    While the Conference supports a prospective extension of criminal statute of limitations for survivors, it hypocritically continues to reject providing any avenue of relief for survivors over the age of 23 whose claims have expired, claiming:

    “This extraordinary provision would force institutions to defend alleged conduct decades ago about which they have no knowledge, and in which they had no role, potentially involving employees long retired, dead or infirm, based on information long lost, if it ever existed. To be clear, this provision would allow claims from even the 1940s or 1950s to be resurrected. Statutes of limitation are an essential protection of American law because they ensure that claims can be fairly adjudicated in a timely manner based on credible evidence.”

  • Uplift Humanity Celebrates Transforming the Lives of Over 1,000 Juveniles & Orphans in India

    Uplift Humanity Celebrates Transforming the Lives of Over 1,000 Juveniles & Orphans in India

    The organization is hosting SHAKTI, a soiree in New York City on April 14th

    NEW YORK CITY, NY (TIP): Uplift Humanity, founded in 2010, is a New York-based organization whose mission is to use disruptive and innovative curriculums to empower detained juveniles and orphans in India to achieve their full potential through education. The organization’s goal is to ensure that these children successfully assimilate back into society and have higher career prospects once released, ultimately reducing recidivism rates.

    Anish Patel founded Uplift Humanity at the age of 16

    Uplift Humanity, which was founded by Anish Patel, who was 16 years-old at the time, has now launched four locations throughout India: Gujarat, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and the newest this year in Delhi. Over the past eight years, Uplift Humanity has contributed over 250,000 hours of volunteer work and brought over 500 Americans to volunteer in India. This month, the organization celebrates transforming the lives of over 1,000 students in India.

    The organization delivers through three key programs:

    The Summer Program: A yearly program in July whereby hundreds of American teenagers travel to India for an 18-day volunteer excursion. These students undergo a rigorous application process to volunteer in either of the organization’s programs in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Gujarat, and Delhi. The purpose of this program is to provide ostracized students in India with life and behavioral skills ranging from anger management to public speaking – taught by like-minded American teenagers.

    The Academic Program: Perhaps the most crucial element of the on-site work done at the juvenile centers, this is a daily program where juveniles and orphans are taught English-speaking skills by local teachers.  This program is intended to equip students with the right skills they will need to secure employment once released. By providing these students with these core-skills, it reduces the probability that juveniles and orphans will resort to crime once released, thereby building safer communities.

    Students
    Motherly care
    Anish Patel with a student

    The Health and Wellness Program: Launched this month, the health and wellness program is designed to empower kids to learn about themselves and explore their identities. Lessons range from hygiene to mental health and are delivered through hands-on activities and games. The objective of this program is to normalize educating youth about complex topics like mental disorders and puberty, enabling them to be more mature and understanding individuals.

    These programs are all developed in-house by Uplift Humanity’s team, which is one of the youngest teams in the nonprofit space. In fact, the average age of an Uplift employee is 26. Because the team is so young, the organization heavily relies on creative grassroots fundraising to fuel its programs in India, instead of high-net-worth donors and corporations like most nonprofits.

    “I think that we have one of the most amazing teams here at Uplift. Our team comes from such global and diverse backgrounds that it enables us to develop effective state-of-the art curriculums. In fact, just within 5 months of us implementing our Academic Program curriculum, we’re seeing results: students are now actually starting to speak English” says Founder & CEO Anish Patel

    To celebrate the success of educating 1,000 students, Uplift Humanity is hosting SHAKTI, a soiree in New York City on April 14th. Uplift Humanity along with co-host Zee TV will have an evening of food, drinks and entertainment at Manhattan’s Distilled Lounge. Tickets can be purchased on: http://bit.ly/2D2J4QP

    For more information on Uplift Humanity, please visit: www.uplifthumanityindia.org

  • Indian National Congress Party Plenary Session to take place from March 16

    Indian National Congress Party Plenary Session to take place from March 16

    George Abraham and Mohinder Singh Gilzian from New York are special invitees to the Congress Party Plenary session.

    NEW YORK (TIP):  Indian National Congress will hold its plenary session to discuss and evolve the party’s future strategy in Delhi on March 16, 17 and 18.

    George Abraham, Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA and Mr. Mohinder Singh Gilzian, President of the INOC have been invited to attend the 84th plenary session of the Indian National Congress.

    This will be the first Congress Plenary session after the election of Rahul Gandhi as the President of the Indian National Congress. The leadership of the party from all states is expected to participate.

    George Abraham is the Founder-General Secretary of Indian National Overseas Congress and served as its President and Chairman. He is a former Chief Technology Officer at the United Nations and regularly writes on the political dynamics in India.

    Mohinder Singh Gilzian served as its Vice-President before assuming the post of the President.

    AICC recently has appointed Mr. Sam Pitroda as the Chairman of the newly created Overseas Congress department who also act as the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, the newly reorganized wing of Congress Party in the USA.

  • Weekly Horoscope March 19 – March 25, 2018

    Weekly Horoscope March 19 – March 25, 2018

      By Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla

    Aries: Ganesha says as the period dawns, your attention will be drawn towards laying strong foundations for your finances. Though you are in a stable financial position, you realize that you need to make more money and make your family more secure. Dig the well before you need the water – this proverb could aptly describe your mindset as you explore investment options that will give you lucrative returns.

    Taurus: You continue to make determined efforts towards strengthening your financial position and explore every investment opportunity. You are generally restless and are always on the lookout for action of some kind. Travelling for work / higher studies / business is a possibility this period. You are always open to learning new strategies that could help you in your career and yet also indulge in play in equal measure. Your industrious, result-oriented nature finds approval from your boss.

    Gemini: You have been involved, till now, in seriously and conservatively building your family’s nest-egg. You have been a responsible child / parent / spouse / friend / employee and have won kudos for your cool, caring and calm nature. Now, at this phase, you could feel an upsurge of emotional energy which could cause restlessness and loneliness. You may indulge in disruptive and decadent behavior and shock your loved ones.

    Cancer: Your reckless behavior is under control as you knuckle down to the sedate job of making a living and creating wealth. You are interested right now in fulfilling your professional and personal obligations. You determinedly slog away at your routine chores, commitments. There could be some problems at work which you will have to resolve, and accusations from the home front of being a workaholic could cause added stress. It will be a good idea to find a balance and spend more time with your family / loved ones.

    Leo: You have been devoting to much of your energies to work and this has been causing difficulties in your relationships. You are benefitted too as improved ties and bonds give you great joy and harmony. Besides your close family, you show interest in the activities of your local community and even volunteer to help out. There could be collaborations with international partners / job opportunities in a multi – national company, and your reputation at work receives a huge boost. You earn applause and are the toast of all.

    Virgo: Your natural inclination is towards spirituality and you involve yourself in studying the scriptures / visiting holy and sacred shrines / meditation / chanting. Finances continue to occupy your attention but Ganesha advises you to stay alert in all money matters. This is the right time for parking your money in safe and stable investments and not risking or squandering it away in get-rich-quick schemes.

    Libra: You are on a high as you involve the 3 Cs – communication, contacts and correspondence – to take your career / business up the next rung of success. Your stupendous inter-personal skills attract attention and just dividends. You could be tempted to venture into risky territory; the indications are all there and you will have to control yourself. Ganesha advises caution in money matters, love affairs and in over-indulgence.

    Scorpio: Money matters continue to demand attention. But along with that, friends / loved ones / extended family demand your attention and you do not hold back as you respond. You overextend yourself to bring peace and harmony in all your relationships, both professional and personal, and the results are spectacular. Ganesha blesses you with happy bonding. You have pleasurable moments with your lover and, if a parent, great times with your kids.

    Sagittarius: You have an inherent edge in communicating with people and so any relationship issues with children / family elders / siblings can be sorted out by talking. Friends are the source of fun and frolic and you will enjoy partying virtually all period. You manage to give equal and quality time to both your career and your children. Spirituality and religious matters also interest you.

    Capricorn: The Moon gives you significant gains especially in relationships. The trend of the past period continues, and you put in dedicated efforts in all your projects and initiatives. The focus has shifted from work to home and this requires detailed planning. All issues related to the home and highlighted; from restorations / renovations / additions to investments in property, land, leases and loans. Tact and diplomacy are required to tackle awkward issues and to resolve them to everyone’s satisfaction.

    Aquarius: The 3 Cs – contacts, communications and correspondence – are this period’s theme and there will be a flurry of letters, e-mails, SMS as well as travel and trips. You will be in touch with the world and there will be many new work projects. A personal situation / work issues could put you in a dilemma, but you manage to come through unstuck with some deft maneuvering. There is a good chance to meet up with extended family and friends in religious functions / family, get-togethers / celebrations.

    Pisces: You have continued to work hard and diligently even in the midst of all the interpersonal drama in your private life, winning approval with your superiors. Your reputation will soar. Prestige, promotions and pelf are the results of your own hard work and dedication and you deserve it. As your self – esteem and self – confidence, along with your social standing, soar you manage to, thankfully, retain your helpful and gracious attitude with all and sundry irrespective of their status in life.

     

  • Indian American Renu Khator Awarded For Her Role In Mentoring Professionals In US

    Indian American Renu Khator Awarded For Her Role In Mentoring Professionals In US

    HOUSTON (TIP):  A top Indian American woman academic, Renu Khator, has been awarded by American Council in Education for her role in mentoring professionals.

    Ms. Khator, 62, Chancellor of University of Houston System and President of University of Houston (UH), awarded the 2018 Council of Fellows/Fidelity Investments Mentor Award during the opening plenary of American Council in Education’s 100th annual meeting.

    The award is bestowed annually to acknowledge the substantial role of mentors in the success of the council’s fellows program participants.

    Ms. Khator, who was born in Uttar Pradesh and educated at the University of Kanpur, is the UH System’s first woman chancellor, UH’s first foreign-born president, and the first ever Indian immigrant to lead a comprehensive research university in the US.

    Ms Khator assumed her current post in January 2008. She now oversees a four-university system that serves nearly 71,000 students.

  • Indian American Ram Villivalam running for Illinois state Senate

    Indian American Ram Villivalam running for Illinois state Senate

    CHICAGO (TIP): Indian American, former congressional aide Ram Villivalam is challenging 20-year incumbent Ira Silverstein in the next week’s Democratic primary for the Illinois state Senate 8th district.

    If he wins, Villivalam will be the first Indian American elected to the Illinois statehouse.

    The primary will be held on March 20, next Tuesday.

    The 8th Senate district has the highest concentration of Asian Americans in Illinois. It includes 21 Chicago neighborhoods, among them, all of Devon Ave.’s business district — which is known as a “Little India” — and the suburbs of Lincolnwood, Skokie, Morton Grove, Niles, Des Plaines and Glenview.

    Villivalam, whose parents immigrated from India in the 1970s, believes Illinois needs more diversity in government and a new generation of elected officials like him to lead on challenging issues it faces at the moment.

    Villivalam was born and raised on the Northwest side of Chicago, where he continues to live. The area is part of the 8th district.

    “As the son of Indian immigrants who came to this country to seek out a better quality of life and opportunities for their children, I feel the responsibility to step forward and speak out on the important issues that working and middle-class families are experiencing every day,” said Villivalam.

    He added that his parents, who were professionals in India, had to work minimum wage jobs before going back to school. They retired with a combined 50 years in public service.

    Villivalam said, based on his own family’s experience, he believes in lowering taxes for middle-class families while raising them for millionaires and billionaires, reducing gun violence, equitably funding public schools, and ending discrimination based on race, gender and religion.

    He pointed out that, his opponent, Silverstein, was reprimanded by an independent inspector general for violating the legislative ethics act and behaving in a manner “unbecoming of a legislator.”

    The taxpayers of the 8th state Senate district deserve a senator who is solely focused on effective representation, he said.

    The candidate said he has both the advocacy and legislative experience to make progress on his agenda in Springfield.

    His experience includes working as a legislative coordinator for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), where he fought to protect home care for seniors and people with disabilities, child care for working families, and Medicaid for those in need.

    Prior to that, Villivalam was the Outreach Director for Rep. Brad Schneider, D-IL, where he signed people up for the Affordable Care Act and put on job fairs.

    Villivalam said he has built a broad coalition of support, including from four members of the Illinois’ Democratic congressional delegation — Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Jan Schakowsky, Mike Quigley and Brad Schneider. He also has the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and the Indo-American Democratic Organization. These elected officials and organizations trust his to be the effective, proactive, and truly progressive our community deserves, said Villivalam.

    “As I knock on doors to speak with voters about the challenging issues we face, I hear the frustration people have with business as usual in Springfield,” he said. “Voters want a change. We can’t expect different results if we keep sending the same people down there.”

  • Indian American Nikesh Patel sentenced to 25 years for fraud

    Indian American Nikesh Patel sentenced to 25 years for fraud

    ORLANDO (TIP): Indian American, Nikesh Patel has been slapped with a 25-year jail term after he was found impersonating as a bank executive to fund his escape to Ecuador to evade a conviction for swindling $179 million worth of fake loans to a Milwaukee investment firm.

    According to the Justice Department, Nikesh Patel was the CEO of First Farmers Financial LLC from 2012 to 2014, during which the company sold close to $179 million worth fabricated loan to a Milwaukee investment firm and $20 million to another investment firm based in Tennessee.

    Court documents state that during the period of defrauding, Patel created false documents in favor of his company to submit before the Milwaukee investment firm showing that his company had lent money to borrowers in Florida and Georgia.

    He also made false claims that a portion of the loans were guaranteed by the federal government.

    In October 2014, Patel, 30, who had then launched a hotel redevelopment company, Alena Hospitality, was arrested by federal authorities on fraud charges.

    He pleaded guilty in 2015 but requested to allow him to remain free on bail till his sentencing so that he would help authorities recover funds to repay his victims.

    Patel deceived the court by not making any effort to repay the defrauded; instead, he spent huge amounts on luxury trips and hosted a $30,000 birthday celebration for his one-year-old daughter.

    He funded his trips and expensive events by once again involving in a swindle, posing as a VP of Banco do Brasil. Using a con name “Ron Elias,” he sold more than $19 million bogus loans to different investors in Iowa.

    To add authenticity to his illicit deals, Patel created a phony website and sent emails to convince the victims that his loans were legitimate.

    ‘There’s a certain diabolical genius to what he did here,” Judge Charles Kocoras said at sentencing.

    “It’s a little insulting,” Kocoras said adding that “His (US) citizenship was the gift of his birth, yet he’s so quick to throw it away because he doesn’t want to face the piper.”

    Patel is a former executive of Fifth Third Bank, Beach Business Bank and Comerica Bank. He has also been involved in restaurant businesses, including part ownership of downtown Orlando’s Mingos.

    There are also reports that Patel was a spendthrift who had an addiction to latest luxury cars. As per reports , the prosecutors made the court aware that he owned a Rolls Royce, a Lamborghini and other high-end cars.

    He also reportedly wore custom-made jewels and flew around the world in private jets with Panama being his favorite holyday getaway where he “blew off steam” at brothels, according to the prosecutor.

    An influential political donor, Patel funded Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Florida’s Republican Party during his prime years, and both gave all of Patel’s donations to charity after the FBI booked him for fraud.

    Hundreds of public school districts, parks departments and other public entities, including Illinois Metropolitan Investment Fund, became the victims of Patel’s bogus loans, which had taxpayer dollars invested in Pennant through management funds.

    According to reports, after Judge Kocoras announced his 25-years prison sentence calling him “a certain diabolical genius,” a sobbing Patel reportedly told the court that “Greed and selfishness may have a short-term benefit, but in the long run it only hurts those closest to you.”

    Source: DOJ

     

  • Indian Origin Jay Shetty Goes To US For Potentially Path-breaking Autism Treatment

    Indian Origin Jay Shetty Goes To US For Potentially Path-breaking Autism Treatment

    LONDON (TIP):  Jay Shetty ,A seven-year-old Indian origin, suffers from a debilitating form of cerebral palsy and autism since he was a baby, which means he cannot walk, talk or sit up unaided. He left with his family for the US on March 11th for a revolutionary treatment that has the potential to improve the quality of his life and give hope to others with neurological disorders.

    He is now set to undergo a pioneering clinical trial at Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina, which relies on the infusion of his younger brother’s umbilical cord blood frozen at birth.

    After a lot of research on stem cells, we had decided before I got pregnant with Kairav, our younger son, that we would save our child’s cord blood. Then towards the end of the pregnancy in 2015, I got in touch with Duke University and they were planning on doing a sibling cord blood therapy trial, said Jay’s mother Shilpa.

    She and husband Raj had the umbilical cord blood of their younger child frozen and stored by UK-based blood bank Cells4Life.

    Umbilical cord blood is rich in a kind of stem cell that can, in theory, help heal most parts of the body, either by stimulating growth or by transforming into the required type of mature cell.

    These can then be put back into the body, even many years later. It relies on a close tissue match for the recipient, to lower the odds of the body rejecting it.

    When the Shettys contacted Duke University, they were told that Kairav’s blood was a match for Jay’s raising the prospect of the UK’s first such sibling cord blood therapy on Jay.

    Stem cell is a cure for some and improvement for all, so we are pretty sure it will definitely have some improvement in Jay’s life, said Shilpa.

    The family from Maharashtra, who have been based in London for over 15 years, are determined not to be put off by some dissenting voices within the medical community who cast doubts on the rare procedure.

    According to Shilpa, because it is not an invasive therapy , they want to go into it with a positive nothing to lose attitude.

    It is in its early stages and it has always been the norm that people will doubt treatments which have not been proved yet. But stem cells in general after years of proven research are known to have the ability to reach the damaged organ and regenerate new cells, she said.

    Claudia Rees, Operations Director at Cells4Life, describes the procedure as a cutting-edge treatment , considered a cornerstone of a relatively new area of science known as regenerative medicine.

    Stem cells and cord blood have already been used to cure diseases such as leukaemia, lymphoma and testicular cancer; in the near future it is likely that these treatments will provide hope for common and often life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s and diabetes, said Rees.

    Jay will be in the US for the treatment for a week and undergo rehabilitation in the UK after the cord blood transfusion procedure. The family have managed to raise nearly 26,000 pounds through fundraising to assist with the massive costs involved.

    Jay cannot express and communicate much but we are pretty sure he knows what’s going on as he is pretty bright.

    Kairav is two and half, so doesn’t know much. But he knows a lot of travelling revolves around Jay for therapies. So, he is used to it, said their mother, who believes even a small improvement in Jay’s quality of life as a result of the therapy would be a success story for their family.

     

  • Indian Origin Steel Tycoon Appointed As UK Skills Ambassador By Prince Charles

    Indian Origin Steel Tycoon Appointed As UK Skills Ambassador By Prince Charles

    LONDON (TIP):  Indian origin steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta has been appointed by Britain’s Prince Charles as an official ambassador for the Industrial Cadets program designed to nurture manufacturing skills.

    Mr. Gupta was appointed to the flagship program to give children and young people direct structured experience of the industry while still at school or college.

    The Industrial Cadets annual awards ceremony was held on March February 28th in London.

    “Gupta is doing so much to apply real imagination, innovative thinking and sustainable rejuvenation to our nation’s heavy industries and I’m thrilled that he, through his GFG Alliance, has so enthusiastically become involved with Industrial Cadets as well,” said the 68-year-old Prince of Wales.

    As the Executive Chairman of UK-based GFG Alliance, Mr. Gupta has been on an acquisition spree in the steel industry over the past few months which has helped secure hundreds of jobs.

    “Coming from a family of industrialists, I had the opportunity while growing up to spend time in steel works and engineering plants. That left a lasting impression on me and really inspired me to pursue an active career in industry. I see Industrial Cadets fulfilling the same function and am very excited about the impact it is facing,” Mr. Gupta said.

    His GFG Foundation is actively involved in funding and promoting the Industrial Cadets program, through a partnership with the Engineering Development Trust.

    GFG Alliance companies, including Liberty House and SIMEC, currently support 1,300 cadets from 26 schools across Britain to participate in the scheme, with a target of 5,000 students by next year.

    Around 26 GFG executives located at 13 industrial sites in the UK are regularly engaged in organizing work placements at their respective plants, helping the youngsters to maximize the benefit they get from time spent in the group’s steelmaking, engineering, power generation and manufacturing facilities.

    Mr. Gupta said that the task of ensuring the next generation has the motivation and skills to enable the UK to remain competitive and successful on the world stage in manufacturing as one of the most important tasks facing modern society.

    As part of his role as ambassador, the 46-year-old businessman has also been tasked with establishing Industrial Cadets in Australia, where the GFG Alliance already employs 6,000 people in its integrated mining, steel and energy businesses.

     

     

  • Indian Americans supported India’s LGBTQ community by hosting a first-ever fundraiser at New York’s Stonewall Inn

    Indian Americans supported India’s LGBTQ community by hosting a first-ever fundraiser at New York’s Stonewall Inn

    NEW YORK (TIP): The first ever fundraiser in the United States to benefit the LGBTQ community in India was held at the historic Stonewall Inn in New York on March 8.

    The beneficiary of the event, “Equality in India,” was the Lakshya Trust, an organization that raises funds for the LGBTQ community in India.

    Lakshya, a community-based public charitable trust launched in 2000, works on various issues addressing and advocating the social, economic, legal, psychological, spiritual and health aspects of sexual minorities (gay, bisexual and transgender population) in the Indian state of Gujarat. It primarily works on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention among MSM — men having sex with men — and GBT (gay, bisexual and transgender) in three major cities of Gujarat, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot.

    More than 80 guests attended the event, which was hosted by human rights activist Joshua Patel. The attendees included business leaders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, attorneys, physicians, artists and scholars.

    The event raised more than $7,000—all of which will go to India.

     “The truth is, myself and all of the other allies in this room have such an admiration and respect for each and every one of you,” said Roshani Patel, a dentist and a supporter of the community. “For your story, for your strength, and for your beliefs.  We are here to stand beside you and to fight with you and for all of our brothers and sisters in India for the simple things that matter to all of us. Freedom, Equality, and Love.”

    Joshua Patel shared with the audience the steps the Lakshya Trust is taking to gain a more inclusive India. He cited the Trust’s campaign against the Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which was introduced by the British in 1861, which indicates that sexual intercourse that “goes against nature,” including homosexual relations, can lead to a life sentence in prison.

    “The Lakshya Trust has a holistic approach to fighting against India’s archaic laws,” he said. “As I visited three of their sites in Vadodara, Gujarat — I saw that they valued empowering the community from the grassroots level — educating people from all backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses.”

    One of the highlights of event was performances by New York’s LGBTQ South Asian community, including a performance by Lal Batti, Indo-Carribean dancer Zaman, and a tribute to the late Bollywood star Sridevi, who died last month, by Hariqbal Basi.

    The event also featured remarks from Joshua’s parents, PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) supporters, Prashant (Paul) and Mona Patel and a video message from Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil.

    The event overhead was generously covered by Prashant (Paul) and Mona Patel.

    Stonewall Inn, a National Historic Landmark, is the site of the 1969 riots that launched the US gay rights movement.

     

  • Indian diabetologist Dr. V. Mohan honored by American Diabetic Association

    Indian diabetologist Dr. V. Mohan honored by American Diabetic Association

    FLORIDA (TIP): Dr. V. Mohan, diabetologist and founder of the Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Center, Chennai, has been bestowed with the Harold Rifkin Distinguished International Service in the Cause of Diabetes Award. This makes him the first Indian physician to receive the highest accolade conferred by American Diabetic Association (ADA).

    A noted diabetologist, Mohan has been working in the field of diabetes in Chennai for over three decades. He is the Chairman and Chief of Diabetology at Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre which is a WHO Collaborating Centre for Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention and Control and an IDF Centre of Education. He is also President and Director of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation.

    Presented in memory of Harold Rifkin, the award is meant to honor individuals who have provided outstanding service in the cause of diabetes. The awardees are usually doctors who have made an impact in the field of diabetes with an international perspective. The award also recognizes individuals whose efforts have increased the awareness of the burden of diabetes worldwide.

    Mohan will receive the award during the National Scientific Achievement Awards Presentation Ceremony on the sidelines of the 78th Scientific Sessions of the ADA at Orlando, Florida.

    Recipient of more than 160 awards, Mohan started working on diabetes as an undergraduate medical student when he joined his father Prof. M. Viswanathan a pioneer in diabetes in India. Together, they founded the first private diabetes center in India in 1971. He continued to work at this center till 1991.

    Mohan and his wife, Dr. Rema Mohan, subsequently established their own diabetes centers under the name ‘Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre.’ Currently, he oversees 20 diabetes centers and clinics in India and one international diabetes center in Oman. More than 350,000 diabetic patients have been registered at these centers.

    In 2012, Govt. of India awarded Mohan with Padma Shri – the highest civilian award – for his accomplishments in the field of diabetology. He is also the winner of Dr. BC Roy Award from the Medical Council of India and the Basanti Devi Amir Chand Prize from the Indian Council of Medical Research.

     

     

  • Indian American Vivek Wadhwa among winners of 2018 Silicon Valley Forum’s Visionary Award

    Indian American Vivek Wadhwa among winners of 2018 Silicon Valley Forum’s Visionary Award

    SAN CARLOS, CA (TIP): Indian American author, entrepreneur and Carnegie Mellon Fellow Vivek Wadhwa has been selected as one of the recipients of 2018 Visionary Award established by Silicon Valley Forum.

    Delhi-born Wadhwa also holds the position of Director of Research at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization at the Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University. He has done extensive research on advancing technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, computing, synthetic biology, 3D printing, medicine, and nanomaterials. Wadhwa believes that these technologies will change our world by causing disruption in industries and paving way for the creation of many new policies, laws, and ethics.

    Every year, the forum shortlists experts from the Silicon Valley for its annual accolade that is bestowed on “Silicon Valley’s brightest stars and leading founders will take the stage in celebration of their achievements, work, and contributions to Silicon Valley’s renowned business and technology ecosystem.”

    This year’s four winners are: Vivek Wadhwa, distinguished fellow at Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering; Kimberly Bryant, founder and CEO, Black Girls Code; Caterina Fake, cofounder, Flickr and Hunch, author, entrepreneur, and angel investor; and, Astro Teller, entrepreneur, scientist, and author, Captain of Moonshots, X. The winners will be honored in an award ceremony at Domenico Winery in San Carlos, California, on May 17, 2018, the organization said in a press release.

    “Every year at our annual Visionary Awards, we look forward to the opportunity to celebrate the absolute best of the best of Silicon Valley—the leaders whose work is synonymous with what makes this region so magnetic,” said Denyse Cardozo, Silicon Valley Forum CEO. “We’re proud to invite the Valley to join us this year as we celebrate the achievements of this extraordinary group.”

    The forum has been actively helping people to learn how to build a business in the Silicon Valley for the last 35 years. The organization focuses on creativity and innovation, using technology to bring society towards a better future.

    Since its inception, the forum has hosted thousands of successful events, programs, and conferences that educate, train, inspire and connect technologists, entrepreneurs, corporates, investors, innovation and startup hubs, and students in the Silicon Valley, nationally as well as internationally.

    “As my friends know, I have been merciless in condemning it for sexism and ageism. And of late, I have been calling out tech companies for widening the equity gap, leading us into a jobless future, and stealing our happiness. Yet, what does the Valley do? Give me an award!” wrote Wadhwa in an email to his colleagues. “These awards are considered to be the ‘Oscars’ of Silicon Valley.”

     

     

     

  • Indian American Neil Chatterjee to deliver keynote address at World Utility Summit

    Indian American Neil Chatterjee to deliver keynote address at World Utility Summit

    WASHIGNTON (TIP): US Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Neil Chatterjee will deliver a keynote address at the World Utility Summit in New Delhi.

    Chatterjee will talk on ‘Harmonizing the Regulatory Framework for Utilities’ on the first day of the World Utility Summit.

    While in Delhi, he will also meet various government officials and representatives from the energy industry to discuss various challenges facing the industry and its solutions.

    Chatterjee is the first Indian American to become a Commissioner of the Federal Electricity Regulatory Commission. He also served as its chairman for a short duration August 10 to December 7 last year.

    PTI

  • Indian American scholars of Sanskrit, Oriya, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam eligible for Presidential Award of Certificates of Honor

    Indian American scholars of Sanskrit, Oriya, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam eligible for Presidential Award of Certificates of Honor

    WASHINGTON DC (TIP): India’s Ministry of Human Resource Development has invited recommendations and nominations for the “Presidential Award of Certificates of Honor” to distinguished scholars of four Indian languages: Sanskrit, Oriya, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam.

    Indian Americans and people of “non-Indian origin” are also eligible for the award, a circular issued by the ministry said.

    They will be eligible under the “International Award of Certificate of Honor” category. There will be two awards for scholars who have made “outstanding contributions” in the field of Sanskrit and two “(one each for person of Indian and Non-Indian Origin) in each of the languages of Classical Oriya, Classical Kannada, Classical Telugu and Classical Malayalam,” the circular said.

    The awards will be presented by the President of India and the selected scholars will get a Certificate of Honor and a one-time grant of 500,000 rupees ($7,700).

    A press release from the Embassy of India in Washington, DC, scholars in each of these language, “who have teaching experience, published works- number of books / articles published, research work and have kept the traditional Sanskrit, Classical Oriya, Classical Kannada, Classical Telugu and Classical Malayalam studies alive,” should submit the nominations by March 25 to the Embassy of India by email or postal mail.

    Minimum age for the awards is 60 years.

    The application form is available on the official website.

    The ID for sending the email is pic1.washington@mea.gov.in.

    The postal mail should be addressed to “Attaché (PIC), Embassy of India, 2107 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008.”

    The embassy said the applications will be sent to ministry for decision.

  • Indian Origin Sikh Student Thrown Out Of UK Bar For Wearing Turban

    Indian Origin Sikh Student Thrown Out Of UK Bar For Wearing Turban

    LONDON (TIP):  An Indian origin Sikh law student in the UK felt “victimized” and “heartbroken” after he was dragged out of a bar because he was wearing a turban, media reports said.

    Amrik Singh, 22, claimed that he was ordered to leave Rush Late Bar in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire,  for wearing his religious headgear.

    Mr. Singh was told that the bar had a “no headwear” policy.

    Mr. Singh was also allegedly told, “I didn’t think you were allowed to come in a pub and drink anyway.”

    “I’m heartbroken. The reason why I was removed was because I refused to remove my turban,” he wrote on Facebook.

    Mr. Singh said the bouncer had approached him saying that he needed to remove his turban, the report said. “I explained that a turban isn’t just headgear, but part of my religion and that it protected my hair – and that I was allowed to wear a turban in public,” he said.

    “The bouncer ignored this and said I needed to take it off. I refused and was subsequently dragged away from my friends,” he added.

    “The fact that I was being removed because of my religious views really upset me. My ancestors have fought for the British army previously,” Mr. Singh said.

    “Furthermore, my parents and I were born in Britain and all uphold British values,” he said.

    “The worst part of it was the fact he compared my turban to wearing a pair of trainers,” Mr. Singh, a final year law student at Nottingham Trent University, added.

    The management, however, has apologized and said the staff involved faced suspension pending an investigation.

    In a statement to the Labour councillor for Mansfield, Sonya Ward, Rush Late Bar said that it was not their policy.

    “Good morning, this is absolutely NOT our policy. We are investigating this incident and the security member in question has been suspended,” Ms. Ward shared the statement on Twitter.

    In February, an Indian Sikh environmental activist’s turban was ripped by a white man shouting “Muslim go back” during a racist attack outside the Parliament in UK.

  • Indian Origin UK Lawmaker Says Labels For Minorities Are Patronizing Insulting

    Indian Origin UK Lawmaker Says Labels For Minorities Are Patronizing Insulting

    London (TIP): Indian Origin Conservative party MP Priti Patel said that she had made it clear to her political colleagues and civil servants that she does not like the term Black, Minority Ethnic (BME). She was the first Indian origin member of the UK Cabinet until she resigned last year.

    “I don’t like the labelling of people. I don’t like the term BME. I’m British first and foremost, because I was born in Britain,” she was quoted as saying by BBC.

    “I challenge all my colleagues in the Conservative Party and in Westminster: Don’t label me as a BME. I’ve said that to people in the Cabinet. I’ve said that to civil servants. I think it’s patronizing and insulting, she said.

    The 45-year-old former international development minister said the term was “totally unhelpful because we are people and everybody wants to be recognized for their individual merits”.

    The MP who represents Witham in Essex also expressed doubts over whether the UK could one day have a minority ethnic incumbent in 10 Downing Street.

    “Who knows?” she said, when asked if she could be Prime Minister.

    Ms. Patel was forced to resign from her Cabinet post in November 2017 after revelations of a series of undisclosed meetings with Palestinian officials had made her position in government untenable.

    In reference to the controversy, she said the “whole thing was incredibly messy” but that she had been “very clear with the Prime Minister and also I took responsibility for what she felt was not acceptable, so I think I did the right thing”.

    Ms. Patel, now as a backbench MP, continues to be among the most vocal pro-Brexit voices in the Conservative party.

  • Indian American cab driver Gagandeep Singh’s prosecutor seeks death penalty in the murder case

    Indian American cab driver Gagandeep Singh’s prosecutor seeks death penalty in the murder case

    IDAHO (TIP): Indian American cab driver Gagandeep Singh was  stabbed  20 times before the accused Jacob Corban Coleman, 20, had watched him bleed him to death.

    Louis Marshall, the prosecutor of Bonner County, northern Idaho, has sought death penalty in the case involving the murder of cab driver gagandeep Singh.

    On January 11, Marshall requested the court for 45 days time to decide on whether or not to seek the death penalty for the accused and filed his notice of intent to seek the death penalty on February 28.

    A native of Puyallup, Coleman is facing charges of first-degree murder for brutally killing Singh as he hired his cab in August 2017. According to the court documents, Coleman waited to see his victim slowly bleed to death.

    The investigators did not find any motive behind the murder but they believe that the accused was in mental trauma after being rejected by Gonzaga University. The officers also said Coleman was experiencing suicidal and homicidal urges during the time he committed the crime.

    The court document also noted that Coleman had asked Singh to stop by a Walmart in Ponderay in order to buy a knife that was then used as the murder weapon. When Singh realized that Coleman was fooling him with non existing destinations, he stopped his car and requested Coleman to get out of the vehicle. Following which, Coleman stabbed Singh at least 20 times.

    “Specifically, the State is giving noticed that it intends to prove one or more aggravating factors including 1) the murder was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel, manifesting exceptional depravity, and/or 2) by the murder or circumstances surrounding its commission, the defendant exhibited utter disregard for human life,” reads the notice filed by Marshall.

    Reportedly, Singh was on the phone with his family just before he was killed, and had shared with them the details of the suspicious rider.

    The phone was later recovered from the intersection where Singh’s body was found and the final message sent from it read: “Just call the f***ing cops already! It’s not hard,” which was texted by Coleman to Singh’s brother.

    .

  • Indian American Sikh owned convenience store attacked and ATM stolen in Louisana

    Indian American Sikh owned convenience store attacked and ATM stolen in Louisana

    LOUISANA (TIP): Chad Horsley who was arrested for ramming his pickup truck through the window of a convenience store owned by a Sikh American on March 3, admitted that he attacked the store thinking that the owners were Muslims.

    Horsley first went to the Best Shop store on February 27, and identified himself as a sheriff to the clerk. Four days late, he returned to the store in his white pick-up and attacked it.

    Police had posted the CCTV footage of the suspect on their official Facebook page on February 28, stating that the man who appears in the image entered the convenience store posing himself as a law enforcement officer and suspected the cashier of dealing drugs from the store. He left the store saying that he would be back around midnight to search the store. He also wanted the clerk “to make sure no one was around.”

    Horsley did not return to the store that night, but on March 3, he rammed his pick-up into the store and took the ATM machine located inside. He also threatened Harjot Singh, a nephew of the store owner, with his firearm and fled the scene.

    “We never thought anything like that, because everybody comes in, and they are nice,” Singh said. “This was the first ever incident to happen like that.”

    After an investigation, police identified the suspect as Horsley, 27, a former Sheriff’s Deputy with East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.

    In the statement given by to the deputies, Horsley said that he was under the impression the owners were Muslim. He said he hated Muslims for killing his fellow service members overseas and couldn’t bear to see Muslims prospering.

    Sheriff Jason Ard confirmed through a Facebook post that the accused who committed an alleged “Hate Crime” has been arrested. He also added that there are different layers to the whole incident.

    “There are a lot of layers to this case. It’s a bizarre one that started on February 27, 2018,” Ard wrote. “That night on the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, we posted images from surveillance footage. Those images were from inside a convenience store located in the 11,000 block of Louisiana Highway 1019. We were trying to identify the individual because he claimed to be law enforcement. He said he suspected drug activity and would return to the store to do a search. He left in a white pick-up truck. We did not believe that he had any current ties to law enforcement. On March 3, 2018, we received a call from a witness. The witness tells us that a man in a white truck drove into this same convenience store.”

    Deputies searched Horsley’s home and located the white pick-up which was parked in a garage with the number plate purposefully removed. According to the police, the damage caused by Horsley to the Sikh-owned store is estimated to be approximately $4,000.00.

    Horsley has been moved to the Livingston Parish Detention Center. He was booked on several charges, including hate crimes, simple criminal damage to property, criminal mischief and two counts of false personation of a peace officer.

    As the investigation continues, his bond has been placed at $56,000.

     

     

     

  • Indian Consulate New York honored to host Air India’s all-women-crew pilots

    Indian Consulate New York honored to host Air India’s all-women-crew pilots

    New York (TIP): Air India marked this year’s International Women’s Day by flying all-women-crews to various cities – Washington DC, Newark, Chicago & San Francisco. The national carrier flew four flights to the US with women pilots as its commanders.

    Supporting the initiative, the Indian Consulate in New York honored the eight pilots.

    “Literally with high flying women. All 4 Air India flights into US today, JFK, Newark, Chicago & SFo were commandered by women pilots. We were delighted to honour 8 women pilots at the Consulate on #Internationalwomensday .Big thanks to Vandana Sharma of @airindiain & FIA,” tweeted Consul General of India, New York, Sandeep Chakravorty.

    In addition to the four flights to the US, the airline flew all-women-crew flights to destinations including Milan, Frankfurt, and Singapore.

    “The national carrier has planned several flights on its domestic and international sectors operated only by its women employees to salute woman power,” the airliner had said last week in a press release. It had announced that the all-women-crew flights that the company intends to operate to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day will have women pilots in addition to women cabin crew, check-in staff, doctor, commercial staff, ground operators to technicians, engineers, flight dispatchers and even safety and quality auditors.

    Air India reiterated that by flying all-women-crew in its flights it wants to stress on its constant efforts to encourage women by giving them an equal opportunity in the workplace.

    The schedule for the crews was also planned by a woman – Amrita Sharan, Executive Director Integration and Industrial Relations and in charge of Crew Management, announced the carrier.