The Indian Panorama

Month: December 2018

  • Get In The Holiday Spirit With Messiah & Cirque Dreams

    Get In The Holiday Spirit With Messiah & Cirque Dreams

    By Mabel Pais

    HANDEL’S MESSIAH

    “(NJSO is)….a vital, artistically significant musical organization” – Wall Street Journal

    “Together, orchestra, chorus, conductor and soloists brought out the work’s many shades, and delivered that one particular seasonal requirement, a rousing ‘Hallelujah’” – Star Ledger

    The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) presents Handel’s MessiahMembers of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) perform Handel’s Messiahwith the Montclair State University Singers and a quartet of vocal soloists December 14 and 16 in Princeton and Newark, respectively.

    Patrick Dupré Quigley conducts a historically informed interpretation of Handel’s masterwork – a Christmastime tradition in concert halls across the world. Soprano Margot Rood, countertenor Reginald Mobley, tenor Steven Soph and baritone Charles Wesley Evans join the Orchestra and choir.

    The Star-Ledgerhas praised the NJSO’s performances of the masterwork with the Montclair State University Singers, writing: “Together, orchestra, chorus, conductor and soloists brought out the work’s many shades, and delivered that one particular seasonal requirement, a rousing ‘Hallelujah.’”

    The Program

    Handel’s Messiah

    Friday, December 14, at 8 pm | Richardson Auditorium in Princeton

    Sunday, December 16, at 7 pm | Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark

    Patrick Dupre Quigley, conductor

    Patrick Dupré Quigley, conductor

    Margot Rood, soprano
    H

    Margot Rood, soprano

    Reginald Mobley, countertenor

    Reginald Mobley, countertenor

    Stephen Soph, tenor

    Steven Soph, tenor

    Charles Wesley Evans, baritone
    Photos / Courtesy, NJSO

    Charles Wesley Evans, baritone

    Montclair State University Singers

    Montclair State University Singers | Heather J. Buchanan, director

    Members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

    HANDELMessiah

    The Orchestra invites the audience to participate in the centuries-old tradition of standing at the beginning of the Messiah’s “Hallelujah Chorus.”

    Full concert information is available at njsymphony.org/messiah.

    For more information on NJSO and concert tickets, visit njsymphony.org, or call1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476) or email information@njsymphony.org.

    The Venues

    For the location and directions to

    1. The Richardson Auditorium in Princeton, visit www.richardson.princeton.eduor call 609 258 9220.
    2. The Cathedral Basilica Of the Sacred Heart, visit www.cathedralbasilica.org or call 973 484 4600.

    New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

    Named “a vital, artistically significant musical organization” by The Wall Street Journal, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra embodies that vitality through its statewide presence and critically acclaimed performances, education partnerships and unparalleled access to music and the Orchestra’s superb musicians.

    CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE

    Performers of Cirque Dreams Holidaze
                                         Photos /Courtesy NJPAC
    Performers of Cirque Dreams Holidaze
    Photos /Courtesy NJPAC
    “The Perfect Holiday Gift … a show that everyone will enjoy” –BroadwayWorld
    “(A) delicious confection of charm, sparkle and talent by the sleighload and so full of energy it could end our dependence on oil” – The New York Daily News
    Cirque Dreams Holidazelights up the 2018 holiday season with its popular and electrifying stage spectacular!
    The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Cirque Dreams Holidazeon Wednesday, December 26 at 7 P.M. and Thursday, December 27 at 7 P.M.
    The New York Daily News proclaims a “delicious confection of charm, sparkle and talent by the sleighload and so full of energy it could end our dependence on oil.”

    Broadway director Neil Goldberg has searched the world to assemble the unique cast of incomparable cirque artists and theatrical talent to wow audiences nationwide. This critically acclaimed extravaganza is a Broadway musical and new cirque adventure wrapped into the ultimate holiday gift for the entire family.

    Over 300 imaginative costumes, 20 world-class astonishing acts, the finest singers, original music and seasonal favorites celebrate Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s in a two-hour, breathtaking spectacle. Audiences of all ages will marvel at soaring acrobatics, gravity-defying feats and extravagant theatrical production numbers.

    The Boston Globe hails, “Entrancing … Las Vegas meets family entertainment.” Experience this unique, multimillion-dollar live stage production, which dazzled at the Kennedy Center, sparkled at the Grand Ole Opry House, and BroadwayWorld calls “The Perfect Holiday Gift … a show that everyone will enjoy.”

    To learn more about Cirque Dreams, visit www.cirqueproductions.com.

    For tickets to Cirque Dreams Holidaze, visitNJPAC.orgor the NJPAC Box Office or call 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722).

    New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., has the most diverse programming and audience of any performing arts center in the country, and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 9 million visitors (including over 1.7 million children and families) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.

    Get Social! Follow NJPAC Online:
    Website:      http://www.njpac.org/
    Twitter:        @NJPAC
    Hashtag:     #NJPAC
    Facebook:   facebook.com/NJPAC
    YouTube:     NJPACtv

    (Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, and Health and Wellness)

  • The Gateway Program: a comprehensive rail investment program

    The Gateway Program: a comprehensive rail investment program

    NEW YORK(TIP): The Gateway Program, one of the most urgent infrastructure programs in the country, is a comprehensive rail investment programthat would improve current services, add resiliency and create new capacity for a critical section of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) – the most heavily used passenger rail line in the country. The Gateway Program Development Corporation (GDC), a New Jersey not-for-profit entity, was established to oversee and deliver the Gateway Program, with support from federal and local partner agencies.

     The NEC is the most heavily used passenger rail line in the U.S., with more than 2,000 trains per day carrying approximately 800,000 daily riders across eight states and Washington D.C. It serves a region that is home to 17 percent of the U.S. population and 97 Fortune 500 company headquarters, and an area that contributes 20 percent of the national GDP. The NEC is a vital artery in the region and a critical element of the national transportation network, linking millions of people to good jobs, and connecting this region with the rest of the country.

    Existing Hudson River Tunnel

     The Gateway Program would maintain resiliency and increase capacity along a 10-mile stretch of the NEC between Newark, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Station in New York City (PSNY), a section of the NEC that handles approximately 450 trains per day and over 200,000 daily Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT passengers, and directly serves PSNY – the busiest rail station in America. This segment of the NEC includes the North River Tunnel under the Hudson River, which has deteriorated due to age, intensive use, and damage sustained from saltwater exposure during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

     The Gateway Program’s Phase 1 is currently underway and includes two projects: the Portal North Bridge Project and the Hudson Tunnel Project. Each is vital to the functioning of the NEC and addresses single points of failure that can have catastrophic impacts to the region’s economy and environment.

    The Portal North Bridge Project

    The Portal North Bridge Project will replace the current, functionally obsolete Portal Bridge – a century-old two-track, railroad swing bridge spanning the Hackensack River between Secaucus and Kearny, New Jersey – with a new, high-level, two-track fixed span. The new bridge will increase rail transit capacity by an estimated 11%, and significantly improve service reliability by replacing the movable span, which interrupts operations and is prone to mechanical failures, and is the current cause of frequent delays. The Project is fully designed and permitted. Early construction work began in Fall 2017.

     On June 29, 2018, an updated financial plan reflecting changes to the local funding structure for the Portal North Bridge project was submitted to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).  The updated plan was submitted by NJ TRANSIT, the Project Sponsor, on behalf of GDC and the project partners.  It includes New Jersey’s investment of up to $600 million funded through state-appropriation backed bonds, capital funding from the NJ Transportation Trust Fund and other existing local sources.

    Proposed Hudson Tunnel

    The Hudson Tunnel Project is currently in the environmental review process, and includes two components:t he construction of a new two-track Hudson River rail tunnel from New Jersey to Manhattan that will directly serve PSNY; and the rehabilitation of the 108-year old, existing North River Tunnel, which incurred serious damage during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

    The Hudson Tunnel Project would complete and make use of the concrete casing on the West Side of Manhattan that is preserving right-of-way for the future tunnel to PSNY (“Hudson Yards Concrete Casing” or “Hudson Yards Box”). 

     The North River Tunnel is a critical link in the region’s trans-Hudson commuting system, and the Hudson River Tunnel Project is urgently needed. A closure of just one tube could reduce capacity by as much as 75%, and force tens of thousands of commuters and travelers into other modes of travel, pushing them on to already congested bridges, tunnels and streets in both states. The resulting congestion would lead to massive degradation of air quality throughout the region, with the movement of people and goods to and from the nation’s largest regional economy becoming severely constrained.

     When complete, the Project would allow for the rehabilitation of the North River Tunnel without disrupting existing levels of train service and provide redundant capability and increased operational flexibility for Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT.

     On June 29, 2018 a status update demonstrating continued progress on the Hudson Tunnel Project was provided to the Federal Transit Administration by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Gateway partners.

     The update notes that in recognition of the FTA’s expressed view that GDC, as currently constituted, is not eligible to serve as CIG grant applicant or NEPA Sponsor for the Hudson Tunnel Project, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will serve those roles on behalf of the Partners.  Because the Partners intend for GDC to serve a lead role in the financing and development of the Gateway Program, including acting as a federal grant and loan applicant as well as NEPA project sponsor, the States of New Jersey and New York have committed to pursue legislative action in both states that will enable GDC to perform these financing and development functions for the Gateway Program. GDC continues to direct, coordinate with and consult on all project-related activities of various partner organizations.

    (Source: THE GATEWAY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION)

     

        

  • MUSIC TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD

    MUSIC TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD

    Ashok Parulekar and  Nayana  Hein

    NEW YORK(TIP): The music we play can  help transform the world .  A new hour-long film, Eternal Journey, by India’s renowned violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam,  premiered recently  for a select audience at the Harbor Grand Studio in New York. In this captivating film, across time and space, Dr. Subramaniam and the late composer and musician Sri Chinmoy engage in profound musical conversation.

    Sri Chinmoy and Dr. L. Subramaniam had a close friendship founded on their mutual love of music. “We must play together,” Sri Chinmoy remarked at what would prove to be their last meeting together in 2006. However, that was not to transpire before Sri Chinmoy passed away the following year.

    Maestro Subramaniam did not forget Sri Chinmoy’s intriguing comment, and it inspired him to put together a cinematic and musical tour de force. In “Eternal Journey”, video recordings taken of Sri Chinmoy during his lifetime, in which he  plays on the esraj, cello, vibraphone and Western flute, are seamlessly ‘answered’ by Dr. Subramaniam on the violin. In one remarkable section they appear almost to be playing together, simultaneously.

    Dr. Subramaniam is celebrated worldwide for the diversity of his contribution to the world of music. He is an authority on the classical Carnatic  tradition and Western classical music, and acclaimed for his violin virtuosity and compositions in orchestral fusion.  L. Subramaniam is an accomplished composer and conductor, and he has performed with such notable orchestras as the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin State Opera, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Zubin Mehta), the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Oslo Philharmonic.  He  has composed the film scores for the films “Salaam Bombay” (1988) and “Mississippi Masala” (1991) directed by Mira Nair, in addition to being the featured violin soloist in Bernardo Bertolucci’s “Little Buddha” (1993) and “Cotton Mary” (1999) of Merchant-Ivory productions.

    Sri Chinmoy composed over 22,000 hauntingly soulful songs

    Sri Chinmoy composed over 22,000 hauntingly soulful songs and offered profound inner peace though his music. “Music is a universal language,” Sri Chinmoy said. “It is through music that one might have the capacity to express the sublime.” Performing his own music compositions, Sri Chinmoy offered well over 700 Peace Concerts at such venues as London’s Royal Albert Hall, New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall and Damrosch Amphitheater, Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan, the Kamakura Daibutsu, the Sydney Opera House, the Sorbonne in Paris, and the United Nations Headquarters, to name just a few.

    “Through music individuals can sometimes find something to share, something in common, and thus begin to build a feeling of oneness in the heart and in the world,” explained Sri Chinmoy. “Through music we can expand ourselves.”

    Says Dr. Subramaniam: “Music is a vast ocean, and no one can claim to know it all. The more you know, the more you realize how little you know. It is an eternal quest.”

    Juxtaposing the past and the present, L. Subramaniam and Sri Chinmoy defy the finite to embark on an eternal journey through music and film.

    It is expected that “Eternal Journey” will be made available for a wide audience some time in 2019.

    For more information see srichinmoy.org

     Ashok Parulekar Mob 917 815 2887 (USA) or 91 99 70730161(India)

  • Indian Overseas Congress, USA applauds Congress victory in Assembly elections

    Indian Overseas Congress, USA applauds Congress victory in Assembly elections

    NEW YORK  (TIP): ‘People of India have spoken once again through the ballot box, and the message has been sent loud and clear that they are simply unhappy with the direction of the country under the stewardship of Prime Minister Modi. He has become a man of hollow promises, and unfulfilled pledges to the people of India ’ said George Abraham, Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA. ‘What happened to the grandiose promises on youth unemployment, farmer’s distress, and rural development?  On all those scores, BJP has failed miserably. Ordinary people are interested in improving their lives and their family’s lives and less interested in dividing people based on religion and caste or focusing their energy on temple building’ Abraham added. IOC congratulates Rahul Gandhi for his stellar leadership and round the clock campaigning that has made an enormous difference in these state elections.

    Congress Party needs to be cautious as well no to read too much into these results considering the anti-incumbency factors in those 3 States as the party appears to be on the eve of forming the governments, nevertheless, these victories would undoubtedly rejuvenate the Congress loyalists at the grass root level for the upcoming National election in 2019. As Rahul Gandhi spoke in the post-election press conference, it is a victory for the Congress worker who has neither given up on the values and principles of the party nor lost hope on the Nehruvian vision for the country.

    In over four years under the Modi rule, the country has gone through a disastrous demonetization process, a messy GST implementation, corruption at the highest levels and crony capitalism in its worst form. The institutions which guarded the democracy and freedom since independence for its citizens are under assault and in steep decline. The recent developments with RBI and CBI speak a volume of government interference that may have undermined the independence of these revered Institutions.

    Congress party is also urged to build the grass root support that would be critical in winning the upcoming national election and IOC believes that only Congress party could unite the country and put it back on track for peace, security and inclusive development for all its citizens.

     

     

     

     

  • FIA Adds New Trustees to the FIA Board

    FIA Adds New Trustees to the FIA Board

    EDISON, NJ(TIP): The Annual General body meeting of the Federation of Indian Associations (Tri-State) was held on Wed, December 5th, 2018 at the Royal Alberts Palace, Edison, NJ. The Agenda included the overall performance and activities of FIA during the year 2018, announcement of the executive team of 2019.

    The Federation of Indian Associations expanded their Board of Trustees for the first time since the formation of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and inducted two new trustees expanding it to a 15-member body.

    The announcement was made by Secretary of Board of Trustees (BOT), Chandrakant Trivedi who read the process and the conclusion of the induction nomination that announced two FIA veterans into the Trustee board which was supported by Chairman Ramesh Patel nominating their induction.

    Jayesh Patel, FIA President 2005, with ties and affiliations with numerous organizations as well as Ankur Vaidya, 2 term FIA President 2014 & 2015, 9-year FIA veteran, both active community leaders were inducted into the FIA Board of Trustees.

    The two join the elite FIA Board of Trustees which comprises of community stalwarts like Chairman Ramesh Patel, Padma Shri H R Shah, Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Mr. Albert Jasani, Mr. Bipin Patel, Mr. Kanu Chauhan, Mr. Ram Gadhavi, Mr. Chandrakant Trivedi, Dr. Pravin Pandhi, Mr. Prabir Roy, Mr.Dipak Patel, Mr. Yash Paul Soi & Mr. Jagdish Patel.

  • FIA Elects 2019 Executive Team – Alok Kumar Elected President

    FIA Elects 2019 Executive Team – Alok Kumar Elected President

    PTI Senior Correspondent Yoshita Singh Honored

    EDISON, NJ(TIP): The Annual General body meeting of the Federation of Indian Associations (Tri-State) was held on Wed, December 8th, 2018 at the Royal Alberts Palace, Edison, NJ. The Agenda included the overall performance and activities of FIA during the year 2018 and included (Daxa Amin) General Secretary’s report as well as the fiscal year’s financial reports (prepared by KP-CPA LLP & presented by Treasurer Himanshu Bhatia). These reports were made available, were reviewed and unanimously approved. The meeting also made the formal announcement of the newly elected Executive Committee for the upcoming year of 2019.

    The New Team. L to R: Amit Ringasia, Himanshu Bhatia, Srujal Parikh, Alok Kumar, Amit Yadav & Saureen Parikh
    Photo / Courtesy Paresh Gandhi

    Srujal Parikh, the reigning President of FIA (for 2018) presided over the meeting accompanied by his Executive Committee of 2018 namely, Alok Kumar (Executive Vice President), Daxa Amin (General Secretary) & Chhavi Dharayan (Vice President), Himanshu Bhatia (Treasurer), Haresh Shah (Jt. Secretary) & Andy Bhatia (Past President).

    Parikh welcomed all attendees in the meeting, which included Board of Trustees (BOT), Board of Directors and the 2018 Committee members and complimented the work of the executive committee and the 2018 committee. Gratitude and compliments were extended to FIA supporters and sponsors for their generosity and support shown during the 2018 calendar year.  Parikh provided highlights of major events in a chronological order during the calendar year and shared the grand success of multiple events with the attendees.  This included the Lighting of the Empire State Building (ESB) in NYC (ESB is the official Lighting Partner of FIA), now a tradition and its 6th year as well the historic Diwali day Lighting of ESB in diya colors, a first for ESB celebrating the festival of lights. After pointing to the array of events, he led to the highlight of FIA’s flagship event, the 38th India Day Parade in NYC on Aug. 19th, which was marked by the presence of Grand Marshal Kamal Hassan along with Chief Guest Star performer Padma Shri Kailash Kher, Legendary Cricketer Sir Viv Richards, Guest of Honor Shruti Hassan, singing sensation Shibani Kashyap among a host of other notable celebrities.  The group cheered efforts that brought the success of the Indian Independence Day Anniversary celebrations which was held with its own set of multiple programs like the cultural program with multiple on-stage performances and ‘Fun Fair’ consisting of concession stands of various kinds mentioned Parikh pointing to the festivities that transpired. The success of FIA’s Grand Gala Reception held at The Royal Albert’s Palace in the honor of the Grand Marshall and the supporters were also applauded by Parikh.

    Chairman  Ramesh Patel applauded Parikh for his leadership and service to the organization and pointed to the newly elected team as a reformation of FIA with 2nd generation of volunteers assuming leadership roles.  He proceeded with handing over the progression to the election commission chair, Jayesh Patel joined by Yash Paul Soi, also a member on the election commission. They collectively announced the newly elected 2019 FIA team along with explaining the formal process that was followed leading the election results. All Nominees were unanimously elected and approved for their respective positions. The 2019 team comprises of Alok Kumar on the top spot as the President along with Himanshu Bhatia as Executive Vice President, Saurin Parikh as Vice President, Amit Yadav as General Secretary, Mardari Patel as Joint Secretary, Amit Ringasia as Treasurer and Srujal Parikh as the immediate Past President.

    Alok Kumar, who credits his origins for his interest in serving the community has roots in Darbhanga, Bihar.  Kumar,  an IT professional,  has been residing in the USA close to 15 years.  He has been an integral part of the FIA Executive Committee since the past 4 years and brings along a highly in-depth and professional experience to the top spot of FIA. He concluded highlighting his confidence in the elected team and thanking FIA, BOT and the Member Organizations for trusting and showing faith in his leadership.

    Yoshita Singh is honored. L to R: Media Chair Ankur Vaidya , Trustee Bipin Patel, President Srujal Parikh, President Elect Alok Kumar, Chairman Ramesh Patel, Past President Shobhna Patel, Mr. Mukesh Roy, Yoshita Singh, Trustees Yash Paul Soi & Dr. Praveen Pandhi.
    Photo / Courtesy Paresh Gandhi

    FIA also recognized and honored the voluntary efforts and support of Yoshita Singh, UN correspondent for PTI, who has dedicatedly guided and supported FIA with her vision and expertise.

    Established in 1970, FIA is a premier oldest and largest non-profit grassroots umbrella organization comprising of diversified Indian Associations here in NY NJ & CT.

    For further info. Please visit our website  www.fianynjct.org or Email : info@fianynjct.org

    (Press release)

     

     

     

     

  • UN Human Rights Day observed at the UN HQ

    UN Human Rights Day observed at the UN HQ

    UNITED NATIONS(TIP): United Nations Human Rights Day was observed at the UN Headquarters in New York, December 10.

    A panel discussion on “Equality, Dignity and Justice for All” was the highlight of the celebrations. The panelists  included Dr Menaka Guruswamy and Attorney Arundhati Katzu. Both Guruswamy and Katzu represented Navtej Singh Johar and other lead petitioners spearheading the quest for justice before the Supreme Court of India.

    Paulomi Tripathi, First Secretary  at the Indian Mission moderated the discussion.

    Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin delivers his opening remarks on the occasion of Human Rights Day celebration at the United Nations.
    Photos / Jay Mandal-On Assignment

    Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations inaugurated.

  • Diwali Stamp The “Power of One” Awards presented

    Diwali Stamp The “Power of One” Awards presented

    UNITED NATIONS(TIP): The “Power of One” Award , established by Diwali Foundation, USA, Inc. chaired by Ranju Batra, in 2017  is to celebrate and highlight the vital and important work done across the world in a peaceful manner, especially at the United Nations.

    To be eligible for the Award, , one has to be a former Permanent Representative or former high level member of UN Secretariat, or soon to be former, who has toiled selflessly to “help to form a more perfect, peaceful and secure world for all”.

    The recipients for the 2018 “Power of One”  Award included H.E. Catherine Boura, former Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations; H.E. Mohamed Khalid Khiari, Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations till December 2018; H.E. Andrej Logar, former Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations ; H.E. Agshin Mehdiyev, Former Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan; H.E. Nguyen Phuong Nga, former Permanent Representative of Viet Nam  to the United Nations; and H.E. Virachai Plasai, former Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations.

    The Awards were presented by Ranju Batra, Chair of Diwali Foundation, USA, Inc. at the United Nations , December 11, 2018 in the presence of a large number of diplomats, community members and media.

    The event was co-hosted by the Permanent Missions of Belarus, Georgia and India.

    The 2018 Power of One awards were co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Greece, France, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Republic of Korea, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Permanent Observer of State of Palestine, and NY Office of International Atomic Energy agency.

    Those who addressed the gathering included India’s PR Syed Akbaruddin, Georgia’s PR Kaha Imnadze, Algeria’s PR Sabri Boukadoum, Kazakhstan’s PR Kairat Umarov, Sri Lanka’s PR Amrith Rohan Perera, Ranju Batra, Chair of Diwali Foundation, USA, Inc., and Ravi Batra, Chair, National Advisory Council South Asian Affairs.

     

     

     

     

  • Air India raises JFK International-Mumbai connection to ten flights a week

    Air India raises JFK International-Mumbai connection to ten flights a week

    NEW YORK(TIP): Air India has revealed it has boosted its connections to the United States this week by announcing the introduction of three new non-stop flights covering the JFK International to Mumbai route.

    As of 7 December of this year the new route, operated by Air India’s Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, depart at 1105 from JFK on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday on 777-300ER planes. They will arrive in Mumbai at 12:10 the following day.

    Ms Bhuvana Rao, Air India’s regional head for Americas said, “The additional New York to Mumbai non-stop service reflects the growing popularity of India as a business and leisure destination”.

    Commenting on the new route, Bhuvana Rao, Air India’s regional head in the Americas, highlighted how the new flights reflect the growth of India as a hot spot for North American travelers when she said:

    “The additional New York to Mumbai non-stop service reflects the growing popularity of India as a business and leisure destination. Our flights are also among the most convenient for passengers travelling beyond Mumbai and Delhi, with customs and immigration formalities completed at the final destination on select connecting flights to major cities across India.”

    All flights to India from the US feature convenient transfers onto from the US Indian destinations, such as Bangalore, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune.

    The airline already operates a daily service between New York’s most well-known airport and the Indian capital and the new flights will take this coverage from seven flights a week to ten. And, increasing Air India’s total non-stop services from the US to India to the US to 36 nationwide, including Newark-Delhi (daily), Chicago-Delhi (daily), Washington-Delhi (weekly) and San Francisco-Delhi (nine times a week).

    To celebrate the launch Air India is offering special fares on the new route, good for travel from 9 December  2018 to 11 May 2019. All of Air India’s non-stop flights from the United States feature first, business, and economy class.

  • Indian social worker commits suicide in UAE

    Indian social worker commits suicide in UAE

    DUBAI(TIP): A 35-year-old prominent Indian social worker in the UAE has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his apartment, a media report has said.

    Sandeep Vellaloor, a staff surveyor in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) emirate, suffered a huge financial loss after setting up a transport company, which is believed to have prompted him to hang himself, Khaleej Times reported on Sunday, December 9.

    The father of three was a prominent social worker. His two roommates were not at home when he apparently committed suicide, it said.

    Police have started an investigation into the incident, the report said.

    “After coming back from work, they found the door locked from inside, and had to break open the lock to get in. To their shock, they found him hanging from the ceiling,” said Prasad Sreedharan, a social worker affiliated with a medical committee recently constituted by the Consulate General of India in Dubai.

    Vellaloor was the general secretary of Yulan Kala Sahiti and team leader of the Friends Cricket Association.

    “He regularly organized blood donation camps in RAK. The Ministry of Health and Prevention had honored him in 2016 with a certificate of appreciation and memento for the humanitarian act,” Sreedharan said.

    “He contributed Rs 400,000 to the family of an Indian worker who was paralyzed and then died in a road accident here in RAK in 2017,” he said.

    Vellaloor sent his family to India three years ago and was staying with two of his friends in a villa behind the RAK immigration department.

    His body has been shifted to the morgue at the Ibrahim Bin Obaidulla Hospital and the repatriation process will be initiated shortly, said Nisham Noorudheen, president RAK Indian Relief Committee (IRC).

    (Source: PTI)

  • Indian origin techie sentenced to 9 years for sexual assault inside airplane

    Indian origin techie sentenced to 9 years for sexual assault inside airplane

    WASHINGTON(TIP): An Indian IT professional was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment on Thursday, December 14,  on charges of a “brazen sexual assault” against a fellow female passenger inside a commercial airplane earlier this year.

    Prabhu Ramamoorthy, 35, who came to the US on an H-1B visa in 2015, will be deported after he serves his sentence, a federal court in Detroit said as it sentenced the Indian national to nine years of imprisonment.

    Judge Terrence Berge hoped it would be grave enough to deter others from committing similar crimes. Federal prosecutors had sought 11 years of imprisonment for Ramamoorthy.

    “Everyone has the right to be secure and safe when they travel on airplanes. We will not tolerate the behavior of anyone who takes advantage of victims who are in a vulnerable position. We appreciate the victim in this case for her courage to speak out,” US Attorney Matthew Schneider said after the sentencing was announced.

    Ramamoorthy was convicted in August after a five-day trial that was conducted before United States District Judge Terrence Berg. The jury deliberated approximately three-and-a-half hours before returning the guilty verdict.

    According to the evidence presented at the trial, on January 3, Ramamoorthy had engaged in a sexual act with a female, while she was sleeping on a flight from Las Vegas to Detroit. Ramamoorthy was seated along with his wife, when he sexually assaulted his co-passenger.

    During the trial, the government admitted evidence demonstrating that Ramamoorthy had digitally penetrated the woman sleeping next to him during the overnight flight. The sexual assault woke her up, she found her pants unbuttoned and unzipped, and sought help from the flight attendants.

    The sentence was proof that the safety and security of all aircraft passengers was a priority for the FBI, said Timothy R Slater, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Division of the FBI.

    In recent years, a number of Indian nationals have been arrested or charged with sexual assaults inside a plane. The FBI says airplane sexual assault is a serious offence that is on the rise. FBI statistics indicate that investigations of mid-air sexual assaults increased by 66 per cent from 2014 to 2017.

    That was in part due to increasingly “cramped, confined spaces; alcohol and drugs; fewer flight attendants; and dark cabins on night flights”–factors that “likely embolden offenders”–the FBI said in a recent report.

    The cramped style of airplane seating can exacerbate trauma for victims. According to mental health professionals, victims who are violated in confined spaces feel even more helpless, vulnerable and powerless. Victims may also feel intimidated by the person sitting next to them since the seating arrangement means that the perpetrator is effectively blocking the victim from getting up, according to the FBI.

    According to court papers, Ramamoorthy is from Tamil Nadu, where he grew up. His parents are farmers. He came to the US in July 2015 after his graduation to work as an IT professional.

    During his trial, Ramamoorthy presented himself to the court as a confused man stranded in America without English language skills despite his sophisticated technological job, federal prosecutors alleged. “His lack of empathy and remorse should not go unnoticed by this court,” they argued, seeking nearly 11 years of imprisonment for him.

    (Source:PTI)

  • Indian arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into US

    Indian arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into US

    WASHINGTON(TIP): A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice.

    Bhavin Patel, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to bring in and harbor aliens and six counts of smuggling foreign nationals into the US via commercial airline flights, New Jersey US Attorney Craig Carpenito said on Monday, December 10.

    He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18, 2018, before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez.

    Arrested by special agents of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on December 7, at Newark Liberty International Airport, Patel if convicted faces maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.

    Each substantive charge of smuggling carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.

    In its court papers, HSI said that its beginning in October 2013, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a smuggler began meeting with Patel in Bangkok. Patel told the undercover law enforcement officer that he wanted to smuggle Indian nationals into the US.

    On three occasions, Patel or his conspirator transported the Indian nationals to an airport in Thailand, at which point the undercover law enforcement officer would purportedly use his contacts to smuggle them into the US-via commercial airline flights.

    Patel agreed to wire down payments for each individual to be smuggled into the US and to pay a balance of tens of thousands of dollars for each individual once the foreign nationals arrived in the United States, HSI alleged in its court papers.

    Over the ensuing months, Patel arranged for six Indian nationals to be brought to Thailand for smuggling into the United States via Newark Liberty International Airport, HIS alleged.

    (Source: PTI)

  • Indian origin Members of International Movie Piracy Ring Indicted in Scheme to Steal and Sell Pre-Release Hollywood Films and TV Shows

    Indian origin Members of International Movie Piracy Ring Indicted in Scheme to Steal and Sell Pre-Release Hollywood Films and TV Shows

    LOS ANGELES (TIP):  A federal grand jury , on December 12,  indicted five men in four countries on federal charges alleging they distributed or offered for sale stolen digital versions of hundreds of motion pictures and television shows – including “Fifty Shades of Grey,” “The Expendables 3” and “The Walking Dead” – prior to their official release.

    According to the indictment filed this afternoon in United States District Court, members of the hacking conspiracy broke into computer systems used by Hollywood film production companies and stole digital files, including feature films, trailers, television series episodes and audio tracks. The ring allegedly put the stolen files on a server in France, which contained more than 25,000 motion picture-related files, including the feature films “Godzilla,” “How to Train Your Dragon 2” and “Horrible Bosses 2.”

    The defendants also illicitly acquired copies of films by other means, including recording cinema screenings and obtaining copies of motion pictures distributed to movie industry professionals, according to the indictment, which outlines criminal conduct beginning in early 2013 and continuing into the spring of 2015.

    Once they obtained the movies and other content, the defendants allegedly altered the properties of the computer files to make them easier to distribute online. According to the indictment, they offered the stolen motion picture files for sale via private electronic communications, but they also uploaded stolen movies onto pirate movie websites. The defendants used a shared PayPal account to receive and distribute money from the sale of the pirated motion pictures, the indictment states.

    In February 2015, one of the defendants allegedly told a prospective buyer that the ring would be offering copies of the films “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and “Fifty Shades of Grey” for sale on the same day as their U.S. theatrical release.

    The defendants charged in the indictment are:

    Malik Luqman Farooq, 30, a resident of the United Kingdom, who allegedly sold more than a dozen stolen pre-release or contemporaneous-release films over a period of two years. Farooq was previously arrested by the City of London Police on related charges and is awaiting trial in the United Kingdom.

    Aditya Raj, believed to reside in India, who allegedly released pirated movies on the internet and helped arrange for the camcording of various films in India.

    Sam Nhance, believed to reside in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, who allegedly procured and maintained the computer server on which the co-conspirators stored and manipulated digital files for further distribution.

    Ghobhirajah Selvarajah, believed to reside in Malaysia, who was the registered owner of a PayPal account that the co-conspirators allegedly used to receive payment for sales of films and to pay for the storage server for the group.

    Jitesh Jadhav, also believed to reside in India, is alleged to have camcorded films in India that were sold by other members of the conspiracy, including screenings of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” and “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”

    The co-conspirators are also alleged to have previously operated a website used to distribute pirated “Bollywood” films, known as “BollyTNT.”

    The defendants, who are not in U.S. custody, are named in a seven-count indictment that charges them with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, unauthorized access to a computer, aggravated identity theft, and copyright infringement.

    The conspiracy, computer hacking, and copyright violation charges each carry a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. The charges of aggravated identity theft carry a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed in the case.

    An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

    (Source: DOJ)

  • Keep the Pakistan door ajar

    Keep the Pakistan door ajar

    India needs to be cautious, but should not completely shut itself to talks

    By G Parthasarathy

    “Imran Khan has reached out to India, urging the resumption of dialogue and India’s participation at SAARC summit in Islamabad. Our standard reply ‘talks and terrorism can’t go together’ is not endorsed internationally and conveys rigidity. It needs to be nuanced”, says the author.

    Pakistan’s sudden decision to open the Kartarpur shrine for Indian pilgrims predictably raised suspicions in India. Pakistan had earlier opened other Sikh holy shrines, like Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and Dera Sahib Gurdwara in Lahore, under a bilateral agreement. The decision to open the Kartarpur shrine, located virtually on the India-Pakistan border, was, however, conveyed ‘informally’ by Pakistan’s army chief Gen Bajwa to Punjab’s tempestuous minister, Navjot Sidhu. Interestingly, General Bajwa’s sudden interest was manifested much after repeated requests by Indian leaders, including former PM Vajpayee, were ignored.

    This unusual action by Pakistan’s army chief raised hackles in New Delhi, as the Pakistan army controls the gurdwaras there through the Pakistani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee. This committee’s first head was former ISI chief, Lt Gen Javed Nasir, the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai blasts. ‘Khalistani’ flags are often provocatively raised during visits of Sikh pilgrims from India. They are also constantly sought to be incited by specially invited ‘Khalistani’ activists from countries like Canada, the US and the UK. Obviously, the ISI is now again looking to fish in troubled waters in Punjab, evident from the recent terrorist strike in Amritsar and the continuing smuggling of narcotics across the border.

    These developments took place when PM Imran Khan was engaged in organizing countrywide celebrations for his first hundred days in office. Contrary to his expectations, his first hundred days have been marked by a less than satisfactory performance in fulfilling the expectations he had raised. This happened despite being the blue-eyed boy of the army, which had facilitated his election as Prime Minister. Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have reached the perilously low level of $8 billion. With the country expecting to have a further $12 billion trade deficit in the current financial year, Pakistan had to go with bended knees to its past financial mentors — Saudi Arabia, China, US, EU, UAE and IMF — for a bailout.

    The Saudis were not quite as generous as they have been in the past. On offer was a short-term deposit of $3 billion in a Pakistani bank and a similar offer of petroleum under a short-term, deferred payment arrangement. The IMF imposed strict conditionalities, including asking for details of repayment liabilities on Chinese loans for CPEC. Negotiations with the IMF are presently on hold. Pakistan’s expectations of long-term, low-interest/interest-free credits from China were not fulfilled. The US has ended military and economic aid for Pakistan. Pakistan’s finance minister Asad Umar recently proclaimed: ‘Right now, we have a $18 billion deficit and $9 billion of debt repayment due this year, which brings the total to $27 billion… we cannot afford that.’

    Imran Khan has reached out to India, urging the resumption of dialogue and India’s participation at SAARC summit in Islamabad. Our standard reply ‘talks and terrorism can’t go together’ is not endorsed internationally and conveys rigidity. It needs to be nuanced. Detailed ‘back-channel’ negotiations after the JeM attack on our Parliament, resulted in an agreement in which General Musharraf assured Vajpayee that ‘territory under Pakistan’s control’ would not be used for terrorism against India. Pakistan abided by that assurance till 2007. The Composite Dialogue Process also resumed on all issues, including Kashmir. There was progress, based on PM Manmohan Singh’s offer that while ‘borders can’t be redrawn’, we can work towards making them ‘irrelevant’ by making them ‘just lines on a map’. The 26/11 attacks ended it.

    Pakistan would like to resume the Composite Dialogue Process. This should be rejected as terrorism is accorded a low priority. This does not mean that India should cut off all diplomatic contacts with Pakistan. It is essential that we stand firm on refusing to discuss J&K unless the sponsorship of terrorism ends.

    But we go wrong by equating the priorities of the Pakistan army, with the interest about India across wide sections of ordinary Pakistanis. Vajpayee’s directive on liberal issue of visas, particularly to Mohajirs in Karachi and urban Sind, produced dramatic results in changing public opinion about India. It pays us richly to expose ordinary Pakistanis to realities in contemporary India. We need to welcome exchanges of visits by students, academics, business organizations, cultural troupes and those with familial ties.

    There also has to be firmness and realism in dealing with the Pakistan military establishment. Pakistan has to be told bluntly that it has rendered SAARC non-functional and SAARC Free Trade Agreement meaningless by its restrictions on Indian exports and by denial of transit to Afghanistan. Not just India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan should also have reservations on the next summit being hosted in Pakistan. Moreover, Pakistan wastes time and resources in pushing for China, which is not a South Asian country, to be admitted to SAARC. This is a proposal India will not accept. We need not, therefore, be in a hurry to respond positively to Imran Khan’s call for an early summit.

    Apart from reaching out to people, back-channel contacts — free from the glare of publicity — between diplomats, army officials and intelligence agencies are essential to deal with terrorism and bilateral cooperation, while at the same time, maintaining pressure to respond to challenges of terrorism. With the snows closing the passes, cross-border terrorism in the Valley falls.  Imran Khan has shown some readiness to consider moving forward on proposals to address the J&K issue, on lines akin to what happened in 2004-2007, when terrorism was minimal. We can, however, address major issues only after the general election. But we should spare no effort to raise the costs of sponsoring terrorism for the military establishment of Pakistan.

    (The author is a former diplomat)

     

  • India awakened, democracy restored

    India awakened, democracy restored

    By Mike Ghouse

    “If Congress were to wins elections in 2019, the BJP supporters will go ballistic against the elected government and that is the time Congress party needs to show its civility, and they will, as they have a proven record.  Unlike our Goonga Prime Minister, the Congress Prime Minister will speak out against anyone calling the BJP supporters anti-National or anti-Hindu. No one is anti-National or anti-Hindu, it is the wild imagination of fanatics among BJP to sow the seeds of discord.”

    Atsunami of good news has just hit India, five of the 29 states of India held the elections in December 2018, and produced amazing results, and the winner is the Indian Democracy.

    Parties come and go, but what is constant is our freedom. Freedom to speak, freedom to prosper, and freedom to marry whom you want, eat what you want, drink what appeals to you, wear what works for you, and believe whatever the hell suits you.

    I am sure no Indian wants someone to tell him or her how to live. The BJP followers will not like what the Congress may tell them to do, and the same is true the other way around. The durable policy is to follow the principles of freedom.

    Modi has time to show that he really believes in Democracy and is not authoritarian. He can do that by initiating three national awards; Patriotic Citizen, Patriotic Media and National Chamcha Award.  The award goes to those individuals and News Media who relentlessly criticize the government to keep them on their toes, and National Chamcha Award goes to the individuals who consistently equate support for Government as a Patriotic act.   A true patriot would hold the feet of the government to the fire rather than do the chamchagiri and let the country make mistake after mistake.

    If Congress were to wins elections in 2019, the BJP supporters will go ballistic against the elected government and that is the time Congress party needs to show its civility, and they will, as they have a proven record.  Unlike our Goonga Prime Minister, the Congress Prime Minister will speak out against anyone calling the BJP supporters anti-National or anti-Hindu. No one is anti-National or anti-Hindu, it is the wild imagination of fanatics among BJP to sow the seeds of discord.

    I am proud of India’s freedom and salute the men and women who went to jail and took the beatings but chose to fight for freedom. They not only got the freedom but set up great institutions for India. Today India is among the top 7 powerful nations, and the credit goes to Gandhi, Nehru, Azad, Patel, Ambedkar and a few others who had the vision and laid the foundation of a great nation.

    Two BJP contestants in two states, a Minister for Cow Welfare and Minister for Happiness lost the elections badly. This is a major loss and a clear signal to the party that Indians cannot be fooled over and over again with the issue of cow or the building of a  temple.

    Whether you align with BJP, INC or other parties, you have the freedom to speak and prosper because the foundation of our nation was laid out on the principles of Democracy. We cannot let anyone curb those freedoms, the media needs to be free and people need to free.

    I admire Modi’s supporters in America and their loyalty. I wish they show the same devotion to India by respecting every Indian without prejudice.

    Do you recall a tyrant grandfather or even a father, who is all about control, he claims to live a simple life, but wants to keep everyone under his thumb? Our Prime Minister, under the guise of Sanyasi (hermit), claims that he has nothing to gain and wants nothing. How does he account for enriching his friends? Would a Sanyasi do that?

    We cannot blame Modi for who he is, he is conditioned by the RSS schools where they teach exclusive ideology and disrespect to others who do not think like them. A majority of Hindus innocently believe that RSS is a service organization but fail to see the poison it injects into the innocent children.   I wish Modi frees himself from the petty Hindutva ideology and becomes an all-embracing leader and a giant like Nehru.

    I pray that a handful of right-leaning Hindu Americans fight their temptations to support the forces in India who want to deny the freedoms to ‘other’ Indians. Their American born children think they are stupid to have such hatred towards the other.

    Whether you align with BJP, INC or other parties, you have the freedom to speak and prosper because the foundation of our nation was laid out on the principles of Democracy. We cannot let anyone curb those freedoms, the media needs to be free and people need to free.

    A young Hindu Medical doctor doing his residency stayed with me for a month while attending a conference in Washington DC. We had terrific conversations on a daily basis.  He wished his parents had the opportunity to know Muslims, Christians, Dalits, Sikhs, and the Blacks. He deplored their hatred towards them. He said, he has lived in the dorms, and everything they have said about others was wrong.

    There are parents out there who are selfish and poison their kids by injecting ill-will towards others. Some Hindu parents tell their kids how bad Muslims, Christians and Sikhs are and vice versa goes as well, they even believe Dalits are untouchables. The dumb men (women are not as hateful) don’t realize that when the kids grow up in America, they have to work with the very people they were told to stay away from. It must be painful for the kids to work with others, many of them wish they did not have such ugly parents. I urge the Indian Americans not to poison their kids, the kids have sixty to seventy years to live, let them decide whom to love or hate based on their personal experience and not prejudice.

    The Law of Karma does not spare anyone. Modi’s arrogance will bring him down in 2019. He has got to stop bullshitting Indians with issues that don’t put food on their tables or clothe their kids or have clean drinking water. Let him make one promise and keep rather than make ten and cheat.

    All of us want the best for fellow humans including Modi. Mr. Modi can make a comeback in 2024 if he turns BJP into a party where every Indian, be it a Muslim, Sikh, Christian or Dalit wants to become a member of his party. He has got to do his praischit (repentance) for quietly letting a few goons to go on a killing spree in 2001. Indians will forgive him if seeks forgiveness. Hinduism is not a religion of violence or revenge, it is not about forcing others to eat, drink or believe against their will. It Hinduism is not a violent religion, then the moderate Hindus have an obligation to protect the image of Hinduism and not let the Hindutva guys tarnish it.

    Indians are good people, they are as good as gold. They are clamoring for a leader who can bring jobs and don’t want to be fooled again.

    Two BJP contestants in two states, a Minister for Cow Welfare and Minister for Happiness lost the elections badly. This is a major loss and a clear signal to the party that Indians cannot be fooled over and over again with the issue of cow or the building of a  temple.

    (The author is a public speaker and the Executive Director of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.  More about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/)

  • Not Much for Congress to Feel Elated About

    Not Much for Congress to Feel Elated About

    By Prof I.S.Saluja

    Recent Assembly election wins may not replicate

    The recent Assembly elections in India in which the Congress Party wrested three Hindi heartland States from BJP should alarm the BJP. However, the Congress Party had better not have the misconception that it is their victory. In fact, the BJP lost to Congress in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh because it failed to come up to the expectations of people who were desperate to get rid of a non-performing  government. They rejected the BJP. Since there was no other choice for people in these States which do not have regional parties, they voted or Congress Party. Where there was a regional party, as in Telangana, or in Mizoram, voters rejected both the BJP and the Congress.

    These results are not likely to replicate in other Assembly elections or in Parliamentary elections. In large States, like Bihar and UP (Hindi heartland again), there are so many regional parties who have in the past given ample evidence of their sway over voters. The BJP which won a landslide in Parliamentary elections in UP will have a lot to worry, going by its performance in the 3 States it recently lost. It is not the Congress Party which will pose a threat to BJP; it is the regional parties in these two States which have a large number of Parliamentary seats.  In fact, for both the national parties, real threat comes from regional parties. Congress will be handicapper in asking for a bigger slice of seats when it sits down with the partners in alliance which include all kinds of regional parties- BSP, SP in UP, and RJD and other outfits in Bihar.

    What the Congress Party need to focus on is good governance which means taking care of the people. May be, the performance of Congress governments as people-friendly governments in the freshly acquired States will send a message to other States and people will regain their lost faith in the Congress Party. It alone can revive the Congress Party. It alone can make once again Congress Yukt Bharat, as against Congress mukt Bharat.

  • Honor Sardar Patel, don’t forget Gandhi and Nehru

    Honor Sardar Patel, don’t forget Gandhi and Nehru

    By George Abraham

    “It is quite confusing for an ordinary Indian to figure out the motivation for the Prime Minister to honor a devoted Congressman and freedom fighter who is a Gujarati ahead of another great leader from the state: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Nevertheless, to the world, Gandhi, Nehru, and Patel will remain great icons of freedom and justice, and the height of the statues will not diminish their greatness one way or the other.”

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, who was the first home minister, on his 143rd birth anniversary in Gujarat recently. The country has spent about Rs 3000 crore (about $430 million) from the treasury on the monument, which is being promoted as a Statue of Unity. It reflects Patel’s efforts after Independence to consolidate the princely states into the current Republic of India.

    We owe it ourselves to remember our heroes and icons of history and it is also the legacy of these legends that motivates us to go forward. Our lives are indeed built upon the shoulders of these giants who went through immeasurable hardships to guarantee us the freedom and liberty we enjoy today.

    Nobody questions the wisdom of honoring Sardar Patel. However, they will be hard-pressed to explain how in a country that ranks at the bottom of the list of nations in ensuring food security for its people could afford such a luxury. According to the latest report on the Global Hunger Index, India ranks 100 out of 119 on an index that weighs the ability of countries to provide food for its citizens. India fares worse than Iraq, Bangladesh, and North Korea.

    Then again, if we were to build the tallest statue for anyone, the first name on anybody’s list would be of Mahatma Gandhi, who is not only the father of the nation but also world-renowned for his philosophy of non-violence. Gandhi was considered a great inspiration for world leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr and many cities in the world are adorned with his statues.

    Then there was Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister, and architect of modern India who spent almost ten years in prison under the British and was considered the foremost leader in the freedom struggle. It should be remembered that Patel’s heroic effort for national integration was conducted under Nehru’s leadership. Nehru inherited an India where life expectancy was 31 years, only 20 percent of the people could read or write, and 80 per cent of the people could not afford two meals a day.

    It was Nehru along with B.R. Ambedkar who built institutions that have continued to provide freedom, justice, and opportunities to every Indian citizen regardless of caste, creed, region or religion. However, today, the ruling BJP is engaged in running a bitter campaign to undo and discredit his legacy of secularism and inclusiveness. It would be a grave injustice to forget Nehru’s significant role in building a post-independent democratic society and imbuing it with pride and purpose at a time of conflict and chaos.

    Sardar Patel was a loyal Congressman who upheld the values and principles of the Congress party which he served throughout his . Since the ascendance of the BJP to power in New Delhi four years ago, it appears that a carefully crafted strategy is in place to appropriate icons and legacies that the party is sorely lacking. It is as if the party is so embarrassed by the lack of pedigree that it is even willing to go out and create some history of its own.

    After Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, it was Sardar Patel who was instrumental in banning the RSS. He subsequently wrote to RSS chief M.S. Golwalkar on September 11, 1948: ‘As regards to RSS and Hindu Mahasabha, our reports do confirm that as a result of the activities of these two bodies, particularly the former, an atmosphere was created in the country in which such ghastly tragedy became possible.’

    It is known that the RSS remained aloof during the freedom struggle. The words and deeds of erstwhile leaders of the RSS from recorded history indicate that they were not only non-participants in the freedom struggle in which hundreds of people were risking their lives every day but also collaborators who supported the British on critical occasions. The British acknowledged that the RSS had ‘scrupulously kept itself within the law, and refrained from taking part in the disturbances that broke out in August 1942.’

    Therefore, it is quite confusing for an ordinary Indian to figure out the motivation for the Prime Minister to honor a devoted Congressman and freedom fighter who is a Gujarati ahead of another great leader from the state: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Nevertheless, to the world, Gandhi, Nehru, and Patel will remain great icons of freedom and justice, and the height of the statues will not diminish their greatness one way or the other.

    (The author  is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations and Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA)

     

  • Apple to Add $1 Billion Texas Campus and Thousands of Jobs Across U.S.

    Apple to Add $1 Billion Texas Campus and Thousands of Jobs Across U.S.

    The company said it was building a new facility that would double the size of its workforce in the city.

    DALLAS, TX(TIP): Apple said on Thursday, December 13,  that it would expand its operations in Austin, Tex., with a new $1 billion campus on the north side of the city that would nearly double the size of the company’s current 6,000-employee work force in the area.

    The technology giant said it also planned to establish new, 1,000-worker operations in San Diego, Seattle and Culver City, Calif., and to add hundreds of workers in offices in New York, Pittsburgh and Boulder, Colo. over the next three years.

    The new 133-acre campus in North Austin will initially employ 5,000 workers in engineering, research and development, operations, finance, sales and customer support. It will ultimately have the capacity to accommodate up to 15,000 workers. Apple said it expected that its expanded presence would make it the area’s largest employer.

    “Apple is proud to bring new investment, jobs and opportunity to cities across the United States and to significantly deepen our quarter-century partnership with the city and people of Austin,” Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said in a statement.

    Apple had become synonymous with hoarding money overseas after deferring tax payments on its foreign earnings for years. In January, it said that it would increase its spending in the United States substantially after last year’s tax cuts led it to bring back most of the $252 billion it had stashed abroad.

    The company said at the time that it planned to invest more than $30 billion in the United States over the next five years and to create 20,000 jobs by expanding its operations and adding a new campus.

    President Trump, who had chided Apple over various issues in the past, reacted to the January announcement by praising the company while crediting his own policies for getting it to make the investments.

    In September, though, Mr. Trump took aim at Apple over jobs after the company told trade officials in a letter that the administration’s tariffs would affect a wide range of products.

    “Make your products in the United States instead of China,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter. “Start building new plants now.”

    None of the new positions announced by Apple on Thursday appeared to involve manufacturing.

    Unlike Amazon, which held a highly publicized yearlong beauty contest before deciding to put major new hubs in New York and Virginia, Apple has been relatively quiet about its expansion plans. But the $5 billion headquarters the company opened in Cupertino, Calif., last year may hint at the effect the new Austin campus will have on the city, Texas’s capital.

    Apple has had a mixed year financially. In August, it became the first publicly traded American company worth more than $1 trillion after a series of remarkably profitable quarters. But its stock took a hit in November after the company said it would stop reporting how many iPhones, iPads and Mac computers it sold each quarter, figures central to understanding Apple’s performance.

    A slowdown in iPhone sales, which account for nearly 60 percent of Apple’s revenue, has weighed heavily on the company’s share price since then. It has been pulled down further by Mr. Trump’s suggestions last month that tariffs might be placed on Apple devices imported from China.

    The smartphone maker is also embroiled in a legal fight in China with Qualcomm, its chip supplier, which resulted in a Chinese court ordering Apple to stop selling older iPhone models in China.

    Another complication for Apple is the simmering tensions between China and the United States, which Mr. Cook had previously warned could hurt the company’s business in China. The recent arrest of Meng Wenzhou has added to the strain.

  • Court orders FIR against Manjit Singh GK in Gurdwara Financial Irregularities Case

    Court orders FIR against Manjit Singh GK in Gurdwara Financial Irregularities Case

    Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) dissolves Delhi, UP, Rajasthan units

    NEW DELHI(TIP): A court on Thursday, December 13,  ordered filing of a FIR against DSGMC leader Manjit Singh GK and others in a financial irregularities case.

    Metropolitan Magistrate Vijaita Singh, Patiala House Court, in her judgement, ordered the Delhi Police to lodge a complaint against DSGMC leader Manjit Singh GK, general manager Harjit Sigh Subedar and joint secretary Amarjit Singh Pappu for alleged financial irregularities in gurdwara committee.

    The court pronounced the order on a petition of Gurmeet Singh Shanty who alleged that the accused had embezzled Rs 51 lakh from the gurdwara fund. Shanty alleged that a fake bill of 82,000 books of Sikh heritage and a fake bill of safari suit were also submitted by the accused.

    Shanty had first lodged a complaint with North Avenue police station.

    When police allegedly failed to lodge the FIR, Shanty filed a petition in the court. After getting the case investigated, the court, on December 13,  ordered for registration of the FIR.

    The court also ordered the police to appear before the court on December 14.

    Manjit  Singh GK was president of the Delhi unit of the SAD and Manjinder Singh Sirsa was the youth president.

    Meanwhile, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday, December 13,  dissolved the party units in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan with immediate effect.

    The decision, aimed at overhauling the state units, was taken based on suggestions by party observers for the two states and the national capital – MPs Balwinder Singh Bhundar and Prem Singh Chandumajra, and former minister Sikandar Singh Maluka, SAD senior vice-president  and spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said.

    Cheema said the process of making major changes in the organizational structure of the party had been going on in the wake of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

    “New organizational structure will be announced in the next two months after having extensive deliberation with the senior leadership of the party,” he said.

    (With inputs from PTI)

  • ‘Seriously’ considering running for President: Tulsi Gabbard

    ‘Seriously’ considering running for President: Tulsi Gabbard

    WASHINGTON(TIP): Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress, has said she was “seriously” considering running for the White House in 2020.

    This is for the first time that the four-time Democratic lawmaker in the US House of Representatives from Hawaii has indicated that she may run for the presidency.  If she announced her candidature, she would be the first Hindu ever to be running for the presidency in the US. And if elected in 2020, she would be the first Hindu president of USA. Also, she could be the youngest ever and first woman to be elected as the US President.

    “I’m concerned about the direction of our country. I’m thinking through it very carefully,” she said in response to a question on her presidential run.

    Before challenging President Donald Trump in the November 2020 elections, she would have to contest against her own Democratic Party colleagues in primary elections beginning early that year.

    In the last few weeks, Gabbard has been talking to her party leaders and reaching out to Indian-Americans to get their feedback on the issue.

    Among those Democrats speculated to run for the 2020 primaries include former Vice-President Joe Biden, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Tim Kaine and Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris.

    (Source: PTI)

  • Trump’s ex-lawyer gets 3-yr prison term for financial crimes

    Trump’s ex-lawyer gets 3-yr prison term for financial crimes

    NEW YORK (TIP): President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday, December 12,  for financial crimes and orchestrating hush payments to women before the 2016 election, telling the judge his “blind loyalty” led him to cover up for Trump.

    The sentencing by US District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan capped a stunning about-face by a lawyer who once said he would “take a bullet” for Trump but has now implicated the Republican President in criminal conduct. Cohen said in his guilty plea in August he was directed by Trump to make hush money payments to two women who said they had sexual affairs with Trump in the past.

    Trump has denied the affairs and any involvement in the payments.

    The three-year sentence was a modest reduction from the four to five years recommended under federal guidelines, but still underscored the seriousness of the charges of violating campaign finance laws and seeking to influence the outcome of an election.

    Pauley sentenced Cohen to 36 months for the payments and to two months for Cohen’s lies to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. The two terms will run simultaneously.

    The judge set March 6 for Cohen’s voluntary surrender.

    As part of the sentence, the judge ordered Cohen to forfeit $500,000 and pay restitution of nearly $1.4 million.

    Cohen pleaded guilty in August to charges including tax evasion, bank fraud and campaign finance violations in a case brought by federal prosecutors in New York.

    Cohen was sentenced on a separate charge of lying to Congress brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia’s role in the 2016 election and possible coordination between Trump’s campaign and Moscow.

    (Source: Reuters)

  • BJP Loses Hindi Heartland States of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan to Congress

    BJP Loses Hindi Heartland States of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan to Congress

    Opposition sees its opportunity in 2019

    NEW DELHI(TIP): A resurgent Congress on Tuesday, December 11 made significant gains in the Assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the BJP in Chhattisgarh Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

    The reverses for the BJP in the Hindi heartland threw wide open the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which until a few months ago appeared to be in the grip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party.

    The Assembly polls held for five states also saw the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) recording a landslide win for a second consecutive term and the Mizo National Front (MNF) scripting a spectacular victory dislodging the Congress in its last bastion in the Northeast to return to power after 10 years.

    Buoyed by the Congress’ good showing in the polls that was dubbed as a semi-final for the 2019 general elections, party president Rahul Gandhi said the outcome is a “clear message” to the Modi government that people are not happy with it and time has come for a change.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a massive mandate but refused to listen to “heartbeat of the country”, Gandhi told reporters.

    With Congress set to form governments in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi said the selection of chief ministers in the three states will be done “smoothly”. “We have defeated the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh… There will be no issue over (selection of) chief minister. It will be done smoothly.”

    Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the results were certainly not as expected and asserted the poll outcome was an opportunity to pause and analyze.

    (With Inputs from PTI)

  • December 14 New York & Dallas Print Editions

    December 14 New York & Dallas Print Editions

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    Print Replica ~ Digitally

    E-Editions

    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”New York Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F12%2FTIP-December-14-NYC.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”95613″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/TIP-December-14-NYC.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Dallas, Texas Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F12%2FTIP-December-14-Dallas-TX.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”95614″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/TIP-December-14-Dallas-TX.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”82828″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][vc_single_image image=”82829″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][td_block_ad_box spot_id=”custom_ad_3″ tdc_css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Lead Stories This Week” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2F|||”][td_block_5 separator=”” limit=”12″ tdc_css=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”td-default”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Indian American Former CEO of Detroit-Based Technology Company Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Bribery

    DETROIT(TIP): The former chief executive officer of FutureNet Group Inc., an information technology company, was sentenced, December 3, to 12 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release and a fine in the amount of $10,000 for his role in orchestrating a scheme to bribe an official from the City of Detroit to obtain benefits for FutureNet.

    Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Slater of the FBI’s Detroit Division made the announcement.

    Parimal D. Mehta, 55, of Northville, Michigan, previously pleaded guilty to one count of federal program bribery before U.S. District Judge Robert H. Cleland of the Eastern District of Michigan.

    According to admissions made in connection with his plea, from 2009 through August 2016, Mehta hand-delivered more than $6,500 to Charles L. Dodd, the former Director of Detroit’s Office of Departmental Technology Services, including two cash bribes paid in the restroom of a Detroit-area restaurant in 2016.  Dodd previously pleaded guilty to bribery and was sentenced to 20 months in prison on Sept. 11, 2018.

    Mehta admitted that he sought preferential treatment for FutureNet in exchange for the bribes he paid to Dodd.  Among other things, Mehta asked Dodd to cause FutureNet to be selected to fill open positions for contract personnel and to implement particular technological projects in various city departments.  Mehta also asked Dodd to supply him with confidential information regarding Detroit’s internal operations, including information regarding Detroit’s internal budgets for particular technology projects and personnel, which would benefit FutureNet in its dealings with Detroit.

    The FBI’s Detroit Division investigated the case.  Deputy Chief Robert J. Heberle and Trial Attorney James I. Pearce of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.

    (Source: DOJ)

  • Indian American Microsoft AI executive Joseph Sirosh joins Compass

    Indian American Microsoft AI executive Joseph Sirosh joins Compass

    NEW YORK(TIP): Indian-origin artificial intelligence (AI) expert Joseph Sirosh has joined Compass as its Chief Technical Officer (CTO) as the American real estate technology company stepped up its efforts to ease sale and purchase of houses in the United States. In his new role, Sirosh will lead the company’s engineering team and help in developing new AI-powered products for the New York-based firm’s real estate ecosystem.

    In a tweet, Sirosh said that he was “super excited” to join Compass. “I’m super excited to join Compass! It’s bringing agents and technology to empower us in one of the most stressful & consequential transactions of our lives – buying or selling a home. One of the fastest growing platforms that I know, and an inspiring and diverse leadership,” he said. Sirosh was associated with Microsoft for five years prior to which he was with Amazon.

    Compass also welcomed Sirosh for his new role in the company. “AI, machine learning, and cloud platform expert Joseph Sirosh has joined Compass as CTO! Formerly CTO of AI at Microsoft and VP of the Global Inventory Platform at Amazon, he will lead our engineering team as we develop new AI-powered products for our real estate ecosystem,” the twitter handle of Compass said in a tweet. Born in Kerala, Sirosh is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and worked with Amazon for nine years as CTO.