The Indian Panorama

Year: 2018

  • Indian Americans Sri Kulkarni and Chintan Desai win Democratic congressional primaries in two different states

    Indian Americans Sri Kulkarni and Chintan Desai win Democratic congressional primaries in two different states

    TEXAS & ARKANSAS (TIP): Indian Americans Sri Kulkarni and Chintan Desai have won Democratic party primaries held on May 22ndin Texas and Arkansas respectively.

    Sri Preston Kulkarni, a former US diplomat, won the Democratic primary runoff for Texas’ 22nd Congressional District defeating Letitia Plummer, his only rival.

    In Arkansas, Chintan Desai, a school teacher, won the state’s first congressional district unopposed.

    In the 22nd dirstrict runoff on May 22nd, Kulkarni received 62.1 percent of the total votes polled, while Plummer got 37.88 percent votes.

    The runoff was required after no candidate was able to secure the 50 percent threshold in the primary held in March.

    Kulkarni and Plummer finished first and second in the primary with 31.81 percent and 24.30 percent votes respectively, resulting in a run-off to decide the Democratic nominee for the November election.

    Now Kulkarni will face Republican incumbent Pete Olson in November.

    Earlier, Olson had won the Republican primary in March defeating three candidates.

    “On May 22nd, we made history in District 22. Our movement, uniting diverse communities through shared values, took us across the finish line and helped me become your Democratic nominee for US Congress,” Kulkarni.

    “None of this would have been possible without our hundreds of volunteers, from middle schoolers to senior citizens, and, of course, the thousands of voters who participated in this election,” he thanked his volunteers for the unflinching support they provided, adding that” I am beyond thankful to be in this fight with you. I look forward to working with y’all to make sure our communities and our families get the representation they deserve in Congress.”

    Kulkarni, a former US diplomat, quit his State Department job to run for Congress.

    “According to media reports, Texas 22nd is a Republican leaning district. Olson, a four-term incumbent, has a 10-point advantage in the district. However, Democrats see the district as a pick-up opportunity.

    Arkansas 1st is a heavily Republican seat, which was carried by Trump by 35 points in the last presidential election. Desai’s November opponent, Rep. Rick Crawford has been representing the district since 2011.

  • Indian American Former federal CIO Vivek Kundra joins Sprinklr as COO

    Indian American Former federal CIO Vivek Kundra joins Sprinklr as COO

    New York (TIP):Indian American Former federal Chief Information Vivek Kundra has been named as the Chief Operating Officer of the social media management software provider Sprinklr.

    He was earlier the president of Salesforce, until he left the company in December.

    According to an official press release, with the appointment of Kundra, Sprinklr wants to provide brands a unified platform for customer experience management.

    “I’ve been incredibly fortunate in my career to learn from amazing leaders running some of the largest companies and governments in the world. All of them share one goal: to build enduring relationships that create value for every one of their constituents,” said Kundra.

    “The social revolution has created an unprecedented disruption for these organizations, but when they overcome it, the results are transformational — for them, and for their customers. I couldn’t be more excited to bring what I’ve learned to the only company that was built from the ground up to solve this problem, and to do so at massive, global scale.”

    Kundra, who was born in New Delhi, is a University of Maryland graduate.

    He has experience creating ecosystems for partners and launching new apps to solve industry-specific challenges. Kundra also launched a new government cloud, opening up new markets and accelerating growth in the United States, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific region.

    As the CIO of the Obama Administration, Kundra was responsible for managing $80 billion in annual technology spending. He was responsible for moving the government to the cloud, and strengthening the cybersecurity posture of the nation.

    Sprinklr, which focuses on social media management and customer experience management, was founded by Indian American Ragy Thomas in September 2009.

    “There are only a handful of execs in the world that have scaled SaaS companies at the level we aspire to, and even fewer who understand at their core, as we do, that the ability to create happy customers — listening to, engaging, and reaching them across dozens of digital channels — is the most strategic investment for the modern enterprise. To find both in one person is incredibly rare,” said Thomas, who is also the CEO of Sprinklr. “With a foundation in social, Sprinklr was purpose-built to be the defining enterprise software company for CXM, and with Vivek in our corner, we’re going to be relentless in our pursuit of that vision, executing with more momentum than ever.”

  • Indian American whiz kids winners of the 2018 National Geographic Bee

    Indian American whiz kids winners of the 2018 National Geographic Bee

    WASHINGTON DC (TIP):  Indian American whiz kids won the top three awards at the 30th annual National Geographic Bee competition. Barring two, all the finalists were of Indian origin.

    For the seventh consecutive year, an Indian American kid, Venkat Ranjan, 13, of California was crowned winner of the prestigious competition.

    In second place was Anoushka Buddhikot, 13, of New Jersey, and the third place finisher was Vishal Sareddy, 14, of Georgia. The winners were awarded one of three college scholarships totaling $85,000 at the competition held at the National Geographic headquarters in the nation’s capital.

    Ranjan secured the top award of $50,000, the title of National Geographic Bee Champion, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society, including a subscription to the National Geographic magazine, and an all-expenses-paid expedition to the Galapago Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II.

    Buddhikot and Sareddy received $25,000 and $10,000, respectively. Following the preliminary round which was held on May 21st, each of the top ten winners was awarded $500.

    Upon winning the competition, Ranjan confessed to not knowing the answer to the final question and arrived at it by eliminating other options.

    Ranjan started seriously preparing for the competition three years ago. This was the first time he was competing at the national level and he won.

    Buddhikot, who is in eighth grade at Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, says history is her favorite subject. “I think it’s interesting to learn from the past and be able to bring that back to our future,” she said.

    About preparing for the National Geographic Bee, she mentioned studying for hours every day, especially over summer and the holidays, ever since she was in fourth grade.

    Sareddy, in eighth grade at Riverwatch Middle School, Suwanee, was a returning contestant at the national level.

    “Preparing for the competition was a lot of hard work,” he said. Besides studying atlases and staying abreast of the news, “You have to have a passion for geography which is really your driving force to work this hard and win,” he said. “You also have to have a coach like a parent. For me, it was my Dad.”

    “On stage, you have to be calm. You can’t be stressed or nervous or even over-excited. That can really hurt your performance in the Bee,” he said.

    Sareddy started preparing for the competition from first grade and more seriously from the fourth grade onwards. Given that geography has been his passion ever since he was a child, he would like to pursue a career in that field and cited possible options such as a National Geographic explorer, an international economist, marine biologist, or an archaeologist.

    In school, his favorite subject is social studies, and in his spare time, he likes to play the violin, basketball, runs cross-country, and loves to travel.

    The competition, also known as the Nat Geo Bee, is an annual geography contest open to students ages 10 to 14, organized by the National Geographic Society. It is tough and challenging, but also entertaining and very impressive! The aim is to inspire and reward children for their knowledge and curiosity about the world.

  • Federation of Indian Associations & Siddhivinayak Temple organized Community Outreach Visa & OCI Camp

    Federation of Indian Associations & Siddhivinayak Temple organized Community Outreach Visa & OCI Camp

    NEW JERSEY(TIP): Indian Consulate did Community Outreach program with support of FIA, BJANA and Sri Siddhivinayak temple USA on 13th May 2018 at Sri Siddhivinayak Temple premises. More than 60 people came even in very bad weather.

    Consul General Sandeep Chakraborty with his team helped the people who came to get help for various services like renunciation, power of attorney, attestation of application and did Q&A session. People asked various questions and got clarification regarding AADHAR to Voting process.

    Dr. Avinash Gupta, Chainman, Sri Siddivinayak temple USA, Alok Kumar Exec. VP (FIA) and Vinay Singh President(BJANA) worked hard with complete team to have a successful outreach for community. Srujal Parikh president (FIA) supported the cause for the community and spoke about bringing more events for the community.

  • Indian Overseas Congress, USA denounces BJP’s naked grab of power in Karnataka

    Indian Overseas Congress, USA denounces BJP’s naked grab of power in Karnataka

    NEW YORK(TIP): “BJP has dishonored the office of the Governor and denigrated the constitutional process in democracy in their incessant appetite to grab power at any cost,” said George Abraham, Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA. “Unless the people of India recognize the corrosive effect of their actions on institutions they hold dear, the Secular Democracy as we know it could be soon history” Mr. Abraham added.

    Karnataka Governor, Vajubhai Vala, a former Finance Minister under Modi in Gujarat has done a disservice to the nation by not inviting the Congress-JD(S) combine to form the Government. Although it is a post-poll alliance, it is quite evident that they have secured the simple majority that is necessary to claim the right to form the Government. On the other hand, BJP which is short of 8 MLAs might only succeed in their efforts, if they could engage in poaching or horse trading, which is illegal and at the minimum violates the spirit of the constitution.

    By swearing in BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa as the next Chief Minister, the Governor appears to have implicitly sanctioned illegal activities that may be already taking place behind the scenes. Janata Dal (S) leader HD Kumaraswamy alleged that Anand Singh, MLA is put under enormous pressure to defect. “Modi government is misusing institutions of the central government. I know they are threatening MLAs. A Congress MLA told me Anand Singh called him and told him ‘they are using ED (Enforcement Directorate), I had a case in ED, and they are going to screw me. I’m sorry I have to protect my interest’,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said, quoting Anand Singh. Previously, he had alleged that Rs. 100 crore and cabinet positions were being offered to his lawmakers”.

    Earlier, in a press briefing, Congress leader P. Chidambaram said the numbers of the Congress party and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) established that the alliance had a majority in the Karnataka legislature. “The Governor, who is an exalted constitutional office, should not walk on a perilous path which is illegal,” Chidambaram said.

    Rahul Gandhi, the President of Congress Party, has also weighed in on the fast-moving developments in Karnataka.: “The BJP’s irrational insistence that it will form a Govt. in Karnataka, even though it clearly doesn’t have the numbers, is to make a mockery of our Constitution. This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy”.

    Congress Party may also partly to bear the responsibility for this debacle as their over-confidence bordering on arrogance by Siddaramaiya, the former Chief Minister, might have prevented them from forming a pre-poll alliance with Janata Dal (S). It should be noted that although Congress won only 78 seats, its vote-share (38%) was higher than that of BJP’s (36%). And combined with JD (S), the anti-BJP vote share amounts to 56% and thereby nullifies the argument that they have some mandate to govern for next five years.

  • Trump lists Michael Cohen payment on federal form, raising legal concerns about Stormy Daniels payoff

    Trump lists Michael Cohen payment on federal form, raising legal concerns about Stormy Daniels payoff

    WASHINGTON(TIP): President Trump should have disclosed Michael Cohen’s hush payment to porn star Stormy Daniels as a financial liability last year, the government’s top ethics watchdog concluded Wednesday, potentially opening the President up to legal complications.

    David Apol, acting director of the Government Ethics Office, said in a letter appended to Trump’s 2018 financial disclosure form that a payment Cohen made to “a third party” on behalf of the President during the 2016 election meets the requirements for a reportable “loan.”

    The letter does not explicitly state what Cohen’s payment was for, but the President’s legal team and Cohen himself have previously acknowledged he paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about allegedly having sex with Trump in 2006. Cohen has also admitted the hush payment was issued 11 days before Trump’s election.

    While Apol didn’t say so in his letter, the revelations mean Trump could have committed a crime by not disclosing the liability in his financial disclosure report last year. Apol referred his findings to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for any “inquiry” the Justice Department may pursue into the matter.

    Trump acknowledged in the disclosure form for the first time that he fully reimbursed Cohen last year for “expenses” ranging between $100,001 and $250,000.

    Ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani insisted Trump disclosed the repayments to Cohen in this year’s report out of “an abundance of caution.”

    “It’s not a loan, but he reported it anyway,” Giuliani, the latest addition to Trump’s legal team, told the Daily News, directly contradicting Apol’s findings. “It was in fact an expense, like paying a doctor. If you owe a doctor $2,000 and you pay him back, that’s not a liability.”

    Giuliani claimed Trump didn’t list Cohen’s payment to Daniels in last year’s form because he didn’t need to.

    “There’s nothing to report,” Giuliani said.

    Asked if Trump is worried, Giuliani delivered a one-word rebuke: “Nope.”

    Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a legal watchdog group that first flagged Trump’s disclosure omission in March, welcomed Apol’s findings and swiftly filed a criminal complaint against the President. They called on the Justice Department to look into whether he “knowingly and willfully” failed to report required information — an offense punishable by up to one year behind bars.

    “There is substantial evidence that President Trump had knowledge of the loan when he filed his public financial disclosures last year,” Noah Bookbinder, the watchdog’s executive director, said in a statement. “If the department is not already investigating the President’s failure to disclose the loan last year, it should open an investigation immediately.”

    A spokeswoman for the Justice Department declined to comment.

    Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represents Daniels in a civil lawsuit seeking to void her nondisclosure agreement with Cohen, said the financial form “conclusively proves” that Trump, Cohen, Giuliani and the White House deceived the “American people.”

    “This was NOT an accident and it was not isolated,” Avenatti tweeted. “Coverups should always matter.”

    Cohen, Trump’s longtime attorney and personal fixer, had his Manhattan office, home and hotel room raided by FBI agents last month as part of a criminal investigation launched by federal prosecutors in New York. The agents seized a cache of records, including communications between Cohen and his clients.

    Michael Cohen arrives at Manhattan Federal Court on April 16.

    Michael Cohen arrives at Manhattan Federal Court on April 16. (Alec Tabak)

    Whether Trump committed a crime by not disclosing the Cohen payments last year is a matter of whether or not he knowingly omitted them, according to experts.

    “Trump may be wondering today whether the information DOJ seized from Cohen’s office included any emails or other documents showing he knew of the debt when he filed last year’s report,” former Government Ethics Director Walter Shaub tweeted.

    Shaub, who served as the ethics czar between 2013 and 2017, noted that Apol’s letter to Rosenstein is tantamount to a “criminal referral.”

    Shaub also recalled that, while serving as ethics director, Trump attorney Sheri Dillon asked him if the President could submit his 2017 disclosure without certifying its contents as true.

    “The strangest moment in my entire career,” Shaub said.

    Wednesday’s financial disclosure dump also revealed First Lady Melania Trump raked in as much as $1 million last year in royalties from photos of her owned by Getty Images.

    It’s not clear what photos in particular she received royalties for, but her spokeswoman told The News the payments pertained to images taken before Trump took office.

  • McDonald’s® CONTINUES 2018 EDUCATION WORKSHOP SERIES IN EDISON

    McDonald’s® CONTINUES 2018 EDUCATION WORKSHOP SERIES IN EDISON

    As immigration and college tuition in the US rise, McDonald’s continues to provide educational information and resources for students and parents

    OAK BROOK, Ill. (TIP): McDonald’s will continue its popular Education Workshop series of 2018 with Edison, New Jersey as the second stop on the seven-month long tour across the United States. The event will take place on Saturday, May 19 at Edison High School from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, and will feature speakers covering a variety of topics such as college applications, admissions and financial aid.

    Now in its 11th year, the McDonald’s Education Workshop Series help provide Asian American families with tools and resources designed to navigate the higher education system. McDonald’s is committed to sharing in-language resources to parents who are seeking information on college enrollment and financial assistance while providing engaging and inspiring resources to students.

    “We are so excited to be able to bring back the McDonald’s Education Workshop year after year,” said Lizette Williams, Head of Cultural Engagement – US Marketing, McDonald’s USA. “We continue to see a need in the Asian American community for relevant resources about the American education system and in-language materials, due to population growth largely fueled by immigration. McDonald’s is proud to provide our customers with what’s important to them, access to education.”

    Research shows that only four percent of Asian Pacific Islander American immigrants are English proficient, so there is a vital need for education information and resources to be provided in-language, so they can navigate the process of applications, enrollment and scholarships. One way the McDonald’s Education Workshop Series helps to inform parents and student is through its interactive booth, available at all the workshops, where students can engage in memorable ways to learn about the six critical criteria in college admission. In addition to the commonly-known criteria of grades, test scores and class rank, students should not overlook the importance of recommendations, extracurricular involvement and demonstrated interest to the desired school. Students will also have a chance to speak with representatives from various colleges and obtain scholarship information.

    Attendees can also learn more about Archways to Opportunity, a comprehensive education program McDonald’s launched in 2015 that provides eligible U.S. employees at participating restaurants an opportunity to earn a high school degree and receive tuition assistance. McDonald’s recently announced that it will commit $150 million over the next five years to better provide employees with the resources and financial support they need to pursue their education and career ambitions.

    About McDonald’s

    McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to more than 25 million customers every day. More than 90 percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women who are independent employers, and set their own employment policies and practices, including pay and benefits for the people working in their restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www.facebook.com/McDonaldsUS/.

  • Indian American Susheela Jayapal elected as Oregon’s Multnomah County Commissioner

    Indian American Susheela Jayapal elected as Oregon’s Multnomah County Commissioner

    OREGON(TIP): Susheela Jayapal was elected as the Multnomah County Commissioner in Oregon on May 15th. Jayapal defeated construction contractor Sharon Maxwell, non-profit administrator Bruce Broussard and Maria Garcia.

    Fighting her first major election, Jayapal won a four-way race with 54 percent votes. She replaced the current commissioner Loretta Smith.

    Jayapal is an experienced attorney and advocate and is a long-time community volunteer.

    She was expected to win the election after her strongest opponent, Black Parent Initiative CEO Charles McGee, decided to end his campaign mid-way following a sexual harassment allegation.

    Congratulating her sister, Pramila Jayapal tweeted, “My sister, @SusheelaJayapal, just became the first #SouthAsian American elected in Oregon!!! #DiversityMatters”

    Jayapal was endorsed by the Indian American Impact Fund.

    “Tonight’s win by @SusheelaJayapal is our second big win of the cycle, following @RamForSenate’s sweeping primary victory which positions him to be the first Indian American to serve in the Illinois state legislature. This is what progress and history look like!” the Impact Fund tweeted.

    Susheela Jayapal holds an undergraduate degree in economics from Swarthmore College and a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School.

    She worked as a litigator at law firms in San Francisco and Portland. She also served as the General Counsel at Adidas America, serving as a member of the senior executive team responsible for the legal affairs of what was then a $1 billion company.

    As an attorney, Jayapal represented the government in taking on corrupt and negligent bank officers during the fiscal crisis of the 1980s; provided free legal services to people seeking political asylum in the U.S.; and worked on improving labor conditions at factories in Southeast Asia, developing and implementing adidas’ first set of labor standards.

  • Indian American women lawmakers introduce a new bill to monitor the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers in the United States

    Indian American women lawmakers introduce a new bill to monitor the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers in the United States

    WASHINGTON(TIP): Indian American women lawmakers Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Sen. Kamala Harris on May 15thintroduced a new bill titled Detention Oversight Not Expansion (DONE) Act to monitor the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers in the United States.

    The bill is meant to keep a close watch of the ICE detention centers and proposes to halt the funding for any new construction, and expansion of such facilities.

    According to the two Democrats, over the last two decades, the number of non-citizens held at ICE detention centers in the United States has increased by 400 percent and the inmates of these centers include women, children and pregnant women.

    The bill’s text also says that these inmates are often mistreated by the ICE agents and are forced to live in deplorable conditions, in violation of their basic rights.

    “Even though the U.S. already houses the largest immigrant detention system in the world, the Trump Administration wants more detention beds without any oversight,” said Jayapal in an official release posted on her website.

    “The countless number of horrific assaults, senseless abuses and needless deaths of immigrants in detention prove that ICE isn’t able to police itself. Our bill demands a higher accountability of ICE and a stop to detention expansion because our nation doesn’t need more violence and further militarization – what we need is comprehensive and humane reform and real accountability,” she added.

    “ICE’s indiscriminate approach to immigration enforcement continues to sow fear and anxiety in communities across the nation and strict oversight is long overdue,” said Harris.

    “It is unconscionable to subject detainees to inhumane conditions that include cases of unchecked sexual abuse, outright medical negligence, lack of access to counsel, and in some cases, even death. It’s time to end the expansion of these facilities that divert these resources to address true public safety threats,” she added.

    The new bill proposed by Jayapal and Harris require the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to submit a report to Congress that includes a plan to decrease the number of detention beds by 50 percent of the number available as of the date of the enactment of this Act by using alternatives to detention that are less costly to the taxpayer and have been shown to be successful.

    It also proposes restoring and expanding the Family Case Management Program and calls for DHS’ Office of Inspector General to conduct unannounced inspections of all immigration detention facilities to ensure compliance with national standards, focusing on the health, safety and care of detainees, especially as it relates to pregnant women. The DHS OIG will be required to submit a report of its findings to Congress.

    Jayapal and Harris also recommend the DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to conduct similar investigations and submit a report of its findings to Congress.

     

  • Indian American-founded SpringML opens office in Indianapolis and India

    Indian American-founded SpringML opens office in Indianapolis and India

    PLEASANTON, CA(TIP): On May 15th, SpringML, Inc., a leader in machine learning and advanced data analytics services, announced that it is expanding with new offices in Indianapolis and Hyderabad, India.

    Indian Americans Prabhu Palanisamy and Girish Reddy are co-founders of the company. Palanisamy is the President and Chief Strategy Officer of the company, while Reddy is the Chief Technology Officer.

    “In order to better serve our growing customer base, we are expanding our capabilities and starting to scale,” said Charles Landry, CEO of SpringML in a press release.

    “Opening offices in Indianapolis and Hyderabad gives us access to large, highly educated talent pools with great proximity to customers and partners,” he said. “It also provides great career opportunities for those looking to join a company and work on complex machine learning solutions.”

    Founded in 2015, SpringML helps businesses accelerate by providing them insights from their data. The company’s application solutions and services apply machine learning to find solutions to some of the business problems, enabling them to serve customers quantifiable results. SpringML maintains strategic partnerships with Salesforce and Google.

    The release also says that the new capabilities will enhance SpringML’s commitment to provide state-of-the-art enterprise solutions and services that help customers benefit from the latest advances in machine learning and AI.

    Our work in the energy, healthcare, technology and media industries drives major improvements to speed and accuracy by leveraging the power of automation and artificial intelligence.

    Headquartered in Pleasanton, CA, SpringML is a Premier Google Cloud and Salesforce partner. The company has offices across North America.

  • WIZCRAFT INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES THE DATES FOR THE 19TH EDITION OF NEXA IIFA AWARDS THAILAND

    WIZCRAFT INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES THE DATES FOR THE 19TH EDITION OF NEXA IIFA AWARDS THAILAND

    The Biggest Celebration of Indian Cinema IIFA Weekend And Awards 2018 heads to Bangkok!

    NEW YORK (TIP): IIFA fever returns to Bangkok, Thailand exactly after a decade with the 19th edition of the NEXA IIFA Awards styled by Myntra. Bangkok would play host to a mélange of glitz, glamour and Bollywood’s finest talent, global dignitaries, world media, Indian cinema fans and enthusiasts from across the globe at the highly anticipated star-studded weekend from 22nd & 24th June, at the reputed Siam Niramit Theatre.

    The principal partners for the 19th edition are: Host Destination Partner Tourism Authority of Thailand; Title Sponsor NEXA, Styled By Myntra; Cause Partner Woosh Washing expert campaigning about Equality at home; Official Hotel Partner Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park; Venue Partner Siam Niramit;

    To reveal key highlights about the upcoming IIFA festivities, Bollywood bigwigs Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar, Dia Mirza, Shahid Kapoor and Kartik Aaryan were joined by notable dignitaries at the Official IIFA Press Conference in Delhi today.

    NEXA IIFA Awards is all set to take place at the gem of Bangkok’s entertainment scene, the grandiose Siam Niramit, which is adorned by Thailand’s heritage, art and culture and hosts the country’s most-popular theatre production and a must-see show.

    A stellar line-up of hosts and performances were revealed!

    Fans of the biggest celebration of Indian cinema will see the rising star Kartik Aaryan and the talented Ayushmann Khurrana host the vibrant IIFA Rocks 2018. The star-studded NEXA IIFA Awards would be hosted by Karan Johar and Riteish Deshmukh who are all set to mesmerize the audiences with their charismatic energy.

    The first set of performers revealed for the NEXA IIFA Awards include swashbuckling performances by Bollywood megastars Ranbir Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor. The organisers shared that over the next couple of weeks more performers would be revealed.

    This year, IIFA has proudly partnered with Woosh Washing Expert, to support the cause of equality at home – ‘Barabari Ghar Se Shuru’. This partnership provides a platform to contribute and raise awareness for Women Empowerment and Gender Equality.

    In its continuing effort to campaign about environment protection, the IIFAs and the United Nations Environment have come together to campaign, “Beat Plastic Pollution”, the theme for World Environment Day, 2018. With India as the host of World Environment Day (WED) IIFA-UN would combine the voice of celebrity with the power of the IIFA platform and reach  to combat one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. The UN continues its partnership with IIFA this year with a collaborative advocacy campaign to tackle the pressing issue of plastic pollution, under the aegis of Greening the IIFA.

    Additionally, as part of its commitment to preserving cinema heritage, this year IIFA Foundation will be collaborating with OSIAN’s auction house, India’s foremost Arts and cultural Institution & Auction House, to showcase vintage cinema memorabilia at an exhibition event which will be held at the Bangkok Marriott Marquis, Queens Park hotel from June 21st to June 23rd. A glimpse of the memorabilia was displayed at the press conference.

    Commenting on the occasion, Karan Johar said, “I was privileged to be at the Millennium Dome in London when the IIFAs were born and I’ve participated in the journey across the world. My father and I have been part of the IIFA Advisory Board and share the passion to take Indian cinema across the world. The impact of the IIFAs can be felt in the growth of distribution and film incentives in key markets around the globe. I wish the IIFAs well and more power to the organizing team of Wizcraft.”

    Commenting on the association, Mr.Stapanaseth Isra, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand New Delhi Office said, “IIFA 2018 will prove to be beneficial for the publicity of Thailand’s tourism industry, which will contribute to enhancing the positive image of the country and attract Indian tourists by showcasing a variety of tourism products Thailand has to offer. The event also complies with TAT’s directions to promote Thailand as a preferred destination for Indians.”

    Speaking on the association, Mr. R.S. Kalsi, Sr. Executive, Director-Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said “Our country is changing at a rapid pace and so are the aspirations of our new- age customers. The sophisticated, discerning and highly ambitious customers want to enjoy higher level of experiences when they are buying a car. At NEXA we are providing them just that by offering them the best car buying experience that meets global standards.

    There’s no denying that Indian Cinema today has made its global mark with innovative ideas, great technology, and a creative outlook. And IIFA, being the global flag bearer of Indian films recognises and honours this talent. That’s why IIFA is such a perfect fit with NEXA’s vision. As partners for 4 years, we have grown together to provide audiences more exciting and innovative experiences.”

    Sharing his thoughts, Ranbir Kapoor commented, “IIFA Bangkok holds a very special place in my heart, I won the best debutante award at IIFA 2008 in Bangkok. The 19th Edition of IIFA Weekend And Awards is going to be a great one and I am eager to connect with my fans and look forward to giving a power-packed performance.”

    Speaking on the association, Ms. Gunjan Soni, CMO, Myntra and Head, Jabong said, “As the style partner and Co-Powered By sponsor of IIFA-2018, we at Myntra are working towards a liaison between fashion and Bollywood Indian cinema. We are not going to be a passive sponsor but are working with IIFA on several properties like a stoppable fashion show that offer the consumers the opportunity to own and experience the personal fashion choices of their favourite celebrities. The previous edition of IIFA held in New York, with Myntra as the style partner was a huge success for us and was positively received by Myntra users. We expect this visibility to grow further during the current edition in Bangkok. We are very excited and look forward to the event. “

    Expressing his excitement, Shahid Kapoor said, “IIFA has always been close to my heart and it its 19th year IIFA is all set to recreate memories in Bangkok for the second time. I am thrilled to be performing at the spectacular awards night and what better venue than the treasured Siam Niramit.”

    Kartik Aaryan added saying, “I am excited to debut as a host at IIFA Rocks this year. As an actor, you always want to be a part of something as big as IIFA, whether to perform or host. IIFA certainly gives you the biggest audience to entertain with your performance and I look forward to hosting a great show. Like every Bollywood fan, I too am looking forward to IIFA Bangkok”.

    Andre Timmins, Director- Wizcraft International, the producers and creators of the IIFAs said, “We are pleased to be taking IIFA back to Bangkok after 10 years.  IIFA has grown over this decade and we are excited to celebrate the grandeur and excitement in Amazing Thailand. Vibrant Bangkok is the perfect host to welcome and embrace the spirit of Bollywood like no other and it’s a pleasure to see Thailand welcome IIFA with open arms for the second time. IIFA continues the endeavour to build bridges between countries, communities and cultures and increase businesses such as tourism, wedding and MICE among others for host destinations.”

    Commenting on their association, Mr. Yogesh Jain, Managing Director, Woosh Washing Expert said, “We’re glad to announce Woosh Washing Expert as a Proud Cause Partner of IIFA 2018. As we believe in the power of gender equality and women empowerment, we’re proud to support the cause- Equality Begins At Home”. Let’s all support ‘Barabari Ghar Se Shuru’.

    Commenting on the association, Khun Pannin, Founder, Siam Niramit said “Indian Cinema has grown continuously over the years to attain its current status as a top player in the world film industry. IIFA has grown with it, producing ever more exceptional events at amazing venues throughout the world. This year, Siam Niramit is honored and delighted to welcome IIFA back to Bangkok as we play host for the second time in 10 years. We are very excited to collaborate with IIFA to bring this extraordinary world event to our country.”

    IIFA is dedicated to building bridges across cinemas, businesses, communities and nations, creating everyone’s dream: “One People. One World”. The 19th Edition NEXA IIFA Awards Styled by Myntra aims to bring the magic of Indian cinema not only to Bangkok but also to the whole of South-East Asia.

    Other key partners of IIFA 2018 include Associate Sponsor QNET; Official Travel & Hospitality Management Partner Wedniksha; Airport Hospitality Partner Pranaam GVK Guest Services.

    The 19th edition kick-started on April 27th with the IIFA Voting Weekend commencing the peer voting process for the NEXA IIFA Awards styled by Myntra, which saw members of the Indian Film Industry show their support to IIFA as they came forward to vote for their peers. The auditors of the Awards process, EY, would soon be revealing the nominations of the Popular Awards which would then be open for public voting on iifa.com

    Fans and media are welcome to keep abreast of the latest news and details on IIFA and Hindi cinema by logging on to www.iifa.com or checking out the social media handles:

    • Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/iifa
    • Twitter – https://twitter.com/iifa
    • Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IIFA/

    About IIFA (International Indian Film Academy)

    Conceptualized and produced by Wizcraft International and supported by the key members of the Indian film fraternity, IIFA is the most appreciated South Asian film academy and a global platform that gives the Indian film fraternity an opportunity to reach audiences in international territories. The alliances made via the platform of IIFA provide huge benefits and gain to India and an equally important objective is to create similar benefits in the host country.  The aim is to establish a system of mutual benefit to both India as well as the host destinations by boosting tourism, economic development, trade, culture, cross-border investments and film co-productions.

    Wizcraft International promotes the IIFA Weekend & Awards globally each year and travel to new, exciting and beautiful destinations, taking the film fraternity to unite and celebrate the best of Indian film and culture, thereby taking Indian Cinema and India to a wider audience. www.iifa.com

    About Wizcraft International Entertainment

    Wizcraft International Entertainment, India’s leading media and Entertainment Company is dedicated to showcasing its expertise on the world stage.  Having conceptualized some of the grandest events globally including the 50 Years of Indian Independence, the 30 Years of Mauritian Independence, the 10 years of the South African Freedom Struggle, the Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing ceremonies in Delhi as well as the Handover ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, & the prestigious International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards & Weekend for 18 years in over 12 countries, Wizcraft has contributed towards brand building for India across the world.  It has pioneered and developed India’s biggest entertainment brand IIFA which has taken Indian Cinema and culture to the world. The growth story of the company reflects the evolution of the Indian event management & entertainment industry itself. Driven by its vision “Believe in the power of dreams” the company is committed to quality and innovation, while setting its sights on greater peaks of achievement.

  • “The Surajpur Connection” by Ambassador Prabhu Dayal launched in Delhi

    “The Surajpur Connection” by Ambassador Prabhu Dayal launched in Delhi

    I.S. Saluja

    NEW YORK / NEW DELHI (TIP): A former Consul General of India in New York, Ambassador Prabhu Dayal’s   book ‘The Surajpur Connection’ was launched, May 15 evening in Delhi by former Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha at a function held at the India International Centre. The function was hosted by Amod K Kanth, Founder of Prayas.  The  caricatures for the book have been done by Prabhu’s wife Chandini Dayal. The book is a novella and deals with social issues of child kidnapping and trafficking of children.

    It is Prabhu Dayal’s second book. The first, “Karachi Halwa” was first published in 2015. The book is a witty but insightful portrayal of Zia ul Haq’s rule in Pakistan. Ambassador Prabhu Dayal shares his recollections of that period and keeps one laughing throughout his account.

    “The Surajpur Connection” is available on Amazon. Both the print version as well as the kindle version are available on Amazon.in

    On Amazon.com, only the Kindle version is available at present, while the print version will be available in a few weeks.

    Within 2 days of the book launch, the book has been rapidly climbing the chart on Amazon.in.

    Product details

    Paperback: 160 pages

    Publisher: Zorba Books (9 May 2018)

    Language: English

    ISBN-10: 9387456218

    ISBN-13: 978-9387456211

    Product Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 1 cm

    Average Customer Review: Be the first to review this item

    Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #5,190 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    #493 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

  • Emmy-Nominated filmmaker Tirlok Malik’s new film “On Golden Years” to Premiere on TV Asia

    Emmy-Nominated filmmaker Tirlok Malik’s new film “On Golden Years” to Premiere on TV Asia

     NEW YORK(TIP): The television premiere of Tirlok Malik’s new film On Golden Yearswill be shown on TV Asia on June 1st, 2018 at 8pm and June 3rd, 2018 at 1pm.

    Malik who is an Indian American and a New Yorker has made many films starting from Lonely In America, Love, Lust & Marriage, Khushiyaan, On Golden Years and many more. They all deal with the effects of migration in America.

    As an immigrant, when we come in the search of American Dream, at times we find ourselves we are “Lonely In America.” After achieving and living the American Dream, we also realize if we want real “Khushiyaan” (meaning: happiness), we need to make time to visit our aging parents and family in India.

    Now, in “On Golden Years” (the time to retire), some of us have conflicts such as deciding whether to retire in India vs America, contentedness vs regrets, etc. We need to come to terms with life as an immigrant: the retirement of the American Dream.  This romantic comedy teaches us to live every day like Valentine’s Day.

    The film On Golden Years is written and directed by New York Emmy nominated filmmaker Tirlok Malik

    The film On Golden Years is written and directed by New York Emmy nominated filmmaker Tirlok Malik. The idea of the story is inspired from the book Seeking Rootsby Iggy. Iggy Ignatius is also the codirector/producer of the film. The film stars Ranjit Chowdhry, Jyoti Singh, Reeves Lehmann, Shetal Shah, Noor Naghmi, Tirlok Malik, Shruti Tewari, Farokh Daruwala, Indu Gajwani, Prof. Indrajit S. Saluja, Lovllien Kaurr, Sandeep Suri, Iggy Igantius, Kamlesh Gupta and many more. The film has been shot at the Indian retirement community Shantiniketan in Florida. Other credits of the film are Director of Photography Christo Bakalov B.A.C., Music by Peter Lobo, Art Direction by Sunita Babber, Editing by Tom Knight and others.  Malik has given chances to many new talents in front or behind the camera.

    The Indian Panorama Editor Prof. Indrajit S Saluja who plays a role in the movie, is seen with the maker of the film Tirlok Malik (extreme left), actor Lovllien Kaurr and the Director of Photography Christo Bakalov (on the right)

    Apple Productions has also worked with some of the biggest names in cinema including Sanjay Dutt, Rajnikanth, Surya, Manisha Koirala, Mithun Chakravarti, Raveena Tandon, Anupam Kher, Mammootty, Tananna, Kamal Hassan, Sunny Deol, and Kangana Ranaut. Malik has won many awards, including the New York Citizens’ Award from the New York Mayor’s office, and his work is acclaimed worldwide.

    Malik and the cast of On Golden Yearsare very happy to have this premiere on TV Asia. TV Asia is the first cable television channel developed for the International South Asian community and celebrating their 25th anniversary.  CEO of TV Asia Padma Shri H R Shah congratulates Tirlok Malik for all the movies he has made about being an immigrant in America.

    As Tirlok Malik says, “Migration can bring many complex feelings, sometimes watching cinematic stories can show us the way”.

     

     

  • ZEE TV Announces America’s Smartest Family

    ZEE TV Announces America’s Smartest Family

    NEW YORK(TIP): This past weekend, Chicago’s very own Dash Family won the coveted title of champions on the first season of Zee TV’s America’s Smartest Family and took home the cash prize of $10,000.

    “We are super excited to be the winners of America’s Smartest Family. It was our first national TV experience and we enjoyed it thoroughly. It was a great platform for Anmol to showcase his talent. Many thanks to Zee and Touchdown Media for a great experience” said Bibhudatta Dash

    The Somani Family from Monroe, New Jersey was the Runner-Up of the show and took home a cash prize of $5000.

    “It was a great experience to participate in America’s Smartest Family. We had a lot of fun going through various rounds. It made us realize the importance of keeping your eyes and ears open. There is so much to learn in this world. It also gave our son Rishi a great exposure to the world of quizzing. Hopefully, this experience will help him read and learn a lot about the world rather than just US and India. Definitely, the most enriching experience in our lives. The crew and host were awesome. They took good care of us and I would like to thank them for giving us the opportunity” said Rashmi Somani

    Zee TV’s original production – Americas’ Smartest Family, has become a popular reality TV show amongst the South Asian community which attracted a huge audience throughout the season. The show initially began with 16 families dwindling down as the families battled it out until there were only two of the smartest families remaining. They both had to compete against each other in the finale for 10,000 cash prize and the title of America’s Smartest Family.

    In the previous episodes, round one and two consisted of four questions, with a dice roll deciding which family goes first. Participants could choose from one of five topics – science, math, arts & entertainment, history, and geography. But there was a small twist in the grand finale; once a category is chosen at the end, the participants were forced to answer from the last remaining category. There were no deductions for the wrong answer.

    As the game progressed, questions become tougher and lot more challenging. By rounds three and four – each correct answer was worth 200 points. During the fifth and final round, the game took a turn and host Zaid Ali made the round stimulating by offering clues. If the team answered correctly without a clue, a maximum of 1000 points was awarded. If the family chose to get clues, each clue cost them 200 points. For the grand finale, the category for the final round was math and, in the end, the Dash family won by 300 points.

    America’s Smartest Family was conceptualized as a Zee Originals property and produced by Touchdown Productions.

    To stay updated with the latest announcements and news about “America’s Smartest Family,” visit https://www.zeeoriginals.com/americas-smartest-family/

    About Zee Network

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited is one of India’s leading television media and entertainment companies. It is amongst the largest producers and aggregators of Hindi programming in the world, with an extensive library housing over 222,000 hours of television content. With rights to more than 3,818 movie titles from foremost studios and of iconic film stars, ZEE houses the world’s largest Hindi film library. Through its strong presence worldwide, Zee entertains over 1 billion viewers across 172 countries.

    About Zee TV USA

    Zee TV USA was the first ever Hindi General Entertainment channel to be launched in the US way back in 1998. Since the start of the journey more than 2 decades ago, Zee now has 43 networks and full time dedicated workforce across 5 different locations all across the North America and Caribbean. Zee TV USA was the first Asian channel to launch in HD. Zee TV was the first Hindi network to be measured by Nielsen in the US, Zee TV is also the most widely available Hindi General Entertainment network on all major DTH, Cable, Telco and IPTV platforms with availability over 86 million US households.

  • Fort Worth Gas Leak Leads to Recommended Evacuation

    Fort Worth Gas Leak Leads to Recommended Evacuation

    FORT WORTH, TX (TIP): Residents in North Fort Worth were asked to evacuate their homes due to a gas leak Thursday, May 17 afternoon, officials say.

    In a tweet at 5:15 p.m., the Fort Worth Fire Department asked that residents on Los Padres Court between Basswood Boulevard and Arcadia Trail evacuate north of Arcadia.

    The department recommended evacuations for residents on Los Padres Court, Catlow Court and San Isabel Court.

    A contractor for AT&T struck the gas line when a crew was putting in cable, a spokesman for the Dallas-based company said. The leak seeped into the sanitary sewer system, causing gas to bubble up in homes through sinks and toilets.

    Residents were allowed back into their homes around 7:30 p.m.

  • A time to think fast: on the US exit from the Iran deal

    A time to think fast: on the US exit from the Iran deal

    The U.S.’s exit from the Iran nuclear deal puts India in a spot on many counts

    By Happymon Jacob
    The global non-proliferation regime has taken a direct hit from the U.S.’s decision to renege on the Iran deal. It is important to understand that norms, rules, persuasion and good faith make up the moral foundation of the non-proliferation regime, and the inability of the great powers to abide by them will dissuade non-nuclear weapons states from signing on to or abiding by new or existing agreements, protocols or regimes

    American President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), popularly called the Iran nuclear deal, is bound to have serious implications for the international system, and for India. To be sure, the least affected will be the U.S.; European Union countries will be moderately affected due to the business ties with Iran; and the most affected will be countries closer to the region, in particular India. Moreover, for a U.S. administration that has made it a habit of accusing other countries of “undermining the rules-based order”, this action has severely undermined the rules-based global order.

    Unreasonable act

    Washington’s decision is unjustified and unreasonable for several reasons. For one, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has consistently maintained that Tehran has complied with the strictures of the JCPOA without fail. Moreover, Iran has signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which prohibits it from developing nuclear weapons and has agreed to ratify the IAEA’s Additional Protocol five years from now which will grant IAEA inspectors wide-ranging access to monitor nuclear-related activities in Iran. And yet Mr. Trump has thoughtlessly undone the outcome of negotiations that went on for close to two years.

    Second, the argument that since the provisions of the JCPOA will become less strict over the years enabling Iran to move towards nuclear-weapon capability is not a credible rationale for undoing the deal. In fact, if indeed there are concerns about Iran potentially moving towards a nuclear option, efforts should be made to engage Tehran in negotiations rather than undo what has already been achieved. This is a classic case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

    With regard to Iran’s involvement in the various West Asian conflicts and “promotion of terrorism”, Iran is not the only country engaging in them. And in any case the way out, again, is diplomatic engagement rather than further unsettle an already volatile region.

    The implications

    The global non-proliferation regime has taken a direct hit from the U.S.’s decision to renege on the Iran deal. It is important to understand that norms, rules, persuasion and good faith make up the moral foundation of the non-proliferation regime, and the inability of the great powers to abide by them will dissuade non-nuclear weapons states from signing on to or abiding by new or existing agreements, protocols or regimes. Second, even though Mr. Trump might think that playing hardball with Tehran will help him to extract concessions from Pyongyang, it is equally possible that the North Koreans will think twice before entering into any agreement with the untrustworthy Trump administration.

    Third, Washington’s unilateral and dictatorial withdrawal from the deal would create deep fissures in the time-tested but increasingly shaky trans-Atlantic security partnership. Not least because it implies potential secondary sanctions against those European companies which are engaged in business deals with Iran. Here again, the U.S. does not have much to lose given its almost non-existent business contacts with Iran.

    Besides, Mr. Trump’s Iran decision follows a pattern of similar unilateral steps — such as the withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and formal recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Let alone the loss of face suffered by European leaders and the financial losses by their countries’ firms, U.S. unilateralism has deep-running implications for the global security and governance architecture, and other multilateral arrangements and regimes. It is in this context that what French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said becomes significant: “The deal is not dead. There’s an American withdrawal from the deal, but the deal is still there.” The argument has found support in several global capitals.

    Hassan Rouhani, the moderate President of Iran, who negotiated the nuclear deal, might lose his standing in the country as hardliners pitch for more aggressive steps, including developing a nuclear weapon capability and more military engagement in the neighborhood. The chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, has said that the “Iranian people never favored the nuclear deal”. This is an indication of the hardline Iranian responses in the offing as and when sanctions are reimposed.

    Iran’s refusal to fall in line might prompt Israel and the U.S. to carry out attacks against Iran leading to Iranian counter-strikes against American allies in the region, or even Israel. This would further destabilize a region already reeling under terrorism, wars and internal conflicts. Americans, and the international community, should remember how the misguided military campaign against the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq turned out to be a huge geopolitical disaster.

    India’s Persian dilemmas

    While the U.S. has almost nothing to lose in reneging on the JCPOA, India has a lot to lose both economically and geopolitically, and it will take deft diplomacy to adapt to the changing alignments. A more unstable West Asia would ipso facto mean more difficult choices for New Delhi. More conflict in the region would adversely impact the welfare and safety of Indian expatriates in West Asia, leading to a sharp decline in the remittances they send home, and an assured hike in oil prices. Low crude oil prices had given India the much-needed economic cushion in the past few years — that phase of cheaper oil has now ended. Recall how the U.S. war on Iraq had a debilitating impact on Indian workers and the West Asian remittances. India also had to abandon the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline in 2008 thanks to U.S. sanctions against Iran.

    The Narendra Modi government’s efforts to maintain a fine balance between India’s relations with Iran on the one hand and with the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia on the other will be seriously tested in the days ahead. The new warmth between Iran and India could attract American ire. What is even more worrying is that unlike the last time when the U.S. imposed sanctions on Iran, and India had to choose the U.S. over Iran, the geopolitical realities are starkly different this time. Not only are the Americans going it alone this time, but the regional ganging-up against the U.S. and in support of Iran will be more pronounced this time around, making India’s ability to make a clear choice more difficult.

    India’s dreams of accessing Central Asia via Iran could also be dashed with the return of American sanctions against Iran. India’s projects in Iran’s Chabahar port have been widely viewed in New Delhi as a crucial plank of its Iran-Afghanistan-Central Asia strategy. With U.S. sanctions again tightening around Tehran, New Delhi may find it hard to continue with this project. As a matter of fact, thanks partly to India’s dilly-dallying on Chabahar during the previous round of U.S. sanctions against Iran, Iran had invited Pakistan to the Chabahar project. Some have even suggested a potential link between Chabahar and Gwadar in Pakistan.

    Given that there is little consensus around Mr. Trump’s withdrawal from the JCPOA, several of the dissenting parties might look for ways of thwarting U.S. efforts at isolating Iran. Such efforts, especially those led by China and Russia, both parties to the JCOPA, would have implications for the Southern Asian region as well. If indeed China manages to bring together a group of regional powers, including Russia, Iran, Pakistan and interested others, to counter Washington’s influence in the region, New Delhi might find itself in a corner.

    (The author is Associate Professor of Disarmament Studies, Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University)

  • Architecture of the Mandate

    Architecture of the Mandate

    The lesson from Karnataka: the parties opposed to the BJP must work together from the word go

    By Gopalkrishna Gandhi
    With the two parties having come together, and out-numbering the BJP MLAs, the real test of their political integrity lies in their staying together and defeating the Yeddyurappa government in the first confidence vote. There is only one way in which they can do that. And that is by staying together, staying determined, and voting on vote day unitedly. Will they let their unity and determination, numerical strength, numerical integrity be diminished?  How may that be done? We know the way that happens.

    Mathematics is about numbers, and mathematics is an exact science. The addition, subtraction, division and multiplication of numbers in ganita is about getting problems right. Just that. Right. And a satisfaction is derived, both mathematical and aesthetic, in getting the exercise right. Precision is its sole dharma. Numbers, after a problem is done, stand still. They do not pull at each other, jumping from a plus to a minus, from the times or multiplication sign into an obelus or division sign. A sum does not try to or want to alter itself. The problem-solver or sum-beholder derives satisfaction from the purity of its precision.

    Integrity of the arithmetic

    Elections too are about numbers and are an exact exercise. But only until the sum is reached. That is, until the Election Commission finishes its calculations and declares the ‘sum’. The Election Commission counts and then announces the counts, and once it has done that, retires. After that has been done, the President in the case of Lok Sabha elections or the Governor in the case of Vidhan Sabha elections takes over. It is in their hands that the result of the counting converts itself into the pattern of seats in the elected House. The President or Governor then becomes the keeper of the sum’s integrity and has to see that the pattern of the sum is honored by the pattern of the seats. In other words, the architecture of the sum is retained by the architecture of their power. The keeper has to see that the integrity of that architecture is not garbled to create a house different in shape from the blueprint of the sum’s design.

    What was the blueprint of the design that the people of Karnataka drew? The blueprint came in four folds. All of us know them now only too well.

    The first fold for the single largest party was the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP’s.

    The second fold for the second largest party was the Congress’s.

    The third fold for the third largest party was that of the Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S).

    The fourth fold, which showed the first three in a pie, gave their relative shares: the first was smaller, if only slightly, than the second and third seen together.

    We have to switch now from designs, graphs, squares and pies to what the Governor had to make of this four-fold design. We have to switch from arithmetic and geometry to a kind of algebra, the study of mathematical symbols, the rules for their handling, their groups, rings, fields. In other words, we have to switch now from how to move from the numbers to their mandate and see how a House is to be made from out of its mandate, a House for the mandate of the gana to dwell in. In this task, though working on and with numbers, a President or a Governor cannot function like a calculator. His task is mathematics plus ethics.

    The Governor’s options

    The Governor of Karnataka saw and may well have felt somewhat like this: If only Party One had just crossed the halfway mark and got a simple majority, his task would have been simple. He would have called its leader to form the government. But that did not happen. The people of Karnataka voted in greater strength against Party Number One than for it.

    If only Party Two and Party Three had entered the election as a joint team, in what is called a pre-poll alliance, his work would again have been simple. He would have had to call that two-colored rainbow to name its leader and invite him to take the oaths of office. But that too did not happen. The majority of the people of Karnataka voted against the BJP but they did not vote cohesively for the Congress-JD(S) combine.

    So, the Governor did not get it all that simple. But was what he did get all that complicated? Not really.

    Though not a pre-poll alliance, Parties Two and Three did get together with a verve and vim they did not show before the elections to become one, and not only drew up a joint list of the newly elected MLAs to be but also chose a joint leader, unconditionally. There is nothing in any electoral law or court verdict to say that a post-poll alliance is ab initio null, void and to be disregarded. True, a pre-poll alliance is a neater, more up-front arrangement, but a post-poll one is not out of order.

    The numbers in Karnataka were clear. They showed the people’s integrated will, albeit in two frames hinged together requiring Parties Two and Three to be asked to form the government and seek the approval of the House by its users on its floor. If defeated, then ask Party One to try its luck.

    That has not happened.

    Had Party Two and Party Three not come together post-poll, Governor Vajubhai Vala could have ignored the fact that the non-BJP MLAs outnumber the BJP MLAs — and left it to the Chief Minister or the putative leader of the House to navigate his majority through the first confidence vote. But he has decided and that is that.

    What now? With the two parties having come together, and out-numbering the BJP MLAs, the real test of their political integrity lies in their staying together and defeating the Yeddyurappa government in the first confidence vote. There is only one way in which they can do that. And that is by staying together, staying determined, and voting on vote day unitedly. Will they let their unity and determination, numerical strength, numerical integrity be diminished? How may that be done? We know the way that happens.

    The principle of it

    With millions of other Indians I have a political position that opposes the ideology of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). But I also have a sense, again with millions of others, of a political ethics that tells me if the Congress had been in the position of single largest party in Karnataka as the BJP is in, and if the BJP and the JD(S) had got together post-poll as the single largest group, and if Governor Vala, citing the single largest party line, had called the Congress to form the government, I would have said exactly the same thing I have said here – in the reverse.

    The lesson of the Karnataka Kanda is this: the parties opposed to the BJP and RSS’s ideology must work together from the word go, and not let the imponderables of post-election decision-making imperil the will of the people.

    (The author is a former Governor of West Bengal)

  • Arbitrary, capricious: on Karnataka mandate

    Arbitrary, capricious: on Karnataka mandate

    The Governor has banked not so much on the count the BJP had, as on what it could engineer

    In summarily ignoring the claim of H.D. Kumaraswamy, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala abandoned both propriety and common sense, acting in a politically partisan manner unbecoming of his office. Mr. Kumaraswamy was elected leader of the Janata Dal (Secular) Legislature Party and, with the declared support of the Congress, had the backing of a majority in the newly elected Assembly. The leader of the BJP Legislature Party, B.S. Yeddyurappa, offered no demonstrable proof of majority, but was invited to form the government, and given all of 15 days to prove he had the confidence of the House, solely on the basis of being the leader of the single largest party. Far from ushering in a stable government, the Governor unbolted the doors to allow room for the BJP to try to engineer defections. In situations such as these, the Constitution allows an element of discretion to the Governor, but this power was never meant to be used arbitrarily and capriciously. In defense of the Governor’s action, BJP leaders have cited the Bommai judgment, which ruled on the course open for the Governor in the event of a Chief Minister losing majority in the House, but offered no opinion on a post-poll situation, where it said the Governor had to “invite the leader of the party commanding majority in the House or the single largest party/group to form the government.” Nothing in the judgment privileges the single largest party over the largest group when it comes to being given the first shot at forming a government.

    The BJP leaders have now staked out positions that are at odds with those they adopted after the Assembly elections in Manipur and Goa, when the single largest party, the Congress, was denied a chance to form the government. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had a weak defense on this turnaround: the Congress, he claimed, had not staked a claim in those two States. The Congress has taken the fight to the Supreme Court, which has asked the Attorney General to produce the letters written by Mr. Yeddyurappa to the Governor in support of his claim. When the members of the Congress and the JD(S) together constitute a majority in the House, it is unclear what letters Mr. Yeddyurappa could have presented to the Governor. No matter how things turn out from here on, the BJP has emerged as a bad loser. The party played a smart hand in Goa and Manipur to deny the Congress but is unable to accept defeat in Karnataka when beaten at its own game. Politics is not always about reaching for power; sometimes it is also about learning to sit in the Opposition. After all, power is only one of the means of politics, not one of its ends. The BJP may have bested the Congress in Karnataka, but it may not have paid the price for this victory yet.

    (The Hindu)

  • May 18 New York & Dallas Print Editions

    May 18 New York & Dallas Print Editions

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  • Senate Confirms Gina Haspel as First Female director of CIA

    Senate Confirms Gina Haspel as First Female director of CIA

    WASHINGTON(TIP): History was made on May 17   when US Senate confirmed Gina Haspel as the first female director of CIA.

    After a protracted confirmation battle that resurrected a nationwide debate about the agency’s post-9/11 use of enhanced interrogation techniques — thought by many to have constituted torture — Gina Haspel will officially become director of the Central Intelligence Agency. She is the first operations officer in more than five decades – and the first-ever woman – to be named to the role. On Thursday, May 17, the Senate voted, 54-45, to confirm Haspel, one day after the Senate Intelligence Committee, in a 10-5 vote, reported her nomination favorably. Overall, six Democrats voted in support of her candidacy; two Republicans, Sens. Flake and Paul opposed it.

    President Trump nominated Haspel to the post in March, in a tweet, while announcing that her predecessor, former CIA director Mike Pompeo, was being tapped to lead the State Department.

    Much of Haspel’s 30-year career at CIA was spent in the clandestine service and remains classified. Her reported oversight, in 2002, of a secret “black site” in Thailand — where detainees were subjected to enhanced interrogation techniques, including waterboarding — generated widespread controversy and ardent condemnation from civil rights groups. Her involvement in ordering the destruction, in 2005, of 92 videotapes – some of which documented the interrogations — while serving as chief of staff to then-Director of the clandestine service Jose Rodriguez was also roundly criticized.

    Among those opposed was Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, who survived years of torture as a POW in Vietnam, and who, as he undergoes treatment for brain cancer, was not present for the floor vote. Last week McCain issued a powerful statement opposing Haspel’s candidacy, calling her role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans “disturbing.”

  • United Nations Hails Jaipur Foot

    United Nations Hails Jaipur Foot

    NEW YORK (TIP):  India’s longstanding innovation, the Jaipur Foot project, is being hailed as an “excellent” example of South-South cooperation and multi-stake holder collaboration as it has helped over 1.7 million persons with disabilities gain mobility in 34 countries.

    India’s Permanent Mission to the UN along with the Jaipur based Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) organized a panel discussion here Tuesday, May 15, on the Jaipur Foot’s 50-year journey of helping people with disabilities across the world. Following the panel discussion, an exhibition on Jaipur Foot was also inaugurated in the UN Secretariat Building. The exhibition which would be there till May 18 displays the Jaipur Foot making the beneficiaries.

    In India, a longstanding innovation has been the ‘Jaipur Foot’, popularized by Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) and the organization has worked with over 1.7 million persons with disabilities in 34 countries across the world, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at the discussion.

    “The organization has now worked for half a century for this noble cause. While the technology behind such innovations has continued to improve, the ‘Jaipur Foot’ has provided much needed assistance to those who are among the most affected and those who have very limited resources to seek the kind of assistance that is needed by them. They truly are working to ensure no one is left behind,” Akbaruddin said.

    Jagdish Dharamchand Koonjul, Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the UN, said that his country is proud to be associated with the work of Jaipur Foot in Mauritius and in the Indian Ocean Region.

    “In 2014, the Jaipur Foot Project, which represents an excellent template for South-South cooperation and South-North cooperation was launched in Mauritius to service the countries in the region,” he said.

    Koonjul stressed that the Jaipur Foot Project is a fine example of multi-stakeholder partnerships involving governments, civil society and the private sector to realize the Sustainable Development Goals in Mauritius.

    “Besides ensuring the transfer of much needed technology in the field, the project has fostered a strong partnership with local and international organizations and in the development of capacity building programs in education, health, social and economic integration and rehabilitation,” he said.

    Koonjul told the audience at the panel discussion that in the Indian Ocean region, Jaipur Foot Mauritius has provided prosthesis free of cost to 1200 persons. In 2015, a 15-month old boy from Seychelles, Brendon became the youngest beneficiary of the Jaipur Foot.

    “We are proud of the journey covered by Jaipur Foot in Mauritius by giving a much-needed boost to the self-esteem of people and improving the quality of life of the differently abled persons. Jaipur Foot has empowered them to lead an independent and productive life,” he said.

    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Vice President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said that in today’s changing global circumstances, India is playing a very crucial and leading role, including in the rehabilitation of the different-abled people.

    “Jaipur Foot has become a symbol of Indian society’s ability to empathize. Indian society definitely provides several avenues for the cultivation of more empathic and sensitivity-oriented initiatives and Jaipur Foot is one of them,” Sahasrabuddhe said.

    He said that it is a “great honor” for India to be taking a lead and initiative and to be seen as a nation that is working for the rescue and rehabilitation of those who are different-abled.

    Founder and Chief Patron of BMVSS Devendra Raj Mehta said Jaipur Foot is the “epitome of frugal” or Gandhian engineering, which involves doing the maximum with the minimum.

     He said that while the Jaipur Foot costs $ 70, a similar western prosthetic costs $ 15,000.

    Mehta said that the BMVSS in association with the ministry of external affairs will hold on the site fitment camps in Vietnam, Myanmar, Iraq, Nepal and Bangladesh in the coming months. These camps will ensure that 5000 persons get mobility and dignity. He said that now a Jaipur hand is being developed in association with a US university

    Prem Bhandari, the chairman of the Jaipur Foot USA, said that the Jaipur Foot USA took the initiative of creating awareness by holding a seminar on disability with the association of India’s permanent mission in the United Nations. He said the Indian Americans are helping in popularizing the low-cost Jaipur Foot in the United States.

    An Indian businessman based in Houston Rajiv Daga and his wife Neeta Daga donated Rs 1.35 crore to the Jaipur Foot. During the seminar in the United Nation, a Nigerian citizen John Mattes, who is a handicap was shown walking on the Jaipur Foot. John was flown at the initiative of the Jaipur foot to Jaipur where he was provided the Jaipur Foot within two days. Now he is able to walk.

  • British Prime Minister May agrees with France, Germany on upholding N-pact with Iran

    British Prime Minister May agrees with France, Germany on upholding N-pact with Iran

    LONDON(TIP): In sharp variance to US position on Iran Nuclear deal, British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed with the leaders of Germany and France on Thursday, May 17 to uphold the Iran nuclear deal after meeting on the sidelines of an EU summit in Bulgaria, May’s spokeswoman said.

    May met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from a nuclear deal between Iran and major powers. Trump has since imposed new sanctions.

    “The leaders reiterated their firm commitment to ensuring the deal is upheld, stressing that it is important for our shared security,” the spokeswoman said.

    “They pledged to work with the many parties to the deal to this end. The leaders stressed that Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal.”

    Merkel said EU countries agreed the Iran nuclear deal was “not perfect” but insisted it should be preserved, after the US withdrawal threw the accord into doubt.

    “Everyone in the European Union shares the view that the agreement is not perfect, but that we should remain in this agreement and conduct further negotiations with Iran on the basis of other issues such as the ballistic missile program,” Merkel said as she arrived for the summit.

    Macron said the bloc was working to keep the existing agreement alive “so that our businesses can remain” in Iran. This effort would run alongside work to “pursue negotiations on a vital broader agreement,” Macron said.

    “The 2015 agreement needs to be completed by a nuclear agreement beyond 2025, an agreement on ballistic activities and (Iran’s) regional presence,” Macron said.

    Meanwhile, the European Commission will launch on Friday, May 18 the process of activating a law that bans European companies from complying with US sanctions against Iran and does not recognize any court rulings that enforce American penalties.

    “As the European Commission we have the duty to protect European companies. We now need to act, and this is why we are launching the process to activate the ‘blocking statute’ from 1996. We will do that tomorrow morning at 1030,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said.

    “We also decided to allow the European Investment Bank to facilitate European companies’ investment in Iran. The Commission itself will maintain its cooperation will Iran,” Juncker told a news conference after a meeting of EU leaders. (Source: Agencies)

  • Vaisakhi Celebrated at the Indian Consulate, New York

    Vaisakhi Celebrated at the Indian Consulate, New York

    Punjab’s history and rich culture presented in talk, film, music and dance

    Bidisha Roy

    NEW YORK CITY, NY(TIP): The Consulate General of India New York and The English language weekly newspaper The Indian Panorama teamed up to organize Vaisakhi celebrations at the consulate on May 11.

    The month of Vaisakh in India which corresponds roughly to mid-April to mid-May is full of celebrations in India. it is a harvest period in India which is celebrated widely with a lot of enthusiasm. In some parts of India, it is celebrated as the beginning of a new year.

    For the people of Punjab, and the Sikhs in particular, Vaisakhi holds a very significant and historic importance. Besides being Punjab’s foremost social festival to celebrate good crop, Vaisakhi came to acquire an importance as a historic day when in 1699 the tenth Master of the Sikhs, Shri Guru Gobind Singh created the order of the Khalsa. His followers, 25 million upwards today, are known as Sikhs and are easily distinguishable because of their appearance, the most distinguishable being the turban (the headgear). Sikhism is the youngest and the fifth largest religion in the world.

    Vaisakhi celebration at the Consulate was unique in more than one way. First, the gathering included not only the Sikhs and Punjabis but people hailing from many parts of India and adhering to different religions. Then there was a mix of non-Indians. Also present at the celebrations which lasted almost 2 hours were a few diplomats. A famous Indian classical dance guru Padma Shri Pratap Pawar from London who was in town also graced the occasion on an invitation routed through Malini Shah. Members of management from a number of gurdwaras which included gurdwara Nanak Naam Jahaj in Jersey City, gurdwara Nanak Darbar in Hicksville, and gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana in Richmond Hill participated.

    Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty spoke highly of the Sikh community’s contribution to making India a great nation and congratulated them on their achievements abroad

    Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty, the Consul General of India in New York who began with the Sikh greeting of Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh, described Guru Gobind Singh as a great person who changed the course of history. He praised the Sikhs for their valor and their charitable disposition. Expressing his happiness with the presence of the Sikh community to celebrate Vaisakhi, he said the Consulate’s door were open to all to come and celebrate their festivals. He congratulated Sikhs on their birthday.

    Jakiran Saluja Beri and her son Kabir Raj Beri welcomed Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty with a bouquet

    Ambassador Chakraborty was welcomed with a bouquet presented by Prof. Saluja’s daughter Jaskiran Saluja Beri and her son Kabir Raj Beri.

    Prof. Indrajit S Saluja in his welcome address, described Vaisakhi as the most important festival of Punjab which is also the birthday of the Khalsa, the modern-day Sikhs.

    Earlier, welcoming the gathering, Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, publisher and editor of The Indian Panorama described Vaisakhi as the most important festival of Punjab which is also the birthday of the Khalsa, the modern-day Sikhs. He called upon the gathering to celebrate the birthday of the Khalsa in a befitting manner.

    Dr. Nikky Guninder Kaur Singh makes a point

    The guest speaker, Dr. Nikky Guninder Kaur Singh, head of the Department of Religious Studies at Colby College, Waterville, a great scholar who has authored dozens of books and contributed hundreds of papers/ articles on religion and Sikhism, mesmerized the gathering with her profound knowledge of the subject and her forceful delivery. She spoke about the values held dear in Sikhism and mentioned that the Sikh Gurus were precursors of modern pluralism.

    Dr. Taruna Chakraborty greeted Dr. Nikky with a bouquet

    Dr. Taruna Chakraborty, the First Lady of Indian Consulate greeted Dr. Nikky with a bouquet.

    Prachi Makkar and Surya Makkar initiated Vaisakhi celebrations with a shabad “Deh Shiva Bar mohe ihe….”

    Prachi Makkar, a brilliant scholar and well known for her melodious shabad kirtan and Mata ki Bheta and her equally gifted brother Surya Makkar recited Mool Mantra and sang the shabad “Deh Shiva bar mohe ihe” which had the gathering spellbound.

    Glimpses of Gatka, Sikh martial art. Members of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana, Richmond Hill, New York presented a thrilling display of Gatka
    Glimpses of Gatka, Sikh martial art. Members of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana, Richmond Hill, New York presented a thrilling display of Gatka
    Glimpses of Gatka, Sikh martial art. Members of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana, Richmond Hill, New York presented a thrilling display of Gatka
    Gatka team with Consul General, guests of honor, and organizers

    Children from Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana gave an electrifying display of the Sikh traditional martial art called Gatka. This warfare involves use of various weapons, including sticks and swords. Going by the comments of the audience, Gatka performance impressed people the most. Mr. Daler Singh who is the senior most member of the Gatka Club also displayed his skill as did the coach

    Another attraction was a documentary on Vaisakhi produced and directed by Prof. Indrajit S Saluja. The 17-minute documentary traced briefly the 5000-year-old history and civilization of Punjab. It described creation of Khalsa and the celebration of Vaisakhi and finally listed the great Punjabis and their contribution in various fields. The documentary received much appreciation.

    On this occasion, Balwant Hothi who made a major contribution to making of the documentary was recognized.

    Soormay gave a scintillating Bhangra performance

    How can a Punjabi celebration be complete without Giddha or Bhangra? So, to cap it all, there was a thrilling Bhangra performance by the famous Bhangra group Soormay.

    One of the paintings Manoj Vyas exhibited

    Manoj Vyas exhibited his paintings on the occasion.

    Sikhs of the Tri-State are contributed hugely to the successful celebrations of Vaisakhi. Royal Indian Banquet and Restaurant (Mr. Himat S Sarpanch, Mr. Raghbir Singh Subhanpur, Mr. Balbir Singh Pahalwan, Mr. Pritam Singh Gilzian); Singh & Singh Distributors (Mr. Jatinder Singh Bakshi), and Richie Rich Palace (Mr. Jarnail Singh Gilzian) sponsored food and drinks. Pleased with the effort of Prof. Indrajit S Saluja in organizing Vaisakhi celebrations at the Consulate, Mr. Hardeep Singh Goldie, President of Akali Dal, New Jersey donated a sum of $1000.00.

    Mr. Himat Singh Sarpanch was recognized for his cooperation in organizing the Vaisakhi festival. Seen from L to R: Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty, Himat Singh Sarpanch, Prof. Indrajit S Saluja

    Mr. Himat Singh Sarpanch was recognized for his cooperation in organizing the Vaisakhi festival.

    Mr. Jatinder Singh Bakshi who lent great support in organizing the event (fourth from left), joined the celebrations with his friends. They are seen here with the Consul General (fifth from left).

    While Mr. Himat Singh Sarpanch, a former President of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah and his colleagues, Master Mohinder Singh ( founder President), Mr. Raghbir Singh Subhanpur (former President) , Mr. Raghbir Singh Babby, President, Mr. Gurmej Singh (former President) Mr. Dilbagh Singh (former Vice President), with Sikh leaders from New York and New Jersey joining them, presented Shawls to the guest speaker Dr. Nikky Guninder Kaur Singh, Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty and Mrs. Taruna Chakraborty, Malini Shah, Community liaison to New York City Council Member Paul Vallone presented on behalf of the Council Member, citations from New York City Council to Dr. Nikky and Ambassador Chakraborty. Malini also presented citations to the classical dance guru from London Padma Shri Pratap Pawar, and Prof. Indrajit S Saluja.

    Malini Shah presenting New York City Council Citation to Prof. Indrajit S Saluja

    In his thank you remarks, Prof. Indrajit S Saluja expressed his gratitude to all present. The Fourth Estate -Media which was present in great strength, earned special appreciation and gratitude of the organizers. Those present included Bidisha Roy from The Indian Panorama, Parveen Chopra from the South Asian Times; Sonia Lalwani, Harvinder Singh and Peter from Parikh Worldwide; freelancer Anjali Sharma, Brahm Kanchibhotla; Renee Mehrra and Ashok Vyas from ITV; Jaya Sharma, Davender Singh and Balwant Hothi from PTC TV; Atma Singh from Car Studio; Jus Punjabi TV, TV Asia, and Global Punjab.

  • Karnataka floor test at 4 pm on May 19th: Supreme Court of India Order

    Karnataka floor test at 4 pm on May 19th: Supreme Court of India Order

    NEW DELHI(TIP): The Supreme Court on May 18thordered that the Yeddyurappa government seek majority on the floor of the House at 4 pm on Saturday, May 19th.

    Earlier, Yeddyurappa had been given 15 days’ time, but then the Congress-JDS leaders challenged the decision.

    BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa placed before the Supreme Court the letters he had sent to Governor Vajubhai Vala in which he had staked claim to form the government in Karnataka.

    The Supreme Court was hearing a petition moved by the Congress-JDS combine challenging the governor’s decision to invite the BJP to form the government.

    Yeddyurappa, who was sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka on Thursday, May 17, told a special bench headed by Justice AK Sikri that being the single largest party the BJP had the “mandate of people” of the state who had thrown out the Congress.

    Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Yeddyurappa, told the bench that there was no pre-poll alliance between the Congress and JDS and they had formed an “unholy alliance” after the elections.

    In the May 12 polls, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 104 members, while Congress secured 78, the JD(S) 37 and others three.

    (Agencies)

     

  • Himesh Gandhi Formally Claims Sugar Land Council Seat in Texas

    Himesh Gandhi Formally Claims Sugar Land Council Seat in Texas

    HOUSTON(TIP): A well-known Indian American community leader and a politician, Himesh Gandhi, formally won council seat in Sugar Land, Texas on May 5.

    The win is Gandhi’s fourth and final term. He received 100 percent of the 4,353 votes.

    “Thank you to the citizens of Sugar Land for your trust and confidence as I serve my fourth and final term. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve!” Gandhi wrote on Facebook.

    Gandhi was first elected in 2012, when he was 35, the youngest councilman to be elected in a citywide vote.

    He has served on numerous city council committees and was also a member of the task force that spearheaded development of the Smart Financial Center at Sugar Land—an iconic concert and performance hall that opened last year.

    Other successes and projects launched by the city during Gandhi’s previous term include the successful annexations of Greatwood and New Territory, the acquisition of a former prison site for redevelopment, the completion of drainage projects, and the return to normal operations after the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey.

    In 2015, Gandhi was honored by the Houston Business Journal as one of the region’s 40 under 40 young leaders. The Indian Panorama had carried the news then.

    Gandhi earned a B.B.A. from Houston Baptist University and his law degree from the South Texas College of Law Houston. He, his wife Farrah and their son Jaiden live in the Telfair neighborhood.