The Indian Panorama

Month: November 2021

  • ‘Diwali at Times Square – A Grand Celebration in the Heart of New York City!’

    ‘Diwali at Times Square – A Grand Celebration in the Heart of New York City!’

    Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer jubilates. Seen in the picture, from L to R: NY Senator John Liu, President of ASB, the organizers of DATS Neeta Bhasin, TV Asia Chairman HR Shah (lighting the lamp), Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, and Dr. Sudhir Parikh. (Photo : Jay Mandal-on assignment)
    At the lamp lighting ceremony at DATS. Seen in the picture, from L to R: Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (third from left), Mr. Harry Bolla, Chairman of Bolla Oil and Bolla Management, Mrs. Bolla, Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, and State Bank of India VP Prem Lata. (Photo : Jay Mandal-on assignment)
    Neeta Bhasin is requesting Governor Kathy Hochul to give her remarks. In the middle is seen Harry Bolla. (Photo : Jay Mandal-on assignment)
    The NYPD Desi Police Officers lighted a lamp at DATS. (Photo : Jay Mandal-on assignment)
    A prodigy Sparsh Shah giving a performance. (Photo / Jay Mandal-on assignment)

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): This year Diwali at Times Square was celebrated with a raging come-back after 2 years COVID-19 Lockdown. Thousands of people participated as the brightest celebration unfolded in the brightest city on the earth – New York! The event was extremely successful and was attended by some of the highest-ranking government officials and dignitaries in the business world. This Event was Conceptualized by Event Guru and Managed by ASB Communications.

    The President of Event Guru Inc. Neeta Bhasin said ‘We are sharing the message of Deepavali – Knowledge over Ignorance, Light over Darkness, Peace, Love, Unity and Togetherness and inclusion in diversity to the World from the biggest crossroads of the world, Times Square. Even the universe responded in appreciation by keeping the weather conducive to the event despite forecasts of rain throughout the day.’

    The event was hosted by Aryan Vaid, Mister International Award winner, Vidhi Dave, Mrs. India USA, Esha Kode, Miss Teen India Worldwide. The celebrations began with a traditional Diya (lamp) Lighting ceremony at Times Square. Usually this was done by Mrs. Brijbala Suri, mother of the producer, Neeta Bhasin. But due to her passing, this responsibility was undertaken by her son Gajendra Suri and family. The Diya Lighting Event was followed by dazzling performances by Darshana Menon, the Sa Re Ga Ma 2009 winner, Arya Dance Academy, Sadhanalya Dance Academy and Masala Bhangra.

    The Light up Times Square Concert started at 5 PM and was made more luminous by the fact that the Diwali Countdown on Ball Drop Screen created History at Times Square. The sparkle was even greater due to the elite guests who graced the stage with their presence. This whole segment was broadcast live on TV Asia across the USA and worldwide through the Neeta Bhasin Show on YouTube.

    This was followed by the dignitaries speaking on the Times Square stage which included some of the most affluent people of New York. List of speakers included Consulate General of India in New York, Randhir Jaiswal, New York State Governor Kathleen Courtney Hochul. U.S. Senator Charles Ellis “Chuck” Schumer, U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), NY State Senator John Liu, Gajendra Suri and Beena Kothari from Samman for All, ShopRite’s Ranjana Choudhry, Thomas Rajan from American Airlines, Harry Singh Bolla of Bolla Oil Corp, Padma Shri Mr. H R Shah – Chairman of TV Asia and other sponsors of the festival.

    Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi sent his Diwali message ‘Heartiest greetings and best wishes for the celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights organized at Times Square in New York. The celebration will help spread our rich traditions and culture in different parts of the world. Carrying the eternal message of victory of light over darkness and truth over untruth may this auspicious occasion further spread peace, happiness, and prosperity in the lives of every member of the Indian diaspora in the USA.’ Consul General of India, NY, Randhir Jaiswal addressed the attendees by saying that ‘It is a time when we must respect the foundational values of our society, kindness, compassion, sharing and being together and may you bring all these values today and tomorrow and forever. Let the light of Diwali shine in your lives and all those around you.’

    New York State Governor – Kathleen Hochul Congratulated the founder of Diwali at Times Square, Neeta Bhasin, for having a vision to celebrate the diversity and the wonderful tradition in Times Square and said ‘Diwali at Times is a fabulous event to celebrate the New Year and to celebrate the comeback of New York. This is Phenomenally special; we are once again gathered in person to remind ourselves the real true meaning behind Diwali. Think about the fact that we can conquer the darkness with light and we did that with Pandemic.

    Congresswoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney said that ‘I have been coming to this festival ever since we got the Diwali stamp approved which I worked on with many of you for many years to make it happen. The Diwali stamp has been so successful that I think we should have a Diwali Holiday. So, I am introducing a bill for that. Let me get back to work so I can make all these wonderful things happen’.

    Senator Chuck Schumer ‘I believe in immigration in general. My middle name is actually Ellis, it is Charles ‘Ellis’ Schumer from Ellis Island. Immigrants have great American values while still remembering the traditions and bringing them to America from their home countries. One of the best and the greatest immigrant communities is our Indian American community, our South Asian Community. We must welcome more Indians to come to America and New York. Because there are more Indians in New York, the greater NY will be’.

    NY State Senator, John Liu was very excited to see the huge crowd at Times Square ‘It is great to see everybody in person. No better place to celebrate Diwali than the crossroads of the world right here in Times Square, NY City. With Neeta’s advocacy and esteem journalism and many others, in NYC a long time ago we were able to make a parking holiday, you do not change the car from one side of the street to another’.

    Diwali at Times Square was celebrated in association with Samman for All, its mission is to facilitate people from the lower-economic strata to achieve their dreams by providing them with tools for sustainable living and empowerment, said the Director of the organization. ShopRite’s Ranjana Choudhry VP Advertising and Social Media ‘We are very proud and very honored to be the Title Sponsor of this event. Let’s turn this festival of lights into the festival of delights. Let’s eat and celebrate Diwali.’

    Thomas Rajan- VP, Global Talent American Airlines ‘In the coming few days, we will be launching our non-stop service from this great city of NY to Delhi and onwards later this year Seattle to Bengaluru.

    Harry Singh Bolla Chairman of Bolla Corporation- ‘We created history in 2013 by representing the 2nd largest festival outside of India. It makes me proud, today we are sitting in Times Square celebrating our culture, our feelings and telling the world what we are all about’.

    Some of the front-line fighters in the covid battle like Officer Manish Sharma – President of Indian Police Society (NYPD), Dr. Samin K. Sharma of Mount Sinai Heart, Dr. Jagmohan Kalra and Dr. Sunjit Jaspal from Northwell Health. were honored on stage.

    The festival did not end there. Yet another set of superb performances by famous artists like Sparsh Shah, Sway Bhatia, Chosen Crew Entertainment Group, Swarali Dance, Jikaria Sisters (Omi, Rish, & Aash), DJ Ash and finally ended with a blast with an amazing performance by International Artist Jay Sean. More than 250 mainstream media houses are already talking about Diwali at Times Square and the entire event reached out to millions of viewers across both digital and traditional channels in both writing and video publishing formats.

    Event Guru WorldWide, the organizer of Diwali at Times Square, is a premier full-service event company specializing in festivals, concerts, trade shows, gala dinners and press conferences. We conceptualize and implement events of all sizes and statues.

    (Based on a Press Release)

  • Texas Governor’s Diwali Party Attracts Largest Number of Indian Americans

    Texas Governor’s Diwali Party Attracts Largest Number of Indian Americans

    UT Austin Students Put Up the HOOK ‘EM Sign with Governor Abbott and First Lady Cecilia Abbott.
    Governor Abbott presented a shawl by one of his guests.
    IACEO Co-Founder Arun Agarwal presents Governor Abbott with replica of an artwork with two elephants.
    Governor Abbott and First Lady Cecilia Abbott pose with guests dressed in their fineries for Diwali. (Photos Credit/ Ram Karamchandani)

    DALLAS (TIP): A 100 Indian Texans from Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin filled the Governor’s Mansion Saturday, October 25, for Greg and Cecilia Abbott’s annual Diwali Party, which had the highest number of attendees this year. Greg Abbott is the first Governor to recognize the Hindu Festival of Lights and celebrate it with the community-at-large. This year, the Indian CEO Council, co-founded by Dallasites Arun Agarwal and Sanjiv Yajnik, got involved and helped balance geographic representation at the event.

    “This Governor truly realizes the many contributions Indian Americans have made to the Texas economy,” said Agarwal, who personally escorted Greg and Cecilia Abbott to India a few years ago to meet business leaders and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “After their time in India, both the Governor and First Lady have an appreciation for Indian culture and our various religious holidays and traditions.” After greeting their guests on Saturday, the Governor and First Lady lit the Diyas (lamps) to commemorate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil. A few Indians even bestowed the First Family with traditional gifts and sweets, typically exchanged during the festive season. Diwali is celebrated around the world this year on November 4, 2021.

    About Indian American CEO Council: Our mission is to facilitate domestic and global alliances, elevate the community and drive economic prosperity for the nation. For more information, please visit www.iaceo.org.

  • American Indians celebrated “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” in Sacramento, California USA

    American Indians celebrated “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” in Sacramento, California USA

    SACRAMENTO (TIP): The Government of India is celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, 75 years of Independence, across the country. Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is an embodiment of all that is progressive about India’s socio-cultural, political, and economic identity. The official journey of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” commenced on 12th March 2021 which starts a 75-week countdown to our 75th anniversary of Independence and will end post a year on 15th August 2022. On this occasion, over one hundred American Indians including children and senior citizens took part in the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations organized by the Indian Association of Sacramento (IAS) at Sacramento on Saturday, October 30th, 2021. Consul General Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad from Consulate General of India San Francisco, California, Rajesh N. Naik Deputy Consul Indian Consulate, Bobbie Singh-Allen Mayor of Elk Grove City in California, Sirisha Pulipati from Rancho Cordova City Council, YK Chalaamcherla for Folsom City Council, among others took part in the celebrations.

    The American national anthem was sung by Adhrika Satish. The national anthem of India, ‘Jana Gana Mana’ beautifully sung by Niel Nayyar, remembering the Indian patriotic song evokes vicarious emotions about the nation’s history, traditions, and sacrifices that brought India to the brink of freedom. The audience shouted slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.  The audience was mesmerized by watching colorful rich Indian cultural performances for about 15 mins and congratulated the cultural show participants.

    Speaking on the occasion, Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad appreciated all the audience for taking part in the program in commemoration of the celebration of the 75 years of independence of the country.

    Mr. Shivesh Sinha, and Mr. Ajit Natu both are IAS Past Presidents well-coordinated the half-hour-long question-answer session with Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad. Several participants have clarified their questions on dual citizenship, OCI, Emergency Visa, recent incidents related to Gandhi Statue Vandalism by anti-national forces in the City of Davis California, and concerns on rising intolerance in Bangladesh and Hindu Temple Destruction. Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad made a fun comment saying this was the toughest question/answer session after passing the IFS exam, which is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). “I am happy to hear over a half dozen of Indian origin American Indians have taken up Mayor positions in the State of California, and few others have taken up City Council positions to serve the community”, said Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad. He also spoke about the services provided by the consulate and how they are trying to help people to make it easier for them to get what they need in the pandemic.

    “As we celebrate Amrit Mahotsav and come together in praising our motherland by singing Vande Mataram, let us remember that every aspect of Bharat Mata that is praised in our National Song is an ode to her bountiful nature, her ability to sustain human life, and her abundant and inexhaustible natural resources”, said Mr. Bhaskar Vempati, President of IAS. “Bharat with rich history and culture has progressed tremendously in the last 75 years but next 25 years will be the golden period for all of us to contribute, aspire and help to achieve the vision set by our PM Modi Ji”, said Venu Mallesara – MC of the event and Web & Social Media Lead of IAS. He also mentioned the instances where the current CGI office has gone beyond the call of duty and helped the community in the hour of need, especially during COVID time.

    IAS officers Vandana Sharma, Amitab Shaikh, and Gobi Ramaswamy expressed sincere thanks to the Consul General, Dy Consul, other guests, and the audience for beating Covid 10 pandemic to attend the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

    IAS officers, and IAS Board of Trustees Vinod Balakrishna, Ajit Natu, Satheesh Nagaraj, Bhavin Parikh, and Shivesh Sinha honored Consul General, Dy Consul with a shawl and flower bouquets. Appreciating Consulate General of India San Francisco services to the local Indian Community, IAS handed over a plaque to the Consul General.

    The city of Elk Grove California has proclaimed October as Hindu Heritage Month. Local American Indians are proud to receive this proclamation from Mayor Bobbie Singh – Allen & Rod Brewer, CSD Board of Trustee.

    Mr. Vempati thanked Venu Acharya, Vijay Bhaskar, and Satheesh Nagaraj for making delicious Indian food arrangements to the audience and he thanked Shekhar Tiwari, Magesh Babu, Pushpa Venkateshan, and other volunteers for their help in the event coordination. IAS officers thanked cultural coordinator Madhuri Natu for bringing in cultural performers to the stage showcasing rich Indian cultural heritage. Dr. Bhavin Parikh – IAS Past President has delivered a presentation on fundraising and assistance provided to Indian Hospitals in the middle of the Covid 19 pandemic. Dr. Parikh said “As part of the IAS initiative of providing necessary help to the hospitals in India to extend the support to the underprivileged persons of the society, the donation of about 50 Oxygen Concentrators, thousands of face masks, and an ambulance has been made; they shall be of benefit in saving lives of Covid-19 patients during this period of pandemic and further strengthen the medical support being given in COVID Care Centers/ Hospitals. To date, the donated ambulance has made 750+ trips to save the lives of patients in emergency conditions”. The second wave of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and has shown that oxygen therapy is very useful in safeguarding patients’ health; we are immensely grateful to all those who have donated oxygen concentrators and needed medical supplies, Dr. Parikh. “Efforts are on the way to equip hospitals with another 2 ambulances to support the hospital’s emergency services”, he assured.

    On this occasion, IAS donated $7,500 funds to the local charity, Folsom’s Hope, a non-profit based in Folsom California dedicated to mentoring children with emotional and behavioral difficulties. IAS also donated another $7,500 funds to the Indian Charity, Wishing Factory, which is an ISO certified (ISO 9001:2015), not-for-profit organization based in Mumbai dedicated to improving and enriching the lives of young, underprivileged Thalassemia Warriors (Blood Disordered people) in India.

    The “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebration at Sacramento witnessed massive participation from the local American Indian Organizations. The highlight of the event was the sheer diversity of the participants in terms of gender and age groups representing all parts of India. Several participants have said “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements have come to Sacramento at the right time. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is being celebrated in Sacramento and will strengthen the feeling of patriotism among the American Indian community here at Sacramento”.

    As a precaution, the organizations require all participants in this event fully vaccinated and advised to wear face masks to comply with Covid 19 guidelines.

    Mr. Gobi Ramasamy, the joint secretary of IAS thanked all the distinguished guests, organization/community local leaders, cultural performers, annual sponsors, and IAS board members for making the event successful.

    Established in 2005, the Indian Association of Sacramento is one of the largest umbrella organizations in the Indian community. Since 2006, the IAS has been organizing India Day annually, which showcases India’s cultural heritage and history. Since its inception, IAS has raised over $200,000 in funds for helping out several non-profits in and out of the USA. In the last two years, IAS raised over $60,000 funds and assisted needy people living in Greater Sacramento with face masks, meals, groceries, medical and school supplies, and supplied Oxygen Concentrators to India during India’s second wave COVID-19 crisis in 2021. IAS suggested the readers visit the IAS website: http://www.iassac.org/ & FB page https://www.facebook.com/IndiaDaySacramento for more information about IAS and its events/activities spread throughout the year.

    (This article’s author Mr. Venkat Nagam is presently acting as Media Coordinator for IAS. The views in this article are the author’s own and do not represent those of the Government of India or this publication)

    (Press Release)

  • North Texas Food Bank to Recognize $150,000 Commitment of HungerMitao at a Special Event

    North Texas Food Bank to Recognize $150,000 Commitment of HungerMitao at a Special Event

    • HungerMitao sponsorship will provide 450,000 nutritious meals

    DALLAS (TIP): The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) will host a special event at its Perot Family Campus in Plano to recognize HungerMitao’s sponsorship of a food distribution truck through a commitment of $150,000 over two years. HungerMitao, which means “wipe out hunger”, is an Indian American community-led initiative that supports local food banks. Over the four years since its launch, this volunteer-driven movement has enabled close to 12 million meals for NTFB and over 40 million meals nationally for the Feeding America network of Food Banks.

    In addition, members of DFW’s Indian American community will volunteer at the Perot Family Campus distribution center, sorting and packing food in preparation for transport to NTFB’s feeding network agencies, from 9 – 11 a.m., before the recognition event.

    The Food Bank’s Chief External Affairs Officer, Erica Yaeger, will speak at the event, alongside HungerMitao Co-founders Raj and Aradhana (Anna) Asava.

    WHEN: Saturday, November 6, 2021, 11:00 am – Noon

    WHERE: Perot Family Campus, 3677 Mapleshade Ln., Plano, TX 75075

    WHO: Media interviews available from NTFB and HungerMitao representatives

     “We are so grateful for the support of community initiatives like HungerMitao that recognize the growing issue of hunger and look for ways to contribute to organizations addressing this complex problem,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO for the North Texas Food Bank. “The HungerMitao movement has provided an unprecedented level of support in providing millions of meals across North Texas.”

    This support is a result of the galvanization and activation of the Indian American community in North Texas around the cause of food insecurity. The community actively supports the work of NTFB through advocacy, volunteering, and donating food and critical funds. The $150,000 sponsorship will provide an additional 450,000 nutritious meals to families, seniors, and children across the 13 counties serviced by the NTFB.

    “We are excited and looking forward to the unveiling of the HungerMitao truck co-branded with North Texas Food Bank. This traveling billboard will highlight how the Indian American community continues to help NTFB improve people’s access to nutritious food,” said Raj G. Asava, HungerMitao Co-Founder. “This will serve as a tactical display and will further inspire the Indian American community to support the North Texas Food Bank. There is tremendous food insecurity in North Texas, but we can all pitch in, unify, and amplify our impact,” added Anna Asava, Co-Founder HungerMitao.

    About the North Texas Food Bank

     The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked non-profit hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes food through a network of more than 200 Partner Agencies across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also provides food to children, seniors and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries.

    In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to more than 125 million nutritious meals, a 28 percent increase over the prior year. In response to the ongoing elevated hunger crisis, the organization has launched a $500 million campaign, Nourish North Texas, to provide more Food for Today and Hope for Tomorrow by addressing the root causes of food insecurity.

    The North Texas Food Bank is designated a 4-Star Exceptional organization by Charity Navigator based on its governance, integrity and financial stability. NTFB is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization. www.ntfb.org

    About HungerMitao

    HungerMitao is a volunteer-driven grassroots movement focused on raising awareness about hunger in the USA, improving community engagement, as well as channeling resources and contributions of the Indian American community to fight hunger through the Feeding America network of food banks. Over the four years since its launch on September 29, 2017, the movement has enabled 40 million meals through Feeding America and Food Banks in North Texas, Tarrant Area, Houston, New York City, Atlanta, Seattle, and Michigan. Visit https://www.hungermitao.org/ to learn more.

    (Press Release)

  • IRS announces 401(k) limit increases to $20,500

    IRS announces 401(k) limit increases to $20,500

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The Internal Revenue Service announced, November 4, that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2022 has increased to $20,500, up from $19,500 for 2021 and 2020. The IRS today also issued technical guidance regarding all of the

    cost of living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2022 in Notice 2021-61, posted today on IRS.gov.

    Highlights of changes for 2022

    The contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan is increased to $20,500, up from $19,500.

    The income ranges for determining eligibility to make deductible contributions to traditional Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), to contribute to Roth IRAs, and to claim the Saver’s Credit all increased for 2022. Taxpayers can deduct contributions to a traditional IRA if they meet certain conditions. If during the year either the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s spouse was covered by a retirement plan at work, the deduction may be reduced, or phased out, until it is eliminated, depending on filing status and income. (If neither the taxpayer nor the spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work, the phase-outs of the deduction do not apply.) Here are the phase-out ranges for 2022:

    For single taxpayers covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is increased to $68,000 to $78,000, up from $66,000 to $76,000.

    For married couples filing jointly, if the spouse making the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is increased to $109,000 to $129,000, up from $105,000 to $125,000.

    For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the phase-out range is increased to $204,000 to $214,000, up from $198,000 to $208,000.

    For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $0 to $10,000.

    The income phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is increased to $129,000 to $144,000 for singles and heads of household, up from $125,000 to $140,000. For married couples filing jointly, the income phase-out range is increased to $204,000 to $214,000, up from $198,000 to $208,000. The phase-out range for a married individual filing a separate return who makes contributions to a Roth IRA is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $0 to $10,000.

    The income limit for the Saver’s Credit (also known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit) for low- and moderate-income workers is $68,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $66,000; $51,000 for heads of household, up from $49,500; and $34,000 for singles and married individuals filing separately, up from $33,000.

    The amount individuals can contribute to their SIMPLE retirement accounts is increased to $14,000, up from $13,500.

    Key employee contribution limits that remain unchanged

    The limit on annual contributions to an IRA remains unchanged at $6,000. The IRA catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $1,000.

    The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan remains unchanged at $6,500. Therefore, participants in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan who are 50 and older can contribute up to $27,000, starting in 2022. The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in SIMPLE plans remains unchanged at $3,000.

    Details on these and other retirement-related cost-of-living adjustments for 2022 are in Notice 2021-61, available on IRS.gov.

  • US human rights body for placing India, Russia on Red List for religious freedom

    US human rights body for placing India, Russia on Red List for religious freedom

    WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (TIP): A month before the US State Department releases its religious freedom rights rankings, a US human rights body has recommended that it should put four more countries, including India, on its Red List or Countries of Particular Concern (CPC). The MEA has frequently slammed the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the body which has made the recommendations. MEA spokespersons have said the USCIRF is biased and has a limited understanding of India and its Constitution. No US Secretary of State has acted on its recommendations as far as India is concerned. Last year, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had declined the USCIRF’s recommendation to list India as a CPC. He had not even accepted USCIRF’s recommendation to put Uzbekistan on the Red List as the country is deemed strategically important for US foreign policy interests. India is of far greater value in its economic and military heft.

    Three of India’s neighbors – Pakistan, China and Myanmar — are on the US State Department’s CPC list along with North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Nigeria. The USCIRF wants the State Department to add India, Russia, Syria and Vietnam to the list.

    Successive US Ambassadors for Religious Freedom have drawn a sharp distinction between India and Pakistan, though both are accused of state violence on its citizens. Some of the violence in India was carried out by the government but a “lot of the actions are by the government in Pakistan” and half of the world’s people that are locked up for apostasy or blasphemy are in Pakistan, the US Ambassador for Religious Freedom Senator Sam Brownback had said last year when asked why Pakistan was on CPC and India wasn’t.

    For the 2020 reporting period, USCIRF has also recommended the expansion of “Yellow List” or the Special Watch List to include Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

  • “FIA”– New England & Indo-American Community Celebrated Diwali withRI Governor, Providence Mayor and, CGI-New York

    “FIA”– New England & Indo-American Community Celebrated Diwali withRI Governor, Providence Mayor and, CGI-New York

    A massive food drive at Crossroads Homeless Shelter organized on the event

    NEW ENGLAND (TIP): Federation of Indian Associations – New England (“FIA”) and Indo-American Community celebrated Diwali and held a large food donation event in Providence, Rhode Island on Wednesday, 3rd November 2021. “Diwali is the festival of lights. It symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, Good over Evil, and knowledge over Ignorance. Diwali comprises prosperity and abundance for everyone and that was FIA’s motive behind celebrating Diwali with residents of Crossroads Homeless Shelter”, said Abhishek Singh, President of Federation of Indian Associations, New England, in his opening remarks.

    The celebrations started at 3.30 p.m. at Crossroads, a homeless shelter in Providence, which provides housing solutions to individuals and families in need. Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, former RI State Representative Bob Lancia, Crossroads’President Karen Santilli, its Director of Community Outreach Richard Wild, and FIA – New England team led by its President Abhishek Singh were present at this event. FIA – New England’s Vice President, Sanjay Gokhale, welcomed all the guests. He thanked Mayor Elorza for honoring the Indo-American community by attending the event and for working tirelessly for the people of Providence. He also thanked the leadership of Crossroads and Rhode Island Community Food Bank for accepting the food donations. FIA executive member Raj Gupta said that sharing and caring is FIA’s guiding principle, and the food donations are aligned with it.

    Indo-American & FIA Team, with Honorable Governor RI, Mr. Daniel McKee, Providence Mayor, Mr.Jorge Elorza, CGI, NY Mr. Randhir Jaiswal, DCGI, Dr. Varun Jeph, FIA President Abhishek Singh. (Photo by Brooke Race)

    FIA – New England volunteers delivered 50 large Pizza to the Soup Kitchen at Crossroads for a Pizza Party for the residents in the evening. FIA – New England also brought a truck full of non-perishable food items weighing more than 5,000 pounds. Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza cut the ribbon to initiate the food donation. Crossroads team accepted all the donated items their food pantry could hold. Other items will be donated to Rhode Island Community Food Bank and other Food Pantries in New England. Mayor Elorza also read a Citation issued to Aadi G. Dixit, a high school student volunteer who had helped during this and several other community events with great dedication and responsibility.

    The Diwali Lighting of the lamp eventwas held at the Governor’s Reception Hall inside the majestic Rhode Island State House building. Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, India’s Consul General in New York Consulate Randhir Jaiswal, Deputy Consul General Dr.Varun Jeph, former RI State Representative Bob Lancia, President and Minister of Vedanta Society of Providence Swami Yogatmanand, and prominent members of the Indian American community in New England attended this event.

    Diwali celebrations inside the State House started with melodious singing of classical Indian music and recitation of Sanskrit Shlokas by the gifted singer Mr. Dhruvit Shah, who is a resident of Rhode Island. FIA – New England President Abhishek Singh welcomed the guests and invited Governor Daniel McKee, Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, Deputy Consul General Dr. Varun Jeph, and Swami Yogatmanandto light the traditional Indian lamp. Swami Yogatmanand then explained the meaning and tradition of Diwali and gave his blessings to all the guests.

    Consul General Randhir Jaiswal talked about the growing importance of India’s relationship with Rhode Island and invited Governor McKee to visit India’s consulate in New York City when the Governor is going to be in that city. He thanked Governor McKee for hosting Diwali celebrations at the State House and for his support of the Indian American community. Governor McKee thanked Consul General Jaiswal, accepted Consul General’s invitation to visit Indian Consulate in New York, and asked him to visit the Governor’s office at the State House whenever the Consul General is back in Rhode Island. Mayor Jorge Elorza also addressed the guests and shared his experiences from visiting India and working with the Indian American community in Rhode Island. He thanked FIA – New England for the generous food donation to Crossroads and Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Former RI State Representative Bob Lancia also addressed the guests at the event. Governor McKee read Citations issued to Mr. Kaushik Patel, Mr. Brij Garg, and FIA – New England for community service and volunteer work. He also read a Citation issued to Professor Ram Gupta, Founder of Hari Vidya Mandir school and Trustee of Rhode Island Hindu Temple for more than 25 years of service in the field of education. Consul General Randhir Jaiswal announced a gift of sets of 50 books on India, Indian culture, Indian history, and Indian philosophy to each of Rhode Island State House Library; Providence Mayor’s office; and Hari Vidya Mandir school.

    Food distribution, Lighting the Lamp, and the entire State House Building light-up ceremony was managed entirely by Emcee Jyoti Singh, Rakesh Kavsari, Gaurav Dixit, Dipak Sharma, Anand Sharma, Raj Gupta, CT Narayan, Gautam Patel, Prashant Shukla, Kashish Khurana, Rama Subramanian, Yogeshwari Patel, Amol Penshanwar and other FIA executives.

    Diwali celebrations at the State House concluded with a group picture of all attendees outside the beautifully lit State House building. Boxed vegetarian dinners were distributed to attendees at the end of the event.

    The majestic State House building was lit on all sides in beautiful colors. The building will be beautifully lit every night for the rest of this week.

    Diwali-2021 Celebration@ State House Rhode Island Lighting Ceremony. (Photo by Brooke Race)
  • The Consulate General of India in New York organizes a panel discussion titled ‘Ayurveda in Everyday Life’ on Ayurveda Day

    The Consulate General of India in New York organizes a panel discussion titled ‘Ayurveda in Everyday Life’ on Ayurveda Day

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Ayurveda, an ancient system of Indian traditional medicine, is a very dynamic science and is a system that has very strong spiritual dimension and is about introspection of the self, India’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal said. The Consulate General of India in New York organized a panel discussion titled ‘Ayurveda in Everyday Life’ on Tuesday on the occasion of Ayurveda Day 2021. Moderated by author and Elements Truffles co-founder Kushal Choksi, the discussion included participation by Shankara Naturals CEO Bhushan Deodhar, Elements Truffles co-founder Alak Vasa and The Well co-founder and CEO Rebecca Parekh.

    Jaiswal highlighted that Ayurveda is an ancient system of Indian traditional medicine and is as relevant today in modern times. He noted that a lot is being done on Ayurveda in various parts of world – from research institutes in Arizona to institutes and universities in India.

    Ayurveda “is a system which has a very strong spiritual dimension to it. It’s about introspection of self. For that reason,Ayurveda treats every person as an individual,” which is not the case in other branches of medicine, he said.

    “It is a very dynamic science,” he said, adding that for many people around the world Ayurveda is a “lived experience”.

    He stressed that Ayurveda has a very strong correlation with and deeply embraces nature.

    Jaiswal underlined that salience of Ayurveda and systems of traditional medicines in various parts of the world is on the rise, as he cited data from the World Health Organisation to note that countries with national policies on traditional and complementary medicines had increased from 25 in 1998 to 98 in 2018. Countries with health insurance cover for traditional and complementary medicines increased from 37 in 2012 to 45 in 2018.

    (Based on a press release)

  • The Indian American Kerala Cultural & Civic Center to honor eight Indian American Malayalees

    The Indian American Kerala Cultural & Civic Center to honor eight Indian American Malayalees

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center will honor eight Indian American Malayalees for their outstanding achievements in their field of specialization or for their service to the society. Dr. Arun Jeph, India’s Deputy Consul General in New York will be the chief guest at the award ceremony to be held at the Kerala Center’s 29th Annual Awards Banquet on Nov. 13 in New York. New York State senators Kevin Thomas and Todd Kaminsky, Hempstead Town Supervisor, Don Clavin and Consul for Community Affairs, A. K. Vijayakrishnan, will be among the guests, according to a press release. “Kerala Center has been honoring outstanding achievers since 1991 and every year we invite nominations and the committee has to make a unanimous choice for a candidate in a category to receive the award and this year is no different from previous years in terms of their achievements,” said Dr. Thomas Abraham, Kerala Center’s Trustee Board Chairman and Award Committee Member. “Kerala Center is very happy to honor American Malayalees who reached high levels in their professions and who work for social progress — their examples should be an inspiration for others,” said Dr. Madhu Bhaskaran, Award Committee Chairman.

    Kerala Center President Alex K. Esthappan said the Center has recognized over 160 American Malayalees in the last 29 years and it is great to see that they have continued to rise further in their careers and serve the society.”

    To reserve seats, contact the Kerala Center at: 516-358-2000 or at email: kc@keralacenterny.com. One can buy banquet tickets at Donate to Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center Inc

    Awardees:

    Dr. George M. Abraham – Outstanding Achievements in Medicine and Professional Services.

    Abraham is the President of the American College of Physicians. He is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Chief of Medicine at St. Vincent Hospital, Worcester, MA and Adjunct Professor at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

    He has authored over 100 publications, abstracts and book chapters, and is an invited speaker at national and international meetings. He is a graduate of Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.

    Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil – Notable Contributions in Public Service

    Nampiaparampil is the Republican nominee for New York City Public Advocate. Dr. Devi is a practicing physician in pain medicine, a scientist and a small business owner.

    She is a SAG-AFTRA member who played a doctor on ‘General Hospital’ before becoming a doctor in real life. Dr. Devi did her residency and fellowship training at Harvard Medical School and is currently an Associate Professor at NYU School of Medicine.

    Dr. Devi spent several years at the Veterans Affairs Hospitals treating combat veterans. Dr. Devi has also been a medical news contributor for Fox 5 New York and done hundreds of on-air interviews for Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and other national networks.

    Robin Elackatt – Notable achievements in Political Process

    Elackatt was sworn in as the 12th Mayor of City of Missouri City, Texas in December 2020. Elackatt’s public services started by serving on the city’s Parks & Recreation Board from 2007-2009 and as (District C) Council member from 2009-2015.

    Holding MBA and MHA degrees, he served as the Healthcare Administrator of one of the largest Healthcare systems in Houston for over 24 years.

    Nandini Nair – Notable services and Achievements in Legal Services

    Nair is a partner and co-chair of the Immigration and Naturalization practice group and serves on the Management Committee at Greenspoon Marder LLP.

    Nair focuses her practice on the analysis and processing of US visas, employment-based and family-based applications, naturalization applications and other immigration benefits.

    Nair was featured on TV Asia’s weekly series, “Bridge to Immigration”, which she co-wrote, and is ranked among the “Top Lawyers in New Jersey Immigration” by Chambers & Partners.

    Chandrika Kurup – Contributions and Achievements in Performing Arts

    Kurup, the director of Noopura Indian Classical Dance School, started her dance career under the guidance of late Kalamandalam Kalyanikutti Amma, a pioneer in Mohiniyattam.

    Later she was introduced to other dance styles like Bharatanattyam, Kuchipuddi and Odissi. Ever since starting her school in New York in 1989, she has continued to teach these various forms of Indian Classical dance thereby passing along our rich, unique and valuable art, culture and history to our youngsters and she has trained more than 2000 students by now.

    Mary Philip – Notable Contributions in Nursing and Community Service

    Philip’s nursing career in America spans over 30 years. Starting as a nurse in the Indian Defense Force, she reached the rank of Lieutenant there.

    As a past President of the Indian Nurses Association of New York, she helped our nurses with various educational and professional opportunities, including scholarships and academic financial support to nursing students in India.

    Philip has contributed her skills to serve not only the Malayalee community, but also the local and national community at large by working as an executive member of several local and national associations.

    Dr. Sabu Varghese and Dr. Blessy Mary Joseph – Special Award for Notable services during the Pandemic in 2020 and 2021

    Varghese is a graduate of a medical school under Kerala university. He did residency at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Currently, he is teaching and attending at Brookdale University Hospital and is doing his private practice at Wholesome Medical PC (former Queens Nassau Cardiology).

    He has affiliations with Northwell Systems and Catholic Hospital Systems. During the Pandemic, Dr. Varghese went out of his way to treat his patients. Joseph is a graduate of Manipal University Medical School. She did residency at Brookdale University Medical Center and is currently doing private practice at Wholesome Medical PC (former Queens Nassau Cardiology). She has affiliations with Northwell Systems and Catholic Hospital Systems

  • GOPIO-CT Celebrates Diwali by Supporting Local Charities

    GOPIO-CT Celebrates Diwali by Supporting Local Charities

    GOPIO-CT officials with guests; from L to R: Anita Mathur, Yashasvi Jhangiani, Viresh Sharma, Dr. thomas Abraham, Kathleen Lombardo, Yelena Klompus, Dr. Jaya Daptadar, Prasad Chintalapudi, Clif McFeely, Srinivas Akarapu and Joe Simon

    STAMFORD, CT (TIP):  The Connecticut Chapter of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO-CT) celebrated Diwali, the Festival of Light, by supporting local charities in Stamford CT. Diwali is celebrated in India and the Indian Diaspora as a celebration of light over darkness and good over evil. In the spirit of the celebration, the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, Connecticut Chapter (GOPIO-CT) invited the community and friends for Diwali Dinner with music and dance at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Stamford, CT, where it donated funds for the local charities. The charities receiving funds were Future 5 of Stamford (https://futurefive.org/) and the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County Inc. (https://www.foodbanklfc.org/). Together, both organizations received $20,000 from GOPIO-CT. The checks were accepted by Future 5 Founder Clif McFeely and Food Bank’s Executive Director Kathleen Lombardo. Future 5 helps underprivileged students in the Stamford High School system. Future 5 envisions a world where all students can be part of a vibrant and supportive community and access the people and resources they need for college, career and life success. Future 5 believes in human potential. In particular, the potential for each and every young person who climbs the stairs to find success in life.

    The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County was originated in 1984 as a program of the Council of Churches and Synagogues. Today the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Inc., is a 501 (c) (3) charity organization serving in the lower Fairfield County’s primary hunger-relief organizations. It provides food to about 90 non-profit agencies and programs that serve low-income people in six town service area through bags of groceries and congregate meals. These include soup kitchens, food pantries, childcare programs, homeless shelters, senior centers, domestic violence safe houses, and rehabilitation programs. A special guest at the event was Ms. Yelena Klompus, Program Manager for English Language Learning (ELL), Citizenship & Cultural Programs at Stamford’s Public Library known as The Ferguson Library. The library is planning a Diwali program in cooperation with GOPIO-CT on Sunday, November 14th at 1.30 p.m. Klompus invited everyone to join the program

    A music program organized by GOPIO Vice President Dr. Jaya Daptardar followed with singers from Connecticut and included Srini Gunupuru, Devangi Dharani, Div Pithadia, Dipti Haria and Sonali Joshi.

    GOPIO-CT also announced that it will support one more local charity at a fundraiser at its Holiday Party in December.

    “One of the objectives GOPIO is to support local community groups which do service to the larger society and GOPIO chapters have been doing a great job in that direction and GOPIO-CT in particular has been supporting several charities in Connecticut,” Said GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham who is the Founder and currently a Trustee of GOPIO-CT. Over the last 15 years, GOPIO-CT, a chapter of GOPIO International has become an active and dynamic organization hosting interactive sessions with policy makers and academicians, community events, youth mentoring and networking workshops, and working with other area organizations to help create a better future. GOPIO-CT – Global Organization of People of Indian Origin – serves as a non-partisan, secular, civic and community service organization – promoting awareness of Indian culture, customs and contributions of PIOs through community programs, forums, events and youth activities. It seeks to strengthen partnerships and create an ongoing dialogue with local communities.

  • Are Covid-19 boosters the same as the original vaccines?

    Are Covid-19 boosters the same as the original vaccines? Yes, Covid-19 boosters use the same recipe as the original shots, despite the emergence of the more contagious delta variant.

    The vaccines weren’t tweaked to better match delta because they’re still working well. The vaccines work by training your body to recognise and fight the spike protein that coats the coronavirus and helps it invade the body’s cells. Delta’s mutations fortunately weren’t different enough to escape detection. The increased protection you might get from a booster adjusted to better match the delta or other variants would be marginal, says Dr Paul Goepfert, director of the Alabama Vaccine Research Clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

    Manufacturing doses with a new formula would have also delayed the rollout of boosters.

    Moderna and Pfizer are studying boosters tweaked for the delta and other variants to be ready if one’s ever needed. Health authorities would have to decide if and when a vaccine formula swap would be worthwhile.

    “What we don’t know,” Goepfert noted, “is if you have a delta vaccine compared to the regular vaccine, does it actually work better in preventing transmission or asymptomatic infection?”

    The US has authorized booster doses of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for certain people, and a few other countries also are using boosters of those shots or other Covid-19 vaccines.

                    Source: AP

  • Coffee can do wonders for your skin

    Coffee is usually associated with waking people up in the morning, but it can also perk up your skin. The caffeine in coffee has a number of benefits for your skin, from treating redness and inflammation, to reducing the appearance of under-eye circles, to getting rid of cellulite. By incorporating caffeine into your skin care routine, you can reveal evenly toned, smooth skin all over your body.

    Reduces Inflammation

    Caffeine has potent anti-inflammatory properties that make it ideal for reducing inflammation and redness in your skin. In a 1981 study performed at the Seoul National University, researchers found that caffeine is able to reduce inflammation almost as well as aspirin in rats; in a 1978 performed at the University of Tennessee, researchers found that adding caffeine to anti-inflammatory creams significantly increased their effectiveness. Overall, use of skin care products containing caffeine will reduce and prevent inflammation and redness, leaving you with a beautiful, even skin tone.

    Helps get rid of under-eye circles

    Dark under-eye circles can be caused by a number of factors, including dehydration, allergies, lack of sleep or genetics. Although caffeine cannot completely erase hereditary dark circles, applying caffeine under your eyes will reduce the puffiness and inflammation associated with dark circles. Additionally, caffeine reduces the build-up of blood under your eyes which contributes to dark shadows. Several eye creams contain caffeine, or you can apply moist tea bags to your eyes for five minutes to reduce puffiness and give you a more alert appearance.

    Gets rid of cellulite

    Caffeine can also reduce the appearance of cellulite. In a 2008 study performed at the University of São Paulo, researchers found that an application of skin cream containing caffeine to cellulite reduced the size of cellulite fat cells by 17 percent. In addition, a 2007 study performed at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro found that caffeine cream applied to cellulite decreased the hip’s diameter in almost 70 percent of participants.

  • Use coconut, argan oil for smooth lips

    Use coconut, argan oil for smooth lips

    Winter can be a brutal time of the year for your lips. During the cold winter season, there are various skin problems which emerge like dry cracked lips and skin. Besides drinking water it is important to use coconut and argan oil based products like lip balms, scrubs, lipsticks with the natural oils as its base to save your lips from chapping, suggest experts.

    Don’t lick your lips

    This common practice is quite harmful for your lips as when you put saliva on the lips, it dries out and make our lips even more dry.

    Use coconut oil

    Coconut oil is very good for lips as it acts as a good nourishing moisturiser and will give you cracked free lips. For a deep hydrating result we recommend butterstick lip treatment which has coconut oil and lemon butter and comes with SPF.

    Use argan oil

    The thin skin of your lips loses moisture rapidly, especially in the winter. So make sure lips are covered with lip balm as often as possible. Argan oil is your lips best friend. Make sure you use lipsticks with argan oil or shea butter so that your lips don’t crack in the cold.

    Try lip scrub

    Our lips are not protected by hair or sebaceous glands (oil glands), so they start to chap, therefore weekly exfoliation is a must. Lip scrub works great to gently exfoliate dry lips. For a homemade lip scrub, mix brown sugar and honey and gently scrub lips until the sugar crystals melt. Wash and pat dry.

    Keep a gloss handy

    If you’re a matte enthusiast, and your lips begin to feel dry, always keep a gloss handy. Start your make-up routine by moisturising your lips for which you can use the good old Vaseline. Keep it on for a minute, blot the excess and go ahead with the lipstick application.

    Use a lip balm

    This will lock in the moisture and help to heal cracks and splits in the skin. Look for a healing ointment that contains petrolatum, essential oils or glycerin. Another important ingredient is sunscreen —  there still is sun in the winter.

    Avoid lip balms containing camphor, eucalyptus and menthol. These substances actually dry out your lips and make the problem worse. In response, you apply more of this kind of lip balm, and the cycle continues.

    Avoid brushing or rubbing your lips when they are flaky or peeling. “It’s better not to scrub your lips or pick the peeling skin off with your teeth or your fingers. That just creates cracks and sores on your lips and can make things worse,” Dr. Piliang says. “Instead, apply a very heavy ointment-based balm that will be soothing and help to heal your lips.”

    Treat cracks right away

    If you let them go, they can become worse and possibly get infected or lead to a cold sore.

    At night, apply lip balm before you go to bed. Many people sleep with their mouths open. Eight hours of breathing in and out through your mouth can dry your lips, Dr. Piliang says. Also consider using a humidifier at night if the air in your house is dry because of being heated.

  • Lemon Chicken

    Lemon Chicken

    Ingredients

    6 chicken thighs without skin, 3-4 Tbsp refined oil, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 2 onions  julienned, 6 cloves garlic chopped, 1/2 inch ginger chopped, 3-4 hot green chillies, 3/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, Salt to taste, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup fresh sugarcane juice, Fresh coriander to garnish.

    Method

    –              Heat a heavy cooking vessel on a high heat and once its hot, add the refined oil and swirl the pan to coat the base evenly. Once the oil is nice and hot, add the cumin seeds and saute them until crackling and fragrant.

    –              Now add the onions, garlic and ginger and sauté them gently until they take on a light golden brown color. Turn up the heat and then add the spice powders. Toast the spices on a high heat until they are intensely aromatic and well toasted. Then add a little water and bhuno the base ingredients repeatedly until the oil rises to the top and the masala is well cooked out.

    –              Add some salt and mix well, then add the chicken thighs to the pan. Turn up the heat and fry the chicken in the masala until it is evenly coated with the flavor of the base and is a very light yellowy golden brown in color.

    –              Now add the lemon and orange juice to the chicken and deglaze the pan well, scraping up the flavor packed pan deposits on the base of the pan. Stir everything together well to combine, then add a little sugarcane juice to balance the acidity of the lemon juice.

    –              Bring the chicken to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover the pan and let the chicken simmer away until it is cooked to perfection and almost falling off the bone.

    –              Once the chicken is cooked, uncover the pan and simmer the light gravy until slightly reduced and concentrated in flavor. Turn off the heat, then garnish with fresh coriander and serve with hot rotis or rice.

  • Kristen Stewart gets engaged to Dylan Meyer

    Kristen Stewart gets engaged to Dylan Meyer

    Hollywood actress Kristen Stewart has got engaged to Dylan Meyer after two years of dating. The Twilight star shared the news of her engagement during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show.

    The actress said, “We’re marrying, we’re totally gonna do it. I wanted to be proposed to, so I think I very distinctly carved out what I wanted and she nailed it. We’re marrying, it’s happening.”

    The rumours of the couple being together started first in 2019 when the actress and the screenwriter were clicked sharing a kiss in New York. While being on the show, Kristen also said that she is in love and that she would “absolutely” propose. Recently, Dylan had shared an adorable picture of herself with Kristen, in which they could be seen twinning in white and for the caption she wrote, “Awful proud of this hard-working princess.” Meanwhile, Stewart will next be seen in Spencer, in which she is playing the role of Princess Diana.

  • Eternals star Salma Hayek says she’s ‘very nervous’ to visit India

    Eternals star Salma Hayek says she’s ‘very nervous’ to visit India

    Eternals star Salma Hayek has expressed her wish to visit India. The actor, in a recent interview, said she dreams of visiting the country with her mother and daughter. However, she confessed she is ‘nervous’ about her visit. Salma Hayek is making her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut with Eternals. She plays Ajak in the film, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao. In an interview with India Today, Salma said, “I think I am going to come visit pretty soon. I have a dream of taking my mother and daughter and going on a journey through India. Except, I am very nervous because there are so many places and every time I ask someone if there are generations of girls, where should they start their visit, I get confused. But next time I have a break, maybe I will do this.” While fans wait for Salma to visit India, Marvel has included a nod to Bollywood in Eternals. The film features Kumail Nanjiani as an Eternal playing a Bollywood star. The film also features a Bollywood dance sequence, with a Hindi song titled Nach Mera Hero. A snippet of the scene was shared by Marvel on Twitter.

  • Dwayne Johnson pledges to stop using real guns during shoots

    Dwayne Johnson’s new movie titled Red Notice, also starring Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, is set to be released on Netflix on November 12. The movie is touted to be an action-packed film having significant firearm sequences. Now, ahead of the release, owning to the recent tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Alec Baldwin’s film Rust, Johnson has reportedly pledged to stop using real firearms on all projects that are produced by his company. The actor said, “First of all, I was heartbroken. We lost a life. My heart goes out to her family and everybody on the set. I’ve known Alec for a very long time. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I can tell you at Seven Bucks Productions, any movie, any television show, or anything we do or produce, we won’t use real guns at all.”

  • Maharashtra: Nawab Malik, Devendra Fadnavis trade allegations over drug and underworld links

    Maharashtra: Nawab Malik, Devendra Fadnavis trade allegations over drug and underworld links

    MUMBAI (TIP): The political slugfest over the working of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) took another turn on with allegations flying between NCP spokesperson and minister Nawab Malik and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. A day after tweeting a photograph of Fadnavis’s wife Amruta with an alleged drug peddler, Jaideep Rana, Malik demanded a probe either by the CBI or a judicial inquiry into Fadnavis’s alleged nexus with a drug peddler.

    “I have tweeted two pictures of Rana, one with Amruta and another with Devendra Fadnavis. It was not a coincidence or taken on the sidelines of an event. It appears that Rana knows the Fadnavis family for a long time. He was the main financier of the project (the River Anthem song featuring Amruta Fadnavis). A known drug peddler, Rana has been arrested under the NDPS Act and is currently in Sabarmati jail,” Malik said.

    Soon after, Fadnavis hit back, alleging Malik had links with the underworld.

    Nawab Malik attempted a ‘fuska fataka’ (dud cracker), but now, after Diwali, I will drop a bomb! I will expose his underworld links and will send all evidence to Shri Sharad Pawar ji too,” Devendra Fadnavis tweeted on Monday after Nawab Malik alleged the former CM had links with drug peddlers.

    Apparently, the picture of alleged peddler Jaideep Rana was taken during shooting of the River Anthem song, featuring Amruta, Devendra Fadnavis, then finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, and a few bureaucrats.

    Rana was allegedly finance head of the project. After Malik tweeted pictures of Rana with the Fadnavis family, his name was removed from the video description, Malik alleged. “It’s time to discuss the relationship between drug peddlers and BJP. I have reasons to believe it was during the tenure of Devendra Fadnavis that Maharashtra witnessed a sudden growth in drug peddling,” Malik said.

    The former CM, who called a press conference, retorted, “Not only my wife, people clicked pictures with me as well. These people had come with the organisers of River March. Merely because pictures are clicked does not mean we are associated with them.”

    Fadnavis added, “Malik’s son-in-law was caught with drugs. This has happened in his house. The way Malik said that the entire BJP is associated with the drug mafia, then applying his ratio, does that mean the entire NCP is a drug mafia? To release a picture of my wife shows his mentality.”

    Malik said that Fadnavis was hatching a conspiracy to defame his political opponents and supervising appointments in probe agencies like the NCB “for cheap publicity”. “Look at the appointment of NCB’s Sameer Wankhede. Most of the raids conducted by Wankhede are fake,” he reiterated. Malik took a dig at vice-chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes, Arun Haldar, saying he had granted a clean chit to Wankhede without verifying documents. “I am told Haldar visited the residence of Wankhede, glanced through a few documents shown by him and granted him a clean chit. Why so much hurry, particularly when Haldar is holding a constitutional post?” Malik asked. Opposition leader in the council Pravin Darekar said Malik is a “complete failure and hence was making allegations. He demanded Malik’s resignation as minister.

                    Source: TOI

  • Bypolls 2021: Setback for BJP

    Bypolls 2021: Setback for BJP

    New Delhi (TIP): Of the 30 assembly bypoll results declared on November 2, the BJP won seven seats, the Congress won eight seats and regional parties 15. Nine of these regional parties are NDA allies. Despite being in power, BJP lost all three seats in Himachal and one each in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. All other ruling parties won. It makes BJP’s clean sweep in Assam, with bigger margins, very significant. In Assam, the ruling BJP and its ally, the UPPL, won all five seats where bypolls were held. In states like West Bengal, Assam and Rajasthan, the respective ruling parties displayed a firm grip on power, winning all seats where bypolls were held.

    By-elections were also held on three Lok Sabha constituencies spread over Madhya Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Himachal Pradesh. In Madhya Pradesh, the polls were held for the Raigaon (SC), Prithvipur and Jobat (ST) assembly segments and the Khandwa Lok Sabha seat. All seats where bypolls were held had lost their incumbents to Covid. While the BJP wrested Prithvipur and Jobat from the Congress, it lost Raigaon to the Congress. The BJP now has a net gain of one assembly seat in the Vidhan Sabha, taking their tally to 127 seats, and the Congress’s to 96 in the 230-member House. The BJP also retained the Khandwa Lok Sabha seat. While the loss of Prithvipur and Jobat came as a shock to the Congress, the BJP’s victories here also have an inherent message for the original BJP cadre. In both seats, the BJP bet on defectors—Sulochana Rawat, who jumped ship from the Congress and won Jobat for the BJP; and Shishupal Yadav, who came from the Samajwadi Party and delivered Prithvipur. At the end of the day, it was the BJP’s superior poll management and sheer hard work that helped them win an extra seat. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held 24 public meetings in the three assembly segments during the campaign period while former CM Kamal Nath held fewer public meetings. Chouhan, in fact, stayed the last five nights of his campaigning period in the various poll-bound areas. That the results would have been analysed as a measure of Chouhan’s popularity, or lack thereof, was known to him. Political gossip has, in the past, led the BJP to change CMs in several states and political watchers wondered whether that would be the case in MP too, but the results have brought relief to Chouhan, especially because of the BJP’s loss in Himachal Pradesh. “The BJP’s victory in Prithvipur and Jobat is historical. We were told the BJP cannot win these seats. That it was pointless working hard there. The results are for all to see,” Chouhan told the media. The Congress in the state said that the BJP’s victories were a result of administrative highhandedness. “We respect the mandate and will analyse the results. The Congress was not only competing against the BJP but also against its money and muscle power. There were massive and multiple poll code violations and complaints were made to the Election Commission, who did not act on them,” said Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja.

    Interestingly, issues such as price rise, especially that of diesel and petrol, did not seem to have an impact on the outcome, although the margin of BJP victory at Khandwa came down substantially from 2.6 lakh in 2019.

    In Rajasthan, Congress retained Vallabh Nagar and snatched Dhariawad from the BJP. The outcome indicates a consistent good performance in the eight by elections chief minister Ashok Gehlot has faced so far since coming to power in 2018. Gehlot has led Congress to win six and given a close fight in another two. The high command’s trust in Gehlot is bound to be cemented further, given his choice of candidates for the bypolls. In Vallabh Nagar, he gave the ticket to Priti Shakhawat, wife of Gajendra Singh, a hardcore Pilot loyalist who had joined the revolt and died last year. For Dhariwad, he chose Nagraj Meena, reading the mood of the region well and not giving the ticket to the kin of MLA who had died resulting in bypolls. The party high command is unlikely to pressure Gehlot into changing his recommendations for ministers and departments in the forthcoming cabinet reshuffle and expansion.

    In West Bengal, the Trinamool looks unstoppable and invincible. It has not only won the bypolls in all of the four Assembly constituencies where elections were held on October 30, but it has won with big margins of over a lakh each in two seats, 93,000 in the third seat and over 60,000 in the fourth. The BJP had to forfeit its deposits in three of the four seats. The party, which had secured two of these four seats just six months ago, lost both—Dinhata by 1,60,000 and the other, Shantipur, by 63,000 votes. With this the Trinamool Congress’s tally in the Assembly becomes 222 and the BJP’s 68. The vote percentage of Trinamool in all these seats was 75 per cent as against the 14 per cent voteshare of the BJP and 7 per cent voteshare of the Left. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has credited the victory to her party’s work on development and the people’s rejection of divisive hate politics. This victory is indeed going to pump up Mamata’s stakes in national politics.

    In Himachal Pradesh, BJP national president J.P. Nadda’s home state, the results in three assembly seats and the Mandi Lok Sabha have come as major embarrassment for the party and has rung alarm bells for chief minister Jairam Thakur almost a year before the state goes to assembly poll. The BJP’s poor performance seems to be a combination of factionalism, anti-incumbency sentiments, price rise and inefficient ticket allocation. By elections at the Mandi Lok Sabha seat in Himachal saw the election of Pratibha Singh, the widow of former CM Virbhadra Singh. Among the assembly segments, Fatehpur and Arki have been traditional Congress strongholds, while Jubbal-Kothkai seems to have gone to the Congress due to denial of ticket to the son of incumbent BJP MLA whose death necessitated the bye elections.

    Apart from detailing the reasons for defeat, the BJP will also have to think through strategy. After its victory, the Congress will be rejuvenated unit and might see the warring groups of Kaul Singh Thakur, Mukesh Agnihotri and others agree to accept leadership of now third time parliamentarian Pratibha Singh.

    In Bihar, with Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) winning the two assembly seats, Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur, where bypolls were held on October 30, the CM has received a shot in the arm after the 2020 assembly elections left his party with a reduced strength in the Bihar assembly. The results have also signaled that Nitish’s political constituency of OBC-EBC-Dalit is still intact despite Tejashwi Yadav’s concerted efforts to take away a chunk of it. The less than 50 per cent turnout of voters in the October 30 bypolls—much less than 54.76 per cent voting observed when assembly polls were held in October 2020 when Covid was a bigger crisis—was seen as a major indicator of a non-existent anti-incumbency in the two constituencies. Tarapur and Kusheshwar Asthan were won by JD(U) in October 2020 and fell vacant when their representatives passed away earlier this year. Though the bypoll results were not meant to be numerically decisive, as the ruling NDA already had a simple majority (126 in a 243-member assembly), RJD under Tejashwi Yadav had made a massive effort to script an upset.                Source: India Today

  • Aryan Khan case officer Sameer Wankhede removed from drugs-on-cruise probe

    New Delhi (TIP): Six cases being investigated by NCB officer Sameer Wankhede – including the Aryan Khan drugs case – have been transferred out of the agency’s Mumbai unit amid allegations of extortion and a Rs 8 crore payoff linked to the case involving Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s son.

    A SIT led by senior police officer Sanjay Singh, a 1996 batch officer from the Odisha cadre, will take over the Aryan Khan case, as well another involving Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik’s son-in-law.

    Malik, who has been relentless in his attacks on the anti-drugs agency and Wankhede, said he had demanded a SIT probe to investigate charges against the senior officer.

    I had demanded an S.I.T probe to investigate Sameer Dawood Wankhede for kidnapping of & ransom demand from Aryan Khan.

    Now 2 S.I.Ts are constituted (state & centre), let us see who brings out the skeletons from the closet of Wankhede and exposes him and his nefarious private army

    The Narcotics Control Bureau, in a statement released yesterday evening, and signed by Sanjay Singh, has stressed: “No officer or officers have been REMOVED from their present roles”.

    Shortly after news broke that the cases were being shifted, Mr Wankhede told NDTV “I have not been removed from anywhere” and that he had asked for the cases to be transferred out.

    “I’ve not been removed from investigation. It was my writ petition in the Bombay High Court that the matter be probed by a central agency like the CBI or NIA. Based on that, a SIT has now been formed under the leadership of a senior officer…” he told NDTV over the phone.

    Sameer Wankhede is at the centre of a storm after accusations from Nawab Malik and Prabhakar Sail, a NCB witness in the Aryan Khan case, brought his record and handling of cases into question.

    Last week, amid a flurry of criticism and scrutiny, the anti-drugs agency publicly backed the senior officer, citing an “impeccable service record… replete with honesty and integrity”.

    Simultaneously, however, the agency also initiated an internal probe; a five-member team headed by Deputy Director-General Gyaneshwar Singh did visit Mumbai last week, and took down Mr Wankhede’s statement, but left without speaking to Prabhakar Sail.

    The agency’s backing came after Mr Sail filed an affidavit saying he overheard a conversation between his employer KP Gosavi (another agency witness, whose selfie with Aryan after his arrest raised more questions about the NCB’s case), SRK’s manager Pooja Dadlani, and a Sam D’Souza this month.     Source: NDTV

  • BJP’s apex body to discuss 2022 poll strategy on November 7

    On Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) key decision-making body, the national executive committee (NEC), will congregate to discuss the upcoming assembly elections in five states, including the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh, the party’s performance in the recent by-elections in 14 states, and the overall sentiment in the country over the Union government’s handling of the economy and Covid-19. According to people aware of the details, the meeting will take stock of the party’s electoral strategy for the upcoming elections in the wake of the bypoll results that have sounded an alarm for the BJP in states such as Himachal Pradesh. While the BJP won all five assembly seats in Assam, bagged two from the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and lost one; its performance in Himachal Pradesh, where the party drew a blank in three assembly and one Lok Sabha seat, was a big setback. There was more embarrassment in store for the party in Rajasthan where its candidates were relegated to the third and the fourth spot.

  • India adds 10,929 Covid cases, 392 deaths

    India on Saturday, Nov 6,  recorded 10,929 fresh coronavirus cases that took its infection tally to 3,43,44,683, while 392 more fatalities pushed the death toll to 4,60,265, according to Union health ministry data.

    The number of active cases came down to 1,46,950 from 1,48,922 on Friday, the data updated at 8 am showed.

    The daily rise in Covid cases has been below 20,000 for 29 straight days. Less than 50,000 daily cases have been reported for 132 consecutive days now.

    The active cases comprise 0.43 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March last year. The national recovery rate stands at 98.23 per cent, the highest since March last year, the ministry said.

    The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.35 per cent. It has remained below 2 per cent for the last 33 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.27 per cent. It remained below 2 per cent for the last 43 days, the data stated.

    Of the total 4,60,265 deaths, 1,40,362 were from Maharashtra, 38,102 from Karnataka, 36,204 from Tamil Nadu, 33,048 from Kerala, 25,091 from Delhi, 22,903 from Uttar Pradesh and 19,201 from West Bengal.

    Kerala has reconciled 268 deaths from the previous period, officials said, adding that the state reported 46 deaths the previous day.

  • India in history this Week-November 5 to November 11, 2021

    India in history this Week-November 5 to November 11, 2021

    05 NOVEMBER

    1556       In the second battle of Panipat, the Mughal ruler Akbar defeated Hemu.

    1920       Indian Red Cross Society was established.

    1961       India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited New York.

    2001       India and Russia rejected the Taliban’s participation in the Afghan government.

    1870       The great freedom fighter Chittaranjan Das was born.

    06 NOVEMBER

    1763       The British army defeated Meerkasim and captured Patna.

    1913       Mahatma Gandhi led ‘The Great March’ against apartheid policies in South Africa.

    1998       India’s proposal for ceasefire in Siachen rejected by Pakistan

    1943       During the Second World War, Japan handed over Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

    1962       National Defense Council was established.

    2000       Jyoti Basu stepped down after being Chief Minister of West Bengal for 23 consecutive years.

    07 NOVEMBER

    1858       Bipin Chandra Pal, the great revolutionary who fought against the British, was born on 7 November.

    1862       Bahadur Shah II, the last ruler of the Mughal Sultanate, died in Rangoon.

    1876       Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed the song Vande Mataram in a village called Kantal Pada in Bengal.

    1888       Renowned scientist Chandrashekhar Venkata Raman was born.

    2006       India and ASEAN agreed to create a fund for the development of science and technology.

    2008       The famous poet Rahman Rahi of Kashmir was conferred with the Jnanpith Award.

    1711       The ship of the Dutch East India Company sank all of the 300 crew.

    1978       Indira Gandhi was re-elected to the Indian Parliament.

    08 NOVEMBER

    1661       Sikh religious teacher Har Rai died.

    2008       India’s first unmanned space mission Chandrayaan-1 reached the lunar orbit.

    2016       Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation and 500,1000 notes were discontinued. After that, new 2000 notes were issued.

    1999       Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar set a world record by sharing 331 runs in a one-day cricket match.

    2005       Criticized the terrorist actions of Palestinian organizations in India and the repression of Israel.

    1627       The Mughal ruler Jahangir died.

    1920       India’s famous Kathak dancer Sitara Devi was born.

    09 NOVEMBER

    1236       The Mughal ruler Ruknuddin Firoz Shah was assassinated.

    1270       The great saint Namdev was born.

    1947       Junagadh state merged into India.

    1960       First Indian Air Force Chief Subroto Mukherjee died.

    2000       Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh and made a new state.

    10 NOVEMBER

    2001       Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed the United Nations General Assembly.

    2013       The famous Rajasthani language litterateur Vijaydan Detha passed away.

    1978       Rohini Khandilkar became the first woman to win the National Chess Championship.

    2008       India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by defeating Australia 2–0.

    2008       Giving strategic depth to India-Qatar relations, the two countries signed the Defense and Security Agreement.

    11 NOVEMBER

    1888       Freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was born in Saudi Arabia.

    1973       The first international postage exhibition started in New Delhi.

    1889       Freedom fighter Jamnalal Bajaj was born in 1889.

    1943       Indian nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar was born in 1943.

  • Indian American MD Anderson professor working to improve cancer treatment

    Indian American MD Anderson professor working to improve cancer treatment

    HOUSTON (TIP): Navin Varadarajan, an Indian American MD Anderson Professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Houston hopes to make revolutionary cancer treatment immunotherapy even better.

    Varadarajan will use a $1.8 million grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to develop and validate what he calls Multiscale Intelligent Convergence (MusIC), according to a university press release.

    MusIC will integrate advances in molecular profiling, dynamic cellular imaging and artificial intelligence (AI) to offer unprecedented insights into the function of immune cells being prepared for immunotherapy.

    Varadarajan’s collaborators on the project include Badri Roysam, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen University Professor and Chair of electrical and computer engineering at UH; Hien Van Nguyen, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at UH; and Sattva Neelapu, a medical doctor at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

    “MusIC will provide multi-scale data from molecules to subcellular dynamics to cell-cell interaction biology on the same cells across thousands of cells,” said Varadarjan.

    “Given the heterogeneity in the composition of cells being used for ACT, it serves as the ideal system for the development and validation of MusIC. By validating it directly on patient samples, we will be able to identify attributes of cells essential for patient benefit.” He anticipates that successful implementation will enable the validation of MusIC as a platform for studying multi-scale cell biology which, in turn, will lead to more reliable biomanufacturing of T cell infusion products and engineering more potent immune cells that can have a broad impact on immunotherapy. “Since cellular infusion products are a heterogeneous mixture of cells, mapping the complexity of the population requires the ability to identify the function and molecular profiles of cells at single-cell resolution,” said Varadarajan. “Our objective is to develop and rigorously validate a transformative technology that integrates cellular functions and activities with their deep molecular signatures at single-cell resolution in high-throughput.” Immunotherapy works by harnessing the power of the immune system and its ability to recognize and eliminate cancer cells, according to the release. Much of that power resides within T cells, a type of white blood cell which protects the body from infection and clears out mutant cells when recognized by T cell receptors. In fact, genetically engineering T cells for redirecting immune responses has recently received approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Although this Adoptive Cell Therapy (ACT), based on infusing in vitro expanded T cells bearing either T cell receptors or chimeric antigen receptors has demonstrated dramatic and durable responses, patient responses vary widely. Recent data indicate that variability in the manufactured T cell products may be the primary determinant of clinical success, the release said.

  • Indian American Aftab Pureval elected as Cincinnati mayor

    Indian American Aftab Pureval elected as Cincinnati mayor

    COLUMBUS, OH (TIP): In a historic win, Indian American lawyer Aftab Pureval, 39, has been elected mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, in Tuesday, November 2 election to become the first Asian American chosen to lead the city.

    Son of an Indian father and a Tibetan mother, Pureval defeated David Mann, a city councilor and fellow Democrat who previously served as mayor and in Congress, 66% to 34% with all precincts counted, media reported citing unofficial results. Pureval will succeed term-limited Mayor John Cranley, who is seeking Ohio’s Democratic nomination for governor in 2022.

    “Words can’t express how honored and excited I am to be the next Mayor of Cincinnati,” Pureval said in a tweet late Tuesday. “Tonight, we made history! Let’s get to work!”

    He spoke in his acceptance speech about his parents’ coming to the US as refugees from India in search of a better life for him and his brother.

    “Because of that incredible decision, my family went from refugees to now the next mayor of Cincinnati,” Pureval said. “Folks, that story only happens here in Cincinnati.”

    “Cincinnati is a place where no matter what you look like, where you’re from, or how much money you have if you come here and work hard, you can achieve your dreams. I achieved mine. Thank you so much.”

    Mann conceded the race to Pureval at 10 p.m. and congratulated him on his win.

    “Congratulations to Aftab on his well-deserved victory. I have spoken with him and wish him nothing but the best, and it has been the honor of my lifetime to serve this community as a councilman, mayor, and member of congress throughout my career. Thank you, Cincinnati!” Mann tweeted.

    Viewed as a rising political star in the state, Pureval was elected clerk of courts in 2016 after running ads with a stuffed duck quacking his name — “Aftab!” — in a campaign reminiscent of the old Aflac insurance commercials, NBC reported.

    Pureval, a former federal prosecutor and in-house attorney for Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble, was a prized recruit for a competitive House seat in 2018 but lost to Rep. Steve Chabot, a long-entrenched Republican.

    Before launching his mayoral campaign, he expressed interest in running for the seat that Republican Sen. Rob Portman is giving up next year. During their final debate last month, Pureval pledged to serve a full four-year term as mayor. Tuesday’s election followed a nonpartisan September primary in which Pureval and Mann were the top two finishers, setting up a stark generational clash in the runoff.