The Indian Panorama

Month: November 2023

  • F.B.I. Raids Home of Eric Adams’s Fund-Raising Chief

    F.B.I. Raids Home of Eric Adams’s Fund-Raising Chief

    • The raid at the home of Brianna Suggs was part of an inquiry into whether foreign money from Turkey was funneled into his campaign.

    NEW YORK (TIP): Federal prosecutors and the F.B.I. are conducting a broad public corruption investigation into whether Mayor Eric Adams’s 2021 election campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign donations, according to New York Times which claimed it was in possession of a copy of the search warrant. The New York Times reported that the investigation burst into public view on Thursday, November 2,  when federal agents conducted an early-morning raid at the Brooklyn home of the mayor’s chief fund-raiser, Brianna Suggs. Ms. Suggs is a campaign consultant who is deeply entwined with efforts to advance the mayor’s agenda. Investigators also sought to learn more about the potential involvement of a Brooklyn construction company with ties to Turkey, as well as a small university in Washington, D.C., that also has ties to the country and to Mr. Adams. According to the search warrant, investigators were also focused on whether the mayor’s campaign kicked back benefits to the construction company’s officials and employees, and to Turkish officials.

    The agents seized three iPhones and two laptop computers, along with papers and other evidence, including something agents identified as “manila folder labeled Eric Adams,” seven “contribution card binders” and other materials, according to the documents. There was no indication that the investigation was targeting the mayor, and he is not accused of wrongdoing. Yet the raid apparently prompted him to abruptly cancel several meetings scheduled for Thursday morning in Washington, D.C., where he planned to speak with White House officials and members of Congress about the migrant crisis. Instead, he hurriedly returned to New York “to deal with a matter,” a spokesman for the mayor said.

    “The mayor heard of an issue related to the campaign and takes these issues seriously, so wanted to get back to New York as quickly as possible,” Fabien Levy, the deputy mayor for communications, said in a statement Thursday evening. “He plans to return to D.C. and reschedule these meetings as soon as he can.”

    The warrant suggested that some of the foreign campaign contributions were made as part of a straw donor scheme, where donations are made in the names of people who did not actually give money. Investigators sought evidence to support potential charges that included the theft of federal funds and conspiracy to steal federal funds, wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy, as well as campaign contributions by foreign nationals and conspiracy to make such contributions. Mr. Adams has boasted of his ties to Turkey, most recently during a flag-raising he hosted for the country in Lower Manhattan last week. The mayor said that there were probably no other mayors in New York City history who had visited Turkey as frequently as he has.

    “I think I’m on my sixth or seventh visit,” he said. At least one of those visits happened while he was Brooklyn borough president, when the government of Turkey underwrote the excursion, The Daily News reported.

    Ms. Suggs, who could not be reached for comment, is an essential cog in Mr. Adams’s fund-raising machine, which has already raised more than $2.5 million for his 2025 re-election campaign.

    A person with knowledge of the raid said agents from one of the public corruption squads in the F.B.I.’s New York office questioned Ms. Suggs during the search of her home.

    An F.B.I. spokesman confirmed that “we are at that location carrying out law enforcement action,” referring to Ms. Suggs’s home in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn.

    (With inputs from agencies)

     

  • India defends abstention in UNGA on ceasefire in Gaza

    India defends abstention in UNGA on ceasefire in Gaza

    NEW DELHI / NEW YORK (TIP): The government defended its decision to abstain in a U.N. General Assembly vote on resolution that called for a humanitarian truce and ceasefire in Gaza, saying it did not include “explicit condemnation” of the October 7 terror attacks in Israel. A note circulated by government sources responding to criticism from Opposition members about the vote said that since India’s concerns over omissions had not been covered by the final text of the resolution, it had decided to abstain. “There can be no equivocation on terror,” the sources said, calling India’s position “steadfast and consistent”.

    The resolution, titled the “Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations”, proposed by Jordan on behalf of the Arab League and co-sponsored by about 40 countries, was passed in the UNGA on October 27 with 120 votes in favor, 14 including the U.S. and U.K. against, and 45 abstentions, including India. In its explanation of vote (EoV), France also objected to the omission of references to the October 7 attacks as well as the hostages taken, but in a break from its western allies, voted for the resolution saying “nothing can justify the suffering of civilians. All victims deserve our compassion, all lives are equal and there is no hierarchy between them”. The resolution adopted had condemned “all acts of violence aimed at Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including all acts of terrorism and indiscriminate attacks, as well as all acts of provocation, incitement and destruction”, without specifically referring to the terror attacks by Hamas earlier this month that left more than 1,400 Israelis dead and 229 taken hostage. In three weeks of retaliatory strikes by Israeli Defense Forces, the Health Ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza has estimated that at least 7,700 Palestinians have been killed, around half of which are children.

    In the EoV delivered by India’s Deputy Permanent Representative Yojana Patel, India had called for condemnation of the attacks and for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.

    “Terrorism is a malignancy and knows no borders, nationality, or race. The world should not buy into any justification of terror acts,” Ms. Patel said, before addressing the death toll from the IDF bombardment of Gaza.

    “Casualties in the ongoing conflict in Gaza are a telling, serious, and continuing concern. Civilians, especially women and children are paying with their lives,” Ms. Patel said, referring to the aid efforts to help Palestinians who have been evacuated from North Gaza to the south, which India is also a part of.

    Significantly, in its own EoV, India did not name Hamas directly either. India had however backed an earlier amendment proposed by Canada to add a paragraph that would “unequivocally reject and condemn the terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting on 7 October 2023”, and call for hostages to be released. The amendment was not approved as only 88 countries, less than the two-thirds required, voted for it.

    India’s vote, that differed from a previous vote in favor of a UNGA resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in 2018 and other similar votes in the past, was criticized by Opposition parties who accused the government of “refusing to take a stand”. “This is a humanitarian issue, not a political one,” said All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, pointing out that India’s abstention stood “alone” and apart from the position of countries in the “Global South, in South Asia & in BRICS”, all of whom had voted for the resolution.

    “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”, said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra quoting Mahatma Gandhi. “To refuse to take a stand and watch in silence as every law of humanity is pulverized goes against everything our country has stood for throughout its life as a nation,” she wrote in a social media post. The Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s Sitaram Yechury and CPI’s D. Raja issued a joint statement, saying that India’s abstention “negates its long-standing support to the Palestinian cause”, accusing the government of following a foreign policy “shaped by being a subordinate ally of U.S. imperialism”

    Government sources said however that India had stressed its “consistent stand on Palestine”, saying in the EoV that India supports a negotiated two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine issue and the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine, urging the parties to de-escalate the violence, and return to direct peace negotiations.

    (Source: The Hindu)

     

     

  • Antony Blinken and Llyod Austin to travel to India for 2 plus 2 ministerial dialogue

    Antony Blinken and Llyod Austin to travel to India for 2 plus 2 ministerial dialogue

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would be travelling to India for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with their Indian counterparts External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi this month, the State Department has said.

    In a statement issued on Wednesday, , November 1, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Blinken’s trip to India comes at the end of a more than a week-long trip – November 2 to November 10 – beginning with Israel and Jordan, following which he would continue with his Indo-Pacific travels to Japan, S Korea and India. The exact dates of his trips to these countries have not been announced. In New Delhi, the US delegation will participate in the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.

    “The delegation will meet with Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, and other senior Indian officials to discuss both bilateral and global concerns and developments in the Indo-Pacific,” Miller said. Blinken is leaving for Tel Aviv on Thursday.

    “In Israel, Blinken will reiterate US support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism consistent with international humanitarian law and discuss efforts to safeguard US citizens in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, work to secure the immediate release of hostages, increase the pace and volume of humanitarian assistance entering Gaza for distribution to Palestinian civilians, and prevent the conflict from spreading,” Miller said.

    In Jordan, he will underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives and their shared commitment to facilitating the increased, sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, the resumption of essential services, and ensuring that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced outside of Gaza.

    “He will also discuss urgent mechanisms to stem violence, calm rhetoric, reduce regional tensions, and reaffirm the US commitment to working with partners to set the conditions necessary for a durable and sustainable peace in the Middle East, to include the establishment of a Palestinian state,” Miller said.

    Blinken will then lead US delegations to Tokyo, Seoul, and New Delhi to advance collaborative efforts to support a free and open Indo-Pacific region that is prosperous, secure, connected, and resilient.

    In Tokyo, he will participate in the second G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of 2023, where G7 foreign ministers will build on the commitments made by leaders at the G7 Hiroshima Summit. Secretary Blinken will also thank Japan for its successful G7 presidency.

    Blinken will also have bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko to discuss bilateral priorities, including supporting Ukraine’s economic recovery and energy needs and strengthening their cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Miller said.

    Blinken will then travel to Seoul to meet with President Yoon Suk Yeol, Foreign Minister Park Jin, and National Security Advisor Cho Tae-yong. “The Secretary will discuss ways the United States and the ROK can respond to global challenges, including Russia’s war against Ukraine and Russia’s growing military cooperation with the DPRK, as well as instability in the Middle East. They will also discuss mutual efforts to support bilateral investment and economic security,” he said.

    “In Tokyo and in Seoul, the Secretary will underscore the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defense of Japan and ROK and reaffirm the importance of robust and sustained trilateral engagement following the historic Camp David Summit in August,” Miller said.

    (Source: PTI)

  • Angelina Jolie slams world leaders, says they are complicit in deaths of thousands in Palestine

    Angelina Jolie slams world leaders, says they are complicit in deaths of thousands in Palestine

    LOS ANGELES (TIP): Angelina Jolie, apart from being an acclaimed Hollywood actress, is also an activist and she has been keeping a close watch on Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas. Taking to her social media, the actress called world leaders complicit in the death of thousands of people in Gaza as they have refused to demand a ceasefire. On her Instagram, the ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ actress shared a picture of the horrifying devastation that has taken place, and wrote a lengthy message critiquing the role of world leaders in their inability to stop the war.

    She wrote: “This is the deliberate bombing of a trapped population who have nowhere to flee. Gaza has been an open-air prison for nearly two decades and is fast becoming a mass grave.”

    She added: “40 per cent of those killed are innocent children. Whole families are being murdered. While the world watches and with the active support of many governments, millions of Palestinian civilians – children, women, families – are being collectively punished and dehumanized, all while being deprived food, medicine and humanitarian aid against international law. By refusing to demand a humanitarian ceasefire and blocking the UN Security Council from imposing one on both parties, world leaders are complicit in these crimes.”

    (Source: IANS)

  • Indian-origin author Nandini Das wins 2023 British Academy Book Prize

    Indian-origin author Nandini Das wins 2023 British Academy Book Prize

    LONDON (TIP): India-born author Nandini Das has been named the winner of the 2023 British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding, a leading international non-fiction prize worth GBP 25,000, for her book ‘Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire’.

    The UK-based academic’s debut work, described as the “true origin story of Britain and India told through England’s first diplomatic mission to the Mughal courts”, was revealed as this year’s winner at a ceremony at the British Academy in London on Tuesday evening.

    As a Professor in the English faculty at the University of Oxford, the 49-year-old author has sought to present a new perspective on the origins of empire through the story of the arrival of the first English ambassador in India, Sir Thomas Roe, in the early 17th century. “By using contemporary sources by Indian and British political figures, officials and merchants she has given the story an unparalleled immediacy that brings to life these early encounters and the misunderstandings that sometimes threatened to wreck the whole endeavor,” said Professor Charles Tripp, Chair of the prize jury. “At the same time, she grants us a privileged vantage point from which we can appreciate how a measure of mutual understanding did begin to emerge, even though it was vulnerable to the ups and downs of Mughal politics and to the restless ambitions of the British,” he said.

    He described how through her beautiful writing and exceptional research, the jury was drawn to the contrast between an impoverished, insecure Britain and the flourishing, confident Mughal Empire and the often-amusing, sometimes querulous exchanges between their various representatives.

    The British Academy Book Prize, formerly known as the Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize, was established in 2013 to reward and celebrate the best works of non-fiction that demonstrate rigor and originality and have contributed to public understanding of other world cultures and their interaction. Das will receive GBP 25,000 for winning the prize.

  • Indian Punjabi girl murdered in UK; husband arrested

    Indian Punjabi girl murdered in UK; husband arrested

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): Relatives of Mehak Sharma (19), who was found murdered at her residence in Croydon in South London, have claimed that her husband had repeatedly been threatening her with dire consequences and, on Sunday, he murdered her. Mehak was a resident of Jogi Cheema village in Gurdaspur district of Punjab. She was married to Gurdaspur resident Sahil Sharma (23) on June 24 last year. The girl, according to her mother Madhu Bala, had gone to London five months after she tied the knot with Sahil.

    Sahil is a resident of New Sant Nagar in Gurdaspur.  He followed his wife to the UK on a spouse visa. Bala said her daughter had told her many times that Sahil had been ill-treating her.

    “Mehak used to ring me up every morning. However, on Sunday, October 29,  I did not receive any call. I thought she must be busy. However, when I did not get a call on Monday, I got panicky. I, subsequently, asked my relative, who lives about 150 km away from Croydon, to visit Mehak and inform me accordingly. It was in the evening that he rang me and told me that the London Metropolitan Police had taken Sahil into custody after being charged with murder of Mehak,” said Madhu Bala.

    Mehak was working as a caretaker with Fabulous Homecare Limited, a home care provider operating out of Croydon. Bala’s husband, Tarlok Chand, had died a few years ago.

    Mehak’s relatives say they have requested Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to make arrangements to bring her body back from the UK. “I have requested the government to step in and ask the Indian High Commission in London to make preparations to ship the body to India,” she said. She added that she had got to know that the London Metropolitan Police had asked people living near Mehak’s house to come forward and provide information which could later help them in their investigations.

  • Indian American physician honored by Jewish group for standing against antisemitism

    Indian American physician honored by Jewish group for standing against antisemitism

    CHICAGO (TIP): An influential Jewish group has felicitated Indian American physician Dr Bharat Barai for his relentless effort to strengthen ties between India, the US and Israel and his stand against antisemitism.

    “We stand with you, our Jewish brothers and sisters,” said Dr Bharat Barai, an ardent advocate of the India-Israel relationship who has made six trips to Israel, adding that the collaborative relationship between the Hindu and the Jewish communities has benefited both. Dr Barai was presented the award “for standing against antisemitism” at the “Campus Championship Gala” of StandWithUS on Sunday,  October 29.

    “Hindus all over the world, along with most of the civilized world have condemned these brutal barbarian Hamas, affirming their solidarity with the Jewish people, and supporting the right of Israel to defend itself and demolish the demand of mass,” Barai said amidst standing ovation from the hall full Jewish people in a suburb of Chicago.

    He hoped that after Hamas is eliminated by Israel, more countries from the Middle East would join the Abraham Accord. Referring to some of the news reports, he said these are by individuals who are misinformed or uninformed or hardcore religiously indoctrinated individuals. These are fabricated narratives, playing the victim card after committing a barbaric atrocity.

    Peggy Shapiro Director of Special Projects “Stand With US” praised Dr Barai for his relentless support of the Jewish communities and the relationship between India, the US and Israel. She referred to the ongoing atrocities against the Jews by Hamas this month.

    “That’s the special level of evil,” said Peggy Shapiro Director of Special Projects “Stand With US” referring to the recent brutalities and atrocities perpetrated by Hamas against innocent Jews in particular young children and calling for the destruction of the only Jewish State. “We are all here in solidarity,” she said, “Never again is not an expired slogan,” she asserted. Born in Mumbai, Dr Barai is a distinguished physician, a respected leader of the Hindu American community, and an outspoken Zionist who helped pave the road for closer ties between Israel and India as well as between the Hindu and Jewish American communities.

    “Dr Barai has been very active in promoting India, US, and Israel relations,” StandWithUS said.

    In his leadership role in the Indian American community, Dr Barai has made it a priority to establish and strengthen ties to the Jewish and Pro-Israel community, it said.

    Barai was instrumental in StandWithUs’s outreach. He made it possible for StandWithUs to host events such as “Ancient Cultures-Modern Miracles,” a community celebration of 65 years of India and Israel’s independence, a Hindu-Jewish Festival of Lights Celebrating Chanukah and Diwali, and dozens of programs, including a memorial for Daniel Pearl, underscoring the commonalities between the two communities, it said.

    “When Israel was under attack by Hamas and in the media, Dr Barai mobilized Hindu support for three Interfaith Vigils for the Victims of Hamas,” the organization said.

  • Indian American professor at Stanford Arogyaswami Joseph Paulraj wins Faraday Medal

    Indian American professor at Stanford Arogyaswami Joseph Paulraj wins Faraday Medal

    LONDON (TIP): The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has awarded the prestigious Faraday Medal to Arogyaswami Joseph Paulraj, an Indian American professor at Stanford University for his contributions to wireless technology. Paulraj was among 11 of the world’s top engineering and technology talent honored by the UK-based multidisciplinary professional engineering institution for services to the industry, on Oct 23 at IET 2023 Achievement Awards. Described as “one of this year’s most significant awards, the Faraday Medal,” was awarded to Paulraj for the invention, advancement, and commercialization of Multiple-antenna Input, Multiple-antenna Output (MIMO) wireless technology, according to a media release.

    MIMO is a fundamental breakthrough technology that multiplied the link speed and improved the range and reliability of wireless networks. The performance of today’s extensive 4G/5G mobile and WiFi networks would not be possible without MIMO.

    On winning his award, Paulraj said, “The Faraday Medal is such an honor. I am humbled to be included in this distinguished cohort of former recipients. Though the prize is presented to an individual, it also recognizes the field of wireless communications systems and the thousands of researchers and engineers who contributed to MIMO technology for the benefit of humanity.”

    The IET Achievement Awards recognize individuals from all over the world who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of engineering, technology and science in any sector. This can be through research and development in their respective technical field or through their leadership of an enterprise.

    Dr. Gopichand Katragadda, IET President, emphasized the importance of Engineering Excellence achieved through knowing and practicing the fundamentals, being systems-oriented and detailed, and having a delivery mindset while preparing for the next. “We’re honored to present these talented individuals with our Achievement Awards. Our medal winners are innovators and pioneers, making a difference to the world in which we live,” he said. Paulraj, Professor Emeritus Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, a pioneer of MIMO wireless communications did his BE from Naval College of Engineering, Lonavala, and earned his PhD from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

    He is the author of over 400 research papers, two textbooks, and a co-inventor in 80 US patents.

    Paulraj has won over a dozen awards, notably the National Inventors Hall of Fame (USPTO), Marconi Prize and Fellowship, 2014 and the IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal, 2011. He is a fellow of eight scientific / engineering national academies including the US, China, India, and Sweden.

    In 1999, Paulraj founded Iospan Wireless Inc. – which developed and established MIMO-OFDMA wireless as the core 4G technology. Iospan was acquired by Intel Corporation in 2003.

    In 2004, he co-founded Beceem Communications Inc. The company became the market leader in 4G-WiMAX semiconductors and was acquired by Broadcom Corp. in 2010. In 2014 he founded Rasa Networks to develop Machine Learning tools for WiFi Networks. The company was acquired by HPE in 2016. During his 30 years in the Indian (Navy) (1961-1991), he founded three national-level laboratories in India and headed one of India’s most successful military R&D projects – APSOH sonar. He received over a dozen awards (many at the national level) in India including the Padma Bhushan, Ati Vishist Seva Medal and the VASVIK Medal.

  • Indian-origin soldier Halel Solomon among Israelis killed in Gaza

    Indian-origin soldier Halel Solomon among Israelis killed in Gaza

    JERUSALEM (TIP): A 20-year-old Indian-origin Israeli soldier was among the Israeli combatants killed while fighting in Gaza, community members and the Mayor of the town said on Wednesday, November1.

    Staff-Sgt. Halel Solomon was from the southern Israeli town of Dimona. “It is with great sorrow and grief that we announce the death of a son of Dimona, Halel Solomon, in the battle in Gaza,” Dimona’s Mayor, Benny Bitton said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

    “We share in the grief of the parents, Ronit and Mordechai, and the sisters: Yasmin, Hila, Vered, and Shaked …. Halel aspired to do meaningful service and enlisted in the Givati (Brigade). Halel was a devoted son and had respect for his parents always in his eyes. Possessing immense good qualities, he believed in endless giving, modesty, and humility. The whole city of Dimona is grieving his passing,” Bitton wrote.

    Dimona is a town in the south of Israel identified with Israel’s nuclear reactor, but some also describe it as “little India” given the large concentration of Jews from India in the township.

    Indian community members told PTI that he was “a young man with pleasant manners and a very bright future ahead.” They expressed huge sorrow at his passing away and at the loss of lives of other young Israelis “fighting a just war for Israel’s existence.”

    At least 11 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the battle in Gaza in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a “difficult war” with “painful losses,” but vowed to continue “until victory.” “We are in a difficult war. This will be a long war. We have so many important achievements but also painful losses,” Netanyahu said.

    “We know that every soldier of ours is an entire world. The entire people of Israel embrace you, the families, from the depth of our hearts. We are all with you during your heavy sorrow. Our soldiers have fallen in the most just of wars, the war for our home,” the Israeli Prime Minister said.

    “I promise the citizens of Israel: We will complete the work – we will continue until victory,” he stressed.

    At least 1400 Israelis were killed in a deadly attack carried out by Hamas on Israel’s southern communities on October 7. They also took at least 240 people as hostages during that surprise infiltration. Israel, backed by the United States and some other Western nations, declared war against Hamas which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007 with two stated goals – elimination of the terror organization and freeing the hostages. More than 8,000 people have died in Gaza since Israel launched a counter-offensive by first carrying out widespread air strikes and then slowly launching ground incursions that have been intensifying over the last three days.

  • Indian American Dr. Shyam Kottilil gets Kerala Center’s lifetime achievement award

    Indian American Dr. Shyam Kottilil gets Kerala Center’s lifetime achievement award

    NEW YORK (TIP): Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center (The Kerala Center) has honored eight individuals for notable contributions in their professions and to society with selfless dedication.

    Dr. Shyam Kottilil from Baltimore was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions in the field of virology and scientific research by New York Senator Kevin Thomas at the Center’s 31st Annual Awards Dinner in Elmont, New York on Oct 28.

    In his keynote speech, Kottilil explained the successes and failures of managing the Covid outbreak and how to prevent future outbreaks which according to him will certainly happen sometime in the future, according to a media release. The award for entrepreneurship went to Sajeeb Koya, the man behind the LED Façade lighting that lights up Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. His company 3S International headquartered in Pickering, Ontario, Canada, has executed numerous vibrant Architectural and Media Façade LED projects all over the world. Koya said that his goal is to complete 100 such projects all over the world.

    The award for Media and Journalism went to Ajay Ghosh, Chief Editor and Co-Publisher of The Universal News Network (www/theunn.com). He serves as Media Coordinator for the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and ITServe Alliance. Ghosh was the founding President of Indo-American Press Club and is Secretary of its Board of Directors. The award for community service went to Gopala Pillai who has served as the President and Board Member of several organizations in Texas and Detroit and has been with the World Malayali Council from1995 as its Secretary, President, and Chairman. Through these organizations, he has been able to provide many services for the good of society.

    The award for outstanding achievements in Medicine went to Dr. Shelby Kutty, a physician-scientist and academic leader, serving as the Helen B. Taussig endowed professor and director of pediatric and congenital cardiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

    He also chairs the analytic intelligence program at Johns Hopkins and is one of the world’s preeminent experts on multimodality cardiovascular imaging.

    The award for contributions to Pravasi Malayalam Literature went to Jayant Kamicheril, a recipient of the Kerala Sahithya Academy award for 2022 for his book “Oru Kumarakom Karantay Kuruthamketta.”

    The award for excellence in Nursing went to Dr. Anna George, current president of the Indian Nurses Association of New York (INANY).

    She is a Nurse, a nurse practitioner, a human rights advocate, and a social activist. She is a leader who transformed the nursing professional organization INANY into a professional entity.

    The award for legal service went to Lata Menon, an accomplished barrister and solicitor and active community member, who has become a recognized name in the legal community in Ontario as well as the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala, where she practiced as a lawyer before immigrating to Canada.

    Kerala Center president Alex K. Esthappan provided a brief description of the activities and goals of the Center.  New York Senator Kevin Thomas and Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages presented the awards. They were introduced by Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of the Trustee Board and Award Committee member.

    Sen. Thomas, a prior awardee himself, praised the Kerala Center for honoring individuals who excelled in their professions and served society with dedication.

    Legislator Solages remarked that students of Indian and Malayalee descent made him a better student and that helped him to go to George Town University.

    Dr. Madhu Bhaskaran, the chairman of the Award Committee and Board of Directors, explained the process of selecting the awardees. The ceremony was attended by leaders of many community organizations including FOMAA and FOKANA. As part of the Award Ceremony, a souvenir was released by the souvenir committee consisting of P.T. Paulose and Jose Kadapuram, by giving a copy to U. A. Naseer.

    Inaugurated in 1993 Kerala Center has honored over 200 individuals of Keralite descent who excelled in their profession and/or made great contributions to the larger society in the last 30 years.

     

  • Indian Origin  Sikh man who murdered his wife in London jailed for 15 years

    Indian Origin  Sikh man who murdered his wife in London jailed for 15 years

    LONDON (TIP): A 79-year-old Sikh man has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 15 years after murdering his wife with a bat at their house in east London in May this year. Tarsame Singh was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to killing his 77-year-old wife, Maya Devi. On May 2, Singh walked into the Romford police station and told the front desk that he had just killed his wife, following which officers immediately attended the house on Cowdray Way in Elm Park and found Maya unresponsive on the living room floor.

    The wooden bat was found nearby and a significant amount of blood staining was found on the carpet and nearby walls. Maya was pronounced dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be head injuries. Singh was charged the next day and remanded into custody.

    Met Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers, who led the investigation, said: “This is a tragic case and one which has left the couple’s three children utterly distraught. No-one should ever lose their mother in this way and we will continue to think of, and support them, at this difficult time.

    “Singh has never admitted what caused him to act in such a violent way that evening but we are pleased he has pleaded guilty and will now face a significant custodial sentence.”

    Singh ran a post office along with his wife in Rainham, an east London suburb close to his home, for years before retiring recently. Both Singh and Maya, parents of a son and two daughters, are originally from India but had been living in Britain for more than 50 years.

    (Source: IANS)

  • Indian-origin student stabbed at US gym battles for life

    Indian-origin student stabbed at US gym battles for life

    VALPRAISO, INDIANA (TIP):  Varun Raj Pucha, the 24-year-old Indian student who was stabbed at a fitness center in the US state of Indiana over the weekend, continues to be in a critical condition and is on life support, sources familiar with his treatment said.

    Varun Raj Pucha, a computer science student, was stabbed with a knife in the temple by assailant Jordan Andrade, 24, at the public gym on Sunday morning for reasons that the authorities are still investigating.

    “After three days of treatment, Varun continues to be on life support and has severe neurological impairment. He is likely to sustain permanent disability and have partial, if not complete, vision loss and left-sided weakness,” sources told media. Following the incident, Jordan was arrested and is facing charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and attempted murder.

    Varun has now been transferred to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne because of the serious nature of the injuries.

    Meanwhile, assailant Andrade, who appeared before Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer, pleaded not guilty to the charges of Level 1 felony, and a Level 3 felony.

    The judge set his bond at US$ 500,000 cash and US$ 500,000 surety. According to media reports, Andrade said he could afford a USD 300,000 bond. The judge deemed Andrade a flight risk.

    The university president expressed shock over the brutal attack on one of its students.

    “We are shocked and saddened by the attack on Varun Raj. At Valparaiso University, we consider each other’s family, and this incident is horrifying for us all. Our thoughts and prayers are with all his friends and family,” José Padilla, the university’s president, said in a statement provided to the media on Wednesday.

    “In addition to our thoughts and prayers, the University and Valpo Community are offering all assistance and resources available to help Varun’s family get to the United States as quickly as possible,” Michael Fenton said in an email to media, adding that the university also is providing full support to the ongoing investigation by the Valparaiso Police Department. The North American Telugu Society (NATS) has started a fundraiser on GoFund and by Wednesday, November 1  night raised over US$ 38,000.

    “Currently, he is in critical condition, battling for his life, and his family is facing a harrowing journey filled with uncertainty and overwhelming medical bills. We were contacted by the family with a heavy heart, asking for our support to cover his extensive medical expenses and travel expenses for his parents to the US,” NATS said.