The Indian Panorama

Tag: D.C.

  • Four, including three Indians, arrested while entering US illegally from Canada

    Four, including three Indians, arrested while entering US illegally from Canada

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Three Indian nationals are among four people arrested in Upstate New York after they jumped off a moving freight train coming from Canada in their bid to enter the US illegally.

    US Border Patrol agents arrested the four, including a woman, on March 12. The investigation concluded that all four people were undocumented non-citizens.

    Border Patrol agents assigned to the Buffalo Station spotted four people jumping off a moving freight train on the International Railroad Bridge in the city of Buffalo.

    The men left the woman who became immobile due to an injury and were caught shortly after a foot pursuit. The injured woman received first aid from Erie County Sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers (CBP). After treatment, the woman was transported by ambulance to a local medical centre.

    Border Patrol agents were able to identify that the woman and two men were from India and the third man was from the Dominican Republic. The three men are being processed for removal and detained in Batavia Federal Detention Facility awaiting a deportation hearing for charges under Sections 212 and 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a media release said.

    The woman remains at a local medical centre awaiting further medical treatment. This is a great example of how our Border Patrol agents, CBP officers and law enforcement partners work tirelessly to protect the Western New York area,” said Chief Patrol Agent Thomas G. Martin, US Border Patrol Buffalo Sector.

  • India-US security cooperation will become even more important in the years ahead: Richard Verma

    India-US security cooperation will become even more important in the years ahead: Richard Verma

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): India-US security cooperation will become even more important in the years ahead and the work of the two countries on emerging technologies will take on even more promise, a top American diplomat said on Thursday, March 14, reiterating the remarks of President Joe Biden that this is the defining partnership of the 21st century.

    “As both President Biden and Prime Minister Modi have said, our impact on each other is important, but what we can do for the world is even more important. Whether it’s addressing food insecurity or battling the next pandemic or connecting millions to the digital economy, there is so much we can do together,” Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard Verma, wrote in a blog post in his recent return from India.

    Verma is the highest-ranking Indian-American ever in the State Department. He was also the first ever Indian-American to serve as the US Ambassador to India.

    “So, where are we headed?” Verma wrote as he described in detail the significant growth in the India-US relationship over the last few decades.

    He identified defense, democracy and technology as three key areas of cooperation between the two countries.

    “Our security cooperation will become even more important in the years ahead. The threats we face are real, but building our collective capabilities, increasing sharing of information, and improving maritime domain awareness and interoperability will ensure India continues to be a provider of net security across the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” Verma wrote. “Our work on protecting, preserving, and strengthening democracy will continue to be even more important, with the rise of authoritarian leaders and movements. This includes continuing to strengthen a global rules-based order architecture, ensuring we bridge the divide on income inequality, and battling mis and disinformation. Democracy must continue to deliver for our peoples,” he said.

    “Our work on emerging technologies will take on even more promise. New and emerging technologies offer tremendous opportunities for economic growth and development. At the same time, recent disruptive cyber attacks, carried out by criminals and nation states, demonstrate the risk that cyber vulnerabilities can pose to global peace and security,” said the top American diplomat.

    “We must work together to tackle data privacy issues, such as identity theft, by exchanging knowledge on data protection issues. Through the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership, the US is working closely with India to build and maintain internet infrastructure and strengthen cybersecurity protections. From semiconductors to critical minerals to space exploration and innovation in clean energy, battling climate change, and so much more, this is about economic and physical security,” Verma wrote.

  • US says it is concerned about CAA and closely monitoring its implementation

    US says it is concerned about CAA and closely monitoring its implementation

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The United States on Thursday, March 14 said it is concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in India and is closely monitoring its implementation.

    “We are concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on March 11,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily briefing.

    “We are closely monitoring how this act will be implemented. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles,” Miller said in response to a question.

    The Indian government implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 on Monday, paving the way for the grant of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. The government also came out with a press statement to say that Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA will not impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the community which enjoys equal rights as their Hindu counterparts. The Indian government has maintained that the CAA is about granting citizenship and that no citizen of the country will lose citizenship.

  • US House passes bill to ban TikTok

    US House passes bill to ban TikTok

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill to ban Chinese social media app Tiktok, which is very popular among kids, in the United States.

    India was the first country to ban TikTok in 2020 after it became public knowledge that the popular Chinese social media platform was being used for gathering personal data and spying on others.

    Passed by the House by 352 to 65 votes, the bill now heads to the US Senate for it to be sent to the White House for the President to sign it into law. While 197 Republican lawmakers voted for the measure and 15 against, on the Democratic side, 155 voted for the bill and 50 against. The bill, “Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act”, was co-authored by Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat, and Congressman Mike Gallaghe from the Republican party.

    “This bill is not a ban and it is not about TikTok. It is about ByteDance…a 100 per cent owner of TikTok. ByteDance is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. In fact the editor-in-chief of ByteDance is the secretary of the Chinese Communist Party cell embedded at the very highest ranks of the company,” Krishnamoorthi said.

    He said the bill ensures that ByteDance divests itself of the vast majority of the ownership at TikTok. “Our intention is for TikTok to continue to operate but not under the control of the CCP,” Krishnamoorthi said.

    Former vice president Mike Pence said the passage of this legislation demonstrates that appeasement to Communist China is over, allowing TikTok to continue operating in the United States while under CCP control is simply unacceptable. “The Senate must take up this legislation as soon as possible and send it to President Biden’s desk. AAF will never falter in our commitment to confronting China at home and abroad, the American government must not falter now,” he demanded.

    Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the overwhelming and bipartisan passage of the bill is a strong statement of the Congress’s commitment to the security of the country and privacy of the data. “Let me be clear: this legislation is not a ban on TikTok. I join my colleagues in recognising the platform’s entertainment, educational and entrepreneurial value, especially among younger people. Instead, this legislation would strengthen TikTok: keeping Americans’ data and control of the algorithm out of the hands of a foreign adversary.

    “In doing so, we protect against surveillance and influence operations that are hallmarks of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” she said.

    Repressed communities in China – from the Uyghurs to Tibetans to the people of Hong Kong, and others – are telling us that their stories of their suffering are being blocked or misrepresented on TikTok, Pelosi said.

    “At the same time, the CCP is spreading propaganda to cover up its heinous abuses. We cannot allow Beijing to bury the truth of its abysmal record on human rights,” Pelosi said, and urged the Senate to bring companion legislation to a vote as quickly as possible.

    “The Senate will review the legislation when it comes over from the House,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said CCP-controlled TikTok is an enormous threat to US national security and young Americans’ mental health. “This past week demonstrated the Chinese Communist Party is capable of mobilising the platform’s users to a range of dangerous, destabilising actions. The Senate must pass this bill and send it to the president’s desk immediately,” he said.

    Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R Warner and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio said they are united in their concern about the national security threat posed by TikTok – a platform with enormous power to influence and divide Americans whose parent company ByteDance remains legally required to do the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party.

    “We were encouraged by today’s strong bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives, and look forward to working together to get this bill passed through the Senate and signed into law,” the two Senators said.

  • US lawmakers call for addressing Green Card backlog and resolving H-1B issues at immigration summit

    US lawmakers call for addressing Green Card backlog and resolving H-1B issues at immigration summit

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Eminent lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties at an immigration summit have called for urgently addressing the Green Card backlog, an issue that is majorly impacting Indian professionals and the issues related to the H-1B visa.

    At the first-of-its-kind ‘Tech Immigration Summit’ at the US Capitol on Monday, March 11 hosted by the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora (FIIDS), the lawmakers pushed for removing the seven per cent country quota when it comes to issuing Green Card or legal permanent residency to foreign guest workers in specialized categories. In the absence of such a move, the Green Card waiting period for Indian immigrants would be more than 20 years and over 70 years in many cases.

    A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently. Congressman Ro Khanna, who is also co-chair of the Congressional India Caucus, called for a rational immigration policy.

    “We know that immigrants have helped build Silicon Valley, that so many of the companies that have started, that have created so many jobs that have created so much employment have been founded by immigrants from India, from China, from Asia, the Middle East, from Europe,” he said.

    Khanna is co-sponsor and lead of the Eagle Act, which he said would get rid of the country caps so that people aren’t perpetually in status because that hurts American workers.

    “You are hurting American workers by allowing corporations to underpay folks on an H1-B, and you’re hurting the families on H1-B. And that’s why we need to move them to green cards and ultimately citizenship,” he said.

    “It will help raise wages, help American workers, and help these families. We also should be providing a Green Card to folks who are educating in the United States. It makes no sense that we’re paying for someone’s education at college or giving them STEM, and then we’re telling them that they have to go back to where they came from when American taxpayers are funding the education. I’d rather stay here, create the jobs here instead of offshoring those jobs,” Khanna said.

    “We made a lot of progress on these bills. We need to now get it again through the House. But the obstacle, as you know, has been the Senate, as is often the case,” Khanna said.

    Congressman Eric Swalwell said 40 per cent of his constituents in California were born outside of the United States.

    “If we want to take on the bigger challenges, we need the fix. If we want to cure cancer in America, we need to fix a broken immigration system. If we want to see fewer emissions when it comes to how we get our energy, we need to fix our immigration system. If we want to pay less in childcare, we need to fix our immigration system,” he said.

    The American immigration system is broken, Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar said.

    “We need legal immigration solidified; our businesses need that. Every time I meet CEOs of companies, they tell me how important it is to be able to find a skilled workforce. Today we are losing so many people to Australia to Canada because they’re taking advantage of our broken immigration system.

    “We need to be able to keep the skilled workforce in the US. That’s going to help our GDP, that’s going to help our businesses to grow, and that’s going to create more American jobs,” he said.

    “It’s in the best interest of the United States to continue to welcome immigrants and make it easier. I think the current system is so stressful to the employees and their families,” he said. Congressmen Rich McCormick and Raja Krishnamoorthi called for passage of the relevant legislation from the US Congress.

    Khanderao Kand from the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) said technology immigrants are leading entrepreneurs in big industries.

    “From an innovation point of view, the largest innovators, patent holders are coming from the immigration background,” he said. Technology professionals, when they settle, they create jobs and wealth in the United States.

    “However, their situation, particularly the largest source of technology professionals coming from India, they are shackled by the seven per cent country quota. This policy created a huge backlog resulting in the green card processing for new applicants for more than a hundred years. They will never be able to get their green card unless technology policies are changed. That’s why we hosted this immigration summit. We addressed the issues like, seven per cent quota, EAD, OPT, various such kinds of issues,” Kand said.

    “We also discuss about the bills pending in the Congress,” he said. In addition to several US lawmakers, representations from think tanks, and an official from the Department of State, there were testimonies from the various impacted people, whether they are the pending backlog green card, or could be the documented dreamers, or the family members or the students, all of them.

    “In addition to that, technology entrepreneurs came, and they presented their thought processes. So overall, this summit has been very successful and we hope that we can make a dent in the policies both within the Congress and the administration,” Kand said.

  • Biden, Trump set for November 2024 clash

    Biden, Trump set for November 2024 clash

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): US President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump secured their parties’ presidential nominations with impressive wins in another round of key primaries, setting the stage for a grueling 2020 rematch between them in November.

    Biden, 81, won the Democratic presumptive nomination on Tuesday, March 12, after easily clinching the presidential primaries in Georgia, as the number of delegates in his kitty crossed the halfway mark of 3,933 pledged delegates. A total of 1,968 delegates were required to win the Democratic nomination for the November 5 presidential election.
    With wins in another round of key primaries, Donald Trump and Joe Biden have set the stage for a 2020 rematch in November.
    (Also read The Biden-Trump Rematch and the Historical Context of Presidential Rematches on Page 10)
    The last presidential rematch came in 1956 when Republican President Dwight D Eisenhower again defeated Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic opponent he had four years prior

    Four states — Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Washington — one American territory and Democrats living abroad held their primaries on Tuesday. Biden would formally be declared the party’s nomination during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August.

    Trump, 77, reached the 1,215 delegates necessary with an allocation of delegates from Washington state. Trump will be officially nominated at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this July. He will lead the Republican Party in a third consecutive presidential election after clinching the nomination on Tuesday.

    Their rematch, long anticipated, but hardly clamored for, is broadly expected to mirror the 2020 campaign, though Trump will run this time under the specter of 91 felony charges.

    Trump is scheduled to become the first former American president to go on trial in a criminal case on March 25 in New York, where he faces charges he falsified business records to hide hush money payments to a porn star.

    Other charges are related to allegations that he plotted to overturn his 2020 election defeat; played a lead role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol and illegally took classified documents from the White House.

  • Three Indian American women among 14 win GSV Power of Women award

    Three Indian American women among 14 win GSV Power of Women award

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Three Indian American women — Anupama Vaid,  Bijal Shah and Shalinee Sharma- are among 14 winners of 2024 Power of Women award instituted by GSV Ventures, a multi-stage venture capital firm focused on more than $7 trillion global education and workforce skills sector.
    ‍The Power of Women award recognizes influential female leaders who are bringing about a world that provides equal access to the future through the promise of education, according to a media release.
    “As entrepreneurs and innovators in EdTech these women are achieving successful outcomes at scale in the education and skills sector,” it says. Power of Women is presented by Cambium Learning Group.
    The honorees will receive their award at the Arizona State University ASU+GSV Summit 2024, April 14-17, 2024, in San Diego.
    Indian American winners are:
    Anupama Vaid, President & Founder, ParentSquare
    Anupama (Anu) Vaid came up with the idea for ParentSquare during a sabbatical when her children were young, recognizing the need to enhance the parent experience in school communications.
    She holds a degree in Computer Engineering. Anu and her husband, Sohit, CEO of ParentSquare, started ParentSquare in 2011. They spent the first few years developing the platform based on school needs and gaining industry insights.
    The company expanded its team in 2014, securing its first round of funding and partnering with schools beyond their hometown of Santa Barbara. Since then, ParentSquare has been growing.
    They recently acquired Remind, one of the largest free services in education used in over 80% of public schools and by 60% of teachers in the US. Together they serve over 18 million student families on their paid platform.
    Bijal Shah, Interim CEO, Guild
    Bijal Shah is the Interim CEO at Guild, a Public Benefit Corporation that partners with America’s largest companies to provide employer-funded education, skilling, and career mobility to their workforces.
    In her role, Shah oversees Guild’s work with the nation’s largest employers — including Walmart, Chipotle, Discover, Hilton, Target, The Walt Disney Company, and healthcare systems like Providence Health and UCHealth — to unlock opportunities for America’s workforce.
    In the last year, more than 5 million Americans have had access to Guild’s Career Opportunity Platform to gain new skills, knowledge and support.
    For its work, Guild earned recognition as one of Time’s Most Influential Companies, received Fast Company’s 2020 World Changing Ideas Award, and has been named to CNBC’s Disruptor 50 and LinkedIn’s Top Startups.
    Prior to Guild, Shah held executive and leadership roles at Ibotta and in corporate strategy at Visa. She works with the Board of Directors of Girls, Inc. and was named one of Denver Business Journals’ 40 Under 40 recipients. Shah graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Sloan School of Management. She lives in Denver with her husband and two children.
    Shalinee Sharma, CEO, Co-Founder, Zearn
    Shalinee Sharma is a math expert and is the CEO and co-founder of Zearn, a nonprofit educational organization behind the top-rated math learning platform used by 1 in 4 elementary-school and 1 million middle-school students nationwide.
    At Zearn, Sharma and her team are committed to helping all kids believe that they are math kids. In addition to her role at Zearn, she serves on the Braven Board of Directors, is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow and serves as co-chair of the Brown University Advisory Council for the College.
    Before founding Zearn in 2012, Sharma spent more than a decade at Bain & Co. leading work for clients in various sectors including technology and education.
    She has a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University. A child of refugees, Sharma is passionate about universal access to an excellent education.

  • Indian-origin Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar joins USISPF board

    Indian-origin Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar joins USISPF board

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) has named Ravi  Kumar S, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cognizant to its Board of Directors.
    At the helm of Cognizant, Kumar sets the strategic direction of the company and has inculcated a strong client-first culture at all levels, according to a media release. Since taking over in January 2023, Kumar’s focus at Cognizant has been on ensuring sustainable growth and prioritizing long-term shareholder value.
    USISPF President and CEO, Dr Mukesh Aghi said, “Ravi is a doyen in the tech industry and is a foremost thought leader who has unparalleled insights on the dynamic and fast-changing nature of the tech sector.
    “At USISPF, our ethos is building stronger bridges between the United States and India, and the services sector, particularly IT, with the export of IT services remains, one of India’s flagship contributions to the United States tech economy.
    “In an era of a digital-first economy and digital trade, Cognizant’s work through the years exemplifies the burgeoning collaboration in the US-India technology partnership success story.
    “India’s robust tech talent remains pivotal in fortifying and expanding the tech sector within the United States. I wholeheartedly welcome Ravi to the USISPF Board and look forward to the next chapter in the US-India story.”
    Congratulating Kumar, USISPF Chairman John Chambers said, “It’s a pleasure to welcome Ravi to the USISPF Board of Directors. Ravi is an accomplished leader in IT services, and his broad experience in the industry – touching digital transformation, engineering services, data analytics, and more – puts him in the top caliber of experts supporting innovation in this space, particularly in India.
    “Cognizant’s role in strengthening the tech ties between the US and India is clear, demonstrated by the company’s integral role in India’s near $200 billion software exports for 2023. I look forward to having Ravi on our board. His partnership will undoubtedly help further the flourishing tech partnership between our two democracies.”
    Kumar said, “I am honored to join the USISPF Board of Directors. At Cognizant, I have the honor of leading an American company which is India’s second-largest employer among multinationals.
    “Seventy percent of our nearly 350,000 employees live in India, and I believe that their work is the critical cog on the tech talent wheel that will help drive economic success for both countries. This is the mission to which the USISPF has dedicated itself and I am thrilled to help author the story of our nations’ mutual success.”
    In addition to joining the Board of Directors at USISPF, Kumar is also a member of the board of directors of TransUnion and the board of directors for the US Chamber of Commerce. He is also on the board of governors of the New York Academy of Sciences.
    USISPF, an independent not-for-profit institution dedicated to strengthening the US-India partnership in Washington, DC, and in New Delhi, says it’s committed to creating the most powerful partnership between the United States and India.
    USISPF, it says is the trusted partner for businesses, non-profit organizations, the diaspora, and the governments of India and the United States.

  • Indian American executive Dhivya Suryadevara joins Optum Financial as CEO

    Indian American executive Dhivya Suryadevara joins Optum Financial as CEO

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Dhivya Suryadevara, former Indian American chief financial officer for Stripe, a global FinTech company, has joined United Health Group as CEO of Optum Financial Services.
    “I’m excited to share that I’ve joined United Health Group (UHG) as CEO of Optum Financial Services,” the Chennai born executive wrote in a LinkedIn post.
    In her new role she is responsible for furthering its mission to revolutionize how care is financed and paid for, according to her official profile. “The Financial Services business continues to evolve from its origins in health banking and savings accounts to creating new products and services to improve financial access and support for our consumers and providers across the health system.”
    “UHG is in a unique position to transform our health system, with a mission to help people live healthier lives and help the health system work better for everyone,” Suryadevara wrote. “This is not an easy task, but UHG has the capabilities and the people to make real progress.
    “With Financial Services being one of UHG’s top strategic priorities, we see extraordinary potential to improve financial access and support for our consumers and providers across the health system,” she posted.
    “I’m incredibly honored to have the opportunity to work alongside so many people who are so fiercely determined to make health care better for everyone,” Suryadevara added.
    Prior to joining UnitedHealth Group, Suryadevara previously served as chief financial officer for Stripe, a global FinTech company that builds economic infrastructure for the internet. In addition to leading the finance organization at Stripe, Dhivya had responsibility for its Operations, Risk and Global Partnerships functions.
    Prior to Stripe, Suryadevara was at General Motors, starting as a financial analyst and rising through the ranks to become the automaker’s chief financial officer in 2018. Early in her career, Dhivya worked at UBS and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Suryadevara earned degrees from the University of Madras and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in 2000 as well as an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

  • Indian-origin attorney Binaifer Nowrojee named president of Open Society Foundations

    Indian-origin attorney Binaifer Nowrojee named president of Open Society Foundations

    WASHINGTION, D.C. (TIP): Indian-origin human rights lawyer Binaifer Nowrojee has been appointed the new president of The Open Society Foundations, founded by billionaire investor George Soros, promoting democratic principles and human rights, through grants in more than 100 countries.
    Kenya-born Nowrojee, who currently serves as the vice president of Programs, will take over from Mark Malloch-Brown when he steps down from his role in June 2024, according to a media release.
    “She embodies the spirit of OSF, past and present. I am confident she will ably lead OSF into the challenging next phase of our work,” said Alex Soros, chair of OSF.
    “When I established the Open Society Foundations, I wanted them to be truly global,” said Soros. “At the outset, that was merely an aspiration. But now I feel that this ambition has been fulfilled with Binaifer Nowrojee as president of the Foundations, supported by an international team.”
    Nowrojee brings over three decades of experience and dedication to her new role. Previously, she has held a range of senior positions at OSF, including East Africa Foundation director, regional director for Asia Pacific, and vice president for Organizational Transformation.
    “Heading this remarkable institution, the world’s largest funder of human rights, at a time when justice and compassion are under siege, is by far the biggest, and best, challenge I have ever faced. I am proud to be president and stand ready to join my colleagues in the fight,” said Nowrojee.
    Nowrojee navigates politically sensitive operating environments to drive meaningful change, the release said. Her strategic leadership spans national, regional, and international levels, encompassing policy research, campaigning, grant-making, litigation, and investment.
    Nowrojee brings deep expertise in Africa and Asia, where she has spearheaded advocacy initiatives to promote social justice and equality. She played a central role in orchestrating a significant strategic and structural realignment of Open Society, enhancing its capacity to effect change in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
    Prior to her tenure at OSF, Nowrojee served as legal counsel at Human Rights Watch and as a staff attorney at the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights. She has worked extensively on prosecuting sexual violence under international law and testified as an expert witness at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
    Nowrojee’s commitment to advancing justice extends to academia, where she has served as a lecturer at Harvard Law School and was awarded a Carr Center fellowship.
    Nowrojee holds a JD from Columbia Law School and an LLM degree from Harvard Law School, underscoring her strong academic foundation and expertise in international law and human rights.
    With her wealth of experience and unwavering dedication, Nowrojee is well-equipped to lead the Open Society Foundations into a new era of impactful and transformative change, the release stated.
    Nowrojee follows in the footsteps of her father, Pheroze Nowrojee, an acclaimed human rights lawyer who currently serves as senior counsel to the High Court of Kenya.
    The Nowrojee family migrated from India to Kenya in 1896 to work on the railroads. Pheroze Nowrojee has written a book about the family’s migration: “A Kenyan Journey,” released in 2019.

  • India-US relationship now can be as ambitious as we choose to be: Deputy Amb Ranganathan

    India-US relationship now can be as ambitious as we choose to be: Deputy Amb Ranganathan

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The relationship between the world’s two largest democracies, which have made significant progress in the last 20 years, now can be as ambitious as “we choose to be,” a top Indian diplomat has said. “When I look at the broader relationship, the India US strategic partnership, I think we have now reached a stage where we can say that the partnership has come into its own. We have achieved a lot over the past 70 years. But what we have achieved over the past 20 years has been at a different level altogether. And I would say that now we are at a stage where we can be as ambitious as we choose to be,” said India’s Deputy Ambassador to the US, Sripriya Ranganathan. The top Indian diplomat was speaking at the Stanford India Dialogue, the Leaders of Tomorrow Conference, organized by Stanford India Policy and Economics Club (SIPEC), in partnership with the Motwani Jadeja Foundation.

    “We can decide to set our goals, set our sights on targets that were unimaginable a few years ago, and we can. Not only can we be ambitious, but we can also be confident that we can make these things work, we can bring to implementation ideas that would’ve seemed outlandish even 20 years ago,” Ranganathan said at the conference.

    Standford Professor at its School of Medicine Dr Anurag Mairal, who has been instrumental in the conference, said this is the first India conference on the west coast of this size. The US-India partnership is going to be the most defining partnership of its kind for the next three decades, he said.

    Citing the example of India-US relationship in the field of space and the area of emerging and critical technologies, Ranganathan said scientists and policy from both the countries are actively engaged because “we see these as being the frontiers of the future and what will allow us to gain the leadership role in the shape of the global economy” in the next few decades.

    “We have reached the stage where we have been able to say to each other the let’s work together so that we are able to shape this world together, so that we are able to discover where the areas of overlap are, where are the areas of complementarity so that together we are able to make a difference. I think if we look back after about 10 years, we will find that there are at least 10 to 15 interesting, important and profound projects that India and the US have been able to work on and concretize so that we are able to make this fantastic platform of our collaboration,” Ranganathan said. The top Indian diplomat urged the students, in particular those from India and of Indian origin, of Stanford to stay connected with India. “I would urge you to maintain your connections with India and bring some of these learnings also back to India so that we are able to also benefit from the knowledge that you’re picking up over here,” she said.

    “The second is a bridge of collaboration. If you can join hands both on campus and beyond with your friends, with your peers in the US, professors in the US, and be able to pursue excellence in partnership with them, I think that is an area of exploration that we feel would yield us tremendous dividends going forward,” she said.

    “The third bridge is the bridge of culture. If you can in your conversations, in your interactions, share the cultural perspectives, share your stories, break down the stereotypes and spark off that interest in India. In knowing about India and experiencing India, sharing the amazing progress that India has made in the past few years with your colleagues and friends and fellow students here on campus, I think that would be an amazing contribution that you would be able to make,” Ranganathan said.

    India’s Consul General in San Francisco K Srikar Reddy told the participating students of Stanford University, many of whom were of Indian origin or from India, that after gaining knowledge at this prestigious university, most of them will prosper not only here but also go back to India and become part of this overall Indian development.

    India is expected to become a USD 7 trillion economy by 2030. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a call to all Indians living in India and abroad, especially the youth of the country, to make India a developed country by 2047, he said. “We are expecting India to be a USD 35 trillion economy by 2047. And we are also expecting India to overtake the US economy in 2060. It means you’ll be seeing India as a big, developed country and each one of you are going to become partners in India’s economic growth,” he said.

    Emphasizing student-centeredness, the conference was marked by candid discussions wherein speakers gave their honest opinions about India’s growth story, the development of the US-India partnership, and, most importantly, what students can do to become a part of these exciting advancements.

    Indian-American venture capitalist Asha Jadeja Motwani said the Indian diaspora is now five million strong. “It is also the highest income diaspora, as far as the US system goes. (This is) our second motherland, which has given us so much, and we are contributing back in terms of we are two per cent of the population, but we are six per cent US taxes now. So, the Indian diaspora is doing extremely well in the US,” she said. “What is its impact in the US? Again, it’s massive, especially in two fields. One is in IT in technology as in Silicon Valley, we are a huge influence here in terms of innovation. My late husband, Rajiv Motwani, who was a professor at Stanford University, was instrumental in creating the Google algorithms and in the creation of Google as a company,” she said.

  • Acclaimed professor of South Asian Literature Dr Kamal Verma passes away

    Acclaimed professor of South Asian Literature Dr Kamal Verma passes away

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Dr Kamal D Verma, an acclaimed scholar of South Asian literature, died of natural causes this week here in the American capital. He would have turned 92 in April.

    Professor Verma taught for 42 years at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ) in Pennsylvania. After retirement, he continued to serve as Professor Emeritus and an advisor to the University President, focusing on recruiting more diverse faculty and students from South Asia.

    He was also one of the founding members of the South Asian Review and the South Asian Literary Association — two nationally acclaimed scholarly efforts aimed to promote Indian and other South Asian writers and ideas.

    Dr Jem Spectar, President of UPJ, called Dr Verma “a brilliant scholar, an exceptional teacher and guide, a highly respected colleague, and a dear friend”.

    “His students speak of a great intellect: a professor who deepened their critical thinking, analytical, and writing skills, someone who deepened their understanding of our world, and someone whose classes prepared them for lifelong success,” Spectar said.

    Dr Verma was born in 1932 in Punjab, India. He was the eldest child in a large family, and the first member of his extended family to attend college.

    He completed his BA from DAV College, Jalandhar, in 1951, followed by a BA in teaching from Agra University in 1953 and an MA in English from Panjab University in 1958.

    In India, he became the principal of a teacher’s college in Punjab where he served until 1963, when he departed for the United States on a Ford Foundation Fellowship to obtain his Specialist in Education degree at the University of Northern Iowa. He then pursued further professional studies in literature, leading to his PhD from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.

    Dr Verma, his wife Savitri, also a teacher and head of a women’s college in India, and their five children settled in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1971. They were the first Indian-American family to move to the area.

    Dr Verma’s children pursued varied careers in business, medicine and law. His son Richard would go on to serve as the US Ambassador to India for President Obama, and he currently serves as the Deputy Secretary of State, the highest-ranking Indian American in the State Department ever. Richard Verma was the first ever Indian-American to be US Ambassador to India.

    Verma was in New Delhi last month where he gave a talk at the Observer Research Foundation, and noted how his father, like millions of other Indian Americans, started over from next to nothing, rebuilt in their new country, but maintained and even strengthened ties with India.

    “My father tells a great immigrant story of showing up in the United States with USD 14 and a bus ticket. He left so much behind and he took a big risk. He was brave. And he never let us forget our roots. What an amazing role model we had,” remarked Ambassador Verma.

    “These are the stories and journeys that bind our two countries together.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a letter sent to Ambassador Verma this past week, wrote that Professor Kamal Verma “was a true embodiment of the grit and determination demonstrated by every Indian immigrant.

    He worked hard to give a better life to his family in a foreign country, and at the same time continued to remain true to his Indian roots…and will always be remembered in his homeland.”

    Dr Verma’s writings were widely admired and acclaimed, especially his three published books. His second book, The Indian Imagination, focused on several of the leading writers of the Indian colonial and post-colonial periods of Indian history. His last book, Understanding Mulk Raj Anand, focused on noted Indian writer Mulk Raj Anand and included a series of letters between Dr Verma and Anand over 15 years, focusing again on the ideas that inspired the colonial struggle for independence.

    He released the book in the US and India in 2017 with significant critical success. He even presented the book to Prime Minister Modi in 2018.

    During his career, Dr Verma would end up teaching thousands of students in India, Canada and the United States, and he published dozens of articles, in addition to the three books. Professor Nalini Iyer of Seattle University and the editor of the South Asian Review said: “Dr Verma was a towering figure who had an impact on so many. He paved the way for South Asian scholars and literature in the United States and cared for his family and friends at every turn. He also trained and inspired hundreds of faculty members across the globe in the field of South Asian literature and philosophy. This is a gift for which he will be long remembered.”

  • Indian – origin classical dancer, MFA student shot dead during evening walk

    Indian – origin classical dancer, MFA student shot dead during evening walk

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP)- In a tragic incident, Amarnath Ghosh, a Bharatnatyam and Kuchupudi dancer from Kolkata, pursuing a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, was shot dead during his evening walk in his neighborhood, Tuesday, February 27, according to media reports.
    Devoleena Bhattacharjee, a popular TV actress and friend of the deceased, has reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar for assistance in repatriating Ghosh’s body. Devoleena expressed her grief on social media, highlighting the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of her friend and appealing for support in uncovering the motive behind the murder.
    “My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot and killed in the St Louis Academy neighborhood in the US on Tuesday evening. Only child in the family, mother died three years back, father passed away during his childhood. Well, the reason, the details of the accused are not revealed yet, or perhaps no one is left in his family to fight for it except his few friends. He was from Kolkata.”
    She ended the note with her appeal: “Some friends in US are trying to claim the body but still no update about it. @IndianEmbassyUS kindly see to it if you could. At least we should know the reason of his murder. @DrSJaishankar @narendramodi”
    Ghosh was an alumnus of Kalakshetra Foundation and Kuchipudi Art Academy, Chennai. According to a GoFundMe campaign set up in his honor, he also served as faculty at the Kuchipudi Arty Academy.

    Described as an excellent dancer, he was interested in exploring his diverse ethnic background and the unity of various cultures through the compositions of Rabindranath Tagore, according to his bio on the university website. His research aimed to showcase how dance could unite people from diverse backgrounds.
    Atlanta-based Bharatnatyam dance guru Anupa Thakurta, founder and artistic director of Deeksha School of Performing Arts, who has known Ghosh since Covid times, expressed shock and anger at his tragic death.
    “We met through an online performance and immediately became friends,” she told NRI Pulse. “He had high aspirations to come to the US to perform. He had asked me multiple times to arrange for performances in the US. Considering the phenomenal artist that he was, he did make it to the US to do MFA in St. Louis, Missouri. He had a creative mind filled with splendid ideas. A very talented and humble artist and above all a very good human being.”
    “Ghosh came into this country with lots of dreams and aspirations, but this land took his life. Life is so unpredictable. Today you are here and tomorrow you are gone. This news shook me completely,” she added.
    In a heartfelt obituary, Amarnath Ghosh was remembered as more than just a dancer.
    “Amarnath was more than just a dancer; he was a visionary artist whose passion and dedication breathed life into every movement,” the obituary reads. “His performances were electrifying, captivating audiences with their raw emotion, technical precision, and sheer artistry. Whether he was portraying the agony of loss or the ecstasy of triumph, Amarnath had a rare ability to evoke deep and profound emotions, leaving spectators spellbound in his wake.”

    “At Battery Dance, we had the privilege of collaborating with Amarnath, and his presence on our stage was nothing short of transformative. His performances were a testament to his unparalleled talent and unwavering commitment to his craft, inspiring all who had the privilege of witnessing his artistry. We will forever cherish the memories of his electrifying performances and the joy he brought to our stage.”

    Indian Consulate in Chicago condoled the death of Ghosh.
    “Deep condolences to family & friends of deceased Amarnath Ghosh in StLouis, Missouri. We are following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support. @IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia”.
    The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.

  • I believe in America’: Fired-up Biden uses State of the Union to skewer GOP, his ‘predecessor’

    I believe in America’: Fired-up Biden uses State of the Union to skewer GOP, his ‘predecessor’

    The president made the case for why he deserves a second term

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, March 7 night. The speech provided Biden one of his biggest audiences of the year as he made his case for a second term and contrasted his vision of the country’s future with Republicans ahead of what’s expected to be a lengthy general election fight with former President Donald Trump.

    Going into the evening, I think many viewers expected to hear something like a campaign speech from Biden, and that’s what he delivered. While he did ask Congress to pass a bipartisan immigration bill and spent time on other policy issues like abortion, housing and foreign policy, it was less a policy laundry list than most State of the Union speeches. He worked to paint himself as a brighter, more forward-thinking choice than Trump, whom he only referred to as “my predecessor.” Biden talked about his history in politics and tackled the issue of his age head on, but the end of his speech was about his hope for the future. By comparison, Alabama Sen. Katie Britt’s Republican response to the speech was bleak and painted a dark picture of the country, especially at the southern border.

    It echoed Trump’s “American carnage” inaugural address, though Britt avoided mentioning the former president by name. That’s a good preview of how the presidential race is likely to unfold: Republicans will paint Biden as a failure who has presided over a U.S. in decline, while Biden will work to focus attention on the progress he feels his administration has made and can continue to make.

  • Indian-American incumbents Ami Bera and Ro Khanna secured their seats.

    Indian-American incumbents Ami Bera and Ro Khanna secured their seats.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Ami Bera, a Democrat, secured his seventh term by advancing to the general election Ro Khanna, seeking his fifth term, won decisively against Republican Anita Chen Ash Kalra, a Democrat, emerged as the top candidate in the 25th Assembly District. It was a day of victories and defeats for Indian American candidates in the recent Super Tuesday primaries. The biggest day of this year’s primary campaign in the US approached as 15 states — plus American Samoa — voted in contests. Veteran Indian-American Congressmen Ami Bera and Ro Khanna successfully defended their positions against challengers.

    Ami Bera, a Democrat, secured his seventh term by advancing to the general election with 53.6% of the vote in California’s 6th Congressional District.
    Meanwhile, Ro Khanna, seeking his fifth term, won decisively over Republican Anita Chen in the 17th Congressional District, according to American Bazaar.

    In contrast, Indian-American engineer Rishi Kumar, a Democrat, lost his bid to run for Congress.

    With 50% of the vote counted, former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo was ahead with 22% of the vote, while Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian had nearly 18%. Both Liccardo and Simitian are Democrats. Kumar ended up in seventh place out of 11 candidates with 6.3% of the vote.

    This came amid Indian-American Republican challenger to former president Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, dropping out of the presidential race.

    Indian-American Republican Vin Kruttiventi advanced to the general election in Northern California’s 14th Congressional District, home to one of the largest populations of Indian-Americans in the nation, securing second place with 17.8% of the vote to incumbent Eric Swalwell with 64.5%, seeking his sixth term in the House of Representatives.

    According to reports from the Federal Election Commission, Kruttiventi, the founder and CEO of A5 Services, has invested $500,000 of his personal funds into his campaign.

    However, clinical psychologist Harmesh Kumar’s longshot bid for the vacant US Senate seat left by the late Senator Dianne Feinstein ended in disappointment.

    Additionally, Ash Kalra, a Democrat, emerged as the top candidate in the 25th Assembly District and will face fellow Democrat Lan Ngo in the general election.

    However, challenger Tara Sreekrishnan, a 30-year-old Indian-origin leader who has garnered significant endorsements for her bid, faced defeat in her race for California’s 26th district state Assembly seat.

    In other races, Democrat Darshana Patel will compete against Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane for California’s 76th district state Assembly seat, which covers a portion of San Diego.

    The most prominent of all the Indian-American candidates was Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina. She conceded to Donald Trump after losing every state but one — Vermont — in Super Tuesday’s primary contests.

    In January, Indian-American billionaire entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy suspended his bid after Trump won the Iowa caucus. He later pledged support for Trump’s presidential bid.

    —

  • Nikki Haley picks up first two Senate endorsements ahead of Super Tuesday

    Nikki Haley picks up first two Senate endorsements ahead of Super Tuesday

    Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, are backing the GOP presidential candidate. Voters in their states head to the polls next week for Super Tuesday

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley received her first two endorsements from senators on Friday, March 1, giving her a boost before Super Tuesday as she trails former President Donald Trump in the race for the GOP nomination. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, both backed the former South Carolina governor in separate statements.

    “I’m proud to endorse Gov. Nikki Haley,” Murkowski said in a statement released by the Haley campaign. “America needs someone with the right values, vigor, and judgment to serve as our next President—and in this race, there is no one better than her. Nikki will be a strong leader and uphold the ideals of the Republican Party while serving as a President for all Americans.”

    Collins told the Bangor Daily News that Haley “has the energy, intellect, and temperament that we need to lead our country in these very tumultuous times.” Haley’s campaign confirmed the endorsement to NBC News.

    Voters in Alaska, Maine and more than a dozen other states will cast ballots on Super Tuesday, when 865 Republican delegates will be up for grabs. Haley has yet to win a primary or caucus.

    On Friday, Haley expressed her gratitude to Murkowski in a news release announcing her first Senate endorsement, saying that the senator “represents the best of Alaska.”

    “As president, I will fight to make Alaskans—and all Americans—proud by restoring fiscal sanity, energy dominance, and limited government,” Haley said.

    Murkowski and Collins have long been critical of Trump, and they both voted to convict him during his second impeachment trial following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

    Haley has received only one endorsement in the House, from Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. He announced his endorsement more than a year ago. Trump, meanwhile, has been endorsed by about 80 Republicans in the House and more than half of GOP senators.

  • Indian Embassy and consulate officials interact with Indian students from across US

    Indian Embassy and consulate officials interact with Indian students from across US

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Officials of the Indian Embassy here and its consulates held a virtual interaction with Indian students from across the US, discussing various aspects of student well-being and ways to stay connected with the larger diaspora. About 150 Indian Student Association office bearers and students from 90 US universities participated in the interaction led by Charge d’Affaires, Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan.

    It was also attended by the Consul Generals of India in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. The meeting gains significance in the backdrop of some deaths of Indian and Indian-origin students at universities across the US. During the meeting, Ranganathan highlighted ways to stay connected with the Embassy/Consulates and the larger Indian diaspora.

    Students were urged to spread the word amongst fellow Indian students in the US about the guidelines issued by the Embassy and the consulates for students studying in the US, including registration on its websites, general aspects related to student safety and well-being, and emergency contact details of the Indian diplomatic missions.

    The students presented useful suggestions on synergizing the efforts of the Embassy/consulates, university authorities, diaspora organizations and other stakeholders.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Leading Indian drone manufacturer enters US market

    Leading Indian drone manufacturer enters US market

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): India’s drone industry has “leapfrogged” in the last 10 years, gaining pace after the COVID-19 pandemic, the CEO of a leading Indian drone manufacturer has said as his company has showcased its products in the highly competitive US market. Indian drone manufacturing company IdeaForge, ranked fifth globally in the dual-use category of civil and defense, is entering the American drone market at a time when there is a reluctance to buy or acquire those made in China.
    Ankit Mehta, the CEO of IdeaForge, told PTI Videos in an interview that the Indian drone industry has “leapfrogged in the last 10 years with an enabling environment from the Indian government.” He said the sector gained pace after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “I think before the pandemic, the rules and regulations around drones were fairly stringent, and they did not allow a lot of flexibility in terms of use and deployment,” Mehta said.

    “But since the pandemic, the floodgates, in a way, have opened the adoption of technology, which has become wholehearted. Now people want to deploy drones for as many use cases as possible,” he said.

    Drones had very restrictive regulations earlier, he said. “Now those regulations have become a little bit more relaxed in terms of allowing the use of drones under a regulated environment, which is conducive for operations.”

    “Therefore, we are seeing a lot of intent in terms of adopting the technology, and we are seeing a lot of regulatory support for doing that,” Mehta said.

    “We also have in India a production-linked incentive scheme for drones. We have the fact that there is a ban on import of technology from outside so that Indian companies can develop the technology and be overall in an environment where we can demonstrate the capability of what Indian companies can do in this space,” he said.

    Asserting the distinctiveness of Indian drones, he said, “I think Indian drones are very unique in the sense that they’ve been built in some of the harshest environments and the highest altitude requirements in the world.”

    “With the operations being conducted in India at 6,000 meters plus altitude due to the various regions we have in our country in the Himalayas, to operate in extremely low temperatures like minus 30 degrees Celsius and also looking at drones that can operate in deserts in Rajasthan,” he said.

    “So, we are essentially a country that has a very large number of terrain conditions and weather conditions we have to cater to when we are looking at drones. We also have a lot of use cases and applications that exist simultaneously in one place,” he said.

    Giving examples of applications around traffic management, crowd management, counterinsurgency, counter-terrorism, and border management Mehta said, “All of these challenges are quite acute, and there are a lot of challenges around not having proper land records, and many such applications are being developed in India, and they’re being used and deployed at scale.”

    Mehta is travelling to various cities in the US for product demonstrations to export different kinds of drones to the country. One of which was held in the Washington DC National Capital region here on Thursday.

    “We are seeing a lot of excitement about what we have on offer. The autonomy we offer again is very, very interesting and exciting for people, and we are currently engaging in getting as many demonstrations as we can and getting more real-world experience in the hands of the users over here. So that can localize our products better as well as give a flavor of our technology to everybody here,” Mehta told PTI.

    “For example, one of our products, Netra V 4 Pro, is a one-of-a-kind product that, in less than six kilograms, offers more than 90 minutes of flying time in the real world along with payloads. That is something that is not very common,” he said.

    “It is almost three times more than what is usually available in the market. In that sense, there is a lot of delight in when they actually see a product perform in that kind of condition, in that kind of real-world performance,” he added.

    Following one of the product demonstrations here, along with his team, Mehta said the idea is to showcase their technology over here and to look at what kind of uses the technology can put over here.

    IdeaForge, set up in 2007 by a group of Mumbai IITians , can bring the experience they are gaining in India, he said. “We have had our customers use our drones in over 420,000 missions within IdeaForge drones, flying almost every five minutes in India,” he said.

    “It’s really a rich experience that we can bring to the table here, and we see a lot of commonalities with respect to very low temperatures, very high temperatures, and some high-altitude areas over here as well,” Mehta said.

    “What we are building here to deploy at scale in India could be very, very useful in these environments as well,” he added. When asked about India purchasing armed drones from General Atomics for its armed forces at the cost of nearly USD 4 billion, Mehta said it would need sustained long-term investment from relevant sectors, including the Indian Government, to reach that level of manufacturing such drones.

    “Manpower is definitely not a debate because India does have some of the best talent. In fact, a lot of our best talent is here building a lot of these technologies,” Mehta said. Observing that the government has done a great job building the proper regulations for the drone ecosystem, Mehta said there is now a need to sustain these investments in areas like the production-linked incentive scheme.

    “We need to enhance it, and we need to give more encouragement. It is a one-of-a-kind scheme that does a lot of support to design incentives for drone companies because, in a way, it gives a lot of R and D (research and development) capital back to every company that is doing more value addition in the country,” he said.

    “A lot of upfront R and D capital needs to be allocated for this technology space, and that’s an area where some effort and support will be required for the drone ecosystem because a lot of times, incentives like the production-linked incentive are great to boost scale and to do more for players who are already achieved a certain scale,” he said.

    However, Mehta said that a lot of R and D capital for designing many subsystems in the country would be very useful for the overall benefit and development of the ecosystem.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Inspired by the Sikh notion of oneness, says Indian American running for Congress

    Inspired by the Sikh notion of oneness, says Indian American running for Congress

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Krystle Kaul, a noted Indian American defense and national security expert, says her running for the US Congress is inspired by the Sikh tradition of oneness and a strong sense of giving back to the community. “I am half Kashmiri Pandit and half Punjabi Sikh. I am very proud of both of my cultural backgrounds. Growing up in America, being bicultural is something unique and something that I have embraced. My grandparents and my parents have embedded that in me. I am proud to stand today as the first ever Kashmiri Pandit to stand for Congress and also as the only Sikh woman to currently run for Congress in the country,” Krystle told PTI in a recent interview.

    Kaul, who speaks nine languages – English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Dari and Kashmiri — is running from the 10th Congressional District of Virginia. The incumbent Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat, is not seeking re-election, therefore making it an open seat.

    “My Nani (grandmother) Vimal Chaddha Malik used to take me to Glen Cove Gurdwara in Long Island, New York. There I would serve langar. I learned a lot about Sikh traditions and the notion of oneness. I’m proud of that. That’s something that has given me a very strong sense of community and giving back and is one of the core values that I embrace in my bid for Congress,” she said.

    “At the core of the tenets of Sikhism is this idea of feeding your community, of service, of making sure that everyone has what they need and that is reflective. If you go to Amritsar, for example, to the Golden Temple, you see that everyone gets fed at the Golden Temple. The halwa there is also the best in the world, I think,” she said.

    “It’s just a really beautiful concept to see in the community there on a micro level and one that can be scaled internationally and that can be embraced here in Virginia District 10. So again, I’m very proud of both sides of my heritage being Hindu and Sikh, and very proud of the fact that I stand again as the only Sikh woman running for Congress in the country today because we need representation and that’s important,” Kaul said.

    Notably, Dalip Singh Saund was the first Indian American, a Sikh, to be elected to the US House of Representatives from the 29th Congressional District of California for three terms beginning in 1957.

    In the current Congress, there are five Indian Americans in the House of Representatives: Dr Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Pramila Jayapal and Shri Thanedar. Jayapal is the first ever and only Indian American woman to be elected to the House of Representatives.

    Dalip Singh Saund is often a name that gets forgotten, Krystle said.

    “Today we focus heavily on the five Indian American members who were in Congress, but preceding all of them was this one Sikh man who came in as an outlier and was able to get the mass community support in his district at a time when we were such a new immigrant community in this country. That’s something that I’m proud of and one that I think is very notable,” she said.

    Despite doing well in various fields in the US, the Sikh community is not seen much in politics, she noted. “The Sikh community has done very well as the Indian American community, but as a subgroup. In terms of education, in terms of business and engineering, and IT and medicine across the board,” she said.

    “This group definitely needs representation. Of course, there have been a lot of cases of discrimination against Sikhs, which is very unfortunate,” Kaul said.

    Responding to a question, Krystle said there have been a lot of cases of discrimination against Sikhs, which is very unfortunate. “I’ve seen it in my district, I’ve seen it in Virginia, and I’ve seen it at a national level. I say repeatedly, it doesn’t matter (how much is) your bank balance, it doesn’t matter how prominent you are, if you’re a Sikh man, you wear a turban. It’s a visible thing that you wear and something that can be used against you in terms of a hate crime,” she pointed out.

    There is a need to create more awareness and understanding that this is something that is part of a religion and one that should be respected, she said.

    “That is through education, through awareness, and that comes from representation. When you have people in Congress who say, hey, I stand up proudly to be a Sikh and this is not okay, you cannot do this. That’s when people start to listen. I think that’s something that I want to advocate,” she added.

    Kaul said her campaign is doing good and she is running a genuine, authentic and grassroots campaign. “I have the most cash on hand today. I came out very strong in Q4 with USD 567,000 in cash on hand surpassing all candidates by a lot. They told me I couldn’t do it. They often underestimate you as a woman, as a woman of color and particularly as they see women. I worked really hard,” she said.

    “Along with cash on hand, I also have a very strong and growing team. I have a team that’s right now 85 plus and growing. A lot of great top firms, and amazing staff that I have on hand, but also a volunteer team that exceeds 50 in several districts, in several states and also nationally who are really inspired. A lot of them are young Indian American girls in particular, which I’m really proud of, a lot of young Sikh girls for example,” Kaul said.

    “I also have a very multicultural growing volunteer base of Latinos, people from different communities,” she said, asserting that it “showcases a strong base”.

    She said she spoke at the Sikh International Film Festival in New York where she got to interact with filmmakers, the heads of Sikhs for America, the Punjabi Chamber of Commerce, and the Sikh Chamber of Commerce.

    “I’ve got a lot of support from very many prominent Sikhs, again locally and nationally. And that has also felt great just from a community standpoint and one that is tied to my cultural roots,” she said.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Infosys CEO Salil Parekh joins USISPF Board

    Infosys CEO Salil Parekh joins USISPF Board

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP) : Salil Parekh, CEO and managing director at Infosys, has joined the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum as a member of its board of directors.

    An industry veteran with nearly three decades in the IT services industry, executing business turnarounds and managing successful acquisitions, Parekh, in his capacity as Infosys CEO, sets the strategic direction of one of India’s most notable IT giants while nurturing a strong leadership team to drive its execution.

    Salil’s recent addition to the USISPF Board accentuates the success story of Indian IT giants in the US For years. Infosys has been a household name in India, and IT services are one of India’s biggest exports to the United States, said USISPF president and CEO Mukesh Aghi.

    In an era of digital economy and digital trade, Infosys’ success in the US is a testimony to the growing synergy in tech ties and how India’s robust tech talent plays an integral part in strengthening and growing the tech sector in the United States, Aghi said.

    USISPF chairman John Chambers said Salil and Infosys’ participation on the USISPF Board will help forge a critical reliance for the two economies by consolidating digital trade, ultimately further establishing India as an innovation partner to the world, which is the organization’s core mission.

    I’m thrilled to have Salil, a leader with a great track record in the IT industry, join the USISPF Board. Infosys’ impact in the American tech industry has been extremely important, and the company played a vital part in India’s nearly USD 200 billion software exports for 2023, Chambers said.

  • 33 non-profit bodies to participate in second India Giving Day in US

    33 non-profit bodies to participate in second India Giving Day in US

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): As many as 33 top Indian American nonprofit organizations are participating in the India Giving Day on March 1, during which organizers expect to raise money for important social welfare programs in India. “The number (results) we’re going to announce at the end of India Giving Day is going to be significantly larger than last year. That’s because we have a track record as we’ve been working all year long and people are excited,” Alex Counts, executive director of the India Philanthropy Alliance and India Giving Day told PTI in an interview. India Philanthropy Alliance is a network of non-profit organizations that mobilize people and funding in the US for high-impact development programs in India.

    The second edition of the annual India Giving Day organized by India Philanthropy Alliance has launched a nationwide campaign to generate awareness among Indian Americans and “friends of India” in the US to donate generously on this important day dedicated to raise funds for a host of critical social and economic issues in India.

    The inaugural edition last year raised USD 1.3 million in one day. All funds raised through India Giving Day will be used to support programs based in India or to build a more robust fundraising operation in the US to benefit India, Counts said.

    “The three (issues) that were most common, perhaps almost exclusive issues last year were education for the poor, healthcare for the poor, wellbeing and third was we put a broad category of livelihoods, the ability of people to generate economic sustainability for themselves through good jobs and entrepreneurship,” he said.

    “Those remain central to what we’re doing. This year we’re adding a few more. We’re adding a few organizations that work in environmental preservation and climate change. We have a couple of groups that work in animal rights and animal welfare. We are expanding with more cultural organizations. Most of our money will be going towards these three — health education and livelihood,” Counts said.

    Urging Indian Americans and “friends of India” to donate generously, Counts said: “Give when you have surplus. If someone is just living paycheck to paycheck and is struggling economically, they can give in other ways. They can give their time. I wouldn’t want them to be giving financially. But for those who have been fortunate enough who’ve worked hard to develop some surplus financial resources, giving can be something that’s done in a communal and collective way.”

    He said that for many who are part of India Giving Day, it is where they were born or where their parents were born. Giving is an opportunity to really change that society for the better, to give new opportunities for healthcare, education, environment preservation, livelihoods.

    “It’s an opportunity to do it joyfully, to do it communally and to do it when you choose organizations that are really well designed,” the executive director of the alliance said. India, he asserted, has some of the best NGOs in the world and they do all or most of their work in India.

    “So you’re not talking about organizations that are kind of poorly organized. The 33 groups we have here are some of the best non-profits in the entire world. So when you work with them, you really have confidence that it’ll bring change,” Counts said. “I just ask people to also just do it, give what you can, give it joyfully, where you let others see what you’re giving and inspire them to give and know that if you choose groups that are well trained and well and they can execute, you’re going to change India as a result,” Counts said in response to a question,” he added.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Delegation from 17 US universities to visit India next week

    Delegation from 17 US universities to visit India next week

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): A high-powered delegation of 31 provosts, vice provosts, deans, and other leaders from 17 top American universities are travelling to India next week as part of their goal to strengthen India-US collaboration and student and scholar mobility between the two countries.

    The delegation from the American universities will visit 26 institutions in New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

    This visit gains significance in the wake of the recent spate in incidents of attacks on Indian students and those of Indian origin in various parts of the country.

    The delegation builds on recent years of US and Indian government-led efforts to partner in pursuit of mutually beneficial strategies. Last year, the president and prime minister from each country embarked on state visits to the other, affirming the US-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, a media release said.

    We will have the opportunity to meet with 26 Indian institutions to talk about collaboration, mobility of students and scholars between our two countries and securing and fostering enduring partnerships between institutions, A. Sarah Ilchman, co-president of Institute of International Education (IIE), told PTI in an interview before leaving for India. Indian students and scholars in the US now are at record numbers and it’s very exciting to watch close to 270,000 Indian students on US campuses and about 17,000 Indian scholars in the US right now. So, it’s an exciting time to be engaging with India and Indian institutions to try to further increase this engagement and collaboration, she said.

    The IIE Leadership Delegation to India from February 25 to March 2 would have representations from California State University, Long Beach; University of California, Berkeley; DePaul University; University of California, Davis; East Tennessee State University; University of Houston; Florida International University; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Michigan State University; University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Mississippi State University; University of Missouri; Montclair State University; University of Rochester; Oklahoma State University; University of Tulsa and Rutgers University.

    More than 40 per cent of India’s 1.4 billion population is under the age of 25, and demand for education exceeds in-country supply. Apart from meeting Indian government officials, the delegates will visit US consulates, the Indian School of Business, IIT Hyderabad, Mahindra University, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, and Somaiya Vidyavihar University. Topics to be discussed include setting up of international branch campuses in India, the impact of ed-tech in Indian higher education, and the higher education business landscape.

    We hope from this delegation that there will be many active partnerships and engagements between US institutions and Indian institutions and that we can increase the flow of students and scholars both ways, Ilchman said. Observing that the US has probably the most diverse higher education system in the world with specialized programs, institutions of all sizes and shapes and focuses, Ilchman said the United States has much to offer to students from India as compared to other global destinations.

    We also are a brand. People know that the reputation of an education in the US is highly sought after, and in addition, the United States has tremendous capacity and room to welcome international students,” she said.

    Some countries such as the UK or Australia or Canada have close to 20 per cent or more international students in their higher education system, Ilchman pointed out.

    “In the United States, only about six per cent of the higher education system are international students. So we have capacity to welcome more, she said. Ilchman said India has been a long-standing investor in US higher education by sending students and scholars through optional practical training (OPT), which is the opportunity to do practical work in your field of study after your degree programme.

    Many Indian students and scholars have had the opportunity to work in the United States to found organizations and companies that have done tremendous things, she said.

    So, the impact of Indians and other international students in the United States is significant in what they contribute back to society, she noted.

    The delegation would also meet members of the US embassy while in India.

    Of course, visas and the timely issuance of visas is critically important for all of this to work. The Department of State has been much more open and transparent about the number of visa applications that are in the pipeline, how many have been approved, and how long it takes to get a visa interview, the IIE co-president said.

    With this transparency we’re starting to see more data and more information that the visa process is working out, some of the obstacles in kinks that we have seen, she added.

    On a question on the spate in attacks on Indian students in recent weeks, Ilchman said, US colleges and universities prioritise the health and safety of all of their students on campus, both domestic and international.

    Building safe and inclusive communities is part of what US universities try to do every single day. They are very familiar with welcoming and supporting international students on their campuses. US institutions are on the forefront of providing mental health resources to ensure that all students have the support that they need during their studies, she added.

    Asked about some of the unscrupulous universities in the US, which many a times resulted in Indian students being deported from the US airports on arrival, Ilchman said, Unfortunately there are individuals who are working outside the system and creating opportunities that don’t exist and attract individuals there. I know that they’re trying to clamp down on these unfortunate actors in the industry.

  • A first: US company lands craft on moon

    A first: US company lands craft on moon

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): A private American company has scripted history by landing the first commercial spacecraft on the Moon as well as the first US vehicle on the Earth’s only natural satellite in more than 50 years, joining earlier feats by India, Russia, the US and China.

    Built by Intuitive Machines, the lander — named Odysseus — touched down on the moon at 6.23 pm ET on Thursday, February 22, making it the first American spacecraft on the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. “Today, for the first time in half a century, America has returned to the Moon,” Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator said. The lander will have seven days before darkness descends on the landing site, preventing the spacecraft’s solar panels from gathering energy from sunlight and bringing freezing temperatures, ABC News reported.
    (Source: PTI)

  • US working to reduce visitor visa wait time for Indians: Rena Bitter

    US working to reduce visitor visa wait time for Indians: Rena Bitter

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The United States is working towards further reducing the wait time for visitor visas for Indians following a decrease of 75 per cent last year, according to US Bureau of Consular Affairs Assistant Secretary Rena Bitter. In an interview with PTI, Bitter noted that today more Indians can travel to the United States than in any other time in history.

    “Last year, the Embassy in India processed 1.4 million visas, explosion of an incredible number…in every category there is no wait time at all except in one area of travel where there is still some wait time and that is people travelling for the first time to the United States for tourism,” she said.

    “It has been reduced 75 per cent over the last year and we are working really hard on this. We recognize that it is an incredibly important bilateral relationship and the foundation of the relationship is the people-to-people ties, the business travel and the family ties.

    All these things are important to us and in Washington we are doing a lot of work to support this post (Indian) so they can meet the exploding demand,” she added.

    Asked about the plans for H1B visa, Bitter said the pilot programme which is underway to permit Indians living in the US to renew their H1B visa without travelling abroad will conclude in February.

    “There is special place for Indian skilled workers in United States, they contribute so much to our economy. Indian embassy issued 34 per cent more H1B visas last year which is also the maximum in the history of the post. We take this issue seriously and this was a huge topic of conversation between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden during their meeting last year.

    “We introduced a pilot programme in January for revalidation of 20,000 Indian skilled workers in the United States. The pilot programme will conclude at the end of this month. It is going really well and once we complete the pilot period we will reevaluate and see what comes next to make it as easy as possible for Indians working in the US,” she said.

    The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries such as India and China.

    The pilot programme was started months after the White House announced the plan during the state visit of Prime Minister Modi in June last year. Talking about student visas, Bitter said, “one in four international students studying in United States is from India. It is incredible because it is not only they are getting top notch education which we are really proud of but they are also enriching our classrooms with their unique perspective and the key points that they bring to our classrooms.

    “They make our students smarter too…So we are really excited about that. This is really important programme for us to make sure that Indian students have access to education in the United States and we have all pieces in place going forward to ensure that we meet the demand,” she added.

    The number of Indians who travelled to the United States for higher education increased by 35 per cent and resulted in an all-time high of 2,68,923 students in the academic year 2022-23.

    Last year, the US consular team in India issued over 1,40,000 student visas – more than in any other country in the world setting a record for the third year in a row.

  • Indian American economist Daleep Singh set to return to White House

    Indian American economist Daleep Singh set to return to White House

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Indian American Economist Daleep Singh, a key architect of the Biden administration’s economic sanctions on Russia, is coming back to the White House, according to a media report.
    Singh, who served in the Treasury Department in the Obama administration, will return to his previous role as deputy national security adviser for international economics taking over from Mike Pyle who leaves at the end of the month.
    Daleep Singh’s return as the deputy national security adviser for international economics “will allow him to pick up where he left off in April of 2022 — looking for innovative ways to punish Russia and help support Ukraine,” the report suggested.
    The position, which reports to both the NSC and the National Economic Council, is one of the most important in the White House.
    As part of the portfolio, Singh will help coordinate the US position at both the G7 and G20 summits.
    This year the G7 leaders will meet in June in Italy. The G20 summit is scheduled to occur in Brazil in November after the presidential election.
    With a $95 billion foreign aid package stuck in Congress, Biden officials are exploring how they can help Ukraine without Congressional authorization, the report stated.
    One idea that is gaining currency is to use Russia’s frozen sovereign assets, which are mostly held in Europe, as collateral for loans to Ukraine, it said. Belgium has recently floated this idea to G7 countries, but Singh wrote about it back in December of 2022 in Barron’s.
    The great grand-nephew of Daleep Singh Saund, the first Asian-American elected to the US Congress, has been working as the chief economist for PGIM Fixed Income.
    Singh was appointed as Biden’s Deputy National Security Advisor in February 2021. He previously served in the Obama administration as deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury for international affairs and acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Markets.
    Singh came to the White House from the New York Federal Reserve, where he played a critical leadership role in the emergency facilities the Fed launched in response to Covid-19.
    Before his tenure at the Treasury Department, he worked for Goldman Sachs, with a focus on US interest rates and currency markets, from 2003 to 2007, and again from 2008 to 2011.
    He was also a partner at Element Capital Management from 2007 to 2008. He is a former adjunct senior fellow at the Center for New American Security and the Atlantic Council. He was also an adjunct professor of geoeconomics at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
    Born in Olney, Maryland and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Duke University in economics and public policy and a Master of Business Administration/Master of Public Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, with a focus on international economics.