The Indian Panorama

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  • INTERVIEW : Eye Foundation of America aims at eliminating childhood blindness: Dr. VK Raju

    INTERVIEW : Eye Foundation of America aims at eliminating childhood blindness: Dr. VK Raju

    By Prof. Indrajit S Saluja

    Dr. V.K. Raju, MD, FRCS, FACS, the Founder and Medical Director of the Eye Foundation of American is on a crusade to eliminate avoidable blindness around the world.
    Eye Foundation of America began its work in 1979 in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. EFA grew out of his earlier work providing services and treatment near his birthplace in Rajahamundry, a town in Southeast India‘s Andhra Pradesh. Raju organized teams to go to remote areas and deliver eye care in areas where there otherwise were none. These traveling clinics were known as “eye camps.” (Eye camps remain a standard part of the Foundation’s services today.)
    Raju dedicated virtually all the spare time he had outside his busy ophthalmological practice in West Virginia and used his own funds to cover many of the expenses. Eventually it became apparent that the lack of accessible, affordable eye care was very large and shared by an enormous number of people worldwide. In order to battle avoidable blindness on a global scale and to gain strength by partnering with other organizations, Raju created the 501 © 3 nonprofit organization that we know today as the Eye Foundation of America.
    Today, Foundation has grown far beyond its original size and scope but never outgrew the vision of its founder, who continues to look ahead. EFA has built modern eye hospitals and trained ophthalmic assistants and other personnel to carry on our work. We provide workshops and fellowships for physicians and medical students throughout the world. We also conduct research to find better ways of preventing blindness, to learn how to distribute Vitamin A efficiently
    His team has done wonders, considering the tremendous work done by them.
    • 2 million+ outpatients
    • 300 thousand+ eye surgeries
    • 25 thousand+ on children
    This is completed by the Eye Foundation of America team since 1977 in India and 21 other developing countries. Additionally, the Eye Foundation of America lays great emphasis on teaching and training of health professionals who receive the Foundation’s support at every level.

    When Dr. VK Raju invited me over for the annual Golf for Sight tournament which was held on July 21, I was a little confused. I wondered what connection sight could have with golf. However, I soon learnt it was a golf tournament Dr. Raju has been organizing to raise funds for the Eye Foundation of America which he founded in 1979 to work for prevention of blindness, particularly among children. As of now, the Foundation provides services in more than 14 countries and it has plans to extend that reach in the years ahead.

    After the tournament was over, I asked Dr. Raju to sit me with me for an interview for The Indian Panorama. He was gracious enough to schedule a meeting the next morning over breakfast at his place.

    Here are excerpts from the interview.
    What is the concept behind the Eye Foundation of America and the various activities you are conducting?

    The concept behind it is to review different aspects of a disease. For example, 80% of our learning is through vision. If you don’t promote good nutrition and exercise, we get into diabetes. And once we get into diabetes, things that can go wrong, it can affect from top of the head to toes. But most of the problems caused by diabetes can be prevented. We all have to start it early. West Virginia – where I came from India via London 40 years ago has tremendous similarities with India. It has wonderful people, hardworking people just like India. West Virginia has tremendous potential like India – it is not on the top of world but it can be. I feel I have two homes – travel from home to home. Ironically West Virginia and India have highest rates of diabetes. So this project is mainly to address problems of children, their nutrition problem is almost like developing countries. In the context of United States, some of the West Virginia counties have been neglected for a long time. So our objective is working with others. By doing so, we can do well. West Virginia University is unique – it has extension service where incredible people work. They have their presence in India too. Both Eye Foundation of America’s motto is ‘World without Childhood Blindness.’

    During the last three years you launched a program/event called ‘For Sight.’ What kind of cooperation has been forthcoming from the community?

    Very good but it has to be much better than what we are experiencing. This kind of effort needs a lot of people and time. Selling something is easy but doing an event is not.

    How about your medical fraternity? How supportive they are?

    Generally, the medical fraternity is too busy with their day to day routine. And they don’t think about things like this. The state medical association president Dr Rahul Gupta is a public health man and has been very supportive of program like this and we are trying to reach more and more. We are trying to make the event bigger.

    You are talking about your two homes – West Virginia and India. Have you ever tried to establish a sister cities concept between West Virginia and any state of India?

    We tried many times but others have to participate. I always quote this – If you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go very far, you go with the team. By working together, we can do more. Non-medically these things can be done, not by medical people.

    Would you like to take up this issue to establish a sister cities concept between West Virginia and Andhra Pradesh with the help of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu?

    Of course. But not only Andhra Pradesh. It can be any other state if we get proper support.

    Do you think you have enough contact with the West Virginia State to convince them to establish a relationship of that kind with another state in India?

    Absolutely. Our state Senator has been extremely supportive of our projects. He is a very good friend of mine and always ready to do things like this. The mayor of Morgan town, who retired couple of years back, visited India. But we need help from others like journalists, think tanks.

    West Virginia University extension service centers are doing excellent job. Do you have any plan to open such centers in India with the help of the university?

    Absolutely – West Virginia University extension service has their presence in India too. We will make it bigger. But you know, the proof of pudding is in eating. The Rotary International is working with WHO, UNICEF to eradicate polio for decades. That is the way it should be done.

    Have you ever tried to collaborate with AAPI to prevent blindness in India?

    AAPI is a wonderful organization and it can do good things. There are many projects under them. But being persistent with a project is very important. In recent AAPI meetings many leaders expressed interest. So, we have to look into that.

    Tell us about the hospitals you have established in India

    Both in Andhra Pradesh. The first one is in Kakinada which I opened with the help of my friend in Canada. The second one is Goutami Eye Institute, a fully-equipped eye hospital in Rajahmundry, with a wing dedicated to children’s eye care. The Goutami Eye Institute has become a global training center for education, and exchange programs.  The Goutami Eye Institute has trained teachers to screen 100,000 school children for symptoms.  Since its inception the Eye Foundation of America has performed more than 300,000 surgeries, 25,000 of these surgeries on children. For new born premature babies we give oxygen so that they can survive and don’t get blind.

    Have you ever thought of seeking government help for your institutions?

    We did many times but indirectly. A friend of mine fixed an appointment with Mrs. Gandhi but it did not happen. Later we tried with many government agencies but that also did not work out.

    What is your opinion about the role of corporate world in health sector in India?

    The corporate sector is doing a very good job. But except few, the standard is not at par with the western world.

    If a state in India requests you to set up an eye hospital with the aim of avoidable blindness that the children of that state do not go blind, what would be your reaction?

    The answer for that is – if it happens – it will be my dream comes true. The first thing we need is land. Rest of it will be taken care of.

    Just before we parted he invited me over to another event the Foundation is organizing. This time in India. The Foundation will host an event on Oct 27 in India. People from all walks of life across the globe will come together. Mr Ravi from Sri Lanka – President of Rotary International will be the Chief Guest. Shrinu – foster child of IFA will be the guest of honor. Dr. Raju is such a fine person I could not decline his invitation. So, I have to be preparing to leave for India in the third week of October.

  • Exclusive Interview: “Look forward to fantastic relationship with the Indian community here”: Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty

    Exclusive Interview: “Look forward to fantastic relationship with the Indian community here”: Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty

    “There are three relationships here – India-US relationship, Indian community-US relationship, and Indian community-India relationship. All are very important and we need to focus on all three”, said Mr. Chakravorty.

    A seasoned diplomat with years of diplomacy and varied experiences of a diverse classes of people from different parts of the world extending from the East to the West and the North to the South behind him, Mr. Sandeep Chakravorty as Consul General of India in New York should prove to be a worthy successor to his equally worthy predecessors who all left a mark of their own.

    The Indian Consulate, New York website introduces Mr. Chakravorty in the following words.

    “Mr. Sandeep Chakravorty is a member of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) since 1996. Before joining the Government of India, he worked for several years in organizations dealing with forestry, environment and watershed development issues in India.

    He has served in India’s Missions in Madrid, Bogota, Dhaka and Lima. In the Ministry of External Affairs of India, New Delhi he worked on several desks including Press Relations Officer as well as Private Secretary to Minister of State for External Affairs. He also served in the Eurasia Division dealing with Central Asia and in the East Asia Division on China, Japan, Koreas and Mongolia. He was India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka, Bangladesh from July 2012 to June 2015. From July 2015 to July 2017 he was Ambassador of India to Peru and Bolivia with residence in Lima. He assumed charge as Consul General of India in New York on August 3, 2017.

    He holds a Master’s Degree in Advanced Studies from Geneva University and has an MA in Sociology. He has a PG Diploma in Forestry Management from Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. He graduated in Physics from Delhi University.

    He was born in 1968 and is married with twin daughters. He is fluent in Hindi, Bangla, English and Spanish.”

    The Indian Panorama has always been the first newspaper to welcome an incoming Consul General. And this applies to Permanent Mission of India also.

    Even before Mr. Chakravorty had arrived, I emailed a request for an interview. Such interviews are more in the nature of trying to know the person rather than be explorative on issues. Of course, the issues are to be there which form the basis of a conversation but these acquire some kind of sophistication and politeness when meeting for the first time. Also, a journalist has no list of complaints and grievances for the new arrival. Therefore, the meeting of The Indian Panorama team which was joined by friends from PTC TV led by the channel’s US operations chief Davender Singh, turned out to be a friendly exchange of views in a relaxed setting.

    Mr. Chakravorty, a suave and gentle person, was extremely responsive and forthcoming on even certain tricky issues. He was candid enough to answer questions fielded by the editor Prof. Saluja and the assistant editor Bidisha Roy, and the PTC representative Davender Singh. The Deputy Consul General Paramita Tripathi joined the Consul General, though not taking part in the conversation.  

    Here are excerpts from the interview.

    When somebody comes to a new posting, there is something in mind like what kind of impression one wants to create and one begins to think in terms of creating a legacy. What did you have in your mind when you came to New York as the Consul General?

    I would like to reciprocate your words; we want to create a productive and constructive relationship with the media and the Indian community at large. The framework of the relationship is set by our government officials in India and our Ambassador in Washington. We will basically follow the script that has been drafted by our leadership. But as you said every person is different and I would also love to leave a legacy behind me. My legacy that I would love to leave behind is fantastic relationship with the Indian community here. I believe in an open door policy. I believe this is the home for every Indian here in my jurisdiction. Whether you want some services from the consulate or not you should be always looking forward to come to the consulate.  We are also eager to interact with the media. What I would like to do is – our government has announced many programs – particular flagship programs – which desire to involve the community in the development of India. So, we would try to give more focus on that. As our Prime Minister said, the aspirations and expectations of people in India have grown. Here we have all the expertise and experience and the resources. I am not talking about financial resources but all kinds of resources. My team’s main responsibility is to give the opportunity to the community. Many times, people want to do things in India but there is lack of information and they do not know what to do. So, if we can play the role of a catalyst or a service provider and can involve the community for development of India, I think that could be a legacy. It has been a humbling experience for me to be appointed the Consul General of India. I would try to do my best. I am always available so please connect to us. In last couple of years there has been incredible change in India, in United States and their relationship. The Indian community played a major role in that. The strength of Indian community will grow and India-US relationship will be stronger. There are three relationships here – India-US relationship, Indian community-US relationship, and Indian community-India relationship. All are very important and we need to focus on all three.

    You spoke about flagship schemes of Government of India. Can you elaborate?

    In last few years we rolled out those schemes. Flagship schemes are important programs such as Make in India, Digital India, and Start up India. For all these programs, there is a huge role that United States can play, the Indian community can play. We are already seeing huge interest for these programs. What is Make in India? It is to invest in India which has become the number one investment destination in the world. Indian community can also invest in India. We are having the programs like Start up India or Digital India – we are digitalizing the economy. Huge opportunities are coming up in India in digital world and US is the world leader of digital technology.

    Do you have a different set of ideas for New York?

    It’s a very vibrant and dynamic city. We have huge presence here. I take it as a challenge because we should live up to the expectations of my government and the community. I am already thinking what differently we can do so our presence here can make a difference. I need your cooperation and help. One thing I want to assure that there has been a change in the consulate. We’ll certainly do what our predecessors have done. But we’ll try to do something more. We had a program called ‘Consulate at Your Doorstep.’ One of the first decisions we took was we’ll revive the program. I’ve asked my colleagues to draw a schedule for next six months. We’ll publish that schedule. And if someone has any grievance, please feel free to come to the consulate. People can connect to us on social media platforms as well.

    Some categories right now are being denied passport. Some categories are being denied visas. There are issues which have remained unresolved. Those who sought asylum here are not granted passports. This category needs to be given justice. What is your call?

    I am aware of these issues. As a person, I can understand the sentiments and have full sympathy. But we are bound by the policy of Government of India and the policy is decided after a lot of thought processes. We cannot take any decision for which we have to repent later and also it should not prejudice other categories of people who are legitimate residents of this country. It is not only about policy of Government of India but it has an implication on US policy too.

    Do you plan to continue with open house to address complaints and grievances?

    We will not only continue with the open house; we will try to make it more effective so the complaints and grievances of people needing our services are looked in to expeditiously. We are committed to providing the best consular services. I will urge all to visit the Consulate helpline (helpline@indiacgny.org ) in case of any issues/ information required.

    People often complain that they pay agents huge sums for obtaining passport and visa which are originally denied by the Consulate. What is your take on the issue?

    This is totally unacceptable. If any such case comes to your notice, please bring it to our notice. Consulate services are free for all Indian nationals. We don’t charge any commission apart from fees that go to Govt of India account. There is no additional surcharge. So, there is no need to go to the agents. If the documents are fine, people will get their visa and passport from the consulate. If not, the agents can’t do anything. We don’t accept any applications through agents.

    Some people are afraid of coming to the consulate.

    Why? The consulate is an Indian establishment. They should not be afraid. There will be no harm. Please feel free to come to us. We can reach out to these people too through our reach out program.

    You are very passionate about having good relations with mainstream American politicians and lawmakers. How do you think to go about it?

    I was thinking of multipoint strategies. Some people I will go and meet on my own. Some people I will meet through the community leaders. I have already met some leaders. The community has this ability of connecting the consulate to the American leadership. I will also connect through American organizations and institutions. I will use all resources available. What I would like to convey that we will follow a very inclusive approach. I will deal with everybody and give everybody a chance. That’s the whole idea.

    In media interactions, would you like to include mainstream media?

    There is no reason that mainstream media should not be involved. We will unfold the strategy to involve them. Not only big media houses but we’ll approach all – even the small ones. We need to engage with everybody. That is our job.

    Anything else you want to share?

    People should approach us with suggestions. As far as we can help, we will do. We have a new team here; so, give us some time. Periodically we will review our performance. If there is any need for course correction, we’ll do.

    (Prof. Indrajit S Saluja / Bidisha Roy)

     

  • Enough is Enough – By Prof. I. S. Saluja

    Enough is Enough – By Prof. I. S. Saluja

    As we celebrate the 71st Independence Day of India, we remember the valiant freedom fighters who made huge sacrifices to make it possible for us to live as a free people in an independent nation. They are the ones who should be worshipped as gods who delivered us from cruel clutches of alien rulers.  They are the ones who should command our admiration and adulation. But what do we see here?

    The present political masters in charge of the nation’s affairs are doing their best to malign them. They are carrying out a sustained propaganda against them. They are removing their mention from history books. They will soon remove their statues and busts which one sees all across India, and even abroad. It suits their politics. But the question is: Does it suit the nation? Does it make the nation any better?

    We have been hearing the word “intolerance” in India for quite some time. We have often seen its manifestation in various spheres- from the world of academics to that of entertainment. We have seen it manifested in every sphere of ordinary man’s daily life. We have heard the voice turning in to a noise in the name of majority and minorities; in the name of regions; in the name of religions; in the name of language and culture. The question is: Is it good for the nation? Is it good for the 1.3 billion people of India?

    On the 70th anniversary of Independence of India, we need to ask ourselves: Was it this kind of independent India that our freedom fighters dreamed of and laid their lives for? We need to ask ourselves: Is it this “Tryst with destiny” that we want? Surely, not. So then, let the voice of reason be raised; let the common people tell their rulers we do not subscribe to your ideology of hatred and intolerance. We want the India that our freedom fighters had dreamed of and fought for. You were nowhere in the struggle for freedom. You were on the other side thinking of yourself only which even now you are doing. Go ahead, go on doing it. But do not try to turn India in to a country of which the souls of freedom fighters will feel ashamed of. Enough is enough.

  • Turkey detains Russian IS suspect ‘planning attack on US base’

    Turkey detains Russian IS suspect ‘planning attack on US base’

    ISTANBUL (TIP): Turkish authorities have detained a Russian national and suspected Islamic State group militant for allegedly planning a drone attack on US aircraft at Turkey’s Incirlik air base, police said on Thursday.

    Renad Bakiev was detained in the southern city of Adana over suspicions that he plotted to crash an American aircraft or attack the Incirlik air base using a drone, Adana police said in a statement. Turkish private news agency Dogan said a court later ordered him formally arrested pending a trial. Bakiev also intended to attack the local Alevi community in Adana city, the statement said. It said he was affiliated with IS and had previously traveled to Syria.

    The Alevi religious minority is an offshoot of Shia Islam and is the largest religious group in Turkey after Sunnis. IS regards Alevis as heretics.Bakiev appealed for 2,800 Turkish Lira (nearly $800) fromother militants on the Telegram messaging application, whichIS sympathizers use widely, to buy a drone, police said.

    The private Dogan news agency said during his questioning that he allegedly defended the need to kill Alevis and considered them “enemies of Allah,” the statement said. During police interrogations, Bakiev admitted to reconnoitering the air base for his strike, the police statement said. A previous attempt he made to attack Americans was unsuccessful.

    Bakiev’s plans came to light in testimony from suspected IS members detained in a counterterror raid in June, according to Dogan news agency. That operation captured the alleged commander of an Adana-based IS cell, 32-year old Abdulkerim Cakar, and 10 others.

    The US Air Force has used Incirlik air base, near Adana, as a staging post for the air campaign against IS in Syria and Iraq since 2015. IS militants have used armed drones to deadly effect in Iraq and Syria, converting commercial drones to carry small explosives. (AFP)

  • UK to scrap ‘outdated’ landing cards for Indians, others

    UK to scrap ‘outdated’ landing cards for Indians, others

    LONDON (TIP): Non-EU visitors including Indians arriving in the UK will soon be no longer required to fill the “outdated” landing cards as part of the ongoing digital transformation of border controls, the Home Office has said.

    Landing cards are filled out by an estimated 16 million international visitors from outside the European Union (EU), including Indians, annually. Under proposals published yesterday, the UK Home Office said the paper-based system, which costs the UK public around 3.6 million pounds ($4.6 million) each year, will be replaced as part of the UK Border Force’s ongoing digital transformation of border controls.

    “We are modernising border technology to ensure Border Force staff stop dealing with outdated paperwork and can continue to focus on security and protecting the public,” said Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis. “In addition, this change will improve the experience for arriving passengers so they get an even better welcome when they land in the UK,” he said.

    The withdrawal of landing cards, filled out by non-EU passengers since 1971, will not result in the loss of any data that is used for security checks, the Home Office said.

    All passengers arriving from outside the EU will continue to be checked against the variety of police, security and immigration watch lists which are used to verify the identity and confirm the status of every passenger arriving at the British airports.

    The Home Office has launched a fourweek consultation with carriers/airlines, ports and those that use statistics gathered from landing card data before it comes into force later this year.

    According to the department, the changes are expected to free up staff and enable Border Force to better deploy their resources.

    At the same time, the changes will improve the experience for travellers as passengers will no longer need to fill out the paper cards while on board the flight or in queues at airports and ports. The airports and ports, on the other hand, will no longer have to purchase and distribute them.

    It is expected that queue lengths will be shortened and passenger flows improved at British airports, a move welcomed by Heathrow airport, the largest UK hub.

    Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said in a statement: “We warmly welcome this proposed change which would give visitors to Britain an improved experience, whilst maintaining a secure border into the UK”.

    “In post-Brexit Britain, it will be even more important to show we are open for business and make sure that we give investors, tourists and students a great welcome to our country.

    “We look forward to continuing to work closely with the new Immigration Minister and Border Force over the coming years to keep improving the passenger experience at the UK’s border,” Holland-Kaye said.

    The proposals have been characterised as part of the Home Office’s ongoing transformation at the border which is enhancing Border Force’s ability both to facilitate legitimate travel and ensure the security of the border.

    “This programme of work has already seen the introduction of 232 e-gates at 21 ports and since June has seen more than a million passengers use them each week. This has enabled Border Force officers to work on other security and intelligence matters,” the Home Office said.

    The changes are in addition to the ongoing Digital Services at the Border (DSAB) programme, which is modernising technology at the border to improve intelligence gathering on goods and passengers and increase security.

    The UK Border Force has also increased the use of Advance Passenger Information, with systems in place to receive data on 100 per cent of scheduled flights for all international journeys to and from the UK. (PTI)

  • ASHLEY JUDD FACES ‘EVERYDAY SEXISM’

    ASHLEY JUDD FACES ‘EVERYDAY SEXISM’

    Actress Ashley Judd has claimed she became the victim of “everyday sexism”.

    The 49-year-old took to Facebook Live to detail an incident with an airport employee, who referred to her as “sweetheart”, prompting a dispute between the pair, reports usmagazine.com.

    Speaking down the camera lens as she made her way through the airport, Judd explained: “This is the kind of thing to me that happens which I categorise as everyday sexism. And it is so easy to let it go and not to speak up, particularly when it is so easy for someone to push back and say ‘Oh, I was just being polite’.”

    She added: “So I was coming through security and a guy said ‘Hey sweetheart’, and I said, ‘I’m not your sweetheart, I am your client.’ So I was already setting a boundary. When I was setting my things out, he said, ‘Hey nice dress!’”

    The “Divergent” actress said the airport employee’s behaviour was sexist. “I didn’t hear him say anything about the attire of any of the other folks in the entire line and I am in one of the most travelled airports in the world,” Judd said. “I’m surrounded by lots and lots of other people dressed in lots of different kinds of dress,” she added.

  • MOVIE REVIEW – ATOMIC BLONDE

    CAST: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Toby Jones

    DIRECTION: David Leitch

    GENRE: Action

    DURATION: 1 hour 55 minutes

    STORY

    A lethal assassin fights for her life in Berlin during the Cold War as she uncovers a deadly game of spies.

    REVIEW

    We’ve seen a recent spike in strong female protagonists who can hold their own in battle; films like ‘Wonder Woman’, ‘Ghost in the Shell’, ‘Valerian’ and even ‘Logan’ come to mind. This is familiar territory for Charlize Theron who made quite an impact as Furiosa in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. Based on a graphic novel ‘The Coldest City’,’ Atomic Blonde’ is cut from the same cloth as ‘John Wick’ in that it features gunplay and close quarters hand-tohand combat that will make you wince. Keeping all that in mind, seeing the Oscar-award winning actor as Lorraine Broughton – an MI6 agent who is more than capable of receiving and dishing out a thorough bashing – isn’t exactly a far stretch.

    On this front, Theron delivers by levelling the field to such an extent that her gender is almost irrelevant. Her skill-set is brutal and effective, but not unrealistic. This should be credited to director David Leitch, a former stuntman,who also directed some of the action in ‘John Wick’ and his dexterity with handling it is evident. There are gripping sequences in ‘Atomic Blonde’, and one in particular, that are a clever mix of camera work, editing and innovative fight choreography – enough to justify the cost of a ticket. Unfortunately, this comes at the price of a coherent plot.

    Leitch isn’t as adept with storytelling, and he’s working with a convoluted screenplay that gives us twists and turns that seem to be thrown in just to make it all mean something. At the end of almost two hours, this gets a tad frustrating.

    Additionally, the odd narrative choice to cut back and forth between Lorraine’s interrogation scenes as she replays the story as it occurred in the past, acts as a counterbalance to the tension and renders all the hard-work futile.

    This does not detract from some solid performances by Theron, and especially James McAvoy who seems to be on a roll. He brings a manic energy to David Percival and manages to steal some scenes away from Theron. Aided by a soundtrack that mirrors the rebellious sentiment around the fall of the Berlin Wall, ‘Atomic Blonde’ is just enough fun. But it tries so hard to be mysterious and unpredictable that it ends up being more chaotic than it deserves to be. Truly a missed opportunity that leaves you more baffled than awestruck.

  • PROUD OF MY FLAWS, SAYS HILARY DUFF

    PROUD OF MY FLAWS, SAYS HILARY DUFF

    Actress Hilary Duff has lashed out at critics and said she does have flaws in her body but she is still proud of her body. Duff was trolled by people on her bikini body during a Hawaii holiday.

    She took to Instagram on Friday to share a photograph of herself in swimsuit carrying her five-year-old son Luca.

    “I am posting this on behalf of young girls, women and mothers of all ages. I’m enjoying a vacation with my son after a long season of shooting and being away from him for weeks. Since websites and magazines love to share ‘celeb flaws’ – well I have them,” Duff wrote alongside the image which shows her backside.

  • MOVIE REVIEW – JAB HARRY MET SEJAL

    CAST: Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma

    DIRECTION: Imtiaz Ali

    GENRE: Romance

    DURATION: 2 hours 24 minutes

    STORY

    After a month-long tour of Europe, Sejal (Anushka) is just about to board her flight to India, when she realises that her engagement ring is lost. In quest of the object, she hires the same tour-guide Harry (Shah Rukh) and together they set off visiting the exact same spots that she and her family visited— in the hope of finding the heirloom. Of course the journey proves to be much more…

    REVIEW

    The plot is wafer-thin and it’s been done to death by none other than Imtiaz Ali in each of his earlier films—be it Jab We Met, Cocktail (writer) and Tamasha. It’s the routine girl is engaged elsewhere story but she discovers half-way through that her soulmate is someone other. In this case, Sejal is engaged to Rupen but actually ends up falling for Harry. Let’s give the devil his due, Imtiaz’s films do coax and cajole you to take a journey inwards instead of just doing the peripheral one. But in this film, the soul-searching bits between the leads don’t quite add up. What makes this film watchable though is the presence of Shah Rukh and Anushka both of who are in top-form in their Punjabi and Gujarati `impersonations’. In fact, SRK is like old wine, the more he matures, the better he romances. Boy, when he seals it with a kiss, he’s irresistible!

    The music is average but Radha will definitely get you to attempt a bhangra-garba mix at your next house party. However, sound advice would be that you actually buy yourself a tour ticket to Europe and soak in the sights for real.

    Of course, if you’re in the mood for a cheaper option of touring the continent, buy yourself a JHMS ticket and get transported to foreign destinations captured efficiently by cinematographer K U Mohanan, In this case, there’s the added advantage of a Punjabi `munda’ playing your friend, philosopher, lover and guide.

    The journey from Netherlands to Nur Mahal treats you to an opera, pole-dancing and SRK in every frame. Despite it all, you’re tempted to tell the filmmaker that the script of this travelogue that seems to have gone missing, could perhaps be languishing in his own backyard.

  • KATRINA IS ‘CONFUSED’ ABOUT HER FEELINGS

    KATRINA IS ‘CONFUSED’ ABOUT HER FEELINGS

    After joining Instagram in April, Katrina Kaif has been keeping fans updated about exciting moments of her life, off the film sets and on it. In her recent post, she expressed herself saying that she was in a dilemma over her feelings.

    As if the picture itself doesn’t convey her complex state of mind, she captioned the image as, “That feeling when you don’t know what you’re feeling anymore?????????????? (don’t ask about the random symbols…. it’s how I express myself)”

    Meanwhile, she is currently filming for the sequel to Salman Khan’s 2012 action flick and soon be joining Shah Rukh Khan for the dwarf film helmed by Aanand L Rai.

    Source: TOI

  • KANGANA RANAUT SAYS HAVE TO FIGHT FOR EVERYTHING IN LIFE

    KANGANA RANAUT SAYS HAVE TO FIGHT FOR EVERYTHING IN LIFE

    Actress Kangana Ranaut said may be it is her destiny that she has to fight hard to get everything in life but she has made peace with it. The actress, who launched the trailer of her next, ‘Simran’, said she often wondered about her journey in Bollywood.

    “My journey has been quite different. While flying to Mumbai for the conference, I was thinking about all sorts of questions  that would be asked to me here. So I thought,’Has my journey really been unusual or is it only me who thinks that way?”

    “But the one aspect that is striking about my journey is that I have to fight for everything in life, even the smallest of the things. I don’t know why it happens. Maybe it is my destiny but I have made peace with it.”

    The actress said people might give her several tags but she will eventually take what is hers. “A lot of you might think, ‘to be or not to be’ but it is okay or like you guys use the word rebel, ladaku… I don’t take offence to that… I will take what is mine, be it by fighting or any other means.”

    At the event, she was accompanied by director Hansal Mehta, who revealed that much before they collaborated for ‘Simran’, he had approached her with a film post her debut in ‘Gangster’. “I was pursuing her for a film since years. In fact, I had called her to my office for a script narration, just after ‘Gangster’. I was confident she will say yes.

    But she refused,” Mehta said. To which, Kangana quipped, “I don’t remember this incident at all. He said his ego was hurt a lot. But this is the story of my life, whether I remember or not, I definitely hurt ego.” ‘Simran’ is scheduled to release on September 15. Source: PTI

  • Babri Masjid was built by demolishing temple: Shia Waqf Board to SC

    Babri Masjid was built by demolishing temple: Shia Waqf Board to SC

    NEW DELHI (TIP): More than 70 years after the Faizabad Civil Court rejected its claim over Babri Masjid as a Shia Waqf, the Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh has moved the Supreme Court to assert its claim over the disputed site.

    Interestingly, the Special Leave Petition – which challenged a 1946 decision of the Faizabad Civil Court – said the Babri Masjid demolished by Hindu Karsevaks in 1992 was built by demolishing a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

    The petition is likely to be taken up by a three-judge bench of Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S Abdul Nazeer at 2 pm on Friday along with cross-appeals filed by various parties.

    Almost seven years after the Allahabad High Court’s September 30, 2010 order dividing the 2.7-acre disputed land at the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site equally between Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and Sunni Waqf Board, the Supreme Court is scheduled to take up cross-appeals on August 11. Referring to the gazetteer of the district which contained references to Babri Masjid, the Shia Waqf Board said, “It shows that according to local affirmations, Babar came to Ajodhia in 1528 AD. And halted here only for a week and it was during his regime the Janmasthan temple was destroyed and on its site a mosque was built using largely the materials of the old structure.”

    It said: “Trial court committed error in not appreciating that it is the Wakif who creates wakf. Even if someone (king) orders for building a mosque, the Wakif is the one who actually creates the Wakf by dedicating it to the God. In the instant case admittedly the mosque was built by Abdul Mir Baqi presumably out of his funds since Babar stayed near Ayodhya only for 5-6 days whereas construction of mosque took much more time (demolition of temple and building of mosque)..”, said the petition.

    It said the “trial court failed to appreciate that merely `ordering’ to build mosque does not make that person as Wakif. Someone has to build it andhaving title, may be in the edifice, can dedicate it to the God. Maybe that Babar ordered Abdul Mir Baqi to build mosque, Mir Baqi (Shia) chose the site and having demolished the temple got the mosque built and dedicated it to the God, thereby creating a Shia Wakf”.

    Source: The Tribune

  • Stalking case: 2-day police remand for Haryana BJP chief’s son, his friend

    Stalking case: 2-day police remand for Haryana BJP chief’s son, his friend

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): A Chandigarh court remanded Vikas Barala, the son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, and his friend Ashish Kumar, in two days’ police custody on Thursday, a day after they were re-arrested and charged with a bid to kidnap disc jockey Varnika Kundu, 29, in addition to stalking her.

    Civil judge Barjinder Pal Singh sent the two accused in police custody till August 12 after the police said they wanted to reconstruct the crime scene.

    Defence lawyer Surya Prakash argued that the duo’s arrest was the result of a “media trial”.

    “The woman feared kidnapping but no weapon has been recovered. The two are unnecessarily being harassed due to pressure from the media and other quarters. When they were caught by the police, there was no woman at the spot,” Prakash said.

    Earlier, the two arrived at the district court complex from the Sector 26 police station amid tight security at 2.20pm. Dressed in a blue shirt Vikas, 23, who aspires to be a lawyer, and Ashish covered their faces with handkerchiefs to avoid the media glare. Vikas wore a grim look and appeared timid. Ashish appeared more confident even while responding to the judge. Vikas was barely audible.

    Confronted with CCTV footage, Vikas is learnt to have admitted before the police that he was driving the Tata Safari Storme SUV last Friday night. He is learnt to have told the police that he was on his way to drop Ashish back to his residence in Panchkula. He denied stalking let alone attempting to kidnap Varnika.

  • KAMAL HAASAN ATTEND DMK EVENT IN CHENNAI

    KAMAL HAASAN ATTEND DMK EVENT IN CHENNAI

    CHENNAI (TIP): Two reigning superstars of Tamil cinema – Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan – on Aug 10 attended 75th anniversary celebrations of DMK’s mouth piece Murasoli in Chennai on Thursday amid speculation about their joining politics.

    While Rajinikanth is being assiduously wooed by the ruling BJP at the centre, his contemporary Kamal Haasan has been critical of the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu.

    Haasan took a seat on the dais along with DMK working president MK Stalin and other senior party leaders. Rajinikanth, however, was sitting in the front row. The participation of the two actors, who have a large fan following, at the event of its mouthpiece is viewed as a coup of sorts in political event management by the DMK.

    Ideologically, Haasan is perceived to be close to the DMK and might even consider associating with the opposition party. Stalin often defended Haasan against scathing attacks by AIADMK leaders for being critical of the government.

    Rajinikanth, who has also indicated his intention to join politics a few weeks ago, is likely to launch his own party and have an alliance with the BJP, which is trying hard to make an inroad into the southern state.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajinikanth reportedly enjoy a personal rapport.

    All the BJP leaders of significance make it a point to call on the superstar when in Chennai. The latest to call on him was BJYM president Poonam Mahajan, who was here the day before to address a rally. She is also said to have requested Rajinikanth to join the BJP.

    However, RSS ideologue and chartered accountant S Gurumurthy, who is said to have the ear of the superstar, is convinced that Rajinikanth should float his own party and have an alliance with the BJP.

    The moment of the day was when Stalin was flanked by the two superstars of Tamil cinema amid combined whir of camera shutters and flash bulbs popping to capture the event, beamed live over television.

    Rajinikanth was invited on stage, where he was felicitated by Stalin. Source: HT

  • With Shah in RS, MPs’ leisure days over, says PM Modi

    With Shah in RS, MPs’ leisure days over, says PM Modi

    NEW ROLE

    ? Amit Shah’s presence in Parliament would be a morale booster for BJP members ? Shah has already clarified that even after becoming an MP, he will continue to be at the helm of the party ? There is no question of him joining the Union Cabinet, which is likely  to be expanded shortly

    NEW DELHI (TIP): As BJP president Amit Shah gears up for his Rajya Sabha debut, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is believed to have cautioned party MPs who do not like to spend much time participating in proceedings of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha that their days of leisure are now over.

    Addressing a parliamentary party meeting where he also praised Shah for completing three successful years as the party chief and bringing back the culture of hard work witnessed during Jan Sangh days, the PM is believed to have told the BJP lawmakers that he had said enough on the issue.

    Now that Shah would be there in the Rajya Sabha, the days of leisure are over, sources quoted him as saying at the meeting—the last for the ongoing Monsoon Session that saw the government face an embarrassing situation when a united Opposition pushed through changes to a Constitution Amendment Bill on backward classes.

    Sources said the words should act as a warning for habitual abstainers to get their act together. “We have asked you multiple times to be present in Parliament. Still some MPs remain absent. What do you think of yourselves…..You are nobody, I am nobody, it is the BJP that’s important,” is what the Prime Minister apparently told the MPs.

    Notably, this is not the first time he has expressed anger over BJP members skipping Parliament proceedings, particularly in the Rajya Sabha where the collective NDA still lacks the numbers despite the BJP individually having overtaken the Congress there.

    Shah had also made his displeasure known at the last meeting, which he conducted in the absence of the PM who was touring that day. He also made his displeasure known to the “missing MPs”, some of whom had gone to the airport last night to receive him there, sources say, predicting a sharp spike in Rajya Sabha’ attendance with Shah’s presence in the Rajya Sabha, which will now be conducted by senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu.

    Source: The Tribune

  • INDIA AND CHINA CONTINUE TO MILITARILY REINFORCE POSITIONS BUT NO EVACUATION OF BORDER VILLAGES YET

    INDIA AND CHINA CONTINUE TO MILITARILY REINFORCE POSITIONS BUT NO EVACUATION OF BORDER VILLAGES YET

    NEW DELHI (TIP): India and China continue to militarily reinforce their positions with the almost two-month long troop standoff in Doklam showing little signs of de-escalation, even as the Army on Thursday denied it had ordered evacuation of some villages near the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction.

    Government sources said there has been “some build-up” in terms of additional troops and tanks as well as artillery and air defence units in the Tibet Military District by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), but there is “no major or unusual mobilization” towards the Line of Actual Control as yet to send alarm bells clanging in the Indian security establishment.

    “Any major PLA mobilization towards our border will be

    detected since it will take around a week. Our well acclimatized troops, backed by artillery, rockets and other heavy-calibre weapons, are currently deployed in the ‘no war, no peace’ mode. They are ready to respond quickly if required,” said a source.

    Diplomatic channels, however, are also being used in a bid to diffuse the tense faceoff in the Bhutanese territory of Doklam, which erupted after Indian soldiers pro-actively blocked an attempt by the PLA to build a motorable road towards the trijunction in mid-June. “There is likely to be a border personnel meeting at Nathu La on Friday,” said another source.

    The Army, on its part, rejected reports that some villages and hamlets in areas like Kuppup, Nathang and Zuluk near the border in Sikkim were in the process of being evacuated due to the heightened tensions. “No village has been evacuated. Neither does the Army propose to get any evacuated. Unnecessary panic should not be spread,” said a source. Source: TOI

  • CLEAN CHIT TO PUNJAB MINISTER RANA GURJIT IN SAND MINE ‘SCAM’

    CLEAN CHIT TO PUNJAB MINISTER RANA GURJIT IN SAND MINE ‘SCAM’

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): Giving a clean chit to power and irrigation minister Rana Gurjit Singh, the justice JS Narang Commission, probing allegations of irregularities in the sand mines auctions by the Punjab government, has said there was no loss of revenue and the auction was carried out in a transparent manner through e-tendering process.

    Justice Narang handed over a 90-page report to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday. The CM had ordered constitution of the oneman commission in May this year following allegations of impropriety against Rana Gurjit in sand mine auctions.

    Justice Narang met Amarinder at his (CM’s) official residence in the morning and handed over the report. “The CM has marked the report to the chief secretary and asked him to revert with his comments within two weeks,” said an official spokesperson.

    Though Justice Narang refused to discuss the contents of his report calling it “confidential”, sources say the report attached replies to questionnaire given to all those named in the auction row, including the power minister, his close aide Amit Bahadur and officials of the mining wing of industries department. The report, sources said, also brought on record that the government earned much more in the auction as compared to the annual earnings during the previous Akali- BJP government. The report, sources revealed, said that no government official was pressured by the bidders. Source: HT

  • Naidu terms Hamid Ansari’s insecurity among Muslims remark political propaganda

    Naidu terms Hamid Ansari’s insecurity among Muslims remark political propaganda

    The Vice President-elect also disagreed with the view that there is growing intolerance, saying Indian society is the most tolerant in the world because of its people and civilisation

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Vice President elect M Venkaiah Naidu today rejected as “political propaganda” the view that there is a sense of insecurity among minorities in the country , apparently a rejoinder to outgoing Vice President Hamid Ansari.

    Though Naidu did not name anyone, his comments are seen as a response to Ansari’s remarks in a TV interview that there was unease and a sense of insecurity among Muslims in the country, and that “ambience of acceptance” is now under threat.

    “Some people are saying minorities are insecure. It is a political propaganda. Compared to the entire world, minorities are more safe and secure in India and they get their due,” Naidu told PTI.

    He also disagreed with the view that there is growing intolerance, saying Indian society is the most tolerant in the world because of its people and civilisation.

    There is tolerance that is why democracy is so successful, he said. The former BJP president also cautioned against creating divide in the nation by singling out one community, saying it will draw adverse reaction from other communities.

    “If you single out one community, other communities will take it otherwise. That is why we say all are equal. Appeasement for none justice for all,” the 68-year-leader and former Union minister said.

    He said history has proved that there is no discrimination against minorities.

    “They (minorities) got in prominent positions including constitutional responsibilities because there is no discrimination, and also on account of their merit,” he said.

    Noting that India’s uniqueness is its unity in diversity, he said sarva dharm sadbhav and secularism is in the mind and blood of India.

    “India is secular not because of political leaders but because of its people and civilisation,” he said. Ansari’s remarks come against the backdrop of incidents of alleged intolerance and violence by selfproclaimed cow protectors, for which opposition parties have attacked the central government.

    Asked about incidents of alleged intolerance, Naidu said India is a huge country and there could be some “stray” occurrences, which are “nothing but aberrations”.

    He, however, added that “Nobody can justify attacks on fellow citizens on the basis of community”. Such incidents should be condemned and action should be taken by appropriate authorities, he said.

    Naidu also said that some people blow out of proportion such incidents for political considerations. Some go to the extent of “defaming” the county by raising such issues at international forum.

    Some do it to create rift between communities and derive political mileage, he said, adding the basic problem arises due to vote bank politics and due to treating a community as vote bank.

    A day before he takes oath as India’s next vice president, he said his advice to politicians is not to drag communities into politics. Source: PTI

     

  • Sri Ganesha Chaturthi Festival at Hindu Temple

    Sri Ganesha Chaturthi Festival at Hindu Temple

    FLUSHING, NY (TIP): Once again it is that time of the year to celebrate the biggest annual 9-day festival of the Hindu Temple Society of NA – Sri Ganesha Chaturthi. The colorful celebrations begin Friday, August 18th and conclude on Sunday, August 27th, 2017.

    The culmination of the program is a very colorful procession of Lord Ganesha placed in a lavishly decorated Silver Chariot around the streets of Flushing on Sunday, August 27th starting in front of the Temple at 12:30 PM. This is the conclusion part of the biggest annual festival of Ganesha Temple. Thousands of joyful devotees accompany the procession and exhibit their exuberance by singing, chanting and dancing to the tunes of the drums and shehnai. Come in large numbers and enjoy the bliss and joy of the festival.

  • Sravanth Malla wins 2017 South Asian Spelling Bee

    Sravanth Malla wins 2017 South Asian Spelling Bee

    EDISON, NJ (TIP): Sravanth Malla correctly spelled the word “Chytridiales” (an order of simple, aquatic fungi of the phylum Chytridiomycota) during the 2017 South Asian Spelling Bee finals to clinch the title of national champion and took home a cash prize of $3,000.

    Sreeniketh Vogoti from St. Johns, Florida was the National 1st Runner-Up at the Touchdown Media initiative on Aug.4, which was taped live for broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television

    The initiative was organized by leading multicultural advertising firm, Touchdown Media Inc. Sony Entertainment Television was the exclusive rights holder and broadcast the initiative across the globe in over 120 countries, Kawan Foods returned as the powered by sponsor for the initiative which is now in its 10th year.

    The South Asian Spelling Bee celebrated a decade of bees, which included some special guests at the finals such as 2016 South Asian Spelling Bee National Champion, Siyona Mishra and 2015 South Asian Spelling Bee National Champion, Shourav Dasari.

    “It fills my heart to see such talented young spellers from across the country who make us proud as a community. The initiative is unique in its reach and engagement and we are very blessed to have the patronage for over a decade of families who make it a prestigious platform. My hearties congratulations to the winner,” said Rahul Walia, Founder.

    The initiative was open to children up to 14 years of age and was held in 8 regional centers across the United States. These areas included, New Jersey, DC Metro area, Dallas, Chicago, Seattle, Boston, Bay Area, Charlotte, and the returning international center in Ghana.

    Over 600 spellers from these centers participated from which 17 finalists took the stage at the Finals. Over 80% of the families and spellers are usually first time applicants aspiring to get the exposure and experience of being in the South Asian Spelling Bee. According to the applicant responses, 67% of the parents are from IT field, while 18% are from medical related fields and the remainder from legal, other professional and entrepreneurs. Families reported a median household income range of over $243,000 per annum.

    “We are extremely happy with Sravanth’s win at the Bee as today’s South Asian kids are all rounders and highly dedicated to their craft. We produced a special section called “Meet the Spellers where the viewers will have an opportunity to get to know some of the spellers including Sravanth better,” said Tim Tan, Managing Director, Kawan Food, makers of the world’s most popular Roti Paratha Brand in the world – Kawan Paratha.

    “Nail Biting contest year after year and I personally was unable to get up during the bee! It’s amazing to see the pool of talent from our community and am happy for Sravanth Malla’s win and excited to get to know him and some of the other spellers better in the “Meet the Speller” series airing shortly on Sony,” said Jaideep Janakiram, Head of North America, Sony Entertainment Television-Asia.

    Children up to 14 years of age were eligible to participate and the contest saw spellers of even 6 years of age compete and make it past a few rounds. Registration for 2017 will open in October this year and for more information and to register your child, please visit www.SouthAsianSpellingBee.com.

    Find us on Facebook at South Asian Spelling Bee and you can follow us on our Twitter handle at Spell South Asian.

    About Touchdown Media Inc.:

    Touchdown Media Inc. is a specialized South Asian advertising and promotions firm based in New Jersey. Now in its 13th successful year, Touchdown has helped clients, both mainstream and otherwise, reach out to the lucrative South Asian market. Touchdown Media represents more than 35 years of collective experience in this niche market. As a full-service ad firm, Touchdown has helped many clients achieve their media and marketing goals within the South Asian diaspora in the United States.

    About Sony Entertainment Television Asia:

    Since its launch on the Indian subcontinent in 1995, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) has enjoyed rapid success, leading to the establishment of European, North American and African feeds known as SET Asia. SET and SET Asia are now available in over 150 countries. The channels offer their viewers a distinctive blend of entertainment programs twenty-four hours a day, including, soap operas, dramas, sitcoms, concerts, movies, and game shows. For more information, visit www.setasia.tv.

  • World’s longest Sri Chinmoy 3100 mile race concludes

    World’s longest Sri Chinmoy 3100 mile race concludes

    By Ashok Parulekar

    NEW YORK (TIP): Some new world records were set in the just finished 52 days long Sri Chinmoy self-transcendence 3100-mile race.

    The 3100-mile race was started by the spiritual teacher, peace visionary and athlete Sri Chinmoy to discover the limits of their capacities and to try to go beyond them.  Sri Chinmoy himself was an impossibility challenger.  He transcended his capacity in many fields such as meditation, music, literature, poetry, art, sports and weight-lifting. (see www.srichinmoy.org).  All his activities had one objective and that is universal oneness and peace.

    Sri Chinmoy started this race 21 years ago and it is held every summer in which runners circle a single city block in a half mile loop, 18 hours a day.  The race starts at 6 a.m. and continues till midnight. They are expected to run about 100 km a day to finish the race in allotted 52 days.  The runners continue sometimes through extreme temperature, rain and pain.  However, the runners experience deep inner peace and make a lot of inner and outer progress.  This is something like ‘Tapas’ in India for spiritual progress.

    Vasu Duzhly from Russia at the finish line of the Sri Chinmoy 3100 mile race in New York. He was 1st and he completed this race on 47th day.

    This longest certified foot race is promoted by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. Recently the New York Times wrote an article about this race.  A few years ago, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and the London Times too had articles.  This year only five runners out of ten were able to complete the race by finishing within 52 days.  Vasu Duzhly from Russia was 1st to finish on 47th day,  Kaneenika Janakova from Slovakia and Nirbhasa Magee from Ireland finished on 49th day.  Harita Davis from New Zealand and Yolanda Holder from USA finished on 52nd the last day.

    Now the world’s longest race is over but it will inspire many around the world for self-transcendence or go beyond their capacity and find fulfilment.

  • Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi meets Prime Minister Modi to discuss strengthening US-India Special Relationship

    Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi meets Prime Minister Modi to discuss strengthening US-India Special Relationship

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Indian American Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who represents Illinois’ 8th District, met one-on-one with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Indian capital to discuss the special relationship between the United States and India.  The formal talks were held at the Prime Minister’s official residence on August 3.

    “It was an honor to meet Prime Minister Modi and to discuss ways we can strengthen the special relationship between the world’s oldest and largest democracies,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “From billions in economic trade between our nations to our essential security partnership and ongoing cultural exchanges, the U.S.-India relationship is one of the most important in the world, and will only become more so in the coming century.”

    “The United States and India are joined not only by our common interests and culture, but also by our shared commitment to the values of liberty, justice, and democracy. I look forward to helping to bolster the special ties between our countries for our mutual benefit in the years to come”, he further added.

  • US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Launched to Further Enhance Relationship between Two Countries

    US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Launched to Further Enhance Relationship between Two Countries

    NEW DELHI (TIP): August 1, 2017 marked the official launch of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), a nonprofit corporation focused on stimulating business relations between the U.S. and India, and enhancing the strategic relationship between the two countries. India’s Finance and Defense Minister Arun Jaitley officially unveiled the new organization at a launch event this evening in New Delhi.

    USISPF is committed to creating the most powerful strategic partnership between the U.S. and India. Promoting bilateral trade is an important part of USISPF’s work, but USISPF’s mission reaches far beyond this. It is about business and government coming together in new ways to create meaningful opportunities that have the power to change the lives of citizens. We are entering a new era based on a strategic partnership between the U.S. and India – one where we will work closely together with business and government leaders to achieve our goals of driving economic growth, job creation, innovation, inclusion, and entrepreneurship.

    “Following the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump’s meetings in the U.S. in June 2017, I am incredibly confident about the powerful partnership between the U.S. and India – which is one that I believe can serve as a model for the rest of the world,” said John Chambers, Chairman of USISPF. “Our two countries will be able to make great strides in the months and years to come, and USISPF is honored to be a part of this exciting future.”

    “The launch of USISPF represents a new chapter in the U.S.-India relationship,” said Mukesh Aghi, President of USISPF. “We are confident that we will be able to elevate the U.S.-India partnership to new heights by prioritizing mutual opportunities that will benefit businesses, governments, and citizens in both countries.”

    USISPF’s leadership and Board have been carefully selected based on their unique expertise and strong government and business relationships in both the U.S. and India. Mukesh Aghi will lead USISPF as President and Gaurav Verma will serve as Chief Operating Officer. USISPF’s Board of Directors will include Chairman John Chambers (Executive Chairman, Cisco), Vice-Chairs Punit Renjen (Global CEO, Deloitte LLP) and Edward Monser (President, Emerson Electric), and Board Members Indra Nooyi (Chairman & CEO, PepsiCo), Ajay Banga (President & CEO, MasterCard), Ambassador Susan Esserman (Partner, Steptoe & Johnson), Secretary William Cohen (Chairman & CEO, The Cohen Group), Purna Saggurti (Chairman of Global Corporate & Investment Banking, Bank of America Merrill Lynch), and Ambassador Frank Wisner (International Affairs Advisor, Squire Patton Boggs).

     

  • EB-5 visa Your child’s best option in lieu of the RAISE Act endorsed by President Trump

    EB-5 visa Your child’s best option in lieu of the RAISE Act endorsed by President Trump

    This week, U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed a bill (a revised version of the RAISE Act) that seeks to reduce levels of legal immigration to the United States by 50%. The legislation would cut the number of green cards issued annually in half, from more than 1 million to fewer than 500,000.

    If passed, the bill would radically transform the U.S. immigration landscape. It would remove the pathways to permanent residency that are currently in place for the siblings and adult children of U.S. citizens and green card holders, while also limiting the opportunities available to their spouses and minor children.  The new legislation would eliminate various employment-based visa programs, which would be replaced by a difficult to achieve point system. This new system would reward prospective immigrants with points on the basis of their age, level of education, extraordinary achievements (if any), high salary, and proficiency in the English language, among other criteria.

    The odds of the bill being enacted are slim, as it has failed to attract additional co-sponsors and Republican leaders in Congress do not plan to vote on immigration in 2017. However, President Trump has previously applauded similar systems that are already in place in countries such as Canada and Australia.

    The bill proposes to admit immigrants into the U.S. on the basis of a strict point system, where those applicants with the highest “score” (not including special circumstances) would be rewarded with U.S. residency.  The devil, as they say, is in the details. The absolute must-hit number of points is 30, making it nearly impossible for Indian applicants, especially those looking to study in the U.S. Unless an international student has won an Olympic medal against the likes of Michael Phelps or is a medical research prodigy who has found the cure for cancer at a young age, attaining those 30 points will be extremely challenging.

    How would the points for an average international student add up? The vast majority of aspiring Indian students are between the ages of 18 and 21, which would award them six points. If this student were completely fluent in English, they would be entitled to 12 points instead. However, to qualify for these additional points, said student would need to display a higher proficiency in the English language than the average American citizen. Additionally, he or she would need to possess a US-based professional degree and/or doctorate. Furthermore, this student would need to convince a US employer to offer him/her a salary of over 200% of the median household income.

    According to a recent study conducted by Korn Ferry, a leading research institute, the average annual starting salary for a 2017 college graduate is approximately USD 50,000. A US Census Bureau report published in September 2016 cites the median household income at USD 55,775 in 2015. Therefore, in order to qualify under President Trump’s radical new proposed immigration plan, an Indian college graduate would be required to earn at least USD 110,000 annually (twice the average US household income and more than double the average annual starting salary for a college graduate) in order to reach the required threshold of 30 points.

    Reaching the requisite 30 points would even prove difficult for those immigrants with “extraordinary achievements,” such an Olympic Medal or a Nobel Prize. These exceptional applicants would qualify for a mere 25 points.

    In light of the above insights, LCR Capital Partners is confident that the EB-5 visa program will continue to provide the safest and fastest route to securing U.S. residency. The EB-5 Investor Visa Program is in no way dependent upon the above stipulated criteria that applies to the various employment-based visas (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 and L-1). Therefore, the bill will in no way affect the legal immigration route of an EB-5 applicant.

    About the EB-5 Program

    The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program provides permanent U.S. residency to foreign investors and their immediate families (children up to age of 21) in exchange for a $500,000 investment into a new American business or real estate project that creates 10 full-time jobs. Put simply, the EB-5 Program is the fastest, simplest and most reliable way for immigrants to become permanent residents of the United States.

    Since most alternative ways of obtaining a U.S. green card (e.g. H-1B, EB-2, EB-3) involve long waiting times and cumbersome processes, LCR’s clients are increasingly taking advantage of the EB-5 visa’s multiple benefits, including high approval rates, relatively quick processing times, and a competitive return on investment.

    About LCR Capital Partners  

    LCR Capital Partners was founded in 2012 by first-generation U.S. immigrants who met at Harvard Business School. LCR is a U.S. private investment firm that provides growth capital to premier resort developments as well as the top performing brands in the franchise industry.  Suresh Rajan, the CEO of LCR Capital, and his team are committed to providing high-net-worth investors with the best EB-5 processing experience possible. The LCR team is proud to offer quality investment projects that ensure both the safety of investors’ assets and the successful attainment of green cards for LCR’s clients. LCR’s primary client base comes from Latin America, India, South Africa, China, and the Middle East.  As a firm founded by first-generation U.S. immigrants, LCR understands and seeks to alleviate the challenges and maximize the opportunities associated with starting a new life in the United States.

    For further media queries, please reach out to:

    Scroll Mantra

    Senaara Ailawadi | +91-9871808208 | senaara.ailawadi@scrollmantra.com

    Neha Bajaj | +91-9811320201 | neha.bajaj@scrollmantra.com

     

     

  • Canada needs immigrants as much as immigrants need Canada

    Canada needs immigrants as much as immigrants need Canada

    Two to three decades back, people emigrating from India was a rare occurrence. A decade back, it was a little more popular, but still only around 15-20% of the Indian population had some relative outside the country. Now, almost 40-50% of the Indians have some or the other relative residing outside the country. These days, hearing about someone’s spouse, aunt, uncle, parents, children, nieces or nephews living out of India is very common.

    Whether to earn a better pay for their hard-work or to have a better way of living or to simply enjoy the work and life culture of a distant land – there are varied reasons for people opting to emigrate from India. However, what could be the reasons for the countries who are allowing so many immigrants?

    Reasons for countries to allow immigrants

    There may be various reasons for a country to allow – and even encourage to some extent – immigration. However, there are three main reasons for this, which are:

    Shortage of skilled professionals: In an ideal world, every country has qualified personnel for each and every field in their country. However, in reality this is not so. Every country faces labor shortage in some or the other sector and, at times, there are professions that a select group of people can perform better than others. This is one of the core reasons for any country to accept immigrants.

    Cost effective: Usually, the countries opting for immigrant workers are the First World countries. Hiring skilled workers or professionals from outside, especially from the Third World countries, is much more cost effective for these countries than employing the local residents. Most of the large companies and industries prefer transferring their employees from other branches in India, China, etc. A lot of money used for hiring and training new employees is saved this way.

    Growth in economy: As immigration is a two-way beneficial set-up for both the applicant and the nation, every country opts for immigrants that belong to the skill-area they are facing a shortage in – mostly skilled professionals. These professionals in turn help not just the company they are working for but also contribute very well towards the growth of their adopted country’s economy.

    However, there is another fact that is fast emerging as the main reason for countries to take up immigrants, and that is the ‘aging population’.

    If we take up the example of Canada, according to a recent data released by Statistics Canada:

    * With the front-end of the baby boom generation having reached 65 in 2011, the population of Canada is aging;

    * Canadian society is urbanizing as more people are living in mid-sized and large cities;

    * One-person households are more, reflecting high divorce rates and longer life spans; and

    * As Immigration continues to shape Canada’s demographic profile, the population and workforce are becoming increasingly multi-ethnic.

    The survey states that all of the above national-level trends are evident in B.C (British Columbia). The median age of British Columbians was 41.9 years by 2011. The median age has been steadily climbing for four decades. Twenty years ago, it was 34.7 and back in 1971, the typical B.C. resident was a youthful 28. Almost 700,000 were aged 65 and over out of the province’s 4.4 million people in 2011.

    An important demographic development that needs to be mentioned is immigration and the role it plays in re-shaping the population. Measured relative to the size of the existing population, Canada stands near the top in the number of immigrants admitted globally. Canada welcomes 240,000 to 260,000 permanent newcomers in an average year, not counting the inflows of student and foreign temporary workers. According to the 2011 census, immigrants comprise 26% of British Columbia’s population; the proportion is much higher in the Lower Mainland — 41%.

    The aforementioned statistics clearly display that with the average Canadian fast reaching the age of retirement, immigrants are the main driving force for Canada’s economic growth. This is the factor that is fast-emerging as one of the main reasons for Canada or any other country opting for skilled professional immigrants.