FORDS, NJ (TIP): Traversal Visa launched, July 26 its New jersey operations. Speaking on the occasion, the company President Joe Johal said; “It’s our goal to be known as the most Customer centric Visa & Consular documentation facilitation company across the globe. We believe that the reason for our existence is our Customers and their needs must come first”.
Introducing the company, Johal said that Traversal Visa was established with the aim of providing consistent, fast and reliable travel Visa & other Consular services (OCI, Passport renewal) to US residents. We are a team of second generation entrepreneurs who understand the nuances of the consular applications and the frustration an applicant has to go through to obtain one. The first thought which comes to an applicant while approaching a Visa/consular company is that they will be ripped off considering there is no sanity in the way many operators in the trade charge the travelers for a Visa/consular application. This is where Traversal Visa aims to be seen as a reliable, fair price, and to the point while dealing with you. Our vision is to build a Global Company in the Visa & Consular documentation facilitation services space, where all our customers view us as reliable and a trustworthy company.
Company officials with guests
Speaking of the values the company holds dear, Joe said: “Quality of Service, Integrity & Happy employees are the values that drive us in meeting our clients’ expectations. We aim to provide best of working environment to our first-rate team of Managers and Consultants who deliver services every day to our customers”.
Keshin Patel, a Director of the company also spoke on the occasion.
Ranjeet Singh, a Director of the company who will be looking after the New Jersey Office was the master of ceremonies.
The company has, as of now two locations in the US- San Francisco and New Jersey.
HR Shah of TV Asia and Ramesh Patel, Chairman of FIA who spoke on the occasion welcomed the company and hoped it will provide good service to community.
New Jersey office of the company is located at 7 Lincoln Highway (suite 208), Edison, NJ 08820. The helplines are: 1-848-200-7886 and 1-848-229-2721.
NEW YORK (TIP): “The biggest night of the year. A star-studded spectacle with the biggest Bollywood superstars! With extravagant productions and superbly choreographed performances, this magnificent evening honors the best talent in Indian Cinema. The evening will witness performances by Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Kriti Sanon, Salman Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and more”, read an announcement on IIFA website.
The Bollywood loving Indian Americans were thrilled. They had the intense desire to meet with their idols and also they had the means to buy the most expensive tickets and they lined up, expecting to meet with their favorite stars and have a swell time at the IIFA extravaganza. But then, it was not to be. At least, for many.
The Indian Panorama received a couple of letters describing IIFA as a hopeless and flop show, to be mild, and as a show meant to cheat patrons, at the worst. Media colleagues have also spoken about the event as the most ill organized and unwelcoming to spectators.
IIFA needs to know that its approval rating has surely gone down in this part of the world. A letter from a renowned and highly respected gentleman from medical profession says it all.
Dear Media Friends,
I am sure you have a very good insight on majority of what happened at and behind the IIFA show and that your coverage will narrate all that. From my perspective, I had a fair amount of doctor and other friends who flew in and bought expensive tickets 1500-5000 dollars and here is their feedback.
The promotional package forwarded to them had Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra as attending the show along with several Hollywood celebrities including Matt Damon, Julia Roberts etc. It is hard to resist the temptation of seeing SRK and Salmaan on the same stage. But, the show had none of that. This was a very cleverly done false and fraudulent marketing. Many of these people are exploring possibility of legal recourses in getting their money back, given the false claims and fraudulent marketing.
The VIP tickets 2500 and above had a pre -event cocktail listed as part of ticket price. But to their unpleasant surprise, they had to stand in line and buy an overpriced beer and chicken fingers etc…. So much for the VIP treatment
The green carpet concept was essentially a fraud in its own way, where there was lot of green but hardly any carpet.There was no VIP treatment in that green carpet.
The show only had one focus i.e. a TV show for the colors TV as was clear by the two hosts talking at length with a poorly written non entertaining script. Singers and Star line up was good, but even then Wizcraft managed to produce a boring show for the most part.
One of the moms wrote on my Facebook page that she felt sorry for those 200 kids and their dedicated parents who paid more than $300 to participate in dance with Salman Khan.
They spent 5 days and more than 15 hours a day in dance practice at MetLife stadium. All the kids sat in the brutal 100 degrees heat for the stars to come practice with them. Unfortunately, Salman never showed up for any of the practice until Thursday night at 8 pm.
On the day of the event the kids were asked to be there at 1pm because Salman wanted to practice with them. Once again Salman never showed up for practice. These poor kids were sitting at the stadium from 1pm and got to perform at 3 am. On Thursday, there was also an incident happened which injured seven or more kids. One of which got severely injured and ended up in the hospital.
Wizcraft had lot of issues in Tampa, but people took it as a first timer mistakes. However, this repeated and deliberate attempt of misleading people to get money and the mistreatment is not to be ignored and tolerated silently.
The public sentiment is clear by the fact that when I initially posted it on face book, the video post has had > 38,000 views and has been shared by around 80 people in 36 hours.
Knowing most of you, I am pretty sure and hope that your coverage will go beyond the spectacular stage decoration and glittery star pictures in portraying the feelings and frustration of people and kids.
Some folks are approaching the Indian Ambassador, FICCI and the office of attorney general for the fraud and mistreatment reporting.
If you have any other ideas, what should and can be done about this, please do let me know.
My cell # is 8568736633 for any questions.
Regards.
Sanjay
(Dr. Sanjay Gupta)
The Indian Panorama has always believed and supported the readers to state their opinions, suggestions and reporting. Do write to us for any further comments.
METUCHEN, NJ (TIP): Three North Texas men are headed the Cricket Bee Finals in New Jersey next month after winning the Dallas regional Cricket Bee held on July 16. Vikram Shukla of Frisco, TX was declared second runner up, Vinay Bulusu of Irving, TX was first runner up and the Regional champion was Nadeem Aslam of Murphy, TX. The competition allows cricket fans to compete for prizes while sharing their knowledge of the game to win a cash prize of $10,000.
Open to those 18 and older, the MoneyGram Cricket Bee is continuing the search of the brightest Cricket fan with regional rounds in San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, New Jersey and will conclude in Toronto, each testing participants’ general cricket knowledge. The regional contest will have two components, a written test and an oral test. In the written qualifier, contestants will be asked 35 questions. They must get at least 25 correct to advance to the oral round. In the oral round, the contest will be held on a miss and out basis; simply if a contestant misses the right answer, they are eliminated.
Unlike quiz shows, the Cricket Bee will be conducted so that contestants are competing with themselves and the question posed to them as opposed to their peers.
Cricket enthusiasts can still participate at the remaining centers in Chicago, New Jersey, and Toronto. Contestants can register to compete in the game of their choice at www.cricketbee.com. A sample set of questions and sources will be provided for the participants.
“We are thrilled to sponsor the 2017 Cricket Bee and as always, we enjoy being a part of an initiative that our customers are passionate about,” says Wendi Schlarb, MoneyGram’s head of marketing for the Americas. “Cricket is a sport that brings friends and loved ones around the world closer together, much like MoneyGram’s services. It’s always exciting to be a part of activities that support our South Asian communities.”
Kawan Foods serves as the powered by sponsor for the innovative event and has been deeply involved with the South Asian community through various initiatives and hopes to connect with the entire Cricketing community here in the US and Canada.
“We want to congratulate the winners of the regional contest and wish them continued success in their endeavor to win $10,000,” said Tim Tan, MD Kawan Foods.
“There was a lot of excitement and immense talent at the regional which goes to show how passionate people are about the game. Participants had an opportunity to network and interact with other cricket players and enthusiasts from various cities and I am very happy to have our first set of finalists.” said Rahul Walia, Founder of the Cricket Bee.
TV Asia serves as the exclusive broadcaster for the event and has been a strong proponent of promoting Cricket in the country.
“We are so proud to be a part of the MoneyGram Cricket Bee, it’s definitely a great platform for cricket enthusiasts across the country and we are excited to see them at the finals.” said HR Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia and an avid cricketer himself.
The finals are slated for August 12th and are open for the public to watch. You can reserve seats by calling 848-248-4199.
NEW YORK (TIP): For the second consecutive year Hindi Sangam Foundation conducted its summer Hindi program at Franklin High School in New Jersey. Known as SANGAM-FRANKLIN STARTALK HINDI PROGRAM 2017, this unique venture signifies the deep commitment of the United States for a multilingual and multicultural society where every child is proficient in at least one more language other than English. The program was held in collaboration with the Franklin Township Board of Education that boasts of a diverse community of students. About 42 percent of the township’s students come from various ethnic groups including Hispanic, African-American and Asians. The education leaders of the township including its president Ed Potosnak and Superintendent Dr. John Ravallly truly understand the importance of promoting foreign language education for all students. Our program was conducted smoothly for three weeks starting June 19 and ending July 8, when students used modern resources available at the school.
From the very first day our students were engaged in learning varieties of traditional and modern stories of India including stories about successful people in different professions. All our material was related with cultural products and practices of India that students were very interested in learning and discussing with their classmates. With every passing day they did new activities that helped them improve their skills in speaking, reading and writing. The goal of this program has been empowering students to communicate in Hindi and learn about their culture and their heritage.
Students at STARTALK Hindi program involved in doing topic based tasks at Franklin High School, Somerset, NJ.
On the final day of the program students and teachers took charge of the auditorium of the school where they presented interested episodes of their learning. The event was open for parents who liked to see what their kids learned at the program. We invited a number of public officials to witness the outcome of our program. We are thankful to all our stakeholders who share our objective and believe in strengthening Hindi as a world language. Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das deputed one of her officers, Vice Consul Sandeep Grover to observe our program on July 8. A number of local officials including Franklin Councilman Rajiv Prasad, NJ Commissioner of Public Utilities Upendra Chivukula, and Former Edison Councilman Dr. Sudhanshu Prasad attended the event. Padma Bhushan Dr. Lakshmi Prasad Yarlagadda, former member of Rajya Sabha, attended the event as our Chief Guest.
Students at STARTALK Hindi program involved in doing topic based tasks at Franklin High School, Somerset, NJ.
STARTATLK Program was initiated by the White House. The US Congress approves the program budget every four years. Our efforts can’t be complete without the support of various stakeholders. US Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. of Middlesex County sent his citation for Hindi Sangam Foundation, which was presented, to me by former NJ Assemblyman Upendera Chivukula at the event.
Students at STARTALK Hindi program involved in doing topic based tasks at Franklin High School, Somerset, NJ.
As the president of Hindi Sangam Foundation and director of SANGAM-FRANKLIN STARTALK HINDI PROGRAM 2017 I have make a promise to our community for promoting our language and culture in our adopted country and making progress day be day. I hope to see the day when all children of Indian origin will proudly converse with their American counterparts about the Indian culture in Hindi.
WASHINGTON (TIP): U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on July 24 announced that it will resume premium processing for certain cap-exempt H-1B petitions effective immediately. The H-1B visa has an annual cap of 65,000 visas each fiscal year. Additionally, there is an annual “master’s cap” of 20,000 petitions filed for beneficiaries with a U.S. master’s degree or higher.
Premium processing will resume for petitions that may be exempt from the cap if the H-1B petitioner is:
* An institution of higher education;
* A nonprofit related to or affiliated with an institution of higher education; or
* A nonprofit research or governmental research organization.
Premium processing will also resume for petitions that may also be exempt if the beneficiary will be employed at a qualifying cap-exempt institution, organization or entity.
USCIS previously announced that premium processing resumed on June 26 for H-1B petitions filed on behalf of physicians under the Conrad 30 waiver program as well as interested government agency waivers.
USCIS plans to resume premium processing of other H-1B petitions as workloads permit. USCIS will make additional announcements with specific details related to when we will begin accepting premium processing for those petitions. Until then, premium processing remains temporarily suspended for all other H-1B petitions. USCIS will reject any Form I-907 filed for those petitions, and if the petitioner submitted one check combining the Form I-907 and Form I-129 fees, USCIS will have to reject both forms.
Hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver; it can cause either acute and chronic infection or inflammation. Liver is one of the few organs in the body with regenerative properties. Hepatitis is a group of infectious disease known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. As per World Health Organization (WHO), in India, 40 million people are infected with Hepatitis B and around 6 to 12 million people are infected with chronic Hepatitis C.
Hepatitis is asymptomatic, it is estimated that only 5% of people with chronic hepatitis know of their infection, and less than 1% have access to treatment. Symptoms of Hepatitis are jaundice, dark colored urine, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Hepatitis B, C and D are commonly transmitted through blood, semen and other body fluids. Although Hepatitis A does not generally result in chronic infection, Hepatitis B and C can increase incidence of liver cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer.
Vaccinations are now available for hepatitis A, B and C but Hepatitis B and C are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer, according to WHO. Dr Pradeep Mahajan, Regenerative medicine researcher, says “Liver disease can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure. The majority of the liver (80 %) is made up of liver cells called hepatocytes. These cells have an average lifespan of 150 days, which means that the liver is constantly renewing itself under normal conditions. It is only organ that can regenerate. In many countries, autologous cells therapy is used for clinically treating liver disease. The major advantage with using these cells is that because they come from the patient, there is no risk of rejection when they are transplanted back.”
“Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of promoting regeneration of liver tissue. Autoimmune hepatitis may benefit by the immune-modulatory potential of MSCs. Bone marrow MSCs have also been shown to reduce levels of liver enzymes and subsequently resolve inflammation. It is the Anti-fibrotic property of MSCs which aids in eliminating fibrotic or scar tissue that would otherwise impair vascular supply and delay regeneration”.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Indian American Dr. Rohini Anand, senior vice president corporate responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo, a leading provider of sustainable, integrated facilities management and food service operations, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Catalyst Board of Advisors, which features a variety of senior leaders across Fortune 500 companies, including Coca-Cola Companies, Deloitte, IBM Corporation and Walmart. In this new leadership role, Anand will attend and chair all three Board of Advisors meetings over the next three years, as well as advise Catalyst’s CEO Deborah Gillis on new board members, meeting agendas and other board-related issues.
Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit organization accelerating progress for women through workplace inclusion. With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, India, Australia, and Japan, and more than 800 supporting organizations, Catalyst is the trusted resource for research, information, and advice about women at work. Catalyst annually honors exemplary organizational initiatives that promote women’s advancement with the Catalyst Award.
“I am delighted to welcome Rohini Anand as the new chair of the Catalyst Board of Advisors. Rohini is a recognized advocate for gender diversity and inclusion in workplaces,” said Deborah Gillis, President and CEO, Catalyst. “She has been a member of the Catalyst Board of Advisors for many years, bringing a breadth of experience and helping to drive change. I look forward to working with her in this new leadership role that is sure to be incredibly valuable to both the board and Catalyst.”
“I am excited to represent Catalyst and Sodexo in my new role as Chair of the Advisory Board,” said Dr. Anand. “It’s a great honor and I’m looking forward to continuing to advance Catalyst’s mission of accelerating progress for women through workplace inclusion.”
Dr. Anand’s commitment to diversity and inclusion continues to generate success and position Sodexo as a global leader in the space. As Sodexo’s SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer, she has helped the company rank among the world’s best. Under Dr. Anand’s leadership, Sodexo received the prestigious 2012 Catalyst Award and has ranked in the top ten for nine consecutive years on the DiversityInc business index of Top Companies for Diversity and Inclusion. In addition, The Human Rights Campaign has given Sodexo a 100 percent rating on its Corporate Equality Index for nine years and Sodexo was named Global Sustainability Industry Leader in its sector for the 12th year in a row by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI).
“Sundar has been doing a great job as Google’s CEO, driving strong growth, partnerships, and tremendous product innovation. I really enjoy working with him and I’m excited that he is joining the Alphabet board,” said Larry Page, CEO of Alphabet, in a statement.
Formerly the Product Chief of Google, Pichai’s current role as CEO was announced on 10 August 2015, as part of the restructuring process that made Alphabet Inc. into Google’s parent company, and he assumed the position on 2 October 2015.
Pichai joined Google in 2004, where he led the product management and innovation efforts for a suite of Google’s client software products, including Google Chrome and Chrome OS, as well as being largely responsible for Google Drive. He went on to oversee the development of different applications such as Gmail and Google Maps. On 19 November 2009, Pichai gave a demonstration of Chrome OS and the Chromebook was released for trial and testing in 2011, and released to the public in 2012. On 20 May 2010, he announced the open-sourcing of the new video codec VP8 by Google, and introduced the new video format, WebM.
On 13 March 2013, Pichai added Android to the list of Google products that he oversees. Android was formerly managed by Andy Rubin. He was a director of Jive Software from April 2011 to 30 July 2013. Pichai was selected to become the next CEO of Google on 10 August 2015 after previously being appointed Product Chief by CEO, Larry Page. On 24 October 2015 he stepped into the new position at the completion of the formation of Alphabet Inc., the new holding company for the Google company family.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The press conference and the kick off ceremony for the annual convention of the Vegetarian Vision, being held on September 9 and 10, was held at the Indian Consulate, on July 14th, 2017. The chairman and founder H K Shah narrated the beginning of the organization and presented a vision for the future.
Organizers
Chandra Mehta, President of Vegetarian Vision, spoke about the benefits of plant based diets on human health and the effects on planet earth’s environment and the global warming.
She appealed to the community to come and join in the noble cause to make the convention, being held on September 9 and 10, successful.
On the occasion, a power point presentation about the proposed convention was also made.
A question answer session followed and the Vegetarian Vision officials emphasized importance of vegetarianism.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): New York State Assemblyman David Weprin, accompanied by Indian Diaspora Council International (IDC), presented to Ambassador. Riva Ganguly Das the NYS Resolution #701 adopted by NYS Legislature on June 21, 2017 in recognition of the March 3, 2017 observance of the New York Indian Consulate’s recognition of 100th Anniversary of the abolition of Indian Indentureship. The presentation took take place on Wednesday July 19, 2017 at the Indian Consulate in New York.
“Thank you for the tremendous support I got from you”, said Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das in her farewell to Community
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The Indian Consulate in New York organized an official farewell for outgoing Consul General Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das on July 19th at the Consulate Ball Room in New York. The event was attended by a large number of people from all walks of life and prominent community leaders. Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, Permanent Representative of India at the UN, Consuls General of Japan and Bangladesh, Assemblymen David Weprin and Raj Mukherji were among the dignitaries.
In her brief address, Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, who will be taking over as Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), said that she is happy for her new role but will miss New York and the community. “I want to thank you all for the tremendous support I got from you”, she said.
In his address Raj Mukherji, Assemblyman in the New Jersey State Legislature who represents the 33rd Legislative District, praised Ms Das for her ‘humbleness’ and talked about many of her successful initiatives, including conversion of PIO cards. “It was a pleasure and privilege to work with her. Now that she is going back to Delhi, it’s good for India but tremendous loss for us”, said the Bengali Assemblyman about the First Bengali Consul General of New York.
Assemblymen David Weprin, a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly, representing District 24 in Queens since 2010, spoke about the many accomplishments of Ambassador Das. “In a very Short period of time, she made a big impact”, said Weprin.
India’s current Ambassador to Peru Sandeep Chakravorty, who has been appointed as the new CG, will be taking over charge on August 3rd.
Dream New Delhi to Feature 187 Keys and Food Hall Concept by Renowned Chef Todd English
NEW YORK CITY, NY (TIP): Renowned hotel brand and management company Dream Hotel Group, on July 17, signed a hotel management agreement with chairman of Viiking Ventures, Sachiin J. Joshi to open Dream New Delhi in 2019. Joining to celebrate the signing were Dream Hotel Group chairman Sant Singh Chatwal, Dream Hotel Group CEO Jay Stein, Sachiin J. Joshi, Chairman of Viiking Ventures; Rabinder Pal Singh, CFO of Dream Hotel Group; and Todd English, celebrity chef and restaurateur. The event also featured actress Rashmi Nigam as master of ceremonies.
“I am thrilled to expand our global footprint to India and bring the Dream Hotel brand back to my home country,” remarked Dream Hotel Group chairman Sant Singh Chatwal. “With Dream Hotel Group’s unprecedented growth and high-velocity expansion, we are well positioned to triple our existing portfolio in less than five-years.”
The signings come on the heels of the company’s largest international expansion news to date with nine new hotel signings across all four brands – Dream Hotels, Time Hotels, The Chatwal and Unscripted Hotels. Dream Hotel Group now boasts its strongest portfolio and its largest/most active pipeline ever. With 16 hotels open today and an additional 26 properties in the pipeline, Dream Hotel Group is on track to increase its global footprint by 230 percent over the next four years; tripling its existing portfolio by 2022.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Dream Hotel Group and its dynamic team,” said Sachiin J. Joshi, Chairman of Viiking Ventures. “India is among the fastest growing economies and we are excited to take the hospitality industry in this country to new heights with Mr. Chatwal himself, who is an inspiration to us all in India.”
“We recently reached an exciting milestone by signing most new hotel deals in the company’s history,” said Dream Hotel Group CEO Jay Stein. “I’m incredibly proud to continue our unprecedented growth momentum with the signing of Dream New Delhi.”
Todd English, celebrity chef and restaurateur, joined in the festivities to celebrate the signing of Dream New Delhi and the extension of his food and beverage partnership with Dream Hotel Group.
“I couldn’t be more pleased to extend my partnership with the Dream Hotel Group, this time, on a new venture to create an unforgettable dining experience at Dream New Delhi,” said Chef Todd English. “I’ve always dreamt of bringing my restaurant to India and I can’t think of a more exciting place to establish it.”
Set to open in the Central Business District of West Delhi, Dream New Delhi features 187 guest rooms and suites and five highly activated dining and nightlife venues including a Food Hall concept by renowned chef Todd English.
FORDS, NJ (TIP): The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut in collaboration with the Indian American community, hosted a farewell reception July 18 for Riva Ganguly Das, India’s Consul General in New York, at the Royal Albert’s Palace in Fords, NJ.
Ambassador Das, who assumed charge in New York in March 2016, was recently named Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations by the Government of India, and is scheduled to leave for New Delhi later this week.
The event, attended by more than 250 members of the Indian American community in New York and New Jersey, was hosted by FIA and sponsored by H R Shah, Dr Sudhir Parikh, Albert Jasani, AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin), Drs Sanjay and Kavita Gupta, TV9, Anil Bansal, The Indian Panorama, Malini Shah and FOKANA (Federation of Kerala Associations in North America).
Presenting a plaque to India’s Consul General in New York, Riva Ganguly Das (center left)
Many speakers, including FIA chairman Ramesh Patel and president Andy Bhatia, H R Shah, chairman of TV Asia, Anil Bansal, chairman of Indus American Bank, and Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, President of Indo-American Press Club recounted how Ambassador Das had steadfastly interacted with the Indian American community. Speakers also pointed out that Ambassador Das was instrumental in co-sponsoring the International Yoga Day celebrations this year with the New York City Public Advocate’s Office and the Parks Department. Despite her short stint in New York, Ambassador Das was also credited with engaging several US Congressmen and Senators as well as New York city elected officials.
“When we had a welcome dinner for you over a year ago, there were more than 500 people and at your farewell dinner today we have much less,” said Andy Bhatia. “It is because many are sad to see you leave so soon and have decided not to be here and have you see them in tears.”
FIA chairman Ramesh Patel was exuberant yet emotional while introducing Ambassador Das at the event. “
“You have been very helpful and gracious to the cause of FIA and India Day Parade and we wish you all the best,” said Patel.
Ambassador Das joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1986. A post-graduate in political science from Delhi University, Das was a lecturer at Delhi University before joining the Indian Foreign Service. Following her first foreign posting in Spain, Das has had stints in Nepal, Bangladesh, China, The Hague and Romania.
Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das speaking at the farewell reception, hosted by FIA, July 18
In her remarks, Ambassador Das lauded the FIA in “showcasing Indian culture to mainstream communities in New York, aiding in better understanding of Indian immigrants.” She pointed out that it was imperative a direct channel of communication always existed between the Indian Diaspora and the Indian Consulate in New York. “I have always tried to encourage fortnightly meetings between the Indian Consulate and Indian organizations, both cultural and corporate, to be able to understand the concerns of the Diaspora.”
Among FIA partner organizations represented at the event included, FOKANA (Federation of Kerala Associations in North America), TANA (Telugu Association of North America), Haryana Global Chamber of Commerce, Asian Indian Chamber of Commerce and AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin), BAJANA (Bihar-Jharkhand Association of North America).
The FIA of NY-NJ-CT was formed in 1970 and is among the largest umbrella organization representing over 500,000 Indian Americans in the tristate region. The centerpiece of its efforts culminates in the India Day Parade in New York each year.
The 37th India Day Parade in New York this year is scheduled for Sunday, Aug 20. The gala banquet is set for Aug 21 at the Royal Albert’s Palace in Fords, NJ.
RIO DE JANEIRO (TIP): Alphabet Inc wants users to post millions of stories, video and photos on its Google Earth platform in the next few years, the programme chief said at a launch event in Brazil for content focused on showcasing the Amazon rainforest.
The “Voyager” tool allows internet surfers to take interactive tours of exotic destinations on Google Earth led by the likes of primatologist Jane Goodall, with photos, information and maps.
However, regular users will be able to create their own unedited content for private or public use within two to three years, Google Earth Director Rebecca Moore told Reuters.
“The story of your family history, the story of your favorite hiking trip – it could be anything. It doesn’t have to be profound,” she said at the event in Sao Paulo.
Moore took the stage at an event in Sao Paulo to unveil the “I am the Amazon” project, which has mapped 11 sites to document the relationship between the rainforest and its people, touching on topics like food, water and cultural origins.
To tell the stories of communities such as the Yanomami people, Cinta Larga and the Boa Vista Quilombola, Google and partners used tools like 3D cameras to accompany satellite images with videos and text.
Moore did not reveal the budget for the project but she ruled out the idea of advertising on the platform and said it is not Google’s intention to turn a profit from the venture.
“Google Earth is our gift to the world,” she said. “In terms of budget, Google has nice revenue from advertising, and not everything Google does has to make money.”
After some uncertainty and confusion, Ravi Shastri has been appointed the head coach of the Indian cricket team. Shastri’s appointment was a foregone conclusion because of the good vibes he shares with captain Virat Kohli; the icing on the cake is the appointment of Zaheer Khan as the bowling consultant and Rahul Dravid as the batting consultant for overseas Test series. In his playing days, Shastri was a very intelligent cricketer, considered by many as the best captain India never had. As a coach, his main quality is the optimism and confidence he brings in — as the master of hortatory speeches, he has no equal.
The selection of Zaheer as the bowling coach and Dravid as the batting consultant on tours are inspired choices. The three men who made this decision — Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman — have all played a lot of cricket with both Zaheer and Dravid. Zaheer was a very fine pace bowler who lost his way in the initial part of his career before becoming a very skillful bowler. Even as a player, he was a fine mentor to the fast bowlers in the Indian team. Dravid, the most technically adept Indian batsman since Sunil Gavaskar, has shown a great appetite for coaching, finding success with India’s junior and A teams. As India play a lot of Test cricket away from home in the next couple of years, Dravid can play a very important role in mentoring the batsmen.
A word about the selection of the coaches — the process was muddled and confused. Anil Kumble, the previous head coach, was simply chucked out despite a fine record with the team. Ganguly did not wish to name the replacement coach/coaches “in a hurry”, making a mockery of the process and deadlines. It was left to the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators to direct BCCI to end the confusion. Hopefully, all associated with the process have learnt their lessons, which they would bear in mind when the time comes to repeat this exercise.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Paramita Tripathi, former First Secretary at the Indian High Commission in Singapore, has taken charge as the new Deputy Counsel General of India in New York. She succeeds Dr Manoj Kumar Mohapatra.
Mrs. Paramita Tripathi took up her assignment as the Deputy HighCommissioner in the High Commission of India, Singapore on 2nd December 2013.
She joined the Indian Foreign Service in 2001. In the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi, she worked at the Pakistan and the United Nations desks from February 2005 to September 2008, and again, prior to taking up her assignment in Singapore, in the East Asia Division, with her work focusing on Japan, China and Korea.
Mrs. Tripathi has served in Brussels (2003-2005), and in Tokyo (2008–2011).
She holds a Master’s Degree in Geography from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. She speaks English, Hindi, Bengali and French, in a functional way.
The Indian Panorama wishes her all the best in her new position in New York.
NEW DELHI (TIP): After the Donald Trump administration’s intended tightening of the work visa rules that has come as a blow to the Indian IT companies, the US government’s latest announcement to delay the so-called “startup” visa could impact Indian entrepreneurs. The visa program was approved in January by the then Barack Obama administration and was meant to allow foreign entrepreneurs who started companies in the US to live in that country — a longstanding demand of the Silicon Valley. It was supposed to come into effect on July 17.
Immigrants have started more than half of US startups valued at $1 billion dollars or more, and are key members of either management or product development teams in more than 70% of these companies, according to a 2016 study by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), a US-based non-profit nonpartisan public policy think tank. Out of these, people of Indian origin have founded almost 30%.
Indian-American technology entrepreneur and academic Vivek Wadhwa called the policy “brain-dead” and a “lose-lose” for the US. “Without doubt, bringing in entrepreneurs creates American jobs and expands the economy, it is the closest thing there could be to a free lunch for the United States. This is a lose-lose for the US and for the entrepreneurs who would have come here but it will benefit the countries where they would have come from.”
Wadhwa, who is a Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University Engineering in Silicon Valley, added that countries such as India and the rest of the world could gain from this. “This is the type of brain-dead policy that is becoming a hallmark of the Trump administration. They are pandering to anti-immigrant groups rather than focusing on US competitiveness and economic growth,” said Wadhwa.
As per the NFAP study, 14 Indian-origin entrepreneurs have started billion dollar companies in the US which are collectively valued at $19.6 billion. The foundation had evaluated 87 startup companies valued at over $1 billion as of January 1, 2016, for the study. The Obama administration’s idea was to keep high-caliber talent who come to the US for studies but return to their countries and start businesses that become huge successes.
Puru Vashishtha, a Valley-based Indian entrepreneur-investor who studied at Stanford University, said the startup visa would have been great for Indian and Israeli students. “Imagine if Vinod Khosla had to come back to India to work in Infosys. That would have been a big loss for innovation. Unfortunately, it’s already happening now, due to difficulties faced by international students and immigrants to become entrepreneurs. Countries like Canada are taking advantage of it, but they don’t have big enablers that Silicon Valley provides and a big market that US readily provides,” he said.
Vashishtha added that he has witnessed the struggle of many of his Stanford friends without the startup visa. “These were highly trained, best minds in the world. They wanted to do product startup in the Valley. Unfortunately, because of being a foreign national, even a top university graduate does not get the same options as rest of her US classmates. This is regressive and it deprives the US from significant value creation and job creation. startup visa was a big hope.”
According to a 2012 study, companies founded by immigrants in the US have created more than 10 million jobs and over $4.5 trillion in annual revenue.
On Monday, July 10, the US Department of Homeland Security issued a memo saying that the rule will now be launched on March 14, 2018 and it will solicit comments from the public about rescinding the rule, and “may ultimately eliminate the program.”
“Given the real shortage of tech talent in the US, this startup visa would have been a great enabler. It has the potential to take the innovation to the next level. This move to cancel it is a big setback,” said Vashishtha.
WASHINGTON (TIP): An influential American lawmaker has called for the removal of country-specific quotas for green cards in the US, saying the system was unjust for people from countries like India and China.
Republican Congressman Kevin Yoder from Kansas yesterday became the lead sponsor of the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act.
The Act reforms the legal immigration system by eliminating the existing, arbitrary per-country percentage caps that have caused backlogs in the employment-based green card system, he said. He argued that the existing country-specific quota for Green card is unjust for people from countries like India and China.
A report released this week said that the average wait time for an Indian technology professional or those seeking a Green Card under the employment category is more than 12 years.
The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act was previously introduced by former-Representative Jason Chaffetz, with Yoder as an original cosponsor.
Currently, 230 members of Congress are signed on as cosponsors of the bill, with more than 100 members from each party in support.
PARIS (TIP): France rolled out the red carpet, July 13, to welcome Donald Trump on a presidential visit laden with military pomp that the White House hopes will offer respite from a growing scandal back home.
The US president’s brief 24-hour trip to the French capital coincides with celebrations for Bastille Day, France’s national day which is marked on Friday, and the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I.
Accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, the 71-year-old stepped onto French soil for the first time as President hoping the visit will distract from weighty allegations that his family and inner circle colluded with Russia to win the 2016 US election.
The scandal has put his son and top aides in legal jeopardy, cast a pall over his efforts to remake the political agenda and may yet imperil his presidency.
During the brief visit, Trump—who sees himself as a transformative figure in US history—will be the guest of honor for Friday’s Bastille Day festivities that mark a pivotal point in the French Revolution. This year’s event also coincides with the centenary of America entering World War I.
DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (TIP): It was a historic and proud occasion for Air India when the inaugural flight from Delhi to Washington arrived a few minutes before scheduled arrival time on a cloudy morning on July 7 at Washington Dulles International Airport. Delegations from the Embassy of India, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia, and the media were at hand to celebrate the occasion.
Time for a group photo. L to R: Sangeeta Singh, Jerome L Davis, Ambassador Sarna, Air India Chairman Ashwani Lohani, DC Mayor Muriel Browser, Gov McAuliffe. Standing in the second row, from L to R: Air India Maharaja and the crew of the inaugural flight from Delhi to Washington. Darryl Pais who captained the flight is seen on extreme right.
The inaugural events, which included a ceremonial water cannon salute, traditional gate-side Indian prayer ceremony, press conference, ribbon cutting and gala luncheon, commemorated Air India’s new three weekly nonstop, roundtrip flights between Indira Gandhi International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport.
Ribbon Cutting with Indian Ambassador, Air India Chairman, DC Mayor and VA Governor
The new Air India service represents another milestone in the growing relationship between the National Capital Region and India. “Today, we celebrate an important partnership and welcome Air India’s direct air service to Dulles,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Virginia is committed to expanding and growing our relationships with the international community, especially our friends in India. We look forward to the opportunities this new route will provide for people in Virginia and India alike. This will be an important avenue for business, tourism and educational opportunities between our two great countries.”
VA Governor McAuliffe said, “This will be an important avenue for business, tourism and educational opportunities between our two great countries.”
“This inaugural launch highlights our work with the international community to drive business and tourism to the D.C. region,” said District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Here in the nation’s capital, we are delighted to invite many more visitors from India to explore the sights and sounds that make Washington, D.C., the greatest city in the world.”
Sabre Global Demand Data shows that for the year ending March 2016, the Washington, D.C., area welcomed more than 281,000 Indian visitors—making India the fourth largest overseas travel market for the region.
Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani spoke of Air India’s commitment to providing the most convenient service between the United States and India
“With international visitation between India and the Washington, D.C., area expected to double by 2025, the Airports Authority’s partnership with Air India, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia is just one way we’re working to enhance the level of service offered at Dulles International,” said Jerome L. Davis, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
“India currently represents a 6 percent market share of all international travelers to the Commonwealth and is Virginia’s fourth largest market,” said Todd Haymore, Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “With projected growth, this new direct route to Dulles International will not only help to boost visitation from this high growth market, but also introduce the Commonwealth to new Indian audiences, including businesses, tourists and students.”
Air India Airside Viewing. The cheering gathering to welcome the inaugural flight at the tarmac with the Air India Maharaja standing tall and imposing
Flight service between Dulles International and Delhi is also estimated to bring in an additional 30,000 leisure and business travelers and $30 million in total economic impact annually to the National Capital Region.
“According to Travel Market Insights, visitation from India to D.C. has grown 40 percent since 2013, and 70 percent to the region,” said Elliott Ferguson, president and chief executive officer of Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital. “We’re excited about the potential for even more Indian business and leisure travelers to experience Washington D.C.’s dynamic neighborhoods and free attractions as well as the diverse experiences throughout the capital region.”
“Serving 7.5 million international travelers annually with nonstop service to more than 50 international destinations in more than 40 countries, Dulles International Airport is the region’s gateway to the world,” said Margaret McKeough, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Airports Authority. “Air India’s service launch adds our 33rd capital-to-capital connection—linking the world’s oldest democracy with the world’s largest democracy.”
“The Washington, D.C., metro is Air India’s fifth U.S. destination after New York, Newark, Chicago and San Francisco, and it reinforces our commitment to providing the most convenient service between the United States and India,” commented Ashwani Lohani, chairman and managing director of Air India Limited.
Asked about plans for direct non – stop flights from US destinations to Amritsar, Mr. Lohani disclosed to The Indian Panorama editor Prof. Indrajit Saluja, that Air India was considering direct flight from Canada to Amritsar in the first place. With regard to a question on government of India’s plans to privatize Air India, Mr. Lohani declined any comment.
As part of an effort to stimulate travel to Virginia through Dulles International Airport, the Commonwealth of Virginia approved an incentive package over a three-year period beginning in fiscal year 2018 to support Air India. In addition, the District of Columbia plans to provide incentive funding this year to support the partnership. Tourism marketing support will be provided by the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Capital Region USA and Destination DC.
For more information on Air India’s new nonstop service from Dulles International to Delhi, visit flydulles.com.
The crew of the inaugural flight. Darryl Pais captained the flight.A cultural presentation added to the joy of celebration Photos/ Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia/ TIP/ DIAA
About Air India
Air India is the flag carrier of India and a member of the Star Alliance group. Air India transports passengers, baggage and cargo across a network of 66 domestic Indian destinations and 34 international destinations in the United States, Europe, Australia, Far-East and South-East Asia and the Gulf. Air India flies one of the youngest aircraft fleets—including the wide-body Boeing B777, B747 and B787 Dreamliner, as well as the narrow body Airbus A321, A320 and A319. Air India plans to operate a Boeing 777-200LR, with eight first class, 35 business class and 195 economy seats, on service to Washington Dulles International Airport. For more information, visit airindia.in.
About Virginia Tourism
Tourism is an instant revenue generator in the Commonwealth. For every dollar invested in tourism marketing, Virginia Tourism returns $7 in state tax revenue. In 2016, visitors spent $24 billion, which supported 230,000 jobs and contributed $1.7 billion in state and local taxes. To learn more about Virginia Tourism Corporation, please visit virginia.org.
About MWAA
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority operates Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, the Dulles Airport Access Highway and the Dulles Toll Road and also manages construction of the Silver Line project, a 23-mile extension of the Washington region’s Metrorail public transit system through Fairfax County and into Loudoun County, Virginia. More than 45 million passengers a year pass through the two airports. The Airports Authority generates more than 387,000 jobs in the National Capital Region.
Sandeep Chakravorty to replace Riva Ganguly Das as Consul General
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Sandeep Chakravorty, India’s current Ambassador to Peru will be the next Consul General of India in New York, according to information available with The Indian Panorama.
The present Consul General Ms Riva Ganguly Das will be taking over as Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
Ms Riva Ganguly Das had assumed charge as the Consul General at New York Consulate on March 7, 2016. She had succeeded Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Mulay who is presently Secretary in the ministry of external affairs in New Delhi. Ms Das has had the shortest tenure as Consul General of India in New York.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, independent India’s first Education Minister, founded ICCR in 1950. Its objectives are to actively participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs pertaining to India’s external cultural relations; to foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries; to promote cultural exchanges with other countries and people; and to develop relations with nations.
The incoming Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty is a member of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) of 1996. batch 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 and Dhaka. In the Ministry of External Affairs of India, he served at several desks including working as 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 dealing with China, Japan, Koreas and Mongolia. Before being appointed as India’s Ambassador to Peru and Bolivia, he was India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
He holds a Master 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.
Federation of Indian Associations NY/NJ/CT is hosting a farewell reception to Ambassador Das on Tuesday, July 18 at Royal Albert’s Palace in Edison, New Jersey.
The move comes after New Jersey lawmakers failed to pass a budget by the annual deadline
By I.S. Saluja
TRENTON, NJ (TIP): As if the existing woes were not enough for Chris Christie who is heading into his final six months as governor, a crisis in the form of government shutdown has added to his worries. Described as New Jersey’s biggest government crisis in more than a decade, the shutdown will literally turn the lights out in Trenton, beginning July 1. What a way to prepare for celebration of 4th of July!
New Jersey lawmakers failed to pass a budget by the annual deadline at midnight of June 30th, as required and Christie promptly issued an order prompting closure of “government offices and services deemed non-essential”. State parks and beaches are also closed, as will motor vehicle offices. Courts could be closed from Monday. Tens of thousands of state government employees will be furloughed.
And while the origins of the shutdown are complex, only one person is likely to bear the blame in the public eye: Governor Chris Christie.
“It’s all going to come down to when folks get up tomorrow for the July 4th weekend and drive down to Island Beach State Park to spend the day and a sign says it’s closed,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. “They’re going to blame Gov. Christie and nobody else.”
“I’m not happy about this,” Christie said in a press conference just eight hours before the shutdown deadline. “This is completely avoidable.”
After two terms that saw his rise to GOP superstardom derailed by Bridgegate and then a fallout with the Trump team, Christie — the least popular governor in New Jersey recorded history, with an approval rating at 15 percent — is already so politically toxic that his own lieutenant governor, Kim Guadagno, is running away from him while campaigning to succeed him.
Such a fiscal debacle had been avoided since 2006, when New Jersey Democrats shut down the government in an argument over raising the state sales tax despite controlling the governorship and both chambers of the Legislature.
But that streak was broken at midnight.
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