A comment from Trump the previous week, suggesting that PM Modi was coming to meet him, had sparked speculation as to whether the Republican candidate would appear in New York City or at the diaspora event at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island.
However, according to the report, PM Modi’s tight schedule left limited time to meet either of the candidates, who themselves were engaged in election campaigning.
The report added that polite inquiries about his schedule from those interested in arranging a meeting might have indeed occurred, and they proved enough for Trump to assume that PM Modi sought an audience with him.
This would be in keeping with Trump’s past behaviour, according to the report. For example, during a 2019 meeting with then Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Oval Office, Trump had claimed that PM Modi had requested him to mediate in the Kashmir dispute. New Delhi had to publicly deny Trump’s statement.
However, PM Modi had invited Trump, then the US President, to the “Howdy Modi” rally in Houston in 2019, where a crowd of 50,000 attendees had impressed Trump, who has a known fascination with crowd sizes.
This event was followed by Trump’s 2020 visit to India, where he was welcomed with the “Namaste Trump” rally, organised by PM Modi in Ahmedabad, with 100,000 people packed into the newly-constructed stadium named after Modi.
The tight schedule might not have been the only reason for PM Modi to miss out on any possible meetings with the candidates.
According to the Times of India report, despite Trump praising PM Modi ahead of his US visit on Friday and calling him a “fantastic” leader, while hinting at a potential meeting, the Indian side might have decided to exercise caution based on past experience with American politics.
For example, the 2019 rally, where PM Modi had appeared to openly endorse Trump’s re-election bid by echoing the slogan “Ab ki baar, Trump sarkar”, had led to some criticism.
Given that this phrase was coined by Trump’s Indian-American supporters, who often see similarities between the two leaders as strong and assertive figures, some American commentators also suggested that PM Modi was backing Trump for a second term in 2020.
After Trump lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden, New Delhi had to reportedly recalibrate its approach to the new Democratic administration in Washington, which included Kamala Harris as Vice-President.
With this past experience in mind, the report said that PM Modi’s advisors appeared to have decided to avoid meeting either presidential candidate, with the excuse of “scheduling difficulties” due to everyone’s busy agendas.
Trump was, in fact, speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday night while PM Modi departed for New Delhi. Meanwhile, Harris, balancing her vice-presidential duties with campaign commitments, was in Washington DC, preparing to head to Pennsylvania, the most crucial among battleground states in the US elections.
Tag: Houston
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Why did Modi return without meeting Trump, Kamala Harris?
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Boeing’s Starliner crew is back after encountering new issues en route
HOUSTON (TIP): Boeing’s Starliner mission has safely docked with the International Space Station and the spacecraft’s crew, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, have arrived aboard the station after overcoming new issues that cropped up overnight and Thursday, June 6, en route to the orbiting laboratory, reports CNN. This is the first time astronauts have arrived at the space station via a Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
“Nice to be attached to the big city in the sky,” Wilmore said after docking was confirmed. Pressure was equalized between Starliner and the station, and the hatch between the two opened at about 3:46 p.m. ET.
Wilmore and Williams were welcomed with a ringing bell and plenty of hugs from the seven astronauts and cosmonauts already on board. With their arrival, there are now nine people working and living on the ISS.
“I’m not sure we could have gotten a better welcome,” Wilmore said during welcoming remarks after the entire station crew assembled. “We had music. Matt was dancing. It was great. What a wonderful place to be back.”
Wilmore shared his thanks “to all of you who got us going and kept us going,” including those in NASA mission control, Boeing and United Launch Alliance.
“These organizations are the epitome of teamwork, and it’s a blessing and a privilege to be a part of it,” he said.
Williams also shared her gratitude to the family and friends who have been with them during the lead-up to launch.
The flight marks only the sixth inaugural journey of a crewed spacecraft in US history, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson noted in a May news conference. “It started with Mercury, then with Gemini, then with Apollo, the space shuttle, then (SpaceX’s) Dragon — and now Starliner,” Nelson said.
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams flew to space for the third time on Wednesday along with a colleague, scripting history as the first members aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station.
Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission carrying Williams, and Butch Wilmore lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida after multiple delays.
Williams, 58, is the pilot for the flight test while Wilmore, 61, is the commander of the mission.
Williams also made history as the first woman to embark on such a mission. And it won’t be her first entry in the history books.
In 2012, during a prior trip to the International Space Station, Williams became the first person to finish a triathlon in space, during which she simulated swimming using a weight-lifting machine and ran on a treadmill while strapped in by a harness so she wouldn’t float away.
That came after she ran the Boston Marathon from the space station in 2007.
Williams received her commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy from the United States Naval Academy in May 1987. Williams was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and is a veteran of two space missions, Expeditions 14/15 in 2006 and 32/33 and 2012.
She served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and then commander of Expedition 33.
Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission has been delayed for several years because of setbacks in the spacecraft’s development.
Last-minute computer trouble nixed Saturday’s launch attempt for Boeing’s first astronaut flight, the latest in a string of delays over the years.
It was the second launch attempt. The first try on May 6 was delayed for leak checks and rocket repairs.
With the launch, Boeing became the second private firm able to provide crew transport to and from the ISS, alongside Elon Musk’s SpaceX. -
Indian American computer engineer Ashok Veeraraghavan wins award for revolutionary imaging technology
HOUSTON (TIP): Trailblazing Indian American computer engineer Ashok Veeraraghavan has won the 2024 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Engineering for his revolutionary imaging technology that seeks to make the invisible visible. Veeraraghavan, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science, George R. Brown School of Engineering at Rice University, was bestowed with the award by The Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science, and Technology (TAMEST).
Imagine taking a pristine picture through fog, smoke and rain. Imagine taking interior images of the human body through skin, bone and other tissue that scatter light and limit human vision, says a media release about Veeraraghavan’s revolutionary technology.
Veeraraghavan and his team at Rice work on creating imaging systems that use novel multi-dimensional image sensors along with machine learning algorithms to undo the effects of light-scattering and see-through scattering media such as fog, smoke, rain and human tissue.
Recently, with support from researchers at the University of Maryland, his team has developed a new technology dubbed NeuWS, an acronym for “neural wavefront shaping.”
At its core, NeuWS is about undoing the effects of light scattering by using wavefront shaping and a novel machine-learning algorithm. Scattering is what makes light, which has a lower wavelength unusable in many scenarios. If you can undo the effects of scattering, imaging can go much further.
Capturing images through rain and fog is certainly interesting, but this technology could have lifesaving applications, the release stated.
Through NeuWS-like technologies, there could be a time in the future where a firefighter entering into a room filled with smoke could be equipped with goggles that allow them to have clear visibility.
Automakers could be able to install car headlights that can see through a host of dangerous weather conditions. Surgeons could be able to see blood vessels through the skin tissue without making a single cut.
While several further advances are needed to make any of these scenarios possible, their work has made significant progress and make all of this potentially feasible.
“Dr. Veeraraghavan is tackling one of the hardest problems in imaging, what many consider to be a ‘holy grail problem’ of optical engineering,” said nominator Alan Bovik, PhD (NAE), Professor, Cockrell Family Regents Endowed Chair in Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.
“Every time we improve our ability to see what is unseen, the number of things we can do increases. The NeuWS technology is going to allow us to see things we cannot even imagine today.”
Born in Chennai, Veeraraghavan earned a BTech in electrical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in 2002.
He also earned master’s and doctoral degrees from the Department of Electrical in 2004 and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park 2004 in 2008.
After joining the ECE Department in 2010, he was promoted to Associate Professor in 2017 and professor in 2020. He co-developed FlatCam, a small sensor chip with a mask that substitutes lenses in typical cameras.
Veeraraghavan is one of five Texas-based researchers receiving the TAMEST 2024 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards. Each is chosen for their individual contributions addressing the essential role that science and technology play in society, and whose work meets the highest standards of exemplary professional performance, creativity and resourcefulness.
The Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards annually recognize rising star Texas researchers who are addressing the essential role that science and technology play in society, and whose work meets the highest standards of exemplary professional performance, creativity and resourcefulness.
Founded in 2004 TAMEST is composed of the Texas-based members of the three National Academies (National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences), the Royal Society and the state’s eight Nobel Laureates. -
Oil prices extend rapid descent on demand worries
HOUSTON (TIP)- Oil prices fell about 2% on Thursday, October 5, extending the previous session’s nearly 6% losses, as an uncertain demand outlook overshadowed an OPEC+ decision to maintain oil output cuts, keeping supply tight.
Global benchmark Brent crude futures have declined about $10 a barrel in less than 10 days after edging close to $100 in late September. The combined percentage drop over the last two days was the steepest since May for both crude benchmarks.
Brent futures fell $1.38, or 1.6%, to $84.43 by 1:41 p.m. ET (1741 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were $1.38 cents, or 1.6%, lower at $82.83.
“This is typical speculative trading activity – trying to make the best out of a bad situation after the bloodbath on Wednesday, and they (market participants) are trying to pick the bottom,” said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho.
Oil settled more than $5 lower on Wednesday – its biggest daily drop in over a year, even after a meeting of a ministerial panel of OPEC+, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia.
It made no changes to the group’s oil output policy, and Saudi Arabia said it would maintain a voluntary cut of 1 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of 2023, while Russia would keep a 300,000 bpd voluntary export curb until the end of December.
However, investors are worried that peak demand for fuel consumption is behind us, said Dennis Kissler, senior vice president of trading at BOK Financial, adding that hedge funds liquidated heavily on fears that higher interest rates with inflation would sap fuel demand. “The market is searching for an equilibrium,” Kissler said.
Close-to-close volatility on Brent was at its highest since May, while that on WTI was its highest since June. The market will be in deficit through the fourth quarter and the softer prices reduce the probability OPEC will ease supply constraints, National Australia Bank analysts said. Government data on Wednesday also showed a sharp decline in U.S. gasoline demand. Finished motor gasoline supplied, a proxy for demand, fell last week to its lowest since the start of this year.
“I don’t see gasoline demand getting much above 8.5 million barrels a day until the holiday shopping season kicks in and that’s going to be a problem for the market,” said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York.
Other data on Wednesday showed the U.S. services sector slowed while the euro zone economy probably shrank last quThe U.S. dollar eased, but continued to remain near 11-month highs, making crude more expensive for foreign buyers. On Thursday, the Turkish energy minister said a crude oil pipeline from Iraq through Turkey, which has been suspended for about six months, was ready for operations. Source: Reuters -
Four Indian-origin graduates among eight named for 2023 Chevron Graduate Energy Fellows at University of Houston
HOUSTON (TIP): Four Indian-origin students at the University of Houston have been named among eight who received the inaugural 2023 Chevron Graduate Energy Fellowship for actively being involved in innovative energy-related research. Funded by Chevron, the program supports graduate students’ research efforts through a one-year USD 12,000 fellowship which includes mentoring by faculty experts and the opportunity to engage with subject matter experts at Chevron, according to a press release.
Chevron is an American multinational energy corporation predominantly in oil and gas. The UH-Chevron Energy Graduate Fellows have showcased a broad range of energy-related research at the University of Houston (UH) and their work focuses on scalable innovations for transformational impact on the energy industry, it said.
“The motivation for my research focus came from my past work evaluating the impact of state climate policies on household energy burden across socioeconomic groups,” said Aparajita Datta, one of the fellows and a political science PhD candidate whose research focuses on the intersection of energy, climate and redistributive policies in the US.
Another fellow, Chirag Goel’s research proposal stems from his passion for nuclear fusion reactions that power the sun and stars and has been driven to replicate a similar process on Earth.
“High-temperature superconductors (HTS) present the opportunity to achieve carbon-free economies by 2050,” Goel said.
The potential impact of this research extends to renewable energy generation, electric power transmission and advanced scientific applications, all of which contribute to a sustainable clean energy future.
Meghana Idamakanti, a third-year PhD student hopes to contribute to sustainable energy initiatives, focusing on the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
Swapnil Sharma, a PhD student and an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi graduate co-founded CovRelief to track the availability of hospital beds that helped many people during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Creating a positive social impact through his work has been a core motivator for Sharma.
“We love that Chevron is sponsoring this group of fellows because it’s a fantastic way for us to get involved with the students who are working on some of the biggest problems we’ll face in society,” Chevron Technology Ventures President Jim Gable was quoted as saying.
“The UH-Chevron Energy Fellowship program is an exciting opportunity for our graduate students to research the many critical areas that impact the energy industry, our communities and our global competitiveness,” said Vice President for Energy and Innovation Ramanan Krishnamoorti.
“Today’s students not only recognize the importance of energy, but they are actively driving the push for affordable, reliable, sustainable and secure energy and making choices that clearly indicate that they are meaningfully contributing to the change,” Krishnamoorti said.
Others who received the Fellowship include Kripa Adhikari, Erin Picton, Mohamad Sarhan, and Larkin Spires.
The selected fellows will engage with Chevron subject matter experts on a quarterly basis and participate in educational and research engagements organized by UH Energy throughout the year.
They will submit quarterly progress reports and may have opportunities to contribute to energy-related blogs and thought leadership pieces, the release said. -
Indian American artist’s contribution behind America’s first art tunnel
HOUSTON (TIP): When traveling between terminals D and E at the George Bush International Airport in Houston, Texas you will be amazed to see an immersive audio-visual treat.
Unveiled earlier this year, the Aquarius Art Tunnel is a 240-feet-long art experience. The tunnel showcases species of fish, coral, sharks, dolphins, barracudas, lobsters, manta rays, and, even, oil rigs, among other ocean creatures.
The floor of the tunnel is a coral carpet, and the accompanying sounds are a combination of classical music and the artist’s own meditative, underwater breath, created by Andrew Karnavas.
The brainchild behind the art experience is Indian American artist Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee. As perhaps the first ever project spearheaded by an artist of color that represents contemporary art in America, the Aquarius project is special in many ways.
Mahimtura Folmsbee herself said at the launch that the tunnel also has a special significance for her as it is where she, and countless others, take the flight home to India.
The Aquarius Art Tunnel is a 240 feet immersive Art tunnel Installation. It comprises two unique 240 by 9 feet fine art murals. The hallway is approximately 20 feet wide, and currently covered with 700 yards of custom designed sea anemone and abstract inspired carpet design.
There are 15 unique lenticular works of art in the ceiling that have lighting components and three unique images in each lenticular work. A total of 116 custom handcrafted lighting fixtures of side lighting reflect light on quartz crystal pigment in the paint on the murals, 58 for each side of the tunnel.
There is also a sound component and an augmented reality experience through an instagram filter. This work of art is not just a mural. It is truly an experience for any visitor from all walks of life. -
Indian American attorney Janani Ramachandran becomes first LGBTQ woman of color to take oath as US City Council member
OAKLAND, CA (TIP): Janani Ramachandran, a 30-year-old Indian American attorney, has emerged as the youngest and the first woman of color to take oath as the Oakland City Council member in the US state of California.
Ramachandran took the ceremonial oath wearing a saree as the Oakland City Council member for District 4 in an inauguration ceremony held on January 10.
and helped build our movement. Honored to have my loved ones by my side as I took the ceremonial oath!” Ramachandran describes herself as “a daughter of immigrants from a small village in South India.
Ramachandran currently serves on the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs and has previously served as a Commissioner at the City of Oakland Public Ethics Commission, according to her website. The Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley pass-out has worked in several legal non-profits. As a first-time candidate in her 2021 run for State Assembly, she shocked political experts by advancing to the special election runoff, coming out on top amongst a field of previously elected officials, her website said.
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Indian -origin Manpreet Monica Singh is the first female Sikh judge to be sworn in US
HOUSTON (TIP): Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh has been sworn in as a Harris County judge, becoming the first female Sikh judge in the US. Singh was born and raised in Houston and now lives in Bellaire with her husband and two children. She was sworn in as a judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4 in Texas on Friday, January 6. Singh’s father immigrated to the US in the early 1970s. A trial lawyer for 20 years, she has been involved in numerous civil rights organizations at the local, state, and national levels.
“It means a lot to me because I represent H-town (a nickname of Houston) the most, so for it to be us, I’m happy for it,” she said at the oath ceremony.
Indian American Judge Ravi Sandill, the state’s first South Asian judge, presided over the ceremony, which took place in a packed courtroom. “It’s a really big moment for the Sikh community,” Sandill said.
“When they see someone of color, someone a little different, they know that possibility is available to them. Manpreet is not only an ambassador for Sikhs, but she’s an ambassador for all women of color,” he said.
There are an estimated 500,000 Sikhs in the US, with 20,000 Sikhs living in the Houston area.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said: “It was a proud day for the Sikh Community, but also a proud day for all people of Color who see the Diversity of the City of Houston in the Diversity of the Court”.
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CRY America’s “Walk for Child Rights” Aims to Make a Difference in Post-COVID India
CRY Seattle walk student volunteers. Nationwide Fundraiser Puts Children’s Educational Recovery in Focus
NEW YORK (TIP): The COVID pandemic revealed just how interconnected – and interdependent – we all are, the world over. In that spirit, walkers, runners and bicyclists across the USA will be taking to scenic public trails this fall between September 8 & November 30, 2022 to support children half a world away through Child Rights and You (CRY) America’s annual “Walk for Child Rights”. This event is sponsored by TV Asia, Deloitte & the Asian Leadership Group at Baxter International.CRY America is a nonprofit organization that supports over 30 projects in India and the U.S. that ensure access to education and healthcare for underprivileged children, as well as protection from child labor, early marriage and trafficking.
The CRY Walk for Child Rights launched officially on the International day of Literacy and the series features in-person and virtual events in over a dozen cities, including Seattle, New Jersey, San Diego, Houston, Boston, New York, Austin & Nashville. To register to participate at an event near you, visit CRY America’s website: https://events.cryamerica.org/event-category/crywalk/
Children’s access to education, in particular, took a grievous hit as a result of pandemic restrictions. Those in poverty-affected communities bore the brunt of the extended stay-at-home orders and school closures, which effectively pre-empted two years’ worth of study. “The disruption in schooling has resulted in many dire consequences,” said CRY America CEO Shefali Sunderlal, noting that rates of child labor and child marriage spiked between 2020 and 2022. Children who did return to school after the long absence found themselves struggling to cope and at risk of dropping out. “CRY Projects are working hard to enroll & retain children back in schools, along with providing them supplementary education classes & psychosocial support,” she said. “It is wonderful to see CRY Walks organized across so many cities, such as in Deerfield, Ill., at the corporate headquarters of Baxter International, which was set up by the Asian Leadership Group and attended by 60 employees. And our students’ group in Seattle organized a very successful event that raised $4,000,” Fundraising Director Patrick Bocco said. “The enthusiasm that volunteers and donors are bringing in support of child rights across cities is so inspiring. Each step we take together is a step toward happier childhoods for so many children.”
(Based on a press release)
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Indian American US Air Force physician among 10 chosen by NASA for as astronauts future missions
HOUSTON (TIP): Indian American physician Anil Menon, a lieutenant colonel at the US Air Force, has been selected by NASA along with nine others to be astronauts for future missions, the American space agency has announced.
Menon, 45, was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Ukrainian and Indian immigrants. He was SpaceX’s first flight surgeon, helping to launch the company’s first humans to space during NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission and building a medical organization to support the human system during future missions. In a statement, NASA announced that it has chosen 10 new astronaut candidates from a field of more than 12,000 applicants to represent the US and work for humanity’s benefit in space.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson introduced the members of the 2021 astronaut class, the first new class in four years, during a Monday, December 6 event at Ellington Field near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
“Today we welcome 10 new explorers, 10 members of the Artemis generation, NASA’s 2021 astronaut candidate class,” Nelson said. “Alone, each candidate has ‘the right stuff,’ but together they represent the creed of our country: E pluribus Unum—out of many, one,” he said. The astronaut candidates will report for duty at Johnson in January 2022 to begin two years of training. Astronaut candidate training falls into five major categories: operating and maintaining the International Space Station’s complex systems, training for spacewalks, developing complex robotics skills, safely operating a T-38 training jet, and Russian language skills.
Upon completion, they could be assigned to missions that involve performing research aboard the space station, launching from American soil on spacecraft built by commercial companies, as well as deep space missions to destinations including the Moon on NASA’s Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket.
“Each of you has amazing backgrounds,” Pam Melroy, former NASA astronaut and NASA’s deputy administrator, told the candidates. “You bring diversity in so many forms to our astronaut corps and you stepped up to one of the highest and most exciting forms of public service.” Applicants included US citizens from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands.
For the first time ever, NASA required candidates to hold a master’s degree in a STEM field and used an online assessment tool. The women and men selected for the new astronaut class represent the diversity of America and the career paths that can lead to a place in America’s astronaut corps.
Menon previously served NASA as the crew flight surgeon for various expeditions taking astronauts to the International Space Station. He is an actively practicing emergency medicine physician with fellowship training in wilderness and aerospace medicine. As a physician, he was a first responder during the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, 2015 earthquake in Nepal, and the 2011 Reno Air Show accident. In the Air Force, Menon supported the 45th Space Wing as a flight surgeon and the 173rd Fighter Wing, where he logged over 100 sorties in the F-15 fighter jet and transported over 100 patients as part of the critical care air transport team.
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Indian American Community leader gets Global Community Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award
Sept 6, 2021
Prakash M. Swamy
CHICAGO (TIP): Prominent Indian-American community leader of Houston, Texas, Sockalingam Sam Kannappan was honored with Global Community Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award at a function in Chicago recently.
Presenting the award at the tenth annual international gala celebrations of the American Multiethnic Coalition, Congressman Danny K Davis praised the services of Kannappan to his adopted land and said people like him make the US the greatest nation in the world.
In his brief video speech, Kannappan said he came to the US in 1968. He mentioned names of Houston US Congressman Al Green, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and University of Houston Chancellor Dr. Renu Khator as mutual friends with Congressman Davis and who encouraged him to do community service.
The prestigious tenth annual award called Community Oscars was broadcast internationally and viewed by 65 million viewers.
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Indian American Illinois boy Sahasrad Sathish wins South Asian Spelling Bee 2021
EDISON, NJ (TIP): Sahasrad Sathish, 12, of Grayslake, Illinois is the national champion of the South Asian Spelling Bee 2021 with Akshainie Kamma, 13, of Round Rock, Texas finishing as the first runner up.
The Bee attracted some top talent in the circuit with spellers from across the country participating in six virtual regionals in the past four weeks and the finals in Edison, New Jersey on August 6,
Champion’s grand prize of $3,000 was awarded to the national winner Sahasrad Sathish at the finals.
An initiative of the South Asian Engagement Foundation and managed by leading multicultural marketing firm Touchdown Media, the South Asian Spelling Bee is celebrating its 14th anniversary this year.
“Even with the competition going virtual, the raw talent of these spellers was on full display,” said Bee Director Daisy Walia.
“We are happy to provide a veritable platform for these spellers so they can showcase their spelling prowess,” she added.
“I applaud the efforts of the team and spellers for yet another successful season despite the odds,” said Rahul Walia, founder.
Results:
In Houston, Texas, Ishika Varipilli, 11, of Spring, Texas was the regional champion and Yash Ganesh, 9, of Tulsa, Oklahoma was the first runner up.
In Dallas, Texas, Michael Kolagani, 13, of Austin, Texas was the regional champion and Rishi Nemmani, 12, of McKinney, Texas was the first runner up.
In Seattle, Washington, Pranav Chandar, 13, of Newburgh, Indiana and Saharsh Vuppala, 13, of Bellevue, Washington were the two co-champions.
In Raleigh, North Carolina, Akshita Balaji, 14, of Herndon, Virginia and Maya Jadhav, 13, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, were the two co-champions.
In Edison, New Jersey Akshainie Kamma, 13, of Round Rock, Texas was the regional champion and Dev Shah, 12, of Seminole, Florida was the first runner up.
In Fremont, California, Harini Logan, 13, of Shavano Park, Texas was the regional champ and Shradha Rachamreddy, 11, of San Jose, California was the first runner up.
The top two spellers of each regional competition advanced to the finals.
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Indian-origin pediatrician takes hostages, shoots doctor, self
HOUSTON (TIP): A 43-year-old Indian-origin pediatrician diagnosed with terminal cancer shot dead a lady doctor and then killed himself after taking hostages at a medical office in Austin, capital of the US State of Texas. The armed man was identified as Dr Bharat Narumanchi, who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, police said.
Police received a call on Tuesday saying a man walked into the offices of Children’s Medical Group (CMG) with a gun and was holding hostages inside the building, the CNN reported, citing Austin Police Department press release. Initially several hostages were being held, police said, but several escaped and others were allowed to leave, except a pediatrician named Katherine Dodson. The hostages who escaped the office told officers on the scene that the man was armed with a pistol and what appeared to be a shotgun, police said. He also had two duffel bags. He had visited the CMG office a week prior to the shooting and applied for a volunteer position.
Other than his recent visit, police were unable to find a connection between Dr Dodson and Dr Narumanchi.
Hostage negotiators had tried to make contact with Narumanchi but were unsuccessful. After repeated attempts, SWAT officers entered the building where they found Dodson and Narumanchi dead from apparent gunshot wounds, the report said. “It appeared that Dr Narumanchi shot himself after shooting Dr Dodson,” according to the police department’s news release. The incident is still under investigation. The Travis County Medical Examiner will be conducting an autopsy to determine the official cause and manner of death.
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Indian Embassy issues Public Notice Regarding New Outsourcing Service Provider
WASHINGTON (TIP): The Indian Embassy in Washington in a press release said that they are adding information in continuation of their Press Release of 9 October, 2020 regarding change of outsourcing service provider for Visa, OCI, Renunciation, Passport and Global Entry Programme (GEP) services, With effect from 4 November 2020 (12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time), Embassy of India, Washington DC will accept online applications for OCI, Renunciation, Passport and GEP services through new service provider, VFS Global. A service fee of US$15.90 (inclusive of all taxes) per application will be charged in addition to applicable Government of India fees for these services. Applicants are advised not to send any applications by post to VFS before making an online application on 4 November 2020 on the website of VFS.
The details of the VFS Global Application Centre are as under:
1025 Vermont Ave, N.W.
Suite 302, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Website: https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind
It may also be noted that due to the ongoing Covid pandemic, there will be no walk-in service at VFS Global until further notice. All applications shall only be dealt with by post.
Applicants residing in the consular jurisdictions of Consulates General of India at Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York and San Francisco, may please visit the websites of the respective Consulates for information on these services
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Mutation in novel coronavirus may have made it more contagious: Study
The novel coronavirus is accumulating genetic mutations, one of which may have made it more contagious, according to a study involving more than 5,000 Covid-19 patients in the US.
The research, published in the journal mBIO, however, did not find that these mutations have made the virus deadlier or changed clinical outcomes.
The researchers noted that the mutation, called D614G, is located in the spike protein that pries open our cells for viral entry.
“The virus is mutating due to a combination of neutral drift — which just means random genetic changes that don’t help or hurt the virus — and pressure from our immune systems,” said Ilya Finkelstein, associate professor at The University of Texas at Austin, US.
The researchers noted that during the initial wave of the pandemic, 71 per cent of the novel coronaviruses identified in patients in Houston had this mutation.
When the second wave of the outbreak hit Houston during the summer, this variant had leaped to 99.9 per cent prevalence, they said.
This mirrors a trend observed around the world, according to the researchers. The reason why strains containing this mutation outcompete those that didn’t have it may be that natural selection would favour strains of the virus that transmit more easily, the researchers said. However, some scientists have suggested another explanation, called “founder’s effects.” In that scenario, the D614G mutation might have been more common in the first viruses to arrive in Europe and North America, essentially giving them a head start on other strains, according to the researchers.
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Trump’s ‘filthy’ comment on India dismays strategists
‘Look at India, it’s filthy,’ the US President said in the Oct 22 presidential debate
NEW DELHI / NEW YORK (TIP): After not figuring in the first presidential debate between US President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, India did crop up in the second edition but not in the manner proponents of a much closer Indo-US strategic relations would have wished for. “Look at China. How filthy it is. Look at Russia. Look at India, it’s filthy. The air is filthy,’’ said Trump in a remark that cut several strategic analysts to the bone. On the other hand, the US has the “lowest number in carbon emissions”, he claimed.
Several questioned on social media the need for Trump to make an unsavory reference to India when they were expecting Indo-US ties to turn the strategic corner during the forthcoming visit of two top American cabinet ministers to India. They also wondered if Trump had this view of India why did he pay a return stadium-visit to Ahmedabad barely six months after being hosted in a Houston stadium by PM Narendra Modi.
Biden did not mention India.
Trump was responding to debate moderator Kristen Welker’s question on how he would simultaneously combat climate change and support job growth.The debate was expected to feature India and the wider neighborhood. During the first debate, the two candidates did not speak much on the American foreign policy, especially in the Asia Pacific, which seems to be the focus of the current administration.
One reason for the cursory references to foreign policy is also because one debate was cancelled after Trump refused to participate in an on-line format.Welker had chosen six topics for in-depth discussions. Three of them were domestic issues while the other three – climate change, leadership and national security – had foreign policy ramifications. Trump, however, was consistent in his observations in blaming the three countries. In the first debate on September 29, he had said, “China sends up real dirt into the air. Russia does, India does — they all do.’’
(Source: The Tribune)
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11 Indian students arrested for trying to illegally remain in U.S.
These students were arrested from various locations in Boston, Washington, Houston, Ft. Lauderdale, Newark, Nashville, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg
WASHINGTON (TIP): Federal law enforcement agencies have arrested 15 students, including 11 from India, on charges of fraudulently staying inside the country.
These students were arrested on Wednesday, October 21 from various locations in Boston, Washington, Houston, Ft. Lauderdale, Newark, Nashville, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. In addition to 11 Indian nationals, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also arrested two Libyans, one Senegalese and one Bangladeshi national.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, the arrests were made as a result of Operation OPTical Illusion, a law enforcement operation targeting non-immigrant students who fraudulently used the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to remain in the U.S. OPT enables non-immigrant students to work in the U.S. in positions related to their field of study for up to one year, with an additional 24 months if the student participates in STEM optional practical training. ICE said these students claimed to be employed by companies that do not exist.
“This is just another example of the Trump Administration not only putting America first but making sure the laws of the immigration system are enforced,” said Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli.
“Every instance of fraud is a job an American worker could have had, and with so many Americans looking for work this crime is even more unacceptable,” he said. “ICE has a system of checks in place to mitigate fraud and is committed to protecting national security by ensuring that students, visitors, and schools comply with U.S. immigration laws,” said ICE Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tony Pham. “These latest arrests demonstrate that the agency is actively targeting individuals who try to exploit the student visa system,” he said.
(Source: PTI) -
VFS Global to provide visa, OCI and passport services for India across US from November
NEW DELH/NEW YORK (TIP): VFS Global on Thursday, Oct 22 said it has been appointed as the exclusive service provider for visa, OCI (overseas citizens of India), passport, renunciation of Indian citizenship, and Global Entry Programme (GEP) verification services for the government of India in the United States.
From next month, the Indian diaspora and other applicants across the US can apply for these services at any one of VFS Global’s India Centers, it said, adding “due to COVID-19 restrictions, India visa services remain suspended. The re-start date will be announced according to directives of the Embassy of India in USA .”
India consular application centers will be located in six cities: Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta and Houston. At these centers, VFS Global said, it will provide for Indian or US citizens, and for third-country nationals, from November 2020 services like: OCI application, passport application, renunciation of Indian citizenship and GEP verification services. The US has over 40 lakh-strong Indian diaspora. “The US is the 12th country in which VFS Global will provide passport, visa and consular services for the Indian ministry of external affairs. At present, VFS Global manages 44 passport and visa application centers for the government of India in 11 countries: Australia, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and UK,” VFS said in a statement. VFS Global regional group COO (South Asia, Middle East and North Africa and Americas) Vinay Malhotra said that “as a company that has its origins in Mumbai, India – where the first VFS Global application center was set up close to two decades ago – it is a matter of immense pride for us to be given the opportunity to serve our customers right across the US.” VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services provider for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. It has 3,430 application centers in 144 countries across five continents and partners 64 client governments.
(Based on a press release)
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Indian American Engineer Charged in Texas with COVID-Relief Fraud
HOUSTON (TIP): An Indian origin engineer has been charged in the Eastern District of Texas with allegedly filing bank loan applications fraudulently seeking more than $10 million dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Shashank Rai, 30, of Beaumont, Texas, allegedly sought millions of dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA from two different banks by claiming to have 250 employees earning wages when, in fact, no employees worked for his purported business.
Rai is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with violations of wire fraud, bank fraud, false statements to a financial institution, and false statements to the SBA.
“As alleged, Rai fraudulently pursued millions of dollars in loans intended for legitimate small businesses suffering the economic hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department and our law enforcement partners will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect critical CARES Act relief programs from fraud and abuse.”
“The behavior in this case was very brazen,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown of the Eastern District of Texas. “Those who submit these applications for loans or other assistance need to understand that there are people checking on the representations made, and those representations are made under oath and subject to the penalties of perjury. Federal agencies are watching for fraud, and people who lie and try to cheat the system are going to be caught and prosecuted.”
“To support small and community banks, the Federal Home Loan Banks can accept Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans as collateral when making loans to their members,” said Richard Parker, Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General. “The Office of Inspector General is proud to work with our partners in law enforcement to prevent, detect, and deter attempts to perpetrate fraud in the Federal Home Loan Bank System and steal the assistance intended for small business owners and employees under this important part of the CARES Act.”
“Today’s charges hold the defendant responsible for his actions to swindle money out of a federal program intended to help those in need during a pandemic crisis,” said Inspector General Jay N. Lerner of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “When an individual cheats the Paycheck Protection Program out of money, it deprives hard-working Americans and deserving small businesses. The FDIC OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate financial crimes in order to preserve the integrity of the nation’s banking sector.”
“SBA OIG and its law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate fraud in the Paycheck Protection Program,” said SBA Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware. “The nation’s small businesses are counting on this program, and we will safeguard it to maintain the public trust. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“While the government is trying to help out small businesses, scammers are out there trying to help themselves,” said Inspector in Charge Delany De Leon-Colon of the Criminal Investigations Group. “Postal Inspectors are proud to work alongside the Department of Justice and our other law enforcement partners to identify and investigate anyone who capitalizes on this pandemic to commit fraud. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting small business owners, and the American public, from those who seek to do financial harm.”
According to court documents unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Beaumont, Rai allegedly made two fraudulent claims to two different lenders for seek loans guaranteed by the SBA for COVID-19 relief through the PPP. In the application submitted to the first lender, Rai allegedly sought $10 million in PPP loan proceeds by fraudulently claiming to have 250 employees with an average monthly payroll of $4 million. In the second application, Rai allegedly sought approximately $3 million in PPP loan proceeds by fraudulently claiming to have 250 employees with an average monthly payroll of approximately $1.2 million.
According to court documents, the Texas Workforce Commission provided information to investigators of having no records of employee wages having been paid in 2020 by Rai or his purported business, Rai Family LLC. In addition, the Texas Comptroller’s Office of Public Accounts reported to investigators that Rai Family LLC reported no revenues for the fourth quarter of 2019 or the first quarter of 2020.
According to court documents, materials recovered from the trash outside of Rai’s residence included handwritten notes that appear to reflect an investment strategy for the $3 million, which is the amount of money that Rai allegedly sought from the second lender.
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Global Entry Program Introduced for Indian citizens residing in USA
WASHINGTON (TIP): As part of the citizen-centric service, Embassy of India, Washington DC and Consulates General of India in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco introduced the system of accepting GEP applications by Indian citizens residing in USA.
Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Members enter the United States through automatic kiosks at select U.S. airports .
How to Apply for Global Entry:
Citizens of India are eligible for Global Entry. Applications must be submitted through CBP’s Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) website .
Application Process for background check for GEP:
Apply Online with U.S. CBP: Apply and complete application process at TTP website https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry of U.S. CBP
For those applicants presently living in USA, after completion of step ‘1’, he/she needs to submit the requisite information in the website of Global Passport Seva Project (https://embassy.passportindia.gov.in/) for completion of background check in India. After completion of online submission, he/she should submit the application at CKGS office according to the Consular jurisdiction, along with the applicable fee.
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Prime Minister Modi’s Engagements in New York
NEW YORK(TIP): On his first visit to the US after returning as PM for the second term in May this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly or UNGA session after “Howdy Modi!” event in Houston on Sunday, Sept 22. He will conclude his US visit with a special address at the UNGA on September 27.
Here is a look at Modi’s Engagements during the UNGA Sept 23-27.
Sept 23
Climate Action Summit 2019
Time: 1045 – 1100 Hrs
Venue: UN General Assembly
PM in first cohort of Speakers
At Number Three among National
Statements
UN High-Level Meeting on universal health coverage
Time: 1130 – 1200 Hrs
Venue: Trusteeship Council Chamber
Leaders’ Dialogue on strategic responses to terrorist and violent extremist narratives
Time: 1630 – 1800 Hrs
Venue: Conference Room 1, UNHQ
Sept 24
INDIA – PACIFIC ISLANDS LEADERS’ MEETING
Time: 1530 – 1700 Hrs
Venue: Lotte New York Palace
Leaders of Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu to attend
LEADERSHIP MATTERS: “Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the Contemporary World”
Time: 1830 – 1930 hrs
Venue: ECOSOC Chamber, UNHQ
LEADERSHIP MATTERS:
“Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the Contemporary World”
Release of Special UN Postage Stamp Commemorating
150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Remote Inauguration of “Gandhi Solar Park” at UN
Headquarters and “Gandhi Peace Garden”
Global goalkeeper Awards 2019
PM Narendra Modi to receive Global Goalkeeper Award and speak at the Third Annual Goalkeepers event
Time: 2010 – 2100 hrs
Sept 25
Bloomberg Global Business Forum
PM Narendra Modi to give the Keynote address
Time: 0845 – 0905 hrs
India-CARICOM Leaders’ Meeting
Time: 1500 – 1700 Hrs
Venue: Lotte New York Palace
First Summit between India and CARICOM Member States
Leaders from Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada,
Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago to attend
Sept 26
Several bilateral Meetings
Sept 27
74th UNGA GENERAL DEBATE
Prime Minister will address the UN General Assembly between 1000 Hrs – 1100 Hrs
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40,000 people register for ‘Howdy, Modi’ community summit in Houston
HOUSTON(TIP): Around 40,000 people have registered themselves for Indian American community summit “Howdy, Modi!” here, which will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 22 during his visit to the US for the UN General Assembly session, organizers of the event said.
“Howdy”, short for ‘How do you do?’, is a friendly greeting commonly used in southwestern United States.
Attendance to the summit is free, but passes have to be obtained which is now open for public, said the host Texas India Forum, a Houston-based non-profit body, which expects around 50,000 people to attend the prime minister’s address to the Indian diaspora at the sprawling NRG football stadium in the U.S.’ fourth most populous city.
Houston, which has one of the largest concentrations of over 5,00,000 Indian American community in the U.S., is the energy capital of the world. Energy security is a priority area for the prime minister.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said, “I look forward to welcoming PM Modi to Houston, home to one of the biggest and most vibrant Indian communities in the U.S.”
‘Visit will strengthen ties’
“This historic visit will strengthen the already robust bonds between Houston and India on trade, culture and tourism — all of which benefit every Houstonian.”
Over 39,000 people have signed up in the first two weeks. There are more than 1,000 volunteers and 650 Welcome Partner organizations for the event, the Texas India Forum said.
According to convener of the organizing committee Jugal Malani, before the prime minister’s address, the event, with the tagline ‘Shared Dreams, Bright Futures’, will include a cultural program that puts a spotlight on Indian-American contributions to the United States.
“We want the entire city of Houston to come enjoy the festivities and learn about Indian-Texan relations,” he said.
This will be Mr. Modi’s third major address to the Indian American community after he became the prime minister in 2014 and the first after his re-election in May.
The previous two were at the Madison Square Garden in New York in 2014 and the Silicon Valley in 2016. Both the events were attended by more than 20,000 people.
U.S. Senator John Cornyn said, “On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Indian-Americans in Texas, and as co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, I welcome Prime Minister Modi to Houston.”
“India continues to be a key security and economic partner of the United States, and I look forward to seeing that relationship strengthen with his visit to Texas,” he said.
A number group of organizations from a wide spectrum of the Indian diaspora in the United States has mobilized support for the “Howdy, Modi!” event.
Sanjay Ramabhadran, the president of the Texas Lyceum said, “The future of Texas is inextricably tied to global trade and strategic relations. As a Texas-wide leadership group focused on civil discourse on the important policy issues facing our state, we recognize that this visit will be a giant step in further strengthening Texas- India relations on numerous fronts.”
According to WISER Trade, the US Census Bureau, and the Foreign Trade Division, in 2019 (year to date), India is Houston’s fourth largest trading partner just behind Brazil, China and Mexico.
New Texas gun laws that go into effect Sept. 1
Texas lawmakers have passed several measures protecting the rights of gun holders. From protecting licensed gun holders during natural disasters to raising the number of armed school marshals allowed on school campuses, Texas lawmakers have passed several measures protecting the rights of gun holders.
Those licensed to carry firearms will soon be able do so in places of worship, such as a synagogue or a church.
Legislators also created laws prohibiting residential or commercial property owners from restricting possession of firearms by residents or their guests.
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Houston to Host PM Modi in September
Houston (TIP)
The Texas India Forum, a Houston-based non-profit, will host “Howdy, Modi!” a large community summit that will host India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the region on September 22, 2019. “Howdy”, shorthand for “How do you do?,” is a friendly greeting commonly used in the southwestern United States.
The event is expected to bring together tens of thousands of people to encourage and explore common interests and an expanded partnership between the United States and India’s fast growing economy. Texas alone has over 500,000 people of Indian descent, contributing significantly to signature sectors including space, energy, medicine, education, information technology, and business.
“There is unprecedented synergy between our region and the aspirations of a ‘New India’ that Prime Minister Narendra Modi represents. The American dream shares many similarities with emerging Indian dream, and an event of this scale suggests an opportunity to build bridges across two great democracies,” said Jugal Malani, a convener of the “Howdy, Modi!” organizing committee.
Attendance at the summit will be free, but passes will be required. Passes are available on a first-come-first- serve basis and exclusively through an online registration process (www.howdymodi.org). Hundreds of prominent business and community leaders from across America are expected to attend.
In addition to the Prime Minister’s address, the program is expected to include a cultural program that showcases the Indian-American community and will be broadcast live online and on television channels reaching over 1 Billion people across the United States and India.
This will be the first trip to the United States for Prime Minister Modi after his landslide victory in Indian elections earlier this year. The Prime Minister of India has previously addressed similar gatherings at Madison Square Garden in New York and the SAP Center in San Jose.
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ASPIRE PAC Endorses Sri Kulkarni; Indian American Candidate Running for Texas’ 22nd Congressional District
Houston (TIP)
ASPIRE PAC, the political arm of Asian American and Pacific Islander Members of Congress, voted to endorse and support Indian American candidate Sri Kulkarni in his campaign for Texas’ 22nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Sri has served his country and community with dedication and distinction throughout his life, and ASPIRE is thrilled to endorse his campaign to represent Texas,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), Chair of ASPIRE. “Sri knows what’s at stake in protecting American families, and he will fight to protect access to healthcare and safe schools for our children in Congress.”
Srinivas Rao Preston Kulkarni is a former diplomat and a candidate for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in Texas’s 22nd congressional district in 2020. In 2018, he narrowly lost a Congressional race in the same district to incumbent Congressman Pete Olson.
Sri received a Pearson Fellowship to serve as a defense, foreign policy, and veterans’ affairs advisor in the U.S. Senate, working on some of the most critical threats facing our national security. Sri went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard, where he started an initiative called “Breaking Bread,” aimed at reducing the partisan hostility and divisiveness afflicting our country.
Inspired by a calling to serve his country, Sri was commissioned as a United States Foreign Service Officer by Secretary of State Colin Powell. In the Foreign Service, Sri served tours overseas in Iraq, Israel, Russia, Taiwan, and Jamaica, promoting American values.
ASPIRE PAC was established to work for fair representation in the U.S. Congress by supporting and increasing the number of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) policymakers and federal candidates with large AAPI constituencies. The PAC works to support the values and address the issues important to the AAPI community.
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Heartwarming story of Hindu Muslim unity
Manu Shah
HOUSTON (TIP): There are plenty of heartwarming stories of Hindu-Muslim unity, but it’ll be hard to top the one that took place in Houston recently.
The Indian Muslims Association of Greater Houston (IMAGH) invited Ramesh Bhutada, Advisor to the Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) and Vice President of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, USA (HSS) as the Chief Guest for their annual Eid Milan celebrations. In what turned out to be the evening’s epic moment, Bhutada’s simple yet powerful speech on Hindu-Muslim unity was met with a long-standing ovation from every seat in the room including the Consul General of India Dr. Anupam Ray who was among the first to rise and applaud.
Bhutada, a Houston based industrialist, began his address by wishing the members of the Association Eid Mubarak and commended IMAGH on their mission of fostering amity across cultures, communities and religions. The organization was formed 10 years ago to foster harmony, strengthen relationships between religions and cultures, and enrich the community as a whole through various Outreach programs. It is a non-profit, non-political and non-religious organization.
Bhutada deliberately reiterated his introduction as a leader of the HSS and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an organization that inspires him, because he explained, he “wanted to have an open dialogue.” The RSS and HSS, he emphasized, are primarily involved in character building of the youth so that its members can become proud citizens of the country they live in.
Bhutada expressed his concerns about the false propaganda in sections of the media and certain politicians who have sought to separate both communities for their vested interests. He assured the gathering that “the RSS and the HSS would like communal harmony and unity amongst all religions.”
Elaborating on this point, he recalled an interview 10 years ago when RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, then General Secretary of the RSS, was staying at his house. During the course of the interview, the journalist Haider Kazim asked Mohan Bhagwat, “Sir, what do you think of minorities’ development and progress.” Without missing a beat, Mohan Bhagwat replied, “India’s development cannot be complete without the development and progress of the minorities.” As Bhutada framed it, this statement came “straight from the horse’s mouth.” He also recalled spending several hours in discussions with Mohan Bhagwat on matters of India’s national interest.
Coming to the core of his message, he continued, “We all have historical baggage – let’s acknowledge that, but we cannot look backwards. We have to look forward and that is the only way we can lead a peaceful life in this world.”
How powerful is looking forward? To explain this, Bhutada alluded to Speaker Richard McKinney’s keynote. McKinney had served in the Marines for 25 years and harbored a deep hatred for Muslims. But a chance meeting with some members of the Muslim congregation changed his life dramatically and he became a Muslim. Bhutada noted that when McKinney was looking backwards, he was stuck in the mire of hate but the day the Marine began looking forward, his anger faded and was replaced by love. Bhutada observed, “This is the same person but look as the transformation.”
Weaving one more example in his message, Bhutada spoke of another member in the audience – Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray. In 1947, Dr. Ray’s father had to flee East Pakistan, now Bangladesh and in 1971, religious violence forced his maternal grandparents to leave Bangladesh too. But Dr. Ray chose not to let these incidents dictate his life. A few weeks ago, the Consul General had “the heart and the courage” to hold an Iftar dinner at the Consulate, not because he had to as Consul General but because he wanted to. The only way, Bhutada said, we can win the hearts of people is by love and peace, cooperation and unity. That’s the only way the world can progress.
Bhutada briefly touched on his support of the Kalam Center – an NGO started by a young Muslim youth Arshad Sheikh, in the old city of Charminar, Hyderabad. Bhutada did this on a friend’s recommendation and he has been funding their programs for the past four years. Today, the Center provides vocational training to 500 young Muslim boys and girls for ages 8 and up and 70% of the beneficiaries are girls. During the day, the children attend the Madrasas and from 5-7 in the evening come to one of the 20 centers spread across the old city to acquire vocational training in subjects taught in Urdu. Bhutada urged the gathering to support these poor children and give them a chance in “becoming proud citizens of India.”
Lauding this much needed message of harmony and unity, IMAGH’s Past President Latafath Hussain, in a statement said “While we had no doubt that his presence and speech will add charchand to our Eid Milan, even we were overwhelmed when 500+ guests gave a standing ovation to his speech. He delivered it from the heart and the message of not looking back but forward was appreciated by all.”
According to Vijay Pallod, an Advisor on the Board of IMAGH, the Kalam Center Project is just one of Bhutada’s many philanthropic endeavors but Bhutada himself is extremely reticent in talking about them.