Ms Jayapal said in a statement on Sunday, January15, that she will remain in her Seattle district to “be with constituents who are immigrants and immigrant advocates to hear their stories and concerns, and discuss a plan of action moving forward”, according to a report in the Stranger newspaper.
“I was being specific about my duty as the Congresswoman for the 7th Congressional District to be right here in this district with constituents who are terrified about whether they’re gonna have a place in this city or country, and to make a plan for how we go forward,” Ms Jayapal told her supporters during a rally at Westlake Park in Washington.
“I wanted to be with kids who don’t know if their mom is gonna be there when they come home because of this President-elect’s policies,” she said.
The Democrats are boycotting the inauguration after Trump criticized US Representative and civil rights icon John Lewis, who said he doesn’t see Trump as a “legitimate President”. Ms Jayapal tweeted her support of Lewis on Sunday after Trump shot back that Lewis is “all talk, talk, talk”. “If I had any doubts about my decision, however, my resolve has only strengthened in the past few days as I watched Donald Trump’s response to one of our country’s great civil rights icons and a personal hero of mine, Congressman John Lewis,” Ms Jayapal said.
“With Donald Trump’s tweet, he himself has inflamed the situation and now two dozen of my colleagues will also not be attending the inauguration. It has become a boycott,” she said.
An Indian-American man has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for a $1 million insider trading scheme involving the failed Apollo Tyres bid to takeover Cooper Tire, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
Amit Kanodia, 49, was sentenced in Boston by Federal Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, who also imposed a $200,000 fine and 100 hours of community service and ordered the forfeiture of the$242,500 illegal profit he made.
A jury had found the real estate entrepreneur guilty of securities fraud and conspiracy after a six-day trial last October, but he was sentenced only now. Kanodia’s ex-wife was a lawyer for Apollo Tyres and he heard from her about her company’s plans to acquire the US-based Cooper Tire in 2013, according to the office of the federal prosecutor for Massachusetts.
He tipped off two of his friends, Iftikar Ahmed and Steven Watson, about the proposed acquisition and they bought shares and options of Cooper Tires, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, prosecutors said. When the takeover plan was unveiled in June 2013, the share prices shot up by 41 per cent giving the two friends a profit of more than $1 million and they gave Kanodia a share of it, according to officials.
Ahmed fled to India when he was charged with insider trading and is believed to be still in India. US authorities consider him a fugitive from justice.
Ahmed, an Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi and Harvard Business School graduate, has also been charged with embezzling $54 million from the investment company Oak Investment Partners, where he was a general partner.
NEW YORK(TIP): Arth Patel, an Indian American Student at The UCLA School of Dentistry was the winner of the first annual My Kool Smiles Scholarship Fund essay contest, sponsored by the Benevis Foundation. Arth earned a $5,000 scholarship for his winning essay on “How can dental health contribute to the well-being of families and children?”
In his essay, Arth discussed his experience growing up in rural India where quality dental care was not available and how his family benefited from access to community-based dental health care programs after moving to the United States. He discovered his passion for dentistry while volunteering at a local community health clinic.
“Kool Smiles created this scholarship fund to support talented students who are passionate about making a difference in dental care,” said Dr. Dale Mayfield, Chief Dental Officer for Kool Smiles. “Our 2016 essay question reflects the idea that dental health can impact so much more than a child’s smile. We look forward to reading what students have to say about this important topic.”
The $5,000 scholarship was awarded to Arth whose essay on dental health demonstrated clarity of content, originality, creativity and persuasiveness.
Donald Trump met Ajit Pai fueling speculation about his role in the incoming administration.
NEW YORK (TIP): Washington: US presidentelect Donald Trump met Indian-American Ajit Pai, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, fueling speculation about his role in the incoming administration.
Incoming White House Press Secretary Sean Spears said Trump met Pai, January 17. No other details were immediately available about the content of the meeting that Trump had with Pai. The president-elect normally has been holding meetings at the Trump Towers in New York with those who he intends to appoint at senior positions in his administration beginning January 20.
Nikki Haley, his nominee for the US Ambassador to the United Nations, is the highest ranking Indian American in any presidential administration.
Pai is the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Pai is widely expected to be tapped as interim FCC chair when President-elect Trump becomes President on January 20 and could be named permanent chair as well, though his fellow Republican Commissioner Michael O’Rielly is also in the conversation.
He was nominated to the FCC by President Barack Obama and was confirmed unanimously by the Senate on May 7, 2012.
Pai was born in the US after his parents moved from India to the US in 1971. His mother grew up in Bangalore, and father was raised in Hyderabad.
WASHINGTON (TIP): On January 9, President Barack Obama named 102 scientists and researchers including Four Indian-Americans as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.
The ‘Fab Four’ Indian scientists are Pankaj Lal from Montclair State University, Kaushik Roy Chowdhury from Northeastern University, Manish Arora from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Aradhna Tripati from University of California, Los Angeles.
‘I congratulate these outstanding scientists and engineers on their impactful work,” President Obama said. “These innovators are working to help keep the United States on the cutting edge, showing that Federal investments in science lead to advancements that expand our knowledge of the world around us and contribute to our economy.”
Pankaj Lal, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Studies and associate director PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies, Montclair State University. He undertakes integrative, interdisciplinary research that explores interconnections among society and the environment.
Kaushik Roy Chowdhury is Associate Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Northeastern University and Faculty Fellow of the College of Engineering. He was earlier Assistant Professor in the same university from 2009-2015.
Manish Arora, B.D.S., M.P.H., Ph.D., is the Director of Exposure Biology at the Senator Frank Lautenberg Environmental Health Sciences Laboratory in the Department of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Arora is an environmental epidemiologist and exposure biologist.
Aradhna Tripati is Associate Professor. Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at University of California, Los Angeles.
The Presidential Early Career Awards highlight the key role that the Administration places in encouraging and accelerating American innovation to grow the economy and tackle greatest challenges.
The awards, established by President Clinton in 1996, are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President. Awardees are selected for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach.
NEW YORK (TIP): Philanthropist and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Krishne Urs recently donated $500,000 to Richmond University Medical Center for its emergency department construction project.
Dr. Urs’ pledge, which will go toward the medical center’s $65 million project, was made during a ceremony in the hospital’s MLB conference room. Daniel Messina, president and CEO of the hospital, accepted the donation from Dr. Urs, and thanked him for his generosity.
Dr. Urs received his medical degree with distinction from the University of Mysore in India. He arrived in New York City in 1962 and studied to become an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Urs began his practice at St. Vincent’s Medical Center –
– now Richmond University Medical Center — in 1970. From 1986 to 2001, he served as chief of orthopedic surgery at St. Vincent’s Medical Center.
Having more than 57 years of diverse experiences, especially in orthopedic surgery RY, Dr. Urs affiliates with many hospitals including Richmond University Medical Center, Staten Island University Hospital, and cooperates with other doctors and specialists in medical group Amboy Medical Practice.
NEW YORK (TIP): Indian-American comedian and television star Aziz Ansari is all set to make his hosting debut on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” on January 21, becoming the comedy sketch show’s first host of South Asian descent.
The news comes on the heels of a big year for 33-year-old Ansari. The stand-up comic and television star won his first Emmy for outstanding writing for a comedy series after earning a total of four nominations for his Netflix series “Master of None”, The Washington Post reported.
His nomination for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series was the first for an Indian American.
NEW YORK (TIP): The Sikh Coalition filed a lawsuit on December 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on behalf of Dr. Jaswinder Pal Singh. The suit alleges that Dr. Singh – an observant Sikh physician and father who keeps a religiously mandated turban and beard – was denied a neurology job after the employer and recruiter inquired into his religious appearance.
The suit further alleges that as part of the 2014 hiring process, the employer, Premier Medical Group, P.C., and its recruiter, Arthur Marshall, Inc., expressed interest and concern about the way Dr. Singh looked. Although in phone interviews the recruiter praised Dr. Singh’s credentials, he was abruptly denied further interviews after he submitted photographs of himself, along with additional information on Sikhs and Sikhism. The job then remained vacant.
“It was very clear to me that I was denied employment because of my ethnic background and religious appearance,” said Dr. Singh. “I contacted the Sikh Coalition because nobody is better at holding companies accountable for their discrimination.”
In 2015, the Sikh Coalition represented Dr. Singh in filing a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). After the EEOC issued a right to sue notice, we established a legal partnership with the reputable Tennessee plaintiff attorney, Douglas B. Janney III., to file the anti-discrimination lawsuit against the employer, Premier Medical Group, and its recruiter, Arthur Marshall.
“Whether you are a doctor in Tennessee or a truck driver in California, we will always protect and defend your right to practice your faith fearlessly,” said Sikh Coalition Legal Director, Harsimran Kaur.
In November 2016, the Sikh Coalition announced a massive legal victory on behalf of four Sikh truck drivers who were denied jobs by one of the largest trucking companies in America. This new lawsuit, on behalf of Dr. Singh, seeks to secure a court order requiring that both defendants implement anti-discrimination policies, practices and training to ensure that they do not discriminate against any future applicants.
“No Sikh in any job or profession should ever be denied employment because of their religion,” said Dr. Singh. “By speaking out and taking action, I know that we will continue to hold employers directly accountable.”
SUGAR LAND, TX (TIP): Harish Jajoo, a licensed professional engineer and small business owner, has served on the city council since 2011.An Indian-American engineer is seeking re-election for the post of the mayor of a city in Texas that has 35 per cent Asian population. Harish Jajoo, a City Councilman in Texas, lost out in his quest to become the mayor of Sugar Land city to Joe Zimmerman last year, pledged to the city’s residents to remain an independent voice for the Indian Americans there.
“I have lived in Sugar Land for 32 years. It is where I raised my family, built my life and came to admire its people and to value their friendship,” Jajoo was quoted as saying by the Fort Bend Star newspaper.
“As a member of city council, I have always worked to be a clear voice for conservative principles and fiscal responsibility,” he added.
“My single goal for Sugar Land has been to see that progress and tradition receive equal attention as we build our city together,” Jajoo said. “Our community’s values are my values and as Texans we all know that family and community come first in our lives. That has been my guiding principle on council.”
Jajoo, a licensed professional engineer and small business owner, has served on the city council since 2011.
Founded as a sugar plantation in the mid 1800s and incorporated in 1959, Sugar Land is located in Fort Bend county, some 30 kilometers southwest of Houston.
The county’s Asian population has grown more quickly than any other group, according to a 2013 report by Stephen Klineberg, sociology professor at Rice University and his colleague Jie Wu.
‘Indians abroad are ambassadors of our culture’: President Mujherjee
BENGALURU (TIP): The three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention came to an end on Monday, January 9, with the President Pranab Mukerjee delivering valedictory address and conferring Pravasi Bharatiya Samman on 30 NRI’s which included the Chief Guest at the PBD, Prime Minister of Portugal Luiss Santos DaCosta, who has his roots in Goa, and Nisha Desai Biswal, US Asstt Secretary of State, On the occasion, President also released a Book of Prime Ministers speeches abroad.
President Pranab Mukherjee praised the Centre’s efforts of extracting thousands of Indians from difficult situations across the globe during Bengaluru’s Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan, says overseas Indians are ambassadors of the country’s culture abroad.
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from the US led the list of 30 persons conferred the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman awards by President Pranab Mukherjee.
The first award was received by Portugal Prime Minister Antonia Luiss Santos Da Costa for his contribution in the field of public service.
As per the list, six awards were given to NRIs from the US, the highest in the list, while two each to those from the UK and UAE.
One award each was given to NRIs from 20 countries, including Australia, France, Canada, Israel, Libya, Fiji, Brunei, Singapore, Portugal and others.
Among the NRIs from the US, Hari Babu Bindal was honored for his contribution in the field of environment engineering, Nisha Desai Biswal for public affairs, Sampat Kumar Shidramapa Shivanagi for community leadership, while Mahesh Mehta, Ramesh Shah and Bharat Haridas Barai were awarded for their contribution in the field of community service. Neena Gill and Priti Patel from the UK were honored for their contribution in the field of public service.
In the list of NRIs from the UAE, Vasudev Shamdas Shroff and one organization Indian Social and Cultural Centre were awarded.
In the field of business, Rajasekharan Pillai Valavoor Kizhakkathi from Bahrain, Mukund Bhikhubhai from Canada and Susheel Kumar Saraff from Thailand were honored.
In the field of medical science, Lael Anson E Best from Israel and Carani Balaraman Sanjeevi were selected.
Sandip Kumar Tagore from Japan was awarded for his contribution in the field of arts and culture, while Muniandy Thambirajah from Malaysia and Zeenat Musarrat Jafri from Saudi Arabia were honored for education and community service. In the field of public service, Pravin Kumar Jugnauth from Mauritius and Winston Chandarbhan Dookeran from Trinidad were honored. Vinod Chandra Patel from Fiji was selected for his contribution in the field of social service.
The theme of this year’s PBD is “Redefining engagement with Indian diaspora”. A record 8,000 delegates from 30 countries participated in the three-day event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the Indian diaspora across the world as he addressed people at the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas 2017 in Bengaluru on Sunday.
He added that Indian diaspora has made invaluable contribution to our economy and the government aims to change brain drain to brain gain through its policies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the persons of Indian origin for their support to government’s initiative against black money and corruption.
NEW YORK (TIP): Noted community activist Andy Bhatia has been elected president of the Federation of Indian Associations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, which organizes the largest India Day Parade in New York City. Andy took charge on January 1 along with a new team comprising of Srujal Parikh (executive vice president); Alok Kumar (vice president); Chhavi Dharayan (secretary); Jatin Patel (joint secretary); Himanshu Bhatia (treasurer); Anand Patel (immediate past president), promising that an all out effort will be made to expand the activities of the organization.
Andy Bhatia is the president of American Sales and Marketing Partners LLC, who has extensive experience in the airline/travel industry. He retired as Area Sales Manager for Air India in New York, where he worked for nearly 35 years, both in the field and at the North American Headquarters in various capacities.
He has served in the FIA in various capacities for several years. For a quarter of a century, he actively participated in organizing the India Day Parade and Diwali Festival in New York City and Diwali Mela in Jackson Heights, among other community events in the Tri-State area on behalf of Air India.
He was honored thrice by the FIA and the National Federation of Indian Associations (NFIA.)
He is credited with conceptualizing and launching the ‘Know India Seminars’ in USA and Canada which were attended by more than 6000 American travel agents to qualify as India tourism specialists. He also formulated the concept of selling co-op tours by agents in non-conflicting sales territories to increase tourist bookings to India.
He was instrumentalin launching a bi-monthly India Travel newsletter and the Traveler’s India magazine.
He continues to be engaged in the industry as a consultant and serves as a member of several travel trade associations including the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s New York Chapter and the American Society of Travel Agents, Airline Sales Managers Association and SKAL International.
Andy worked at the Public Relations and Development Office at the University of Bridgeport as executive secretary of the Committee on Informal Education. He chaired the Halsey International Scholarship Program consisting of community support groups representing sixteen countries including India’s Shastri Scholarship Committee.
Organizations including the Gujrati Samaj USA, City Council of New York, and Jackson Heights Merchants Association too honored him.
He was also selected for the Paul Harris Fellowship Award of Rotary International for International Relations in 1998. The travel industry honored him several times.
Another honor he cherishes was the WICC Radio Station’s Community Service Salute (1971, 1974) for community service in the Greater Bridgeport area. He was also honored by the Rotary Club of Bridgeport with the Outstanding Young Man of America award (1971 and 1974) for leadership qualities when he was a student.
The Indian Panorama honored him with Excellence Award.
NEW YORK (TIP): Indian-American South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley would appear before a Congressional panel for her confirmation hearing for the post of US Ambassador to the UN on January 18, an official has said.
If confirmed, Haley, 44, the daughter of Indian immigrants, would be the first-ever Indian-American to serve on a Cabinet rank position in any presidential administration in the US.
Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement that the nomination hearing to consider Haley to be US Ambassador to the United Nations will be held on January 18.
Haley, who will replace Samantha Power at the UN if confirmed, has already created history by becoming the first women Indian-American Governor of a US State.
THE CONVENTION WILL FOCUS ON DIASPORA ACHIEVEMENTS
TIP Correspondent BENGALURU: The curtains are ready to be raised on the 14th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas being held at Bengaluru from January 7 to 9, 2017.
President of India Pranab Mukherjee will present Pravasi Samman awards on January 9.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the PBD 2017 on January 8.
The Mahakumbh of the NRIs, expected to be attended by over 3000 delegates from across the world, will be opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 8.
President Pranab Mukherjee will present the awards on the last day, January 9, the day Mahatma Gandhi had returned from South Africa to India in 2015.
Dr. António Costa, Prime Minister of the Republic of Portugal will be the Chief Guest
Dr. António Costa, Prime Minister of the Republic of Portugal will be the Chief Guest at the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention. He will participate in the inaugural session of the PBD Convention on 8 January and address the delegates.
Mr. Michael Ashwin Satyandre Adhin, Vice President of the Republic of Suriname will be the Special Guest at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
Mr. Michael Ashwin Satyandre Adhin, Vice President of the Republic of Suriname will be the Special Guest at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) to be held on 7 January. He will address the young overseas Indian delegates at the inaugural session of the Youth PBD, along with Minister of External Affairs Smt Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel.
Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is a platform to connect with the youth, the new generation of Pravasis growing up all over the world, confident, aspirational and transcending the old boundaries of caste and class. The government is keen to enable young Diaspora to know more about their roots and the place from where their fathers or forefathers originated. They can discover many features of India, its tradition, rich art and culture and many facets of contemporary India.
The Government has put in place many schemes and programs to connect with the young Diaspora.
The Bengaluru event will be the first full-fledged festival of diaspora Indians under a new format adopted by the government last year.The annual convention of Non Resident Indians will focus on what the Indian origin NRIs and PIOs achieved in the last few years, culminating with award of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman to distinguished NRI achievers.
Dhyaneshwar Mulay, Secretary, Overseas Indian Affairs, said, “Highlight of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2017 is social innovations by Indians, 20 social innovations will be highlighted and there will also be a contest of innovators and the winner will get an award of Rs.1 lakh.”
Mr. Mulay said all sessions will be held in plenary format to allow more interaction with delegates from overseas to convey their suggestions to the government directly. “The sessions will focus on immigration and the role of diaspora organizations,” he said.
The theme this year is ‘Redefining engagement with Indian diaspora’ and the event exhibition would showcase the achievements of the government in various sectors, and the delegates can also explore business opportunities in India and connect with government officials, business owners and entrepreneurs.
The stated objectives of PBD 2017.
PBD 2017 will focus on the theme “Redefining the engagement with the Indian Diaspora”.
To strengthen Diaspora engagement and provide a platform for networking with the Diaspora.
To recognize the Diaspora’s contribution to India and know their expectations and concerns.
To deepen engagement with young Diasporas, to help them know more about their roots.
For more information on PBD 2017, please visit www.pbdindia.gov.in
WASHINGTON (TIP): USIBC and Indiaspora will host a Leadership Conference and Gala January 3 at Washington, DC to celebrate the “Fab Five” Indian-Americans who were recently elected / re-elected to the US House and Senate, namely Reps.-elect Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal; Rep. Ami Bera; and Sen.-elect Kamala Harris.
The event will spotlight the Indian-American community as it progresses “From Success to Significance” while also highlighting Indian culture. Members of the incoming Presidential Administration and Members of Congress from both parties will be invited to this bipartisan event.
1,000 leading Indian-Americans from all walks of life, and eminent people from India, are expected to attend the Conference and Gala. Among them will be about 200 senior political officials (Senators, Congressmen/women, Governors, Ambassadors and Mayors) from various parts of the country.
The evening Gala will feature Michelin Star Indian-American cuisine. Music, dancing and entertainment will fill the ballroom as part of this celebration! Premium “Sapphire” guests will gain access to a special lounge where they can rub shoulders with elected officials and other VIPs.
“I personally extend my warm greetings to you. Please do come. This day is being celebrated in your honor. This day is dedicated to overseas Indians who, through heroic achievements, have made a mark in the world. We also dedicate this day to all overseas Indians who through their hard work have kept India’s flag flying high”. Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister.
Register online for participating in the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention
Last Date for Registration: 22 December, 2016.
Special Discounts in Registration Fees for Young Delegates and Group Registrations
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9 January every year to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community in the development of India. January 9 was chosen as the day to celebrate this occasion since it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, returned to India from South Africa, led India’s freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever.
PBD conventions are being held every year since 2003. These conventions provide a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage with the government and people of the land of their ancestors for mutually beneficial activities. These conventions are also very useful in networking among the overseas Indian community residing in various parts of the world and enable them to share their experiences in various fields.
During the event, individuals of exceptional merit are honored with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award to appreciate their role in India’s growth. The event also provides a forum for discussing key issues concerning the Indian Diaspora.
The 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention will be held from 7 to 9 January, 2017 at Bengaluru in Karnataka.The theme of 2017 PBD is “Redefining Engagement with Indian Diaspora”. It will see close to 3000 Non-Residential Indians (NRI) and PIO delegates from across the world.
The PBD Convention features Plenary Sessions; an Exhibition; Cultural programs and provides an opportunity to interact with other Overseas Indians, Policy makers, Political leadership and others. The highlight of the PBD convention is the inaugural address by the Prime Minister. Chief Ministers of several states also participate and address the delegates on opportunities available in their respective states. The last day of PBD features the valedictory address by the President of India, who will also confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards on Overseas Indian for their achievements and contribution both in India and abroad.
Objectives of PBD 2017:
PBD 2017 will focus on the theme “Redefining the engagement with the Indian Diaspora”.
To strengthen Diaspora engagement and provide a platform for networking with the Diaspora.
To recognize the Diaspora’s contribution to India and know their expectations and concerns.
To deepen engagement with young Diasporas, to help them know more about their roots.
Dr. António Costa, Prime Minister of the Republic of Portugal has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to be the Chief Guest at the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention. He will participate in the inaugural session of the PBD Convention on 8 January and address the delegates.
Mr. Michael Ashwin Satyandre Adhin (36 years), Vice President of the Republic of Suriname will be the Special Guest at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) to be held on 7 January. He will address the young overseas Indian delegates at the inaugural session of the Youth PBD, along with Minister of External Affairs Smt Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel. Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is a platform to connect with the youth, the new generation of Pravasis growing up all over the world, confident, aspirational and transcending the old boundaries of caste and class. The government is keen to enable young Diaspora to know more about their roots and the place from where their fathers or forefathers originated. They can discover many features of India, its tradition, rich art and culture and also many facets of contemporary India.
The Government has put in place many schemes and programs to connect with the young Diaspora.
The ‘Know India Program’, conducted every year, familiarizes Indian Diaspora youth with India and KIP provides an exclusive forum for students and young professionals of Indian origin to visit India, share their views, expectations and experiences and to bound closely with contemporary India. 35 editions of KIP have been held so far.
In 2015 “Bharat Ko Jaano” quiz online was launched for young overseas Indians in which we saw enthusiastic participation of young NRIs and PIOs. The final round of quiz will be held in Delhi on 2nd October 2016.
The Youth PBD is the flagship initiative for our engagement with young Diaspora and provides forum to discuss issues and concern to Young Diaspora. The delegates of the Youth PBD will have the opportunity to interact with young Indian students pursuing programs in Bengaluru, and network with them. They will visit the Exhibition at the PBD conventions which showcases the government achievements in various sector, flagship programs, state governments’ initiative and policies; Indian corporate sectors and craft and cultural bazaar. In the evening of 7th January, the young delegates will enjoy an enthralling cultural performances organized by the state government of Karnataka. Youth PBDs overseas Indian delegates can also participate in the PBD convention on 8th January.
The Youth PBD 2017 will focus on “Redefining engagement with the Indian Diaspora”. Nearly 300-400 overseas Indian youth are expected to participate in the Youth PBD, including nearly 150 PIOs who will be visiting India for the Know India program. The Youth PBD in 2017 will include plenary sessions on:
Problems faced by Indian students abroad.
Problems faced by NRI students in India.
Startups and Innovation which have a social impact in India.
In a message addressing the NRIs, Minister of External affairs, MsSushmaSwaraj said, “I personally extend my warm greetings to you. Please do come. This day is being celebrated in your honor. This day is dedicated to overseas Indians who, through heroic achievements, have made a mark in the world. We also dedicate this day to all overseas Indians who through their hard work have kept India’s flag flying high.”
Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Siddaramaia said in a message, “Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is the largest gathering of overseas Indian Community in India. It is an important platform for the government of India to hear the views of the diaspora, have a direct dialogue with them and inform them about opportunities to contribute to their country of origin.”
Register online for participating in the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention
Last Date for Registration: 22 December, 2016.
Special Discounts in Registration Fees for Young Delegates and Group Registrations
For further information, please visit www.theindianpanorama.news and www.pbdindia.gov.in
WASHINGTON (TIP): The Frank Islam & Debbie Driesman Foundation started by Indian-Ameican Frank Islam and his wife, Debbie Driesman, will partner with Alfred Friendly Press Partners (AFPP) to fund a fellowship for a mid-career journalist from India in 2017 for six months. The fellowship will be administered by AFPP, which has so far trained 300 journalists from the developing world. The Frank Islam & Debbie Driesman Fellow will work in a major newsroom in Washington, DC, for five months after undergoing a five-week training at Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
“The Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman Foundation is proud to join hands with Alfred Friendly Press Partners to fund a fellowship for a mid-career journalist from India,” said Frank F Islam, President of the Frank Islam & Debbie Driesman Foundation, in a statement. “Debbie and I consider the fellowship as a strategic investment in free press. Over the past three decades, AFPP has trained 15 world class journalists from India who have gone on to become leaders in the field. It is our earnest belief that the FIDD Fellow will continue that tradition,” he said.
“We are especially delighted to welcome Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman to our fold. Family is the reason that we’ve been able to train more than 300 journalists in 90 different countries for over 30 years,” said Randall D Smith, President of the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships.
A candidate who has three years of professional experience as a journalist and employed as a journalist by an independent news media organization in India can apply for the fellowship, the foundation said.
During the roughly six-month program, the FIDD Fellow will:
Gain experience in reporting, writing, editing, and editorial decision-making that will enhance professional performance;
A practical understanding of the function and significance of the free press in American society;
Have a firsthand knowledge of the industry’s technological advances; and Transfer knowledge to colleagues at home in India.
LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): The Indian Panorama hosted a well-attended fundraising dinner for the Eye Foundation of America on Tuesday, December 13 at Cotillion in Jericho, Long Island.
V.K. Raju, Founder and Medical Director of the Eye Foundation of America (EFA), a charitable organization that provides eye care to children in 21 developing countries
Dr. VK Raju, an internationally reputed ophthalmologist who is founder and president of the Eye Foundation of America, was the guest of honor and Mr HR Shah, CEO, TV Asia was the Chief Guest.
This is an evening with a purpose to recognize the tremendous humanitarian work done by Dr Raju”, said The Indian panorama Chief Editor Prof. Saluja, in his welcome note
In his welcome speech, Prof Indrajit S Saluja, Publisher and Chief Editor of The Indian Panorama said, “I thank everyone present here for their support to a beautiful and noble cause. This is an evening with a purpose to recognize the tremendous humanitarian work done by Dr Raju.” Prof Saluja spoke about the charitable work the Eye Foundation of America was doing to prevent blindness among children in India. The Foundation is dedicated to the elimination of avoidable blindness in children worldwide, and, in India. This is Dr. Raju’s way of paying back to the country of his origin, Prof. said, amid thunderous applause from the gathering.
After the lamp lighting ceremony Dr Raju gave a brief presentation about his mission – ‘To eliminate avoidable childhood blindness.’
“We need three things to bring a change. First is education, second is education and third is education”, said Dr. VK Raju, Founder and President of the Eye Foundation of America, in his impassioned speech dwelling on his vision of making the world free from childhood blindness.
“For last 38 years, I am working on this issue which is so close to my heart. And I am so honored to see Prof. Saluja and through him my new friends here joining me in this regard”, said Dr Raju. He described through his presentation how visually impaired or blind children grow up without the same advantages as sighted children and become a burden on their families and communities. “We need three things to bring a change. First is education, second is education and third is education.”
A Q &A session followed and Dr. Raju answered a few questions from the gathering.
While introducing the Chief Guest of the event Mr HR Shah, Prof Saluja said, “He needs no introduction. He has created an empire in the field of media. His greatest virtue is that he did not forget the ladder and his past. He always took lesson from his past.”
HR Shah, Chairman & CEO of TV Asia said, without vision, there is no world for a person and extolled the effort of Dr. Raju in working to prevent avoidable childhood blindness
Mr HR Shah in his speech stressed on the importance of ‘Vision.’ “Without eyes, you can’t see the world. It is dangerous than any other disease. The eye foundation is doing a great job for the society.” He requested people to donate generously as he feels that ‘Laxmi ka alankaar Daan hai.’
The Eye Foundation of America presented tokens of appreciation to Purnima Desai, Peter and Dorothy Bheddah, Anumolu Rao, Tina Shah and Zinda Singh, and Srinu Maddula for their support to the Foundation.
Maddula, who calls himself ‘Foster child of Dr Raju’ as he saved him from blindness by doing corneal transplant said, “Giving money is easy but doing the actual work is difficult.”
A plaque was presented to Dr Raju by The Indian Panorama in appreciation of the great humanitarian work being done by him and his Eye foundation. Dr. Raju was also presented a proclamation from the New York State Assembly. HS Toor from the office of Assemblyman David Weprin presented the proclamation which eulogized Dr. Raju for his humanitarian services.
Dr Raju presented, on behalf of the Eye Foundation, a token of appreciation to HR Shah.
Dr. Leela Raju, daughter of Dr. Raju was among the prominent guests which included Air India Regional Manager Vandana Sharma and District Manager Mohan Kothekar, Consul KD Nair from the Indian Consulate, HAB Vice President Rizwan Qureshi, Rajeev Bhambri, CEO of India Abroad, AAPI National President Dr Ajay Lodha, AAPI-QLI President Vaijnath Chakote and his team which included , among others, Dr. Sunil Mehra, Dr. Satish Anand and Dr. Rakesh Dua; Dr. BK Verma, Shikshayatan and Sriniketan Founder and President Purnima Desai, Philanthropists Peter and Dorothy Bheddah, business magnate Anumolu Rao, community activists Tina Shah and Zinda Singh, Dr. Seema Jain, President, Queens democratic Party, IAF Chairperson Indu Jaiswal, HS Toor from the office of Assemblyman David Weprin, Ms Anu Jain, community activist, INOC (USA) Chairman George Abraham and General Secretary Harbachan Singh, John Joseph, America Tamil Sangam General Secretary, Former Nassau County Director Mohinder Singh Taneja, INOC (I) Chairman Shudh Jasuja, NJ community activist Dave Makkar, Sikh community leaders Master Mohinder Singh, Himat Singh Sarpanch, Mohan Singh, Paramjit Singh Bedi, Omni Mortgage President Herman Singh, Jackson Heights business community leaders Shiv Dass and Mohinder Verma, and International Hindi Conference co-ordinator Ashok Ojha. The list by no means is exhaustive and some prominent persons may have been missed out.
At the ceremonial inauguration with traditional lighting of the lamp. L to R: Dr. Seema Jain, Consul KD Nair, Anumolu Rao, Dr. VK Raju, Prof. Indrajit Saluja, Dr. Ajay Lodha, Mrs. Purnima Desai, Rajeev Bhambri, HR Shah, Vandana Sharma, Peter Bheddah, Indu Jaiswal, Dorothy Bheddah
A view of the gathering
Friend of the Eye Foundation of America is honored. Mrs. Purnima Desai, Founder and President of the wonderful educational and cultural institutions Shikshayatan and Sriniketan is presented a token of appreciation. L to R: Purnima Desai, Dr. VK Raju and HR Shah
Friend of the Eye Foundation of America is honored. Anumolu Rao, a business magnate, is presented a token of appreciation. L to R: Anumolu Rao, Dr. Raju, HR Shah
Friend of the Eye Foundation of America is honored. Srinu Maddula who likes to be known as foster child of Dr. Raju, because Dr. Raju saved him from going blind, is presented a token of appreciation. L to R: Mrs. Vandana Sharma, Regional Manager, Air India, HR Shah, Srinu Maddula, Dr. Raju
Friend of the Eye Foundation of America is honored. Tina Shah and Zinda Singh, philanthropists and community activists are presented a token of appreciation. L to R: Mrs. Vandana Sharma, HR Shah, Tina Shah, Zinda Singh, Dr. VK Raju, Karan Beri
HS Toor from the office of Assemblyman David Weprin (right) presents a New York Assembly proclamation to Dr. Raju.
The Indian Panorama honors Dr. VK Raju with “Humanitarian Services Award”. L to R: Prof. Saluja, Mrs. Vandana Sharma, HR Shah, Dr. VK Raju
AAPI-QLI presents donation check to Dr. Raju. L to R: AAPI National President Dr. Ajay Lodha (2nd), AAPI-QLI President Dr. Vaijnath Chakote (3rd), Dr. Satish Anand (4th), Mrs. Anand (5th), Peter Bheddah (6th). Second row- L to R: Zinda Singh, Dr. Raju (3rd)
Friend of the Eye Foundation of America is honored. Dr. VK Raju presents a token of appreciation to HR Shah.L to R: Mrs. Vandana Sharma, Prof. Saluja, Dr. Raju, HR Shah, Karan Beri
Dr. VK Raju and Prof. Saluja with community leaders. L to R: Prof. Saluja, Himat Singh Sarpanch, Dr. Raju, Master Mohinder Singh, Ranjit Singh Mahmatpur, Zinda Singh, Herman Singh, HS Toor, Mohinder Verma
Coming together for a picture. L to R: Dr. Satish Anand, Mrs. Anand, Peter Bheddah, Dr. Ajay Lodha, Zinda Singh, Rajeev Bhambri, Indu Jaiswal
The media community which graced the occasion included Sharanjit Singh Thind, Publisher of the South Asian Insider, Jay Jasbir Singh, Publisher of Hum Hindustani, and Parveen Chopra, Managing Editor of the South Asian Times, from the print media. The electronic media at the event included TVAsia represented by Mukesh Gangani and Gunjesh Desai; and PTC TV represented by Davinder Singh, Jaya Sharma, Balwant Hothi and Gurinder Hothi. Freelance journalist Hema Virani also graced the occasion.
There was a brief entertainment session presented by Jyoti Gupta and Dr Rakesh Dua who enthralled the audience with a duet song. The entertainment segment was organized by Shyam and Indu Gajhwani.
The Indian Panorama Assistant Editor Bidisha Roy, Karan Beri, Jaskiran Beri, Chitagam Saluja and Kabir Beri supervised all arrangements, including the vital department of hospitality which incidentally came in for a lot of praise for the pleasant ambience of the place and great food at Cotillion.
BERKLEY, CA (TIP): Surjeet Rajendran,assistant professor of physics at University of California, Berkeley, was named one of six winners of the 2017 New Horizons in Physics Prize during a gala announcing the annual winners of the Breakthrough Prize.Hosted by Morgan Freeman, the award ceremony was held December 4 in Silicon Valley and was attended by founders Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki, Yuri and Julia Milner, and Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan. A combined total of$25 million was awarded at the gala ceremony, marking the organization’s fifth anniversary recognizing top achievements in Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics and Mathematics. Each of the Breakthrough Prizes is worth $3 million, the largest individual monetary prize in science.
This year, a total of seven of these prizes were awarded to nine individuals, along with a $3 million Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, which was split between three founders and more than a thousand members of the LIGO team. In addition, three $100,000 New Horizons in Physics Prizes were awarded to six early-career physicists, and a further three $100,000 New Horizons in Mathematics Prizes were awarded to four young mathematicians. And this year there were two winners of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, each receiving up to$400,000 in educational prizes for them, their teacher and their school.
“There has never been a more important time to support science,” said Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. “The 2017 Breakthrough Prize laureates represent the leaders in scientific research in physics, math and life sciences. Their breakthroughs will unlock new possibilities and help make the world a better place for everyone.”
Rajendran, 33, the Henry Shenker assistant professor of physics, works in the area of theoretical particle physics and searches for new theories to explain dark matter and other cosmological mysteries. He joined the UC Berkeley Physics Department in July 2014. The New Horizons prizes are awarded to promising early-career researchers who have already produced important work in either fundamental physics or mathematics.
WASHINGTON (TIP): On December 1, President Barack Obama announced appointment of Dave Ashok Chokshi as Member, Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. President Obama said, “These fine public servants bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their important roles. I look forward to working with them.”
Dr. Dave Ashok Chokshi is the Chief Population Health Officer of OneCity Health and Senior Assistant Vice President at New York City Health + Hospitals – the largest municipal health care system in the U.S. He practices primary care at Bellevue Hospital and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Population Health and Medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. In 2012, he served as a White House Fellow at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where he was the principal health advisor in the Office of the Secretary. His prior work experience spans the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including positions with the New York City and State Departments of Health, the Louisiana Department of Health, a startup clinical software company, and a global health nonprofit dedicated to improving access to medicines in developing countries.
Dr. Chokshi has written on medicine and public health in The New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, The Lancet, Health Affairs, and Science. He serves on the Board of Advisors for the Parkland Health & Hospital System and was elected a Fellow of the American College of Physicians this year. Dr. Chokshi received a B.A. from Duke University, an M.Sc. from Oxford University, and an M.D. from University of Pennsylvania.
POTOMAC, MD (TIP): On December 2, Sreedhar Potarazu, 51, an Indian American ophthalmic surgeon based in Potomac, Maryland, pleaded guilty to charges of inducing interstate travel to commit a fraud and failing to account for and pay over employment taxes.
“For years Potarazu enriched himself by abusing the trust of his company’s many investors and stealing millions of dollars from them through a complex scheme of fraud and deceit, said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This case is a prime example of this office’s ongoing commitment to bringing white-collar crimi-nals to justice.” Potarazu was an ophthalmic surgeon who was licensed in Maryland and Virginia, founded in or about September 2000, VitalSpring Technologies Inc. (VitalSpring), a Delaware corporation. VitalSpring operated in McLean, Virginia and provided data analysis and services relating to health care expenditures. In or around the end of 2015, VitalSpring started doing business as Enziime, LLC, a Delaware corporation. From its inception, Potarazu was VitalSpring’s Chief Executive Officer, President, and served as a member of the Board of Directors.
“Sreedhar Potarazu viewed himself as above the law -deliberately defrauding investors and stealing from the U.S. Treasury – and with today’s guilty plea, he is held account-able for his criminal conduct,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo. “Like other individuals who willfully ignore their employment tax obligations, Potarazu faces incarceration and substantial monetary penalties. The department will continue to work with its partners within the IRS to identify and prosecute these offenders.” Potarazu faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He will be sentenced on March 3, 2017.
TRENTON, NJ (TIP): An Indian origin New Jersey jewelry storeowner who used his business to further one of the largest credit card fraud schemes ever charged by the Justice Department was sentenced November 30 to 24 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Vinod Dadlani was sentenced to 24 months in prison on November 30
Vinod Dadlani, 53, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson to information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Judge Thompson imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Dadlani was indicted in October 2013 as part of a conspiracy – led by Tahir Lodhi, Babar Qureshi, Ijaz Butt, and others – to fabricate more than 7,000 false identities to obtain tens of thousands of credit cards. Since then, 19 people, including Dadlani, have pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme.
The scheme involved a three-step process in which the defendants would make up a false identity by creating fraudulent identification documents and a phony credit profile with the major credit bureaus; pump up the credit of the false identity by providing bogus information about that identity’s creditworthiness; then borrowed or spent as much as they could without repaying the debts – causing more than $200 million in confirmed losses to businesses and financial institutions.
Many of these debts were incurred at Dadlani’s Jersey City, New Jersey, jewelry store, among many other locations. During his guilty plea proceeding, Dadlani admitted he worked with other conspirators who came to his store and allowed them to swipe cards he knew did not legitimately belong to them. Dadlani would then split the proceeds of the phony transactions with the conspirators.
The scope of the criminal fraud enterprise required Dadlani’s conspirators to construct an elaborate network of false identities. Across the country, the conspirators maintained more than 1,800 “drop addresses,” including houses, apartments and post office boxes, which they used as the mailing addresses for the false identities.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Thompson sentenced Dadlani to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay forfeiture of $411,000.
NEW YORK (TIP): Raju Venugopalan, an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University and a senior physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, has been awarded a Humboldt Research Award for his remarkable achievements in theoretical nuclear physics. This prestigious international award – issued by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Bonn, Germany – comes with a prize of
60,000 (nearly $70,000 U.S.) and the opportunity to collaborate with German researchers at Heidelberg University and elsewhere. Venugopalan joins 13 other Brookhaven National Laboratory physicists who have received this award since 1974.
“This is a great honor and I’m delighted to be in the company of other Humboldt winners over the past years,” Venugopalan said in a press release. “This award gives me a wonderful opportunity to build on and establish new collaborations with my colleagues in Germany, where I’ve been on sabbatical at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Heidelberg University for the past year. I look forward to widening and deepening these connections.”
Since 2009, Raju Venugopalan has served as an adjunct professor in Stony Brook University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts & Sciences. He earned his Ph.D. from Stony Brook in 1992. He came to Brookhaven Lab as an Assistant Physicist in 1998. He rose through the ranks, receiving a tenure appointment in 2002, and has held the title of Senior Scientist since 2007. From 2010 to 2015 he served as Group Leader of the Lab’s Nuclear Theory Group, ranked highest among 62 DOE-supported university and lab groups during that time. Venugopalan took a sabbatical as an Excellence Initiative Guest Professor at Heidelberg University’s Institute for Theoretical Physics from 2015-2016, and returned to his Group Leader role this fall.
Prior to joining Brookhaven, Venugopalan held post-doctoral appointments at the University of Minnesota (1992-94), the University of Washington (1994-96), and the Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen (1997-98).
NEW YORK (TIP): Late Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy’s followers in USA set a Guinness Record by putting 72,585 candles on his 80-Feet-long birthday cake to mark his 85th birth anniversary. Taking place at the Sri Chinmoy Centre in New York, a team of 100 people worked together to make the cake, individually place each candle and then light them with 60 blowtorches. The candles remained burning for about 40 seconds, ensuring that the previous record went up in flames. The previous record was achieved in California in April, with a total of 50,151 candles.
Sri Chinmoy Kumar Ghose was born in the small village of Shakpura in East Bengal on August 27th, 1931. He entered the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Southern India as a youth and spent the next 20 years in spiritual practice. Sri Chinmoy serves as an inner spiritual guide to seekers and students in some 60 countries around the world. He encouraged a harmonious lifestyle that blends the inner discipline of prayer and meditation with the dynamism of modern life. Sri Chinmoy did not charge a fee for his spiritual guidance or concerts in the firm belief that meditation is everyone’s birthright.
In 1964, Sri Chinmoy moved to New York City to offer his dedicated service to the West through music, concerts, literary outpourings, athletics and art.
NEW YORK (TIP): At the prestigious Douglaston Manor in Little Neck Queens,at the annual Queens Civic CongressLegislative Receptionheld on Sunday December 4, studded with politicians and community leaders in the likes of US Congresswomen Grace Meng, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, NY Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, NY City Public Advocate Letitia James and scores of NY State Senators, NYS Assembly members and NYC Council members, the Governor’s representative in presenting the Governor’s award to Mr. Harbachan Singh said that his outstanding service and contribution to the society will never be forgotten by the people in Queens and paid a glowing tribute to Mr. Singh who was stepping down from his position as President of the strong Queens Civic Congress this month.
The Queens Civic Congress is a borough wide umbrella organization establishedin 1989 to represent over 100 civic and coop associations to improve the quality of life and to preserve and protect the residential areas of Queens and seek inter alia adequate, affordable and safe accessibility to essential services within and intra boroughs particularly for the residents of Queens. Mr. Singh thanked all the elected officials who either led or stood by the Congress and sat on the same side of the issues together. Recalling some examples, he enumerated on their demonstrations at the 59th St. Bridge against imposition of tolls on the East River Bridges, their holding of press briefings or demonstrations in various parts of Queens and in front of the City Hall, arguing with the Mayor’s office over issues relating to homeless shelters or the introduction of bus lanes or bicycle lanes without proper study, pointing out the negative aspects of the Mayor’s Affordable Housing project, expressing discontent of the Board of Standards and Appeals for not giving due regard to the voice or opinions of community input, crying out for need of routes or extension of lines into vast areas of Queens lacking public transport service or preparing to object to the subway fare hikes planned for early 2017 particularly in light of the observation of the State Comptroller Thomas de Napoli that fares rose six times faster than the average salaries in New York over the past decade.
Harbachan Singh (center, holding plaque in left hand) with Democratic leaders
Commenting on the current fear of hard times and uncertainty apparently looming in the political arena, Mr. Singhurgedeveryone to work even harder and closer together and be more attentive, vocal and vigilant to community needs and stand up to protect the neighborhoods, jobs, economy, environment and above all, the quality of life.He also received awardsfrom others.
NEW DELHI(TIP): “Vibrant Gujarat is connecting India to the world,” Resident Commissioner of Gujarat in New Delhi Bharat Lal said. “Our objective is to interact with government officials and the business community during this road show in Canada and USA, to attract investors, scientist, and entrepreneurs from all over the world to come to Gujarat and participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017,” he said.
“Vibrant Gujarat is the biggest platform for enabling business in India. In the post GST (Goods and Services Tax Bill) scenario, when India becomes ‘One Nation – One Market’, Gujarat holds a unique distinction with favorable geographical location, state-of-the-art infrastructure and sound policies,” he added.
“We have had various meeting with leading companies across USA and had an amazing response. People are very excited about GST. Business industry is bullish they think this is the right time to invest. The Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, which started in 2003 to rekindle the pace of investments in the state, has since established itself as one of the most important international business events in the country, Bharat Lal told this correspondent.
Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit is an example of the visionary approach of the Government of Gujarat towards inclusive and sustainable development by ensuring policy coherence and effective investment promotion.
Far from the regional investment fair that characterized the first Summit in 2003, the biennial Summit has today become a unique forum for exchanging ideas, sharing knowledge, networking, exploring business opportunities and signing cooperation agreements and partnerships, while setting the policy agenda for meeting some of the current global challenges.
Having successfully organized seven constructive summits, Government of Gujarat, as part of its journey towards sustainable long-term growth and inclusive development is organizing the 8th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit from the 10th to 13th of January 2017 at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. The central focus of the Summit is Sustainable Economic and Social Development.
It will bring together heads of states and governments, ministers, leaders from the corporate world, senior policy makers, heads of international institutions and academia from around the world to further the cause of development and to promote cooperation, he said.
There will be enough opportunity to interact with key policy makers, industry leaders, global thought leaders, regulators and renowned academicians from all over the world. The participants can witness deliberations between sector experts and global luminaries in an array of knowledge seminars during the summit to comprehend evolving global sectoral trends.
The Summit provides platform for SMEs to connect globally with potential partners to explore opportunities of collaboration and partnership networking forums to foster interaction between stakeholders through B2B and B2G meetings in an exhibition spread over 1,25,000 sq.mts with exclusive demo sessions showcasing the latest trends and technology, products and services across sectors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Global Trade Show by in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister and MOS (Independent Charge), Commerce & Industries Nirmala Seetharaman. There will be a Global CEO Roundtable chaired by Modi with Select 50 top CEOs. The Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017 is receiving tremendous response in the US, members of a high level state delegation said after meeting senior government officials and CEOs of top tech companies here.
Underlining the rapid economic development that is taking place underPrime Minister Narendra Modi Lal referred to Gujarat as being the driving engine of Indian growth.
“The state accounts for 19 per cent of industrial output, 41 per cent of cargo exports and 10 per cent of India’s manufacturing industries,” he said, adding that Gujarat ranked number one in “ease of doing business”.
The US has agreed to be a partner country in the next edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in January 2017. US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal had conveyed this to Bharat Lal, Resident Commissioner of Gujarat in New Delhi. Biswal recently met with a Gujarat delegation, led by Resident Commissioner Bharat Lal, who was accompanied by Indian Charge d’Affairs Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu in Washington.
The Assistant Secretary praised Resident Commissioner Lal for his efforts to make the state of Gujarat a model of innovation and sustainable economic growth and reform for India.
She also announced US’ intent to participate as a Partner Country in the 2017 Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, the government of Gujarat’s biennial investors’ summit that brings together global business leaders, investors, corporations, Kerry thought leaders, and policymakers. US Secretary of State John had attended the last Vibrant Gujarat Summit.
Signup to our Newsletter!
Don’t miss out on all the happenings around the world
