JACKSONVILLE, FL (TIP): A prominent Hindu-American group on Thursday, November 03, said that it is “deeply disturbed” by a video commercial which attacks Huma Abedin, a close aide of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, as “pro- terrorist,” based on her ethnicity and Pakistani heritage.
The video commercial, produced by the Republican Hindu Coalition, airs on more than a dozen TV stations in the US, including several catering specifically to Indian viewers and attacks Abedin for her Pakistani heritage.
“Condemning anyone simply because of their religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation is against the pluralistic ethos of Hinduism and has no place in a democracy,” said Suhag Shukla, Hindu-American Foundation (HAF) executive director.
HAF leaders are “deeply disturbed” by political ads airing on television that attack Clinton aide Abedin’s ethnic background, the media statement said.
The ads’ sponsor alleges that because of her Pakistani heritage, Abedin is “pro-terrorist,” it said.
“While the potential foreign policy decisions of any of the presidential candidates are fair game for criticism – and are rightfully of deep concern to many Hindu-Americans -personal attacks such as those made in the recent ads are simply beyond the pale,” Shukla said.
Abedin’s mother is Pakistani and was born in undivided British India.
She is currently in middle of a political storm after FBI started reviewing some 650,000 emails found on a laptop belonging to Abedin’s estranged husband, former Congressman Anthony Weiner, that may be related to the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server while she served as Secretary of State during President Barack Obama’s first presidency.
CHICAGO (TIP): Orlando’s Indian-American businessman Nikesh Patel has signaled that he could plead guilty in the $179 million loan fraud case that rocked the local business world when he was arrested in September 2014. Previously entering a not-guilty plea, Patel has been cooperating with authorities. His change-of-plea hearing is set for Dec. 6 before a federal judge in Chicago.
Patel is accused of selling about 26 fake loans to a Milwaukee financial firm, Pennant Management. The indictment, like the FBI allegations before that, accuses Patel of falsely saying his loans were guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Investigators have recovered about $100 million by selling off Patel’s hotels, cars and other property. But the scope and damage of his alleged crimes widened over time too. Orlando restaurant Mingo’s, which Patel invested in, closed almost immediately. Pennant Management has since closed its doors. Others who invested with Pennant have claimed losses directly tied to the Patel allegations, including the Illinois Metropolitan Investment Fund, which recently sued the USDA for $50 million. The USDA has denied responsibility for the fake loans.
Attorneys for Patel, including Orlando-based Mark NeJame, have emphasized Patel’s cooperation. The main investigator on the civil case, court-appointed receiver Patrick Cavanaugh, has stated in documents filed with the court that recovery of the Patel money was made possible because Patel decided to cooperate. Patel is accused of using Pennant’s money to buy five hotels, three in Orlando, and personal luxury items. The hotels were auctioned off to raise $80 million.
Patel, an Orlando businessman, was arrested on charges of loan fraud on Sept. 30, 2014. Patel bought five hotels and several other properties with the money from the alleged fraud. He paid just over $4 million for the biggest home, at 9850 Laurel Valley Drive on the shores of Lake Butler, near Windermere. The area is home to many celebrities and CEOs. A sale on that home closed last year for $3.25 million.
Election propaganda of 2016 Presidential race is being closed and October surprise has almost disappeared. Flawless presidential candidate is myth. So, we have to make choice from the given stock. I urge that this November 8, Americans and Asian – Americans get out and vote for Mrs. Hillary Clinton.
Poll predictions might show her as the winner but we must remember that every vote matters. I request everyone to vote for Democratic candidate Mrs. Clinton. By becoming first women President of USA she will not only make history but will also continue Obama Government ‘s good policies so that road to peace and prosperity will not be narrowed. To my part I have been active supporter of Mrs. Clinton since 2000 when the retiring NY senator Moynihan endorsed herto replace him. We, a group of active Indo-Americans in NY/NJ, formed a political action committee and raised funds for her and Al Gore. I was then secretary to Indo-American Democratic Committee affiliated to NY democratic party organization under Judith Hope’ watch. Mayor Bill de Blasio was Mrs. Clinton’s campaign manger and I worked with him as well. I have been very active in her campaign this time too in a unique way. I have approached allmy past students of NYU, Fordham and Jon Jay College in NYC and William Paterson and Kean Universities in NJ to vote for her. This is my last public appeal to vote for Mrs. Clinton. Thank you.
FLUSHING, NY (TIP): Lights and candles are lit. Sweets are prepared and shared, and warm greetings and well wishes are exchanged as millions of Hindus around the world celebrate the festival of lights, Diwali. Diwali presents Hindus around the world with an opportunity to renew the rich traditions of their roots with great fanfare.
In marking the season, volunteers of all ages came together to organize a Diwali celebration at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Flushing, New Yorkon October 31st.Colorful intricate designs called rangoli, decorative oil lampsand Annakut offerings of vegetarian food before the sacred images of God filled the atmosphere with a renewed spirit of the festival.
The large gathering at the temple listening to the sermon of Pujya Yagnavallabh Swami Ji Maharaj
Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival commemorating many historical events including the return of Bhagwan Shri Ram to the kingdom of Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile. His return brought about a period of enlightenment within the kingdom and its people. The tradition of self-enlightenment continues today as Diwali presents an opportunity for self-improvement and progress through reflection within.
Children also enjoyed the annual Diwali fare filled with games, activities and sweet treats. BAPS youths take great measures to organize and conduct this annual event for the younger participants. Over 2,000attendees throughout the day experienced the culture and traditions of the auspicious holiday as they offered prayers, well wishes, and resolved to mark the New Year with spiritual enlightenment.
Many relished the familiar atmosphere of Diwali and reminisced their childhood days as they immersed themselves in the beautiful sights, traditional songs, and delicious cuisine of the holiday. Over 1,000 home made vegetarian delicacies were offered to the deities of the Mandir. Local Community leaders also participated in the celebrations including Assemblymen Peter Koo and David Weprin, Assemblywomen Nily Rozic, Consulate General Riva Ganguli Das, NY State Senators Toby Ann Stavisky and Tony Avella and Council Member Rory Lanceman. Also among the many esteemed guests in attendance was Queens Borough President Melinda Katz who spoke highly of the celebration to the assembly, “Diwali is the time to celebrate the light over darkness and during the festival, family members spend time together”
The festivities brought devotees together to serve a common purpose, develop spiritually, and please their guruHis Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj and inspirer, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Pramukh Swami Maharaj inspired the celebration of Hindu festivals at BAPS centers worldwide to keep the rich traditions and culture of India alive with emphasis on the true historic and spiritual purpose of Hindu festivals.
About BAPS
The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a worldwide spiritual and humanitarian organization that is dedicated to community service, peace and harmony. Motivated by Hindu principles, BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, families and individuals. Through various spiritual and humanitarian activities, BAPS endeavors to develop better citizens of tomorrow with high esteem for their roots and culture. Its 3,300 international centers support these character-building activities. Under the guidance and leadership of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, BAPS aspires to build a community that is free of addictions as well as morally, ethically and spiritually pure. For more details, please visit www.baps.org.
About Mahant Swami Maharaj
His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj is the sixth and current spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. He was ordained a swami by Yogiji Maharaj in 1961 and named Sadhu Keshavjivandas. As he was appointed the head (Mahant) of the Mandir in Mumbai, he became known as Mahant Swami. His devout, humble and service-focused life earned him the innermost blessings of Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Mahant Swami Maharaj travels throughout the world inspiring people through his insightful spiritual discourses and disciplined conduct. His virtuous lifestyle and profound devotion to Bhagwan Swaminarayan and gurus are ideals toward which devotees strive. Mahant Swami Maharaj became the guru and President of BAPS upon Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s passing in 2016.
CONTACT: BAPS North American Headquarters Phone: 732-777-1414
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Indian American supporters of Hillary Clinton strongly feel that the community should vote for her as only she can take the Indo-US relationship to a new level because she truly understands India and its culture.
Hillary Clinton and Sant Chatwal- a firm handshake
Indian Americans for Democrats and Friends of Hillary for President, an advocacy group supporting Hillary Clinton for President made a passionate plea to the Indian American community to vote for Hillary. Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, chairman of Indian-Americans for Democrats and Friends of Hillary for President, hosted a well-attended press conference on November 2 at the Chatwal hotel in midtown Manhattan, New York City. He was joined by former chief of medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and community leader, Dr. Bhupi Patel, and Founder of Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and former commissioner in President Bill Clinton’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Mike Patel.
The Chatwal family with Hillary
Chatwal, who has been a longtime friend of the Clintons, described how he convinced Bill Clinton for his India trip that ‘opened the doors for improving India-US relations.’Bill Clinton undertook a visit in March, 2000, 22 yearsafter a US President had visited India. It was in 1978 when a Democratic President Jimmy Carter had last visited India. Sant took a jibe at the Republicans for touting their love of India now but where were they earlier. He also highlighted how Bill and Hillary Clinton relentlessly worked for betterment of ties between the two countries. “She (Hillary) visited India quite a few times since 95- in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012. She understands India, Indian culture. Indian-Americans should vote for her as she can boost India-US relations.”
Hillary joins Daman Chatwal in a Punjabi jig
Getting nostalgic about his and wife, Daman’s 25 year old relationship with Clintons, Sant Chatwal described that he felt immediate positive vibes on his first ever meeting with Clintons.
“I had good vibes when I first met the Clintons in 1991. They are good people; very fair and emotionally connected,” Chatwal recalled, adding, “Hillary’s experience as a politician; her love for India and Indian Americans and her conscious effort to do good for America, made her an ideal candidate to receive our vote.”
Hillary poses with Sant and Daman Chatwal at a public gathering
Chatwal dwelt a length the long and distinguished career of Hillary. It began with Hillary as the First Lady of Arkansas where her husband Bill Clinton was Governor for more than a decade. It was then that she came in close contact with politics and politicians and started learning the nitty gritty of the statecraft. As First Lady of The US from 1993-2001, she got ample opportunity to meet with world leaders and leaders from the country and got to have an intimate knowledge of working of politics and diplomacy. In the White House, Hillary assumed a serious policy role and took the lead on Bill’s failed efforts to reform the American healthcare system.
Chatwal recounted her services as Senator from New York and later as Secretary of State of the US. Over four years that she was Secretary of State she visited 112 countries and wracked up nearly 1 million miles in the air, as she carried Obama’s message of multilateralism and cautious use of American power around the world. In Washington, she became one of the President’s closest advisors working closely with the White House as the Arab Spring flared and the US moved to kill Osama bin Laden.
If Chatwal spoke highly of Hillary Clinton, he did not hold his comments on Trump, too. He questioned Donald Trump’s ability “to run a country”.
“Running a government is very different from running a business. One needs knowledge and experience. It’s not easy to run a country.”
He feared that if Trump became Presidenthe will be disastrous for the country and wipe out trillions of dollars from US economy.
“As a businessman I want to protect our economy. If Trump becomes President, the market will drop by 25 per cent, four-five trillion dollars will be lost.”
Chatwal also slammed Trump for his remark that he is a “big fan of Hindus” and of India at an event in New Jersey last month. “India is not only for Hindus; India has Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and many more. Trump has to understand that. India has a large Muslim population. Muslim population is more in India than in Pakistan. Trump does not know that. Talk is cheap but it is difficult to deliver.”
Dr Bhupi Patel highlighted how Hillary has stood with India and the Indian-American community on vital issues like immigration, education and health care. He said the community should vote for her as Clinton has strong policies in these areas that will benefit the community and future generations.
“It’s time to reciprocate. We need somebody in White House who knows India. Trump does not know India.”
Dr Patel said Clinton is an “inclusive” leader who has worked for the community for the last few decades while Trump is in “exclusive’ person who talks about isolating the US. “How can you have a leader who damages global relations? America cannot afford to get isolated. You cannot discriminate against minorities. It is very important for the minority communities to be involved in the political process. We have to make our presence felt.”
Hillary addressing a convention of International Punjabi Society in New York. Sant Chatwal is seen to her right
Mike Patel recounted his experience as commissioner in President Bill Clinton’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. “President Clinton did what he did because he cared about new immigrants, who worked hard and paid taxes but never received full benefits. It shows the party cares for us. We have to decide what kind of America we want for our kids. Who will be inclusive of your children? That should give you the answer who should you vote for.”
HR Shah, CEO of TV Asia and a long time supporter of Indian Americans for Democrats gave a hard-hitting note. “In 240 years America does not have a Woman president. Even India had a woman prime minister 30 years ago, who ruled for 10 years, but it’s unfortunate that America is so backward in realizing the strength of women power. We want to see the change. Make noise for the fundamental change,” he said.
The speakers also reminded that Indian community’s voting numbers may be small but in close elections, small numbers matter more. The key states are those that are traditionally Republican and are called Red States, and the swing states where the two parties are almost evenly poised and could go either way.
Chatwal pointed to the 2000 elections, which Democrat Al Gore lost by less than 400 votes in Florida and said, that in states like Florida votes of Indian Americans carry more weight as a deciding factor. Urging the Indian-American community to exercise their electoral right, he said each vote would count on November 8.
Over three-million-strong Indian-American community has traditionally supported the Democratic Party and Trump has been trying to pursue the community to make a dent in its vote bank. According to a poll, over 70% of Indian Americans are Democratic supporters with only 13% backing Republicans and 14% Independents. About 67% of them support Clinton compared to only 7% for Trump.
The panelists -Sant Chatwal, Bhupi Patel and Mike Patel-made a unanimous and passionate appeal to Indian Americans to “Get out and vote for Hillary”.
UCLA’s Professor of the Year, Indian American, Neil Garg has revolutionized the way students view and study organic chemistry in California.
Garg has been extremely successful in getting UCLA students to love his new way of fun tutorials.
Garg’s new system termed ‘BACON’ (Biology And Chemistry Online Notes) is a set of fun and engaging online tutorials that make connections between organic chemistry and topics as sports, health, genetics and even popular television shows.
“The field of organic chemistry has made a tremendous mistake,” Garg said, “in not showing students and the general public its importance and why they should love it — or at the very least, appreciate it.”
“BACON makes organic chemistry less intimidating and really helps students learn chemical reactions and retain the knowledge … while keeping the stress level down, said Michael Bailey, Jr., a UCLA senior and pre-medicine major. “The BACON tutorials completely changed my view of organic chemistry. I laughed, I cried, I learned.”
“BACON makes organic chemistry relevant and important to students,” said Vandan Kasar, a recent UCLA graduate who formerly served as an undergraduate assistant to Garg. “BACON actually makes the material stick long-term because students have associated it with a process or product that they use in their everyday lives.”
Garg developed BACON with the assistance of graduate student Tejas Shah and several other UCLA students over the course of two years, and he continues to add new content.
The labor-intensive project has received more than $20,000 in financial support donated by individuals and pharmaceutical companies.
“I enjoy thinking about how to teach students the relevance of organic chemistry in an engaging way,” Garg said. “So many students don’t appreciate organic chemistry and the important impact it makes on our lives. It’s a teaching challenge to help change students’ perceptions about organic chemistry, and I welcome the challenge.
“Our students deserve the best education,” he said, adding, “Other students deserve that, too,” among them the more than 8,000 students who have used or are currently using BACON at more than 30 colleges and universities, including Duke University, UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach, Emory University, University of Vermont, and universities in Italy, Japan and Switzerland.
College-level educators who are interested in the tutorials, which are designed for use as a supplement to undergraduate organic chemistry courses, are invited to visit the BACON website.
AP and honors high school chemistry teachers are also welcome to sign up, but BACON might be too advanced for their students, said Garg, who added that he’s considering adding tutorials for them.
BACON is just one of Garg’s many innovative approaches to teaching. Especially popular among his students is an extra-credit project in which they produce music videos about organic chemistry and an assignment in which honors students produce videos about careers that incorporate organic chemistry. Currently, Garg is working with colleagues Lucas Morrill and Jacquelin Kammeyer to revamp UCLA’s organic chemistry laboratories for chemistry majors and develop a new curriculum that is challenging, relevant and fun.
Garg is the recipient of many honors, including a 2016 Guggenheim Fellowship, the 2015 Gold Shield Faculty Prize, UCLA’s prestigious 2014 Eby Award for the Art of Teaching and UCLA’s 2012-2013 BruinWalk.com’s Professor of the Year.
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey – A 9-year-old boy battling cancer succumbed to his illness Oct. 22., days after first responders in Jersey City threw him a surprise hero-themed parade, the police officer who organized the event confirmed.
Fourth grader Parth Patel was diagnosed in 2014 with Ewing Sarcoma, a form of cancer that typically occurs in areas around the bones in children and young adults.
Jersey City Police Officer Adrien Murrell had heard about Parth’s battle with cancer, and having lost her brother to a terminal illness, wanted to do something special for the 9-year-old.
So, more than 100 police officers, firefighters, and EMTs surprised 9-year-old Parth Patel, who is diagnosed with cancer, with a hero-themed parade from his house on Nelson Avenue to School 27 on North Street in Jersey City on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, followed by a pizza party in the auditorium.
New Jersey Boy Battling Cancer Dies Days After Being Honored by Police with Surprise Hero-Themed Parade
Parth’s classmates cheered him on during the event. The Marty Lyons Foundation held a pizza party in the school’s auditorium after the parade, where Parth was presented a key to Jersey City by Mayor Steve Fulop.
But Parth, who suffered from Ewing Sarcoma, died three days later, leaving his family and the first responder community heartbroken.
Funeral services were held Oct. 25 morning for Parth Patel, as family and friends gathered for the viewing and funeral today, local first responders once again turned out in full force to pay their respects. Officers from the Jersey City and Newark police departments, as well as the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office and EMTs lined up outside Riotto Funeral Home on Kennedy Boulevard, some on motorcycles, others on horseback.
Jersey City police officers even carried the boy’s casket out of the funeral home and placed it into a hearse following the service.
On the day of the parade, Parth got a special ride in a Batmobile-themed Chevrolet Camaro, which made another appearance outside the funeral home today. A note signed by Batman and Batgirl was placed inside the vehicle, accompanied by photos of the smiling boy.
“To our hero, Parth, rest in peace,” the note read.
“A beautiful life that came to an end, he died as he lived, everyone’s friend,” the boy’s sister Hileri Patel wrote on her Facebook page. “In our hearts a memory will always be kept, of one who loved and never forget. We all love this little superhero but we lost him when we weren’t ready.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (TIP): EthnicThread, a mobile app platform to trade your preloved ethnic fashion, recently launched on the iPhone and Android markets globally. This user-friendly app gives women a chance to exchange, sell or rent personally owned/designed clothing, accessories and home decor. In this social media era where women are hesitant to repeat outfits once the pictures go out, EthnicThread was a much needed responsible fashion platform where women can monetize their closets by selling new and gently used party wear outfits, and buy different ones from other women in the community at great prices.
Sailee quit her well-paying hi-tech job to pursue this venture, where ethnic threads are used to bind the communities together
A primarily women run company, EthnicThread knows and understands the needs and challenges of today’s modern woman. Ethnic Thread founder, Sailee Raje, a Silicon Valley techie, wanted to create an easy and guilt-free way to keep her closet simple and organized, without compromising the shopaholic in her. It wasn’t long before she was joined by her equally passionate friends across USA and India to create a mobile friendly solution for it. As the app started taking shape, her research and surveys led to the discovery of tremendous hidden talent in the South Asian community – homemakers, students and hobbyists with expertise in designing, tailoring, embroidering, painting, henna, photography, makeup artistry, rangoli, and more. These talented individuals were eager to help the community by offering their expertise in their spare time. Until now they mostly relied on word of mouth to get work. Sailee realized that she had to create a trusted community platform for fashion and talent exchange, and not just a typical marketplace. EthnicThread was born to serve this purpose of connecting talent to opportunities. Sailee quit her well-paying hi-tech job to pursue this venture, where ethnic threads are used to bind the communities together.
EthnicThread provides its users a major advantage by not charging any transaction fees. Ethnic Thread is unique in that it directly connects people globally as well as locally. The app allows you to chat with talented fashionistas across the world, and can also help you find local people or products based on your current location, on the go.
Ethnic fashion is going strong in South Asian culture and has a multi-billion dollar market in India alone. Following the footsteps of dozens of fortune 500 companies, such as Uber, Facebook, Alibaba and Airbnb, EthnicThread chooses not to carry any internal inventory to sell, but rather provide a platform for people to connect with each other to share their products and talent. In addition to the app a physical platform for fashion and talent exchange is also being offered through their meetups currently held monthly in Delhi, Pune and Mumbai. Ethnic Thread is the first of its kind to give its users a complete ecosystem to repurpose their used ethnic clothing through community exchange, and be environmentally friendly through this responsible fashion concept. The impact of the app has been immediate. Thousands of women have started to not only trade their closets but also make great new connections along the way. New and used traditional Indian and Pakistani kids clothing has also been a popular category on the app. Medha Deshmukh, from Mumbai, says she has finally found an easy way to sell her daughter’s expensive Indian outfits. She is equally thrilled about being able to connect with like-minded moms she came across on the app who eagerly wait to see what she is uploading next. Talented individuals have started to list their work on EthnicThread to get broader visibility within the community.
Through EthnicThread’s #RealPeopleRealModels movement for self-acceptance users are encouraged to post their personal style, embracing their own body shape and size, as opposed to catalog or magazine pictures. Unlike other marketplaces EthnicThread intentionally uses social network interface where you can follow, like, and comment through a thread of colorful images. Users can post images for making serious money through selling, renting or exchanging. However, similar to the appeal of Instagram, Pinterest, and Flickr, many users post pictures to showcase their personal style and provide inspiration for their followers. Apart from traditional ethnic fashion such as saree, salwar, lehenga, kurti, you can find trending fusion such as henna strokes on the shoe or candles, Indo-western outfits and fusion accessories. The EthnicThread women’s team has expanded the company in the largely untapped South Asian market throughout USA and India, and plan to expand to other ethnicities in the future.
EthnicThread is available on iPhone 7.0 or later, and Android. The app is free to download for early adopters and will be available at a small subscription fee later, with Premium experience for paid users.
To learn more about EthnicThread visit them on Facebook at EthnicThread.com/fb, or on Twitter @EthnicThread. To download the app, visit their website at www.ethnicthread.com.
CHICAGO, IL (TIP): The Indian Americans evince brimming optimism as they await for the defining moment in the political history to see their own Raja Krishnamoorthi emerge victorious as the United States Congressman representing not just the 8th congressional district but the entire Indian American diaspora as the winds of change gather momentum just days away from the elections – This was articulated by a legion of Chicago leaders at the Community Reception hosted at Maharaja India Restaurant in Rosemont, IL on October 24, 2016.
With the current trajectory of the congressional race looking increasingly reassuring, this defining moment seems to bear promise to see their beloved Indian American son Raja Krishnamoorthi to be ushered into the hallowed halls of the United States Congress. Raja Krishnamoorthi remains the most widely acknowledged candidate to have received a wide spread mainstream newspapers ringing endorsements hailing him as the “best candidate hands down” and extoling him for his “enthusiastic grasp on issues” advancing “working families agenda”; with President Obama joining to give a testimonial push on TV — augurs well for him to cross the finish line on in the national elections on November 8th, 2016
Setting the event in motion, Sanhita Agnihotri invited Raja Krishnamoorthi along with the principal hosts Hanumanth Reddy, Iftekhar Shareef, Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Ajai Agnihotri, Dr. Vijay Prabhakar and Ajeet Singh to join the lamp lighting ceremony and added saying that the lighting of the lamp symbolizes invocation of an auspicious outcome in the elections.
Raja Krishnamoorthi thanked the host of community, organizational, business and grass- root level leaders gathered at the event and assured them of his undying devotion to represent them and added saying “when I go to the Congress, you go with me” amidst sustained applause.
Keerthi Kumar Ravoori Co-Host, in his welcome remarks, said that this is truly a historic opportunity for the Indian Americans to help usher Raja into the most revered portals of the United States Congress for him to represent our hopes, values, aspirations that are central to the Indian Americans and his congressional constituents. Keerthi Ravoori reiterated that Raja Krishnamoorthi when elected he will hit the ground running to embark enthusiastically on driving his legislative agenda that seeks to uplift the lives of the working families.
Iftekhar Shareef, co-host, introducing Raja, emphatically laid out the vision of Raja and said Raja represents the hopes of not just the diverse electorate of his congressional district but the entire Indian diaspora and added Raja will remain a tremendous force in the U.S. Congress in taking the lead in formulating policies and legislations that elevate every American. Iftekhar Shareef said under the congressional leadership of Raja a new vibrant chapter in the Indo US relations is envisaged.
Ajai Agnihotri in his brief statement said Raja is a phenomenon that is likely to dominate the Capitol Hill with his refreshing voice of strength and conviction; while Dr. Vijay Prabhakar challenged the Indian Americans to seize this rare opportunity to rise in collective strength of unity to help elect Raja and added that Raja will be a shining inspiration for many generations to come.
Proposing a vote of thanks, Sanhita Agnihotri was joined by Poonam Gupta-Krishnan, Nazneen Hashmi, Shirley Kalvakota, and Mrs. Inder Gauri who presented a flower bouquet to Raja. Some of the well-known attendees at the reception include Dr. Sriram Sonty, Babu [Marsha] Patel, Inder Gauri, Jitendra Digvanker, Harish Kolasani, John Trivedi, Dr. Hyder Mohhamned, Cecil Joseph, Satish Dadepogu, Baba Daljit Singh, Mitul Patel, Azhar Siddique & Emmanuel Neela.
DETROIT (TIP): An Indian-American doctor has expressed hope that Democratic party’s presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s surging popularity will help him enter the US House of Representatives by winning a traditionally Republican seat in the suburb of Detroit.
Mumbai-born 65-year-old urologist Anil Kumar, who specializes in robotic surgery, is trying his luck to enter the US Congress for the second time after he was eliminated in the primaries in his first attempt in 2014. Armed with the popular support from the entire South Asian base and the growing popularity of Clinton, Dr Kumar said the latest internal polls showed that he was within the margin of error with his Republican incumbent David Trott.
“No integration (of the immigrants) is complete, unless we are integrated politically,” Dr Kumar told PTI in Detroit in the most populous city of the US state of Michigan.In addition to the policy of healthcare, employment and education that he is advocating for his constituents, Dr Kumar said one of the reasons for him deciding to run for the Congress was to pave the way for the next generation of Indian Americans to be part and parcel of the political mainstream. “It is important that we do more in the political arena,” he said. The 11th Congressional District of Michigan has some 400,000 voters. Indian Americans account for some 20,000 and then there are 4,000 Pakistani Americans who have thrown their weight for him. Dr Kumar is running an effective campaign with a big team of 250 volunteers, 60 interns, several paid staff working from five offices spread over his sprawling constituency located in the northwest of Detroit. Dr Kumar made Detroit his home after he landed in the US in 1984 following his departure from Mumbai. He earned his medical degree from Mumbai.
“It’s a tight race. And with Clinton’s popularity gaining ground, my chances have become better,” Dr Kumar said. Another Indian-American Syed Taj, who lost the election by 22,000 votes in 2012, is also campaigning for Kumar this time. “He has a chance as the poll dynamics and demographics have changed,” Mr. Taj said. However, mainstream media and political pundits consider it a safe seat for the Republicans.”This could potentially be a race to keep an eye on if Trump’s numbers continue to fall,” Detroit Free Press said. Dr Kumar said, if elected, he would work towards improving relationship between India and the US. “A larger and better representation of Indian Americans in the Congress would help strengthening the bond of India-US relationship,” he said.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing a tremendous job. We (in the Congress) can further enhance it,” said Dr Kumar, who so far has been endorsed by several top Democratic leaders, including Senator Carl Levin.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEEN (TIP): Three Vanderbilt University neuroscientists including an Indian American are on the forefront of research in autism, addiction and Alzheimer’s disease and will discuss their cutting-edge investigations during the next Flexner Discovery Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 3 as per media reports.
Dr. Sachin Patel, M.D., Ph.D. is Professor of Psychiatry and director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry who along with Laura Dugan, M.D. & Mark Wallace, Ph.D. will present their discussion titled “Translational Neuroscience Research at Vanderbilt: Mechanisms and Targets for Brain Disorders.”
The Flexner Discovery Lecture Series were launched by Vanderbilt University Medical Center and featured some of the world’s most eminent scientists, who speak on the highest-impact research and policy issues in science and medicine.
Patel, a 2016 recipient of a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, studies the response of endocannabinoid signaling to stress, with the goal of better understanding the pathophysiology of stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders including depression, addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder.
For a complete schedule of the Flexner Discovery Lecture series and archived video of previous lectures, go to www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/discoveryseries.
NEW YORK (TIP): Hindus have welcomed reports of Syosset Central School District (SCSD) in New York adding Diwali, most popular of their festival, as an official holiday on the 2017-2018 school year calendar.
Rajan Zed, a Hindu activist, in a statement in Nevada, describing it as a step in the right direction, urged all other public school districts and private schools in New York State to do the same.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that it would be a positive thing to do in view of presence of a substantial number of Hindu students at schools around the state, as it was important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of these pupils.
Rajan Zed indicated that schools should make efforts to accommodate the religious requirements of Hindu students and show respect to their faith by not conducting regular business and scheduling classes on Diwali. We did not want our students to be put at an unnecessary disadvantage for missing tests/examinations/papers, assignments, class work, etc., by taking a day-off to observe Diwali.
If schools had declared other religious holidays, why not Diwali, Zed asked. Holidays of all major religions should be honored and no one should be penalized for practicing their religion, Zed added
Rajan Zed suggested all New York schools, both public and private, to seriously look into declaring Diwali as an official holiday, recognizing the intersection of spirituality and education. Zed noted that awareness about other religions thus created by such holidays like Diwali would make New York students well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow.
Zed urged New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New York State Education Department Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and New York State Commissioner of Education MaryEllen Elia; to work towards adding Diwali as an official holiday in all the 700 school districts, and persuading the private schools to follow.
History was created when on October 5, USPS representatives officially unveiled the Diwali Stamp at the Indian Consulate in New York. It took almost seven years for a determined lady to achieve what appeared unachievable to many before her. The crusader was not deterred by numerous obstacles and setbacks which were formidable enough to break any body with lesser courage. But here was a Ranju Batra who felt it was unjust that while other religions had their festivals recognized by the USPS and a stamp issued to commemorate them, there was no such commemorative stamp for one of the most widely celebrated festivals in the world. She decided that this injustice was to be undone.
While Ranju was President of the Association of Indians in America, New York Chapter which organizes the now famous South Street Seaport Diwali, way back in 2010-2011, she conferred with Ambassador Hardeep Puri on the subject of having the USPS issue a Diwali Stamp. Ambassador Puri encouraged her as also her husband Ravi Batra. Once she started, there was no stopping her. She made the Diwali Stamp her song for ever. She got lawmakers together to introduce a legislation in the Congress. She spent hours, days, weeks, months cajoling community leaders in to supporting her crusade. Some did. Many did not. But she remained undeterred. When she got an opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she made a request that he use his good offices with President Obama to have the Diwali Stamp issued to commemorate the festival of millions in the US and billions in India. She even made a request to President Obama.
Seven years is a long period to tire any one. But not Ranju who succeeded, ultimately in fulfilling her dream and brought honor and cheer to billions of Indians across the world. They say in Persian “Himmate marda, madade Khuda”-God helps those who help themselves. Three Cheers to Diwali Stamp;three cheers to Indians everywhere and surely, many more cheers to Ranju Batra.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The evening of October 24th saw an inaugural fundraiser in benefit of The India Project, at 48 Lounge in Manhattan. The mission of The India Project is to serve as an agent of change and social inclusion, by supporting the underserved populations of India, Nepal and Bangladesh by providing access to life-changing facial surgeries, health screenings, schools, and sustainability initiatives.
The India Project was created in 1968 by Padmashri Dr. Sharad Kumar Dicksheet, an eight time Nobel Peace Prize nominated philanthropic plastic surgeon from NYC.Over his lifetime, Dr. Sharad Dicksheet performed nearly 100,000 cleft lip/palate surgeries and 100,000+ eye surgeries and dermatologic procedures for the children and youth of India; although he, himself, was dealing with life-threatening health issues. In 1978, the right side of Dr. Dicksheet’s body was paralyzed after a major car accident. In 1981, he was diagnosed with stage 4 laryngeal cancer which he survived, but his ability to speak was greatly impaired. In 1996, he suffered a major heart attack and was confined to a wheelchair. As he battled these life-altering challenges, he continued to spend 6 months a year in India, keeping a tireless operating schedule and performing facial surgeries until his death in 2011.
Dr. Supriya Dixit Hayer, the daughter of Dr. Dicksheet, has stepped in as the leader of the India Project and along with the India Project team, she is committed to building on the legacy of Dr. Dicksheet by incorporating several social initiatives, including health screenings in slum communities, rural education projects, craft revival, women’s health education, and much more.
An Evening for Smiles was a (re) introduction of the organization to the community as the project continues to expand and oversee new initiatives. The proceeds from the fundraiser will support nearly 1,000 surgeries in January 2017.
FREEHOLD, NJ (TIP): Renowned Restaurateur Kamal Arora , Archana Sharma and Arora Hospitality Group’s latest culinary venture, Aarzu Restaurant, opens its doors to the community to celebrate its first-ever Diwali season this week. “Aarzu” is a wish that has translated into a delectable and indulgent fine dining experience that serves Authentic Indian food in Freehold, New Jersey.
An extension of Arora Hospitality, one of the best things about this restaurant food is that you can be astonished by its simplicity, yet exquisite taste. By virtue of using fresh ingredients and letting food speak for itself, a good chef does well when his or her fingerprints are hard to find in a simple dish. A great chef makes simple entree’ undeniably their own. Their Head Chef ‘Sharvan’ is a virtuosic professional, able to express many nuances within each bite of a variety of food.
Everything on the menu’s many pages gets an attractive yet explanatory introduction and all in all its looks good. Mostly, as it is, one can start with delightful and healthy appetizers. For ex: Smoked Garbanzo Bhel and Lasooni Lotus Root are almost as soft as cake crumbs and flavorful respectively. Both are exceptional and are not too heavy on a stomach. The warm and tasty Gobi Saag was a quick respite from the weather on a cold windy day. The garlic Naans landed the uppercuts, as they were as fresh as a wheat crop in a field.
Moving away from the trend is what they have for dessert. ‘Phirni’ was the real surprise with an extremely soothing flavor. Simply great! And the Rose Ice cream has the tactful taste of sealing the dinner chapter in a neat way.
The food is presented and arranged with an attention to ‘Visual Flavor’ which is an important concept in food arrangement at an any restaurant. The creative presentation is enough to entice customers and hence in turn it makes the guests to “see” the flavors. Aarzu offers an interesting selection throughout the menu, by introducing a number of different techniques for a variety of flavors, colors, and textures. There is enough on the card for vegetarian and non-vegetarian customers. At Aarzu you can have fine dining experience with Casual, spacious seating. Staff is extremely patient and focused, and quick to respond. In addition to their palatable gourmet, Aarzu has a private banquet hall with private entrance that can accommodate about 150 guests. For smaller get together they have party room that can accommodate 30-50 guests.
About Arora Hospitality Group:
Arora Hospitality Group was founded with a vision to take the Indian culinary industry to unparalleled heights in the U.S. and beyond. The brand consolidates all its restaurants and catering operations, including Moghul Caterers, Mithaas, Moghul Express, Papa Pancho Pizza, Urban Spice and, now. Aarzu, under one umbrella. The aim of Arora Hospitality Group is to give its guests an unprecedented culinary experience through its preparations, presentation, innovation, service and quality. Arora Hospitality Group has taken it upon themselves to popularize Indian food and expose it to the mainstream U.S. audience. With the growing diversity of restaurants, they hope to see Indian culinary options widely available across the country.
DALLAS, TX (TIP): Asian Indian or Indian American registered voters are overwhelmingly Democratic, with a whopping 70% of the community favoring Hillary Clinton, according to a new National Asian American Survey (NAAS). Donald Trump, in fact, falls into third place with only a meager 7% support for him, outstripped by support for ‘other candidate and leaners’ which shows at 9% support.
Asian Americans overwhelmingly Democrats, shows new survey
In line with that, Asian-American registered voters are increasingly identifying as Democrats, with a whopping 11 percentage points increase since 2012, over those in the community who are registered Republicans, according to the survey. Interestingly, Asian-Indian or Indian American community led both the 2012 and the 2016 polls with overwhelming support for Democrats. While in 2012 it was 68% Democratic, with only 10%shown as Republicans, in 2016, 71%registered voters are seen as Democrats vs. 13% as Republicans, for a net gain of one percent. The 2016 survey, released last week, also found that 59 percent of respondents favor Hillary Clinton in this year’s presidential election while only 16 percent prefer Donald Trump – 26 percent are either undecided or favor a third-party candidate, reported fivethirtyeight.com A whopping 79% Indian Americans view Trump unfavorably, with 67% viewing him very unfavorably, the survey found. The NAAS sampled 2,238 Asian-Americans and 305 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders.
Polling Asian-Americans can be difficult, the report said. Asian-Americans have one of the highest rates of limitedEnglish proficiency, and about 3 in 4 are foreign-born. For these reasons, 45 percent of the interviews in the NAAS were conducted in one of nine languages other than English (Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Japanese, Hindi, Hmong, Cambodian).
Indeed, “Asian-American” is a broad group that includes many different ethnicities with distinct political traditions. Vietnamese-Americans have historically leaned more Republican than other Asian-American subgroups, for example; Indian-Americans and Japanese-Americans have leaned more Democratic. Still, Democrats have made substantial gains across most ethnic subgroups of Asian-Americans, noted fivethirtyeight.com.
In the aftermath of the 2012 election, the Republican National Committee (RNC) released a report calling on the party to do a better job connecting with minority populations. The RNC hired a nationalfield director, Stephen Fong, and a national communications director, Jason Chung, to conduct outreach to Asian-American voters. Karthick Ramakrishnan, director of the NAAS, said in an interview that the GOP was “trying to project this image of the Republican Party that was more open, that is more tolerant, that is trying to do significant outreach to the community.”
Ramakrishnan said the GOP appeared to be making strides in some areas, pointing to the 2014 election of several Asian-American Republicans to seats in California’s state legislature. But he said that the polarizing nature of this year’s GOP presidential nominee seems to be nullifying any gains Republicans might have made and that support among Asian-Americans for the GOP may be lower now than in 2012.
In previous years, Ramakrishnan said, surveys of Asian-Americans showed larger differences in political preferences between subgroups and between regions of the country. “One way you could put it is that Trump is nationalizing the election for Asian-Americans,” he said.
Trump’s effect on the concerns of Asian-Americans may be evident in an open-ended NAAS question that asks respondents to name the “most important problem facing the United States.” Ten percent of registered voters in the NAAS said “racism or racial discrimination,” the third-most-common answer, behind the economy and national security. Trump has been criticized for anti-immigrant and racist rhetoric, including saying that Mexican immigrants are rapists, and for proposing to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country.
In a move to woo minorities, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump will celebrate Diwali with Indian-Americans during her visit to the Rajdhani Temple at Chantilly on Wednesday, campaign officials and community leaders said.
Ivanka will celebrate the Diwali festival at a Hindu temple in the crucial swing state of Virginia with the members of the Indian-American community, who have traditionally supported the Democratic party in the US elections.
This is the first time a family member of one of the two top presidential candidates is visiting a Hindu temple.
Last week, Trump attended a charity event organised by Republican Hindu Council to raise funds for Kashmiri Pandits and Hindu victims of terrorism in Bangladesh. This was also the first time a presidential candidate attended an Indian-American event. It was attended by more than 5,000 people.
The visit of Ivanka, 34, a successful businesswoman and a key figure of the Trump campaign, to the Rajdhani Temple would “go a long way in breaking the stereotype,” that the campaign “represents only angry white voters,” said Rajesh Gooty, an Indian-American community leader in Virginia.
“This is a big positive for the community,” he said. Inaugurated in 2000, the Rajdhani Temple is the oldest temple in Loudon County of Virginia, which has experienced the fastest growth of Indian-Americans in the past decade.
In addition to recognising the significant role the Indian-American community plays in the US and embracing its cultural and religious diversity, the Trump Campaign’s move to send Ivanka to a Hindu temple is seen as an effort to woo this ethnic community in the November 8 presidential election.
The results of the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections have shown that whoever wins Loudon County wins Virginia. The county in the past 16 years has seen significant growth of the Indian-American community, mainly on account of the emergence of an IT corridor near the Dulles Airport.
There were 1,200 Indian-Americans in 2000, which increased to 12,000 in 2010. The number is estimated to have jumped to 30,000 in 2016. The neighboring Fairfax County too has an estimated 20,000 strong Indian-American community members.
Indian-Americans have traditionally supported Democratic Party. But the Trump Campaign, which had withdrawn from the state several weeks ago, feel its latest move would help them penetrate the traditional vote bank of the Democratic party.
Los Angeles: Hate Crime charges have been filed against a 40-year-old man who racially abused a Sikh and threw a drink at him, mistaking him for a Muslim.
The Kern County District Attorney’s Office filed misdemeanor charges against David Scott Hook from Bakersfield for allegedly accosting Balmeet Singh outside a California Avenue restaurant last month, cursing him, threatening him and drenching him with a drink.
Mr Singh, while narrating the incident, had said that he and his friends were out to dinner at the Habit Burger in Bakersfield, California. He decided to step outside of the restaurant to make a phone call and that is when the incident unfolded.
Mr Singh said in the middle of his conversation, a man walked out of Blaze Pizza and headed straight toward him.
“He says you’re trying to blow up this country, I should kill you. I’m going to kill you right now. And he used a lot of curse words and he seemed very angry,” Singh was quoted as saying by KERO-TV.
Mr Singh said he yelled back at the man that he was a racist and he was the problem. Singh said the man continued to yell and then threw a drink at him.
According to a statement from the District Attorney’s office, Hook was charged on Saturday with one count of interference with the exercise of a civil right and one count of battery.
Kern County District Attorney Lisa Green was quoted by The Bakersfield Californian as saying that the civil rights charge falls under the legal category of a hate crime.
“It is alleged defendant David Hook threw liquid on another individual because he appeared to be of a different religion or race,” the statement said.
The alleged attacker “said I was a threat to the country I grew up in, the country I was born in,” Mr Singh had told hundreds who gathered last week at a gurdwara in southwest Bakersfield.
The event, which included several guest speakers, was called a “dialogue against hate.”
In a conversation with a Bakersfield Police Department investigator, Singh said he was told the man was identified and questioned. The man told police he thought Mr Singh was a Muslim.
The Indian Panorama received during the last couple of weeks, two letters in mail from “concerned shareholders of Indus American Bank”.
The letters carry no name, no address, no contact information, making it impossible to verify their accusations and claims against Indus American Bank.
We can understand the frustration of those who perceive themselves as “cheated” not gaining the support of the potent voice of media. They may harbor the view, and rightly so, that “the community has the right to know both good and bad news”. However, they need understand that when it comes to the reputation of an individual or an institution, a newspaper cannot afford to be a telltale. It is necessary for the newspaper to ascertain facts. When the complainants want to remain incognito, it becomes difficult for a publication to get at the bottom of the truth.
We will, therefore, suggest to the aggrieved shareholders of Indus American Bank to come forward to tell their story and we assure them that their identities will not be disclosed. But let them establish their credentials first before The Indian Panorama can take up their cause.
Washington: A top Indian-American woman academic and president of the University of Houston was today appointed as member of the US Department of Homeland Security’s Academic Advisory Council.
The appointment of Renu Khator, Chancellor of the University of Houston System and president of the University of Houston (UH), was announced by US Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson.
The council, which is made up of 23 members, including college presidents, academic leaders and inter-agency partners, provides advice and recommendations to the secretary on matters related to homeland security and the academic community.
Since its formation in 2012, members have issued more than 120 recommendations in the areas of academic research and faculty exchange, campus resilience, cybersecurity, international students, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) academic programmes and recruitment of current students and recent graduates.
Renu, who will serve a four-year term on the council, was selected by DHS based on her expertise in higher education leadership and University of Houston’s leadership in homeland security research.
University of Houston is the lead institution for the DHS Center of Excellence for Borders, Trade and Immigration Research, awarded in late 2015, and one of only three universities in Texas with dual designation by the National Security Agency and the DHS for its educational and research programmes in cybersecurity and cyber defense.
“Serving on this council is both an honour and a serious responsibility,” said Ms Khator.
“There can be no more important task than maintaining the safety of our country. Through research, innovation and workforce development, higher education must continue to play a vital role in helping DHS meet that crucial objective,” she said.
“What President Khator brings is not only a deep understanding of the issues facing our campuses but also a firm grasp of the mission of DHS through her work at the University of Houston,” said Trent Frazier, executive director of the Office of Academic Engagement. “DHS and OAE are excited to further collaborate with her.”
Ms Khator joined the University of Houston System in 2008 and oversees a four-university organisation that serves nearly 70,000 students, has an annual budget that exceeds USD 1.7 billion and generates nearly USD 6 billion economic impact on the Greater Houston area each year.
Ms Khator, who holds a Ph.D. in political science and public administration from Purdue University, serves as chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Board of Directors and was president of the American Council on Education.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Diwali at Times Square 2016 is over but the memory of it will last a lifetime for many. Creating history third time in a row, it was a celebration unlike any other. It showcased the rich and diverse elegance of the Indian culture with credibility, creativity and celebrity. It honored the tradition of this happy holiday, which symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair.
Diya Lighting Ceremony. (Left to Right): Mr. Chuck Schumer, Mr. Ravi Batra, Mrs. Neeta Bhasin, Ms. Carolyn B. Maloney, Mrs. Brijbala Suri, Mrs. Ranju Batra, Mr. Syed Akbaruddin, Mrs. Reva Ganguly Das, Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, Mr. Sudeep Parikh and Mr. Harish Bhasin
The event had performances by young artists, differently abled kids, well-known celebrities, regional cultural dance performances from various states of India, a spectacular digital Diya lighting on one of the biggest Times Square screens followed by a special message from the Indian prime minister Mr. Narendra Modi and the launch of the U. S. Postal Service commemorative Diwali Stamp.
Dignitaries from India and US, Senator Chuck Schumer, US Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Indian Ambassador to the UN Syed Akbaruddin, Consul General Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das and former Indian representative to the UN, Hardeep Singh Puri, graced the event with their presence and conveyed their Diwali greetings.
International voice sensation Arjun rocked the stage. Television celebrities Kumkum Bhagya fame Shabir who plays Abhi and Sriti who plays Pragya greeted fans. Saregamapa 2016 winner Kushal Paul and soulful singer Jyotica Tangri mesmerized the gathering with their music, So You Think You Can Dance fame Kanchi Shah and Dance India Dance fame Siddhesh Pai gave all their energy to the stage, and heartthrob Karan Tacker stole the affections of many.
Morning Diya Lighting Ceremony. (Left to Right): Veda Murthy Sarvothaman, Stephanie Judal from WU, Michele Rinn from Prudential, Sharmila Fowler from McDonalds, Elizabeth Riemersma, Dimple Malhotra from Sling Int, Neeta Bhasin, CEO Event Guru, Mrs. Brijbala Suri, Gajendra Suri, Esha Raja, Akhilesh from &TV, Vandana Sharma, Maharaja, John Massey from AirIndia.
People from many ethnicities were seen shaking their legs to Indian Bhangra tunes. Selected audience members even enjoyed the opportunity to dance on stage with their favorite celebrities, but the stand out act came from Sparsh Shah, a young singing sensation who performed “Jai Ho” to everyone’s delight. The event, hosted by the handsome Karan Tacker and local host Monty, showcased the rich traditions of the Indian culture. It was showered with love and blessings from across the world.
The Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s message for Diwali at Times Square Oct 16, 2016.
Event Guru’s CEO, Mrs. Neeta Bhasin, said, “Diwali at Times Square is not just a grand celebration of the festival of lights but also a beautiful display of our community and its roots. Our main focus this year was to give a platform to young Indian talent, both from India and US, as they represent our future and will carry forward our culture for years to come.”
New York’s largest South Asian ethnic event, Diwali at Times Square 2016, was presented by &TV and was powered by Air India and Sling International.
CLEVELAND (TIP): Cleveland community is known for its great philanthropic activities and love for art and culture. This dual combination came to a reality on Saturday, 1st October at the Beachwood Community Center when a musical dance drama depicting story of divine love of Krishna, Radha, and Meera, was performed to generate awareness and raising funds raise funds for supporting underprivileged and orphan kids in Bharat (India). The musical dance drama was performed by famous Kathak artists came from Mumbai, Ms. Aditi Bhagwat, Mr. Sushant Jadhav, and Ms. Harshada Jambekar.
This was also the first launch of Support-A-Child (SAC) movement in Cleveland. The mission of SAC is to provide education (up to high school), boarding, lodging, medical care and Samskara (values) to the children of under-privileged background from different parts of Bharat, said Mrs. Renu Rajvanshi Gupta, the national coordinator of SAC and the chief guest of the program. She further elaborated that SAC program was started by World Hindu Council of America (VHPA) in year 1985. Under this program the organization have been supporting more than 1000+ boys and girls all over Bharat. These children are selected from remote areas of Bharat, many are orphans; others are children of sex-worker and many come from the below the poverty line under-privileged back ground. Through SAC these children have received the quality education they deserve and have subsequently attended college education, technical education and even advanced degrees like Ph. D. and Doctor of Medicine. Today, many of these children are working as teachers, engineers, doctors and other professionals.
The SAC program provides a way to all of us to connect with our roots in Bharat said the event organizer Dr. Adityanjee. He emphasized that we can’t fail our future generations just because the lack of resources and education. Dr. Adityanjee, a Cleveland-based psychiatrist and geo-political strategic expert is also known for his social and philanthropic activities in Cleveland. While talking to the hall filled with Cleveland community members who gathered to support the cause, Dr. Adityanjee said that if we want to see a peaceful world without conflicts, the change needs to start from us and we can achieve this goal successfully by ensuring that no child is left behind due to lack of resources. SAC is a great way to put your hard earned money to effective work. The cost of supporting a child, who has lost his or her parents due to terrorism, woman trafficking, poverty or any other ailments, is less than a dollar a day. There is a triangular relationship in between poverty, education and crime. We can reduce the chances of violence by supporting the education, food and shelter of underprivileged kids, who are most vulnerable to be trapped in such unsocial activities, said Dr. Adityanjee.
There can’t be a better gift than giving a child the gift of education especially when many children in Bharat are waiting for our support, said Prof. Rama Jayanti, a renowned marketing Professor at CSU, who also extended her hands of support the cause. For $250 a year one can make a difference in the life of an underprivileged child, this speaks a lot about the effective organization management. There are several organizations working for similar cause but SAC is special because they have minimal operating cost and put more than 90% of money goes to support the actual cause. This gift of less than dollar a day will provide a child with Boarding, Lodging, Education and Samskara (values). Majority of the victims of social ill are from lower income group families and are girls. We can empower the girls through the Support a Child (daughter) option. Since it was the auspicious day of Navratra Sthapna, several families decided to adopt a girl child. Several local dance school gurus also participated in the program and showcased their student’s talent during the event. Families are free to choose the child of their choice from their specific region of interest in Bharat. The pledges, donations and support were still pouring in during and after the event day, but so far sponsorship for 62 children was pledged during the Cleveland fund-raiser. With the help of reputed service organizations like Sewa Bharati, Sewa Dham, Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Kalyan Prathishthan and many more, the SAC team has selected more than 28+ hostels/schools and institutions from 18+ different states. These children will stay in the hostels and will get education at accreditated schools. Along with the quality education, children will receive medical aid, healthy/nutritious food, school supplies, clothing and housing. These children will also get opportunities to learn, music, art, sports and Samsakara (values).
Under this program the donors will be connected directly to their supported child and every year, a progress report of the child with the child’s photograph, details of parents, class, name, percentage of marks secured, performance etc. will be delivered to the donors address in the US. Moreover, donors will be able to meet and write to the child through SAC. Several families have chosen this option to provide best gift to their son or daughter. Internship programs are also available in SAC projects in Bharat and we encourage sponsoring families to visit the supported child during Bharat visit, said Dr. Sudesh Agarwal.
If you are still interested in supporting the cause you can directly contact Dr. Adityanjee at (440) 503-6692. All donations are tax-exempt under 501(C) rules of the IRS.
NEWARK, NJ (TIP): A 39-year-old Indian-American woman attorney on Monday, October 17, pleaded guilty to visa fraud charges related to students and H-1B visas, federal prosecutors said. Sunila Dutt, of Virginia, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to an information charging her with conspiracy to commit visa fraud and obstruct justice.
Dutt, an immigration attorney for two information technology companies – SCM Data Inc and MMC Systems Inc – admitted that she submitted phony documents and obstructed a federal investigation as part of a scheme that fraudulently obtained foreign worker visas, US Attorney Paul J Fishman announced.
According to court information, SCM Data Inc and MMC Systems Inc offered consultants to clients in need of IT support. Both companies recruited foreign nationals, often student visa holders or recent college graduates and sponsored them for H-1B visas. Dutt and other conspirators recruited foreign workers with purported IT expertise who sought work in the United States. The conspirators then sponsored the foreign workers’ H-1B visas with the stated purpose of working for SCM Data and MMC Systems’ clients throughout the United States.
When submitting the visa paperwork to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the conspirators falsely represented that the foreign workers had full-time positions and were paid an annual salary, as required to secure the H-1B visas, federal prosecutors alleged. Contrary to these representations and in violation of the H-1B program, the conspirators paid the foreign workers only when they were placed at a third-party client who entered into a contract with SCM Data or MMC Systems.
Justice Department alleged that in some instances, false payroll records were generated to create the appearance that the foreign workers were paid full-time wages. Dutt admitted that she submitted, or caused to be submitted, one or more filings to USCIS falsely representing the companies would employ foreign workers for in-house positions when no such positions existed. Dutt faces a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a USD 250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for February 6, 2017.
NEW JERSEY (TIP): Prachi Makkar, who the entire Indian American community in the Tri-States area knows as a versatile young woman and a superb singer of Bhajans, particularly Bhetas to Maa Vaishno Devi, was selected to represent Stillman School of Business along with 2 other students- Geoffrey Thomulka and Luciano Cundari for a seminar on”Improving Diversity in the Financial Services Industry: A Hollistic View.”
The Conference was held in Newark, NJ on October 19th, 2016. Mr. John Williams, President & CEO of Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, CA, delivered the key note address.
As such, Wall Street/ Financial Industry is notorious for not giving adequate representation to women and minorities. The conference explored the issues and solutions for improving opportunities for minorities and women in the financial services sector. Through a combination of panel discussions and presentations by a broad range of industry professionals, academics and current students, the conference shed light on the full range of issues and challenges that impact the level of diversity within the industry.
Participants and attendees walk away with a better understanding of the current level of diversity within the financial services industry, along with tangible approaches being proposed and/or implemented to improve outcomes. The conference also served as the springboard for launching the “Center for Research on Diversity in the Financial Services Industry” at the Rutgers Business School to promote academic research and future events on this important topic.
Prachi is a Senior at Seton Hall University studying finance and IT as major and marketing as minor. She is part of the Leadership Development Business Honors program and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Prachi has been a Peer Adviser at her school from 2013 to 2016 and now she is on the admission panel. Currently she is interning part time at Merrill Lynch’s Global Wealth Management office in Short Hill office since May 2015 besides working for them full time as Summer intern in 2015. This summer she interned full time at J P Morgan Chase as financial analyst in their New York office.
Along with her academics, she has been singing for the past 12 years and is very involved in the community. She can sing in Hindi, Punjabi & Sanskrit and plays Harmonium and violin. Besides devotional singing in Temples & Gurudwara, she is a Punjabi Folk singer also. For last 4 years she is more known for her “Maa Durga Chowki” along with her younger brother Surya Makkar. She is the winner of various academic and cultural awards. She was associated with Hindu Youth Summer Camps at Bala Ji Temple for over 6 years and for last 2 years she was the Assistant Director of the program.
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