The Indian Panorama

Tag: Indian-Origin

  • Indian American Diane Gujarati to serve as NY District Judge

    Indian American Diane Gujarati to serve as NY District Judge

    NEW YORK (TIP): Indian American Diane Gujarati, has been confirmed as the first South Asian Article III Judge in New York and will serve as a US District Judge in the Eastern District of New York.

    Announcing her elevation, The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) noted South Asians are significantly under-represented in the Federal judiciary, including in New York.

    The White House sent the nomination for Senate confirmation in May 2019. U.S. Senate voted to confirm heron September 10 by 99-0.

    Daughter of an immigrant father from India, Gujarati, a former AABANY Board Director, was born in New York City and, apart from law school, has lived in New York State her entire life.

    After receiving her BA in Economics from Barnard College of Columbia University, she received her JD in 1995 from Yale Law School, where she served as an editor of both the Yale Law Journal and the Yale Journal on Regulation.

    She began her legal career by serving as a law clerk to John M. Walker, Jr. of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

    Gujarati then entered private practice, spending approximately three years at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, where she was an associate in the Litigation Department and worked on two trials before an Administrative Law Judge at the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

    In 1999, Gujarati left Davis Polk to start a career dedicated to public service.

    That year, she became an Assistant US Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Southern District of New York, US Attorney’s Office, where she tried thirteen cases that went to verdict in a broad range of areas.

    She then became a Deputy Chief of the Appeals Unit in the Criminal Division in 2006. In December 2008, she became the Deputy Chief of the White Plains Division and then became Chief of that division in April 2010.

    Additionally, she has taught as an Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law at New York University School of Law.

    In 2012, Judge Gujarati became the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division of the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, where she served until her confirmation.

    Throughout her tenure at the US  Attorney’s Office, she received several awards and recognitions and has worked on a range of criminal prosecutions and appellate matters including economic, violent, narcotics, trafficking, and exploitation crimes.

    “AABANY congratulates Judge Gujarati on her confirmation to serve as a United States District Judge in the Eastern District of New York,” stated AABANY President Sapna Palla.

    “As the first South Asian Article III federal judge in New York, Judge Gujarati is a true trailblazer and role model in our community.”

  • Indian – Origin Sikh Taxi Driver Assaulted by Passengers in UK

    Indian – Origin Sikh Taxi Driver Assaulted by Passengers in UK

    LONDON (TIP): An India-Origin Sikh taxi driver was subjected to verbal and physical abuse by passengers he drove from a casino in the city of Reading in south-east England, prompting a UK police force to launch an investigation.

    Vaneet Singh, 41, said that a group of four men slapped and shoved him, and asked “are you Taliban” after he received them from the Grosvenor Casino in Reading, Berkshire, in the early hours of Sunday.

    One of the four also tried to remove his turban.

    “It was horrible, really frightening, I will never work the nightshift again. I”m still very scared,” he told the BBC.

    Thames Valley Police are appealing for witnesses as they investigate the report of an assault.

    Vaneet Singh, who worked as a music teacher at a school in Slough, Berkshire, turned to taxi driving after his teaching job was stalled during the coronavirus pandemic.

    The musician, who lives in Tilehurst with his wife and three children, said he has been left shaken up by the assault and will be avoiding night shifts.

    “It’s very bad experience. It’s my religion so I respect my turban,” he said.

    One of the four passengers, all described as white, pulled at his turban as he was driving and slapped him on the head, while others kicked and punched the back of the driver’s seat.

    He says he tried to explain the religious significance of the turban to them and asked them not to touch it.

    He recalled the passengers being well behaved at the start of the journey but “totally changed” as it went on.

    Vaneet Singh, who is suffering from aches and pains since the incident, is convinced the attack was of a racist nature and believes he was a victim of hate crime.

    Thames Valley Police are yet to confirm their line of inquiry in the assault case.

    (Source: BBC)

  • September 25 New York & Dallas E – Edition

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  • Indian-Origin Man gets Life for Brutally Murdering his Partner in UK

    Indian-Origin Man gets Life for Brutally Murdering his Partner in UK

    LONDON  (TIP): A 23-year-old Indian-origin man who stopped a police officer in the street and made comments implicating himself in an attack on his estranged partner has been sentenced to life imprisonment for her brutal murder by a UK court.

    Jigukumar Sorthi was sentenced to serve a minimum of 28 years behind bars before being considered for parole after he was found guilty of the murder of 21-year-old Bhavini Pravin, who was found stabbed at her home in the city of Leicester in March.

    “This was a horrific, brutal and merciless killing. You took the life of a beautiful, talented young woman, just 21 years of age,” Justice Timothy Spencer told Jigukumar Sorthi at the sentencing hearing at Leicester Crown Court on Wednesday.

    During a murder trial earlier this month, the jury heard how he had felt jilted by Bhavini Pravin after she broke off plans for their wedding ceremony.

    At around 12.30 pm on March 2, Jigukumar Sorthi went to her home and once inside they talked for a few minutes before Jigukumar Sorthi stabbed her multiple times and left the property.

    Leicestershire Police and East Midlands Ambulance Service personnel were called to the address where the victim was pronounced dead.

    Less than two hours after the incident, Jigukumar Sorthi approached an officer outside Spinney Hill Police Station in Leicester and made admissions implicating himself in the stabbing of Bhavini Pravin.

    A post-mortem examination was carried out and concluded Bhavini Pravin died as a result of multiple stab wounds.

    “Bhavini was a young woman who had the rest of her life to look forward to. She was a gentle caring soul and came from a close and very private family. It is fair to say she was the apple of her parents” eyes,” said Detective Inspector Kenny Henry, the senior investigating officer from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit Major Crime team.

    “Losing Bhavini so early in life and in such tragic circumstances continues to take its toll on her parents and brothers – their lives have been changed forever. To have lost their beloved daughter to someone who they trusted to take care of her is something they will never recover from,” he said, adding that the sentence would hopefully be of some comfort to her family.

    “Being present during the trial was understandably difficult for the family and I must commend their bravery, courage, and dignity throughout. Nothing will bring Bhavini back but I can only hope that today’s outcome will, in due course, be of some comfort knowing that the man who ended their daughter’s life has been brought to justice,” he added.

    According to local ‘Leicester Mercury” reports, Jigukumar Sorthi had a civil ceremony with Bhavini Pravin in India in 2017 and followed her to England on a spousal visa in August 2018.

    However, the couple lived at separate addresses and the match did not seem to work out.

    Bhavini Pravin was to marry Jigukumar Sorthi in a religious Hindu wedding ceremony, but her family called it off a day before the murder.

    Bhavini Pravin’s life was cut short in a brutal, callous attack in her own home. The defendant took a knife to her house and yet tried to claim he was not in control of his actions,” said Lucie Boulter from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

    “We prepared compelling evidence that showed the court that this was clearly planned and premeditated,” she said.

    When he gave himself up to the police, Jigukumar Sorthi alleged that Bhavini Pravin had ruined his life.

    His lawyer told the court that his client had struggled to cope with life in the UK during the court proceedings which were translated into Gujarati for his benefit.

  • Indian-Origin London Mayor Candidate Geeta Dropped Over Anti-Semitism Remarks

    Indian-Origin London Mayor Candidate Geeta Dropped Over Anti-Semitism Remarks

    LONDON  (TIP): An Indian-origin entrepreneur-activist was on Monday dropped as a prospective London mayoral candidate to contest against Sadiq Khan next year after her past antisemitic comments came to light.

    Geeta Sidhu Robb, the founder of organic food and juice products firm Nosh Detox, had been shortlisted as the Liberal Democrat candidate to take on Labor’s Khan but was instead suspended from the party after a 1997 General Election footage revealed her making anti-Jewish remarks.

    “I apologize profusely for my actions in the 1997 General Election campaign. My behavior caused offence and hurt and I am deeply sorry,” said Sidhu Robb.

    “There is no room for any form of racism or antisemitism in society and as such I very much regret my conduct at that time. It is in no way an excuse, but the context was that I was on the receiving end of a consistent racist campaign and, wrongly, retaliated as I did,” she said.

    “I apologize profusely for my actions in the 1997 General Election Campaign. My behavior caused offence and hurt and I am deeply sorry. There is no room for any form of racism or anti-Semitism in society and as such I very much regret my conduct at that time.

    — Geeta Sidhu Robb (@GeetaSidhuRobb) September 14, 2020

    It is in no way an excuse, but the context was that I was on the receiving end of a consistent racist campaign and, wrongly, retaliated as I did.

    — Geeta Sidhu Robb (@GeetaSidhuRobb) September 14, 2020

    As a Conservative Party General Election candidate in Blackburn 23 years ago when she was contesting against incumbent Labor MP Jack Straw, Sidhu Robb was filmed saying: “Don’t vote for a Jew, Jack Straw is a Jew.”

    The London-based health food promoter, who came second behind Straw in that election, said she was “deeply ashamed” of the language she had used, which she is seen admitting in the footage was done in anger.

    “As shown in the footage, I instantly regretted my appalling behavior, which I continue to do. And I am actively reaching out to the Jewish community to listen and learn,” she said.

    “Two wrongs never make a right. I made a mistake and I take responsibility for my abhorrent actions 23 years ago; they were never repeated. I urge you to judge me on who I am today, a campaigner committed to eradicating inequality and discrimination in all its forms,” she added, in a lengthy Twitter statement.

    The London mayoral election was due to be held in May this year but has been postponed to May 2021 due to the coronavirus lockdown disruption.

    So far, incumbent Sadiq Khan is being challenged by Conservative Party candidate Shaun Bailey in the race. The Lib Dem choice has proved difficult as the party’s previous choice, Siobhan Benita, withdrew from the race saying she could not commit to an extra year of unpaid campaigning. The party is now back to seeking a prospective candidate after Sidhu Robb’s suspension.

    “Geeta Sidhu Robb has been suspended from the Liberal Democrats and will not be on the ballot paper to be the Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor of London. There is an investigation under way in accordance with due process,” a Lib Dem spokesperson said.

  • Indian-Origin Author among Six others on Booker Prize 2020 List

    Indian-Origin Author among Six others on Booker Prize 2020 List

    LONDON (TIP): Dubai-based Indian-origin author Avni Doshi is among the six authors shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize for her debut novel “Burnt Sugar”.

    The shortlist was unveiled virtually in London on Tuesday, September 15, after judges re-evaluated the 13 longlisted novels published in the UK or Ireland between October 2019 and September 2020 to whittle down the shortlist for the GBP 50,000 literary prize in November.

    “This utterly compelling read examines a complex and unusual mother-daughter relationship with honest, unflinching realism – sometimes emotionally wrenching but also cathartic, written with poignancy and memorability,” the judges said of Avni Doshi’s entry.

    Avni Doshi, born in the US and now living in Dubai, has previously spoken about the long journey to her first novel, which was released in India last year as ‘Girl in White Cotton’ and for its UK release in July.

    The rest of the shortlist includes Diane Cook for “The New Wilderness”, Zimbabwean writer Tsitsi Dangarembga for the third novel in her trilogy – ‘This Mournable Body’, Maaza Mengiste for “The Shadow King”, Douglas Stuart for “Shuggie Bain” and Brandon Taylor for “Real Life”.

    Literary heavyweight and former double Booker winner Hilary Mantel, in the running for her final installment in her series set in King Henry VIII’s 16th century England ”The Mirror and the Light”, failed to make the shortlist cut.

    “The shortlist of six came together unexpectedly, voices and characters resonating with us all even when very different. We are delighted to help disseminate these chronicles of creative humanity to a global audience,” said Margaret Busby, literary critic and chair of the 2020 judges.

    “As judges, we read 162 books, many of them conveying important, sometimes uncannily similar and prescient messages,” she said.

    “The best novels often prepare our societies for valuable conversations, and not just about the inequities and dilemmas of the world – whether in connection with climate change, forgotten communities, old age, racism, or revolution when necessary – but also about how magnificent the interior life of the mind, imagination and spirit is, in spite of circumstance,” she said.

    The organizers said that readers of the chosen books will travel to India to unpick an unsettling mother-daughter relationship redefined by dementia with Avni Doshi’s entry; explore the tender story of a mother’s battle to save her daughter in a dystopian city made inhospitable by the climate crisis; witness a woman confronting the realities of life and morality in Zimbabwe as she descends into poverty.

    They will uncover the extraordinary tales of the African women who went to war during Italy’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia; find humanity and humor in the harsh realities experienced by a marginalized family in 1980s Glasgow; and question what “real-life” is in a fresh take on the campus novel, which offers a nuanced account of racism and homophobia.

    Gaby Wood, Literary Director of the Booker Prize Foundation, said: “Every year, judging the Booker Prize is an act of discovery. What’s out there, how can we widen the net, how do these books seem when compared to one another, how do they fare when re-read? These are questions judges always ask themselves, and each other.”

    “This year there has perhaps been more discovery than usual, both in the sense that debut novels are in the majority and due to the fact that the judges themselves were surprised to find that was the case. Why were they surprised? They were focusing on the books,” she said.

    “No one wins the Booker Prize because of who they are. A book wins because of what it does. What has transpired is a testament to the judges” faith in – among other things – first fictions: they have found these writers to have much to say, and found them to have said it in a way that became even richer on second reading.”

    The Booker Prize for Fiction is open to writers of any nationality, writing in English and published in the UK or Ireland. The shortlist of six books will be announced on September 15, with each shortlisted author receiving 2,500 pounds and a specially bound edition of their book at the prize ceremony scheduled for November.

    The 2019 Booker Prize for Fiction was won jointly by “The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood and ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ by Bernardine Evaristo. First awarded in 1969, the Booker Prize is recognized as the leading prize for literary fiction written in English.

    The rules of the prize were changed at the end of 2013 to embrace the English language “in all its vigor, its vitality, its versatility and its glory”, opening it up to writers beyond the UK and Commonwealth, providing they were writing novels in English and published in the UK.

  • Indian Americans favor Biden despite big shift towards Trump

    Indian Americans favor Biden despite big shift towards Trump

    Kamala Harris’ historic nomination, Modi-Trump rallies give political clout to Indian origin voters

    WASHINGTON  (TIP): Despite a significant shift towards President Donald Trump, two thirds of Indian Americans, who have emerged as an influential voting bloc in “battleground” states, currently favor his Democratic challenger, according to a new survey.

    While only 28 percent favor Trump for the 2020 presidential election, it marks a significant 12 point uptick in his support since 2016 when only 16 percent voted for Trump as against 77 percent for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

    Both Democratic and Republican parties are reaching out to the increasingly influential voting bloc of Indian Americans for the 2020 presidential election, according to Indiaspora and AAPI Data’s joint survey.

    High turnout by Indian Americans could make a huge difference in this election given senator Kamala Harris’s historic vice-presidential nomination, as well as highly publicized rallies that Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held together, it says.

    Indiaspora is a nonpartisan community organization, while AAPI Data, records demographics and policy developments relating to Asian American and Pacific Islanders.

    Their joint survey documents the strengthening political power of the Indian American electorate in the US due to factors such as their rapidly growing population and increased political participation.

    “With increased attention being paid to the Indian American vote given our growing numbers, increasing political contributions and overall political engagement, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the issues that really matter to Indian American voters,” said MR Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora.

    The report, which has survey results of 260 Asian Indian registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, found that some of the issues at the top of the list for Indian Americans in this election included education, jobs and economy, health care, and the environment.

    The report also chronicles the rise of the Indian American electorate as one of the fastest growing minority groups in the US, with significant numbers in “battleground” states.

    “Indian Americans are positioned to make a difference in several swing states that may be close in this election, such as Florida (87,000), Pennsylvania (61,000), Georgia (57,000), Michigan (45,000), and North Carolina (36,000), and perhaps even Texas, which has 160,000 Indian-American voters,” said Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor of public policy and political science at UC Riverside, and founder of AAPI Data.

    “Given Senator Kamala Harris’s historic vice-presidential nomination, as well as highly publicized rallies that President Trump and Prime Minister Modi held together, high turnout could make a huge difference in this election.”

    Currently, there are 1.8 million Indian Americans in the US who are eligible voters. About 310,000 Indian green card holders remain in a backlog for citizenship as of 2019, and another 310,000 Indian residents in the US are in a backlog to obtain their green cards.

    In addition, Indian American political engagement extended to several areas, with a fifth of Indian American registered voters saying they contacted their representative or government official in the US this year.

    As many as 74 percent had discussed politics with family and friends, and a quarter of those surveyed had donated to a candidate, political party or campaign this year.

    By the end of June 2020, Indian Americans had donated at least $3 million to 2020 presidential campaigns.

    As many as 54 percent of Indian Americans identified as Democrats, 16 percent as Republicans, and 24 percent as Independents.

    In 2016, 46 percent of Indian American voters identified as Democrat, 35 percent were Independent or Other, and 19 percent identified as Republican.

    Both Democratic and Republican parties have conducted outreach to Indian Americans in this election, with 56 percent of Indian American registered voters surveyed saying they had been contacted by the Democratic party in the past year, and 48 percent saying they had been contacted by the Republican party.

    This is a marked increase from 2016, when only 31 percent of Indian Americans said they had been contacted by a political party, compared to 44 percent of White voters and 42 percent of Black voters.

    In addition, several hundred Indian American candidates also are running for office in record numbers at federal, state and local levels.

    “Given the Indian diaspora’s increasing political importance in the US, it’s no surprise they are being courted by both sides of the aisle,” said Rangaswami.

    “It’s great that both major political parties have begun to realize just how critical it is to reach out to Indian Americans – our impact is only going to increase over time.

  • Indian American NY based celebrity chef Vikas Khanna for Asia Game Changer award

    Indian American NY based celebrity chef Vikas Khanna for Asia Game Changer award

    NEW YORK (TIP): New York based India-American Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna has been chosen for the prestigious 2020 Asia Game Changer Award for feeding millions across India amid the covid-19 pandemic through a massive ‘FeedIndia’ drive.

    The Asia Game Changer Awards, launched by the Asia Society — a US-based non-profit organization — in 2014, identify and honor true leaders who make a positive contribution to the future of Asia.

    Asia Society’s 2020 Asia Game Changer Awards honorees were chosen for their responses to the year’s twin traumas of COVID-19 and racially motivated violence.

    In partnership with Citi, Asia Society annually honors game-changing leaders from a broad geographic range and varied backgrounds, it said. “This year’s honorees have saved lives, changed lives, and lifted spirits all across the globe.”

    Khanna, 48, is the only Indian among the six honorees including Korean boy band BTS, noted US cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Japanese-American tennis star Naomi Osaka, producer of Oscar-winning Korean film ‘Parasite’ Miky Lee and business leaders and philanthropists Joe and Clara Tsai.

    The six will be honored at a virtual event in October featuring a special message by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a performance from Yo-Yo Ma, and a special moment to honor frontline health care workers in the US and Asia.

    “I have always looked up to Asia Society for connecting East & West. Today, I am proud to be awarded #AsiaGameChangers Award 2020,” Khanna tweeted.

    “Humbled to be in the company of @BTS_twt, @naomiosaka, @YoYo_Ma, @JoeClara #MikyLee,” he wrote

    “By September 23rd, we complete 175 Days of #FeedIndia and also cross 40 Million+ Meals(Cooked and Dry Ration) Working 24/7, best to our abilities to ensure that kitchens are running in our homeland,” Khanna wrote in another tweet.

    The Asia Society noted “Khanna has been feeding people since he was a child. But not until 2020 did it become a matter of life or death.”

    “In April, while quarantining in his Manhattan apartment, Khanna, host of MasterChef India, monitored news out of his homeland and watched, with horror and helplessness, as a virus-fueled humanitarian crisis unfolded.”

    “Millions of Indians needed food. Khanna desperately wanted to help, but how? Khanna turned to Twitter, where he has more than 2.3 million followers, and issued a heartfelt plea for information on communities in need,” the Society said in its citation.

    “I wanted to show that solidarity still exists,” he was quoted as saying. Khanna received a torrent of responses, and #FeedIndia was born.

    Khanna partnered with India’s National Disaster Relief Force for logistical and on-the-ground support and his movement soon received aid from grain companies, tech firms, and offers of industrial kitchen space in Mumbai.

    By late-August #FeedIndia had delivered more than 30 million dry food packets and cooked meals to hundreds of cities throughout India.

    “I feel like the past 30 years … have prepared me for this moment,” Khanna said. “This has been the most gratifying [time] in my culinary career.”

    Past awardees include PepsiCo’s former CEO Indra Nooyi, South Delhi Deputy Police Commissioner Chhaya Sharma, and co-founder and CEO of non-governmental education organization Pratham, Madhav Chavan.

  • Indian-Origin UK Minister Alok Sharma Unveils UK’s Investment to Tackle Dangers by Space Debris

    Indian-Origin UK Minister Alok Sharma Unveils UK’s Investment to Tackle Dangers by Space Debris

    LONDON (TIP): Indian – Origin Alok Sharma, UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on Wednesday, September 16, confirmed a GBP 1-million government investment to be divided between seven companies to tackle the dangers presented by space debris to satellites of everyday importance.

    The seven projects will develop new sensor technology or artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor hazardous space debris.

    As part of a wider strategy, the UK Space Agency has signed a formal agreement with the Ministry of Defense (MoD) to work together on monitoring threats and hazards in orbit and track so-called “space junk” which could also pose a threat to the International Space Station (ISS) and its crew.

    “Millions of pieces of space junk orbiting the earth present a significant threat to UK satellite systems which provide the vital services that we all take for granted – from mobile communications to weather forecasting,” said Mr Sharma.

    “By developing new AI and sensor technology, the seven pioneering space projects we are backing today will significantly strengthen the UK’s capabilities to monitor these hazardous space objects, helping to create new jobs and protect the services we rely on in our everyday lives,” the India-born minister said.

    Estimates of the amount of space debris in orbit vary, from around 900,000 pieces of space junk larger than 1 cm to over 160 million orbital objects in total.

    Only a fraction of this debris can currently be tracked and avoided by working satellites. The UK government says it has a significant opportunity to benefit from the new age of satellite mega constellations — vast networks made up of hundreds or even thousands of spacecrafts — so it is more important than ever to effectively track this debris.

    “People probably do not realize just how cluttered space is. You would never let a car drive down a motorway full of broken glass and wreckages, and yet this is what satellites and the space station have to navigate every day in their orbital lanes,” said Graham Turnock, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency.

    “In this new age of space mega constellations the UK has an unmissable opportunity to lead the way in monitoring and tackling this space junk. This funding will help us grasp this opportunity and in doing so create sought after expertise and new high skill jobs across the country,” he said.

    The projects being offered the new funding include Lift Me Off, who will develop and test machine learning algorithms to distinguish between satellites and space debris, and Fujitsu who are combining machine learning and quantum inspired processing to improve mission planning to remove debris.

    Two companies, Deimos and Northern Space and Security, will develop new optical sensors to track space objects from the UK whilst Andor, based in Northern Ireland, will enhance their astronomy camera to track and map ever smaller sized debris.

    D-Orbit UK will use a space-based sensor on their recently launched satellite platform to capture images of space objects and couple this with Passive Bistatic radar techniques developed by the University of Strathclyde.

    And, new satellite laser ranging technologies will be researched by Lumi Space to precisely track smaller space objects.

    The UK Space Agency revealed that last year there was a close call in which a GBP 100 million spacecraft operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) had to light up its thrusters to dodge a satellite.

    A clash between the spacecraft was far from certain, but the trajectories posed enough of a threat that ESA concluded that they needed to maneuver the spacecraft out of harm’s way.

    The new civil and military collaboration between the UK Space Agency and MoD to work together on space domain awareness aims to bring together data and analysis from defense, civil and commercial space users to better understand what is happening in orbit to ensure the safety and security of UK licensed satellites.

    Space surveillance and tracking (SST) is a growing international market, which consultants Euroconsult and London Economics forecast could potentially reach over GBP 100 million.

    The UK Space Agency believes that as a world-leader in small satellite technology, telecommunications, robotics and Earth observation, the UK could work alongside global allies, such as the US, to support continued work to enhance space sustainability.

  • September 18 New York & Dallas E – Edition

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  • September 11 New York & Dallas E – Edition

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  • Indian-Americans Protest in Washington against China

    Indian-Americans Protest in Washington against China

    WASHINGTON (TIP): A group of Indian-Americans from in and around the national capital held a protest here against China’s aggression towards India and the human right violations of Uyghur minority groups in the country’s restive Muslim-majority Xinjiang region.

    Maintaining social distancing and wearing masks, the peaceful protestors on Sunday gathered at the historic national mall facing the US Capitol and displayed anti-China posters, banners and raised slogans against the Communist Party of China and its leaders.

    “This summer while the world was fighting coronavirus, China was trying to encroach upon other’s land. It’s not only in Ladakh in India but also against its other neighbors as well. It’s time that the world unites against this Chinese aggression,” said Adapa Prasad from Overseas Friends of BJP USA.

    Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a bitter standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May 5. The situation deteriorated after the June 15 Galwan Valley clashes in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed and an unconfirmed number of Chinese soldiers died.

    “China’s Communist party has infringed on the religious rights of the Uyghur community and violated human rights of people of Hong Kong,” Puneet Ahluwalia, who is an Indian-American Republican and founder of the Proud American Political Action Committee, said.

    Mr Ahluwalia, who is exploring to run for the post of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, said US President Donald Trump’s hard measures against China was in the right direction.

    “China has to play international rules,” he said.

    “We have seen what they have done in Africa. We have seen that they are doing in Iran…. Most importantly, they recently backstabbed India,” Ahluwalia said, alleging that China is spying on Americans through various social media applications and by stealing data and information.

    Sunil Singh, an eminent Indian-American from the Greater Washington DC area, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for banning Chinese applications in India.

    Noting that people of India have stopped buying China made goods, he said there was also a need for the Americans to make a similar move.

    This was the second major anti-China protest by Indian-Americans here in Washington DC.

  • INTERVIEW- Consul General Of India, New York

    INTERVIEW- Consul General Of India, New York

    Prof. Indrajit S Saluja & Bidisha Roy

    We are pleased to introduce to the  readers of The Indian Panorama   a very special person. He  is India’s 23rd Consul General at New York. Ambassador Randhir Jaiswal succeeded Ambassador Sandeep Chakravorty who is now at  Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi . Ambassador  Jaiswal  assumed charge   on July 19, 2020. 

    Ambassador Randhir Jaiswal is a career diplomat. He joined the Indian Foreign  Service in 1998. In his over two decades of diplomatic career so far, he has served in Portugal, Cuba, South Africa and at the Permanent Mission of India in New York.

    In between his overseas assignments, he served in New Delhi at the Ministry of External Affairs, first as Deputy Secretary  looking after India’s relations with the United States of America, and then as Joint Secretary  managing India’s relations with West European countries. In the middle of 2017, he was deputed to serve the President of India as Joint Secretary managing his international relations portfolio.

    Randhir Jaiswal is passionate about sports, environment, culture, monuments, old cities and cuisines. He is deeply interested in strategic, sustainable development and public policy issues. He has been part of India’s delegation at various Climate Change Conferences and was the lead negotiator for the G-77 countries at the RIO+20 Conference held in Brazil in 2012.

    He holds a Master’s degree in History from Delhi University, India.

    He speaks Hindi, English, Portuguese and Spanish and  is conversant with several dialects of Bihar, India.

    He is married to Dr. Abha Jaiswal, a public health expert. The couple has two daughters.

    On August 5, editor Prof. Indrajit Saluja and assistant editor Bidisha  Roy  got to formally interview in person the new Consul General.

    The full text of conversation runs into 8000 words. However, keeping in mind that readers prefer brevity, which is the soul of wit, as William Shakespeare said, we have edited the interview and are  giving below a few excerpts. Should  The Indian Panorama Readers have any question, they may write to us at editor@the Indianpanorama.com or go to https://pramit.indiainnewyork.gov.in/ and send  their questions/ queries/ concerns to the Consulate.

    We have the solemn commitment from Ambassador Randhir  Jaiswal that he will ensure the community receives efficient  consular services and the best cooperation from the Consulate. Communicate directly with the Consulate; no agents or intermediaries are welcome, he says.

    Here are excerpts from the interview.

    TIP: What do you think of accomplishing as consul general which would create a legacy?

    CG:  You  have asked  me very straight question.  I would like to answer a little differently. You know our engagement with the United States of America and the engagement with the Indian community in this part of United States for which the Indian consulate of NY is responsible. We see this engagement as a continuation . Therefore,  the question of legacy etc. is part of this continuation. You know this consulate has had very close relationship,  very engaging relationship with the Indian diaspora. It would be my endeavor to further strengthen  and further deepen  this connection. We want the community to continue to warmly embrace the consulate. There are new developments happening on a daily basis. We live in a hyperconnected world. We  are living in a digital world and these new developments provide new opportunities for us to be connected with the community and serve them better. So it would be my endeavor to see how best  we can  bring these new technologies and new developments in our engagement with the community. So,  community work and community engagement, of course,  will be top priority.  We would also like   to see how best we can engage with the community and strengthen economic ties  between  India and United States. That is the priority  for government of  India to strengthen  ties with United States in trade, technology , and investment . There are immense  opportunities waiting for US business es and  corporate houses. The  Indian community here plays  an important role in people to people partnership. The Indian community,  given it size, given its achievements in the United States has played a leading role in  enhancing the ties. And being a living bridge between US and India,  I would seek their support to see how  best we can take our mutual understanding between the two countries forward with their help and with their participation.

    TIP: You have spoken about three areas of cooperation.  The top priority  you have said is  promotion and strengthening  of relationship with the community. The second  area you  spoke of  is to have better relationship, economic , trade and business relationship between India and the United states. And,  you also spoke of immense opportunities for investment in India. Are you looking at the Indian American community to be investing  in India or you are looking at the bigger picture of American investment in India?

    CG: We are looking at bigger picture. But the Indian American community because of their close connection with  India,  understand business eco system in India very well. So, that gives them extra edge to play out important facilities between business houses. Business  they can hand hold and they can bring shoulders together and see how best we can make investments to happen between India and United States; both ways from India to the United States and from United States to India. Recently, Prime Minister announced reforms  in the space sector, in financial services and insurance sector, in health. In the agriculture sector we have  undertaken several new reforms and these open up new opportunities for participations. I specifically focus on health,  financial and insurance,  defense and agriculture sectors because there are immense possibilities between  what we can learn and  what we can gain from United States. There is a whole new world of opportunities waiting.

    TIP: You have been in New York earlier as Consul at PMI.  You already know the Indian community. So,  do you think it will give you advantage?

    CG: Yes, in a sense that I am familiar with the territory here,  familiar with people and organization s and also the kind of functions. It gives me an advantage  which will help me in carrying out my responsibilities. Indian organizations are organized here on culture lines, economic lines etc. So, I am familiar with the landscape and that surely will help me.  If you go any country and you are familiar with the city,   it becomes  easier  to engage with people. In the last two weeks that I have been here, I have started to meet diaspora organization in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia so far,  and also speaking to diaspora through The Indian Panorama and through  channels as well to connect with them.  You know this relationship is about partnership not for ourselves but for both the countries. Whatever we do we are going to be promoting mutual understanding and mutual interest in both the countries.

    TIP: I come back to the economic  aspect of relationship. There is a much better investment opportunity in the pharmaceutical sector  because India is probably one of the largest producers of generic drugs and other drugs. And there are a lot of companies in America that are interested in working  with Indian pharmaceutical companies. What special advantages can  the Govt. of India offer to the big pharma industries here? What  special incentives do you think government of  India can offer to attract American investment?

    CG: India is  known  as the pharmacy of the world. We  produce a  lot of generic drugs in  India which are exported to the United States. So what India does today is being helpful to the world and to the United States as well. Even on research side we are collaborating very closely even during  the Covid-19. You would  be aware that there are several Indian companies, several Indian entities and US entities which are working together to produce a vaccine for Covid-19 . We have rolled out FDI  policies which are  of  best  interest to people who want to invest in India. We also have a large skilled manpower which can be taken advantage of by American companies and entities which want to invest in India in pharmaceutical sector. Even research and development  infrastructure is expanding,  and there again,  because R& D is important component for pharmaceuticals industry. We have dedicated parks for pharmaceuticals industries located in various part of India. Those are some of the incentives that could be utilized  by American companies. The prime minister recently talked about ATMA NIRBHAR  BHARAT. ATMA NIRBHAYA BHARAT  is about strengthening domestic capacity so that we can then  strengthen  global supply chains and make the global economy escalate.

    TIP:  A large number of our youth who are  mostly  students, and professionals  are not at all sufficiently attracted towards Indian way of life and Indian culture. Do you think the consulate should be trying to promote Indian culture among this vast number of people who are responsible or who will be responsible for passing on the Indian values to their own children?

    CG: So you know as far as consulate is  concerned,  we are actively promoting Indian culture and various forms of Indian culture from dance, drama,  theater, music, languages etc.  We have several programs including the one to send young people from various parts  of the world  to go and see India and see various specifics of India. That is one exposure program that we have. We also conduct several other programs such as quizzes about India-  “know  India”. This 15th of August here in  this consulate we are organizing an essay competition wherein we are asking the participants,  and mostly they will be young friends from the Indian American community,  and of course open to everybody else,  to write about Indian freedom struggle and the contribution of overseas Indians in that freedom struggle. You would be aware that we had our leaders  and freedom fighters who were  based in United States from Ghadar Party  and others, in San Francisco  and elsewhere and they played a leading role and the Indian community here and people in general should be aware of the kind of role that freedom fighters staying in United States played in India’s freedom struggle.  You know Mahatma Gandhi himself was influenced by the great American  Thoreau .  So,  it’s important that historical dimension of the relationship is not missed by young leaders, young community members . So,  we are trying our best but obviously it’s such a huge expansive community. We  look forward to partnership with  cultural organizations. . We are living in a digital age. One thing which people understand,  specially the youngsters, is that it  the world of technology. Through the world of technology, we are  trying to connect with the youth here to tell them all the excitement that is happening in India.. They will feel more connected .

    TIP: Prospective investors are afraid of Red tape in India. My friend Harry S. Panaser who is a lobbyist shared with me how he prepared  some to invest in India, but they feared it will not be easy to work in India.

    CG: You know we have moved more than 65-70 places in the last five , six years in the ease of doing business. . We have made a significant jump. From 142 four years back  we came down to 65.

    TIP: I come to relationship with consulate’s relationship with media. How do you plan to effectively communicate with media?

    CG: We are fully aware that media  people are important partners in our engagement with the United States. Media has important role to play. We of course look forward to engaging with each and every segment to the media.. We are open about it. We would like to engage with them as much as possible.

    TIP: August 5 is a significant day. What are your thoughts on this historic day?

    CG: Today is one year of Kashmir action, of abrogation of article 370. Through your newspaper I would like to inform your readers and others here that a lot has happened on the ground  in Jammu & Kashmir. In terms of development  and giving good governance , much has been done. . After abrogation of article 370,  various acts of India are now applicable to people in Jammu and Kashmir, whether  it be women empowerment , domestic violence, the  right to education, right to information ,  and so on. There is a long list for that. We also made  changes for that transgender community who can benefit from social securities.  50 new educational institutions have been established,  including 7 medical colleges and 5 nursing colleges. New modern infrastructure in terms  of  transit system for 2 cities have been planned. We have established international trading center for saffron growing  in Kashmir because saffron is an  important item that is  grown  in Kashmir and it is  known globally. And it got a GI Tax.

    We also brought  benefits of digital technology to farmers in Jammu and Kashmir,  to apple growers and establishing marketplace for them. Over  half a million  Kashmiri  youth have benefitted  from scholarships  given in  just one year alone There is a long list of things that we have done. Not  everybody would be aware of the kind of things  that are happening , and the changes that are taking place on the  ground. 300,000 villages have been given electricity in just one year. Almost 300,000 household have been given tap water. People living in remote areas get tap water in their homes. Block development council elections have been held. For the first time in so many years. So we have a grassroots  support approach. We have a pro- people approach and we have a right space approach. All these things put together are empowering people who now have more   more economic choices.

    TIP: What message will you like to give to the Indian American community?

    CG: My message is in  beautiful words of Tagore .We have done very well to connect with everybody here but it would be my endeavor  to bring the distance near,  as near as possible.

  • Indian American Named Fellow of Two Prestigious National Organizations

    Indian American Named Fellow of Two Prestigious National Organizations

    NEW YORK (TIP): Surita R. Bhatia, PhD, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professor, Department of Chemistry, at Stony Brook University has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the organization’s highest grade of membership, as well as a fellow of the Society of Rheology.

    “Surita’s commitment to excellence in science and engineering is apparent through the recognition she has received from such prestigious organizations as the AIChE and the Society of Rheology, as well as in her work every day,” said Nicole S. Sampson, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. “My deepest congratulations to Surita on these well-deserved honors!”

    Recognition as an AIChE fellow reaffirms the high esteem with which colleagues and peers view distinctive professional achievements and accomplishments. Candidates for AIChE fellow are nominated by their peers, must have significant chemical engineering experience (generally 25 years), have demonstrated significant service to the profession, and have been a member of AIChE for at least 10 years.

    Dr. Bhatia was recognized by the Society for Rheology for her contributions to the understanding of structure-properties relations through the application of USANS/USAXS spectroscopic techniques along with rheology to a wide spectrum of complex fluids including colloidal glasses, micellar polymer gels, polysaccharide hydrogels and soft biomaterials; and for her contributions to the understanding of dynamically arrested states and re-entrant behavior in colloidal systems.

  • Indian-Origin Parents Plead for Return of Children from Foster Care in UK

    Indian-Origin Parents Plead for Return of Children from Foster Care in UK

    LONDON / CHENNAI  (TIP): An Indian-origin couple who won a major UK court appeal recently that prevented their children from losing their Indian citizenship are now appealing for authorities in Britain to allow their two minor children in foster care in Britain to be reunited with their family to live in India.

    The parents, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are originally from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and moved to the UK in 2004. They lost all contact with their children – a son aged 11 and daughter aged 9 – in August 2015 when they were taken into the care of the local childcare authorities in Birmingham.

    Their case has been going through the family courts in Britain and last week, a UK Court of Appeal judgment concluded that the Birmingham Children’s Trust must seek the court’s approval before any attempt to apply for British citizenship for the children in the face of “parental opposition”.

    “I am an Indian national. The children are Indian nationals too. We would love to go to India. We don’t want British citizenship for the children. We have made this clear,” said the 52-year-old father, a civil engineer struggling to make ends meet in Birmingham.

    “The Indian High Commission supported the return of my children in the court proceedings,” he said.

    The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Birmingham said it has been providing consular and legal assistance to the parents in their four-year-long legal battle.

    “We had submitted in the honorable Family Court in Birmingham that the Indian Consulate wishes to provide assistance for the children’s welfare needs and provide the necessary arrangements to provide the Indian passports for the children and will fund the costs of the flights and transportation to India and overseeing their care arrangements,” the CGI in Birmingham noted in a statement.

    The CGI said that it continues to offer support and monitor the progress in the case and had also assisted the parents to procure a home study report from the Child Welfare Committee, District Nagapattinam, regarding prospective custodians of the children in Tamil Nadu.

    “We must understand that the case is sub-judice and any comments on this case may not be appropriate,” the Indian consulate noted.
    The case was described by the UK Court of Appeal as a “challenging one for everyone”, with the Tamil-speaking parents requiring interpreters.

    In the latest appeal, the father was represented by prominent Indian lawyer Harish Salve, who argued that a change of citizenship marks a “fundamental change” and “matter of great moment”, which may or may not be in the children’s interests.

    The reasons behind the children’s removal from their parents” care were not revealed in court but a previous ruling in December last year determined that the minor boy and girl must remain in long-term foster care for the remainder of their childhoods.

    “My sole purpose of staying back here [in Birmingham] is to get my children released from the UK authorities and have them returned to India, whether with or to approved relatives… The children will lead a peaceful life with safety and security in India,” said the father, speaking in Tamil.

    His wife, a 45-year-old Indian national also from Tamil Nadu, is now living in Singapore with her mother and the couple’s four-and-a-half-year-old daughter, born after she left the UK while pregnant over fears of losing her third child to foster care as well.

    “Don’t I care for my third child well now? Their accusations are just false. They separated my children from me… I was not able to comprehend what was happening and I was just stunned. I asked for an interpreter since I could not understand English much,” said the tearful mother from Singapore, also speaking in Tamil.

    In court, she was assisted by Delhi-based advocate Nandita Rao, described as a legally qualified “McKenzie friend” – or someone who assists a litigant in UK court proceedings by giving advice.

    “In my personal capacity, as a person interested in child rights, I would suggest that the Birmingham authority ought to assess its capacity to preserve the nationality of children (who are not citizens of the UK) in the foster care system,” said Mr Rao.

    “Nationality has a de jure part (i.e. identity in law) and a de facto part (cultural identity). The latter includes preserving the language, food habits, social and family contacts of the child. If the authority is not in a position to ensure the cultural identity of a child is preserved… the local authority should explore foster care for the child in his home country, unless the child is an asylum seeker or has a risk of persecution in its home country,” she said.

    The local authority, the Birmingham Children’s Trust, said it was considering the implications of the judgment handed down by the UK Court of Appeal on August 6.

    “We have received the judgement and we will be considering the outcome and implications in our future practice,” said a spokesperson for the Birmingham Children’s Trust.

    Last week’s ruling had acknowledged that changing a child’s citizenship was a “momentous step” and not a routine matter.

    “Changing a child’s citizenship is a momentous step with profound and enduring consequences that requires the most careful consideration… The local authority should now indicate whether it wishes to progress the matter, in which case we will give appropriate directions,” it noted.

  • Indian-American Muslims, Sikhs on Kamala Harris say “Great Deal to all Immigrants”

    Indian-American Muslims, Sikhs on Kamala Harris say “Great Deal to all Immigrants”

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Indian-American Muslims and Sikhs here have hailed the selection of Senator Kamala Harris as the Democratic party’s vice-presidential candidate, calling it a remarkable success for the entire community.

    Democratic party’s presidential candidate Joe Biden on Tuesday, August 11,  picked Ms Harris as his running mate, recognizing the crucial role Black voters could play in his determined bid to defeat President Donald Trump in the US presidential election.

    The 55-year-old California senator, whose father is from Jamaica and mother an Indian, becomes just the third woman to be selected as the vice president on a major party ticket. Then-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in 2008 and New York Representative Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 were the other two.

    In a statement, the Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) congratulated Ms Harris on her nomination and lauded the Indian-American community for its extraordinary success in the face of tough competition in US in just about five decades.

    Kaleem Kawaja, the executive director of AIM, expressed joy at the remarkable high success of a second generation Indian-American in becoming a candidate for the second highest public office in America.

    Kamala Harris is the daughter of Prof Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer biologist, who was from Chennai, India, and had emigrated to US in 1965.

    Welcoming the addition of Ms Harris to the Democratic presidential ticket, Dr Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education and Senior Adviser to National Sikh Campaign, said that it is a great step for such as major party to add someone from the minorities for the national office in America.

    “It means a great to deal to blacks, women and to all immigrants,” he said.

    “We are thankful to both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for reminding Americans about the 8th anniversary of the shooting at Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, just a few days ago. We need more of our political leaders to be forthcoming on these critical issues of gun violence and hate crimes facing America,” Dr Singh said.

    Ms Harris being on the national ticket opens the door for many people from all minority communities to aspire to lead this great nation, Dr Singh added.

     

     

     

  • Indian Origin Sikh Man Dies Trying to Rescue 3 Children from Drowning

    Indian Origin Sikh Man Dies Trying to Rescue 3 Children from Drowning

    CALIFORNIA (TIP): A 29-year-old Sikh man died after he jumped into a river to rescue three children who were swept away in the US state of California, according to media reports.

    The man, identified as Manjeet Singh, was visiting Reedley Beach on Wednesday evening near his home in Fresno County when he saw the three children struggling in the Kings River, the media reported on Friday.

    Two eight-year-old girls and a 10-year-old boy were playing in the river when they were pulled under a bridge by the current, CNN quoted Reedley Police Department commander Mark Ediger as saying.

    Manjeet Singh, who was at the river with his brother-in-law and other friends, removed his turban and attempted to use it as a rope to pull the children in but was quickly pulled under himself.

    “He went in to try and help them and unfortunately, went underwater fairly quickly and never came back up,” said Reedley police commander Marc Ediger.

    Manjeet Singh was found unresponsive 40 minutes later, downriver. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

    Other bystanders were able to pull two of the children out to safety. One of the eight-year-old girls was underwater for about 15 minutes before she was pulled out, Ediger said. She was taken to Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno and as of Friday afternoon remained in critical condition and on life support.

    Singh moved to California from India two years ago. He had plans to start a trucking business and had been taking truck-driving lessons on Wednesday before visiting the river.

  • Indian American Community Organizes Memorial Run for Researcher killed in Park

    Indian American Community Organizes Memorial Run for Researcher killed in Park

    Lovllien Kaurr

    DALLAS  (TIP): Hundreds of community members at Plano city in Texas state of the US organized a memorial run in honor of an Indian-American woman researcher and athlete who was killed last week while she was out jogging.

    According to the police, 43-year-old Sarmistha Sen was randomly attacked and killed while jogging on August 1 near the Chisholm Trail Park in Plano.

    Her body was found lying in the creek-area near Legacy Drive and Marchman Way by a passer-by. Sen was a pharmacist and researcher who studied molecular biology and worked with cancer patients.

    She was originally from Sindri in Jharkhand and moved to Plano after her marriage to Arindam Roy. She has two young sons.

    At the daybreak on Saturday, local community members gathered at the Chisholm Trail Park to pay their tributes to Sen. They organized a memorial run/walk on the same trail she frequented and followed the path of the park which she took on the day of her murder.

    “She did leave an imprint behind and that is why we are all here today to remember her,” one of Sen’s friends said.

    Later in the afternoon, a large number of people showed up to pay respects to Sen and her family at a public visitation.

    Police arrested a 29-year-old youth on the same day of Sen’s murder for a burglary that happened in the area.

    According to police, Bakari Moncrief is a person of interest in Sen’s death and remains in jail on an unusually high USD 1 million bond but he is not charged in Sen’s murder.

    Sen used to run the popular Chisholm Trail nearly every morning before her children woke up.

    A day after her killing, strangers, neighbors and friends surrounded two trees near the park with flowers and hundreds of running shoes.

    Sen’s husband has set up a CaringBridge page to share Sen’s story and a GoFundMe page, all proceeds of which will be donated to charities devoted to issues that she deeply cared about such as cancer awareness, cancer research, healthy living and protection of the environment.

  • FIA Hosts Community Reception to Welcome New Consul General of India in New York

    FIA Hosts Community Reception to Welcome New Consul General of India in New York

    FORDS, NJ (TIP): The Federation of Indian Association of NY, NJ, CT (FIA Tristate) hosted a welcome reception on Aug. 7, 2020 for Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, the newly appointed Consul General of India in New York, at the Royal Albert’s Palace in Fords, New Jersey.

    It was an intimate affair due to New Jersey state and local restrictions and regulations on gatherings.

    FIA leadership, prominent members of the Indian American community and members of the press attended the event. Guests networked and mingled with each other, observing social distancing guidelines.

    Ambassador Randhir Jaiswal and Deputy Consul General Shatrughna Sinha with FIA leadership

    Andy Bhatia, member of the FIA Board of Trustees, compered the evening. FIA leaders including President Anil Bansal, Chairman Ankur Vaidya, senior advisors  Dr. Sudhir S. Parikh and   Dr. H. R. Shah, among others, welcomed Consul General Jaiswal and Deputy Consul General Shatrughna Sinha.

    Dr. V. K. Raju, founder and president of the Eye Foundation of America, spoke eloquently about the importance of vision and the role his organization plays in restoring vision for the underprivileged community in India and around the world.

    Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, Chief Editor of The Indian Panorama who spoke on the occasion was appreciative of FIA’s tremendous contribution in forging the spirit of nationalism among the Indian American community through the India Day Parade to commemorate the Independence Day of India, and hoped that the 50th annual India Day parade next year will attract bigger crowds and prove to be historic. He also spoke of the need for greater cooperation between the Consulate and community organizations, in particular with the FIA which he said, is the most representative organization of the Indian American community.

    Mahesh Bhagia (right), chairman of the Edison Democratic Party, delivering a Proclamation from the State Assembly to Consul General Jaiswal. Also seen in the picture, from L to R: H.R. Shah and FIA President Anil Bansal

    Mahesh Bhagia, chairman of the Edison Democratic Party, delivered a Proclamation from the State Assembly to Consul General Jaiswal.

    Dipak Patel, FIA Board of Trustees, introduced the Consul General. Prior to being appointed the Consul General of India in New York, Jaiswal was the Joint Secretary cum Social Secretary to the President of India Ramnath Kovind. A 1998 Indian Foreign Service officer, Jaiswal headed the foreign affairs office of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and advised the President on India’s foreign policy. Prior to that he served as the Consul General of India in Johannesburg in South Africa.

    In his address, Consul General Jaiswal thanked the FIA for a warm welcome, and acknowledged the contributions made by the community in various fields. “The Indian story all over the world is very engrossing, very deep” he said. “It is a story that carries a message of peace and harmony.” Consul General Jaiswal lauded the FIA for putting a stamp on New York City with its flagship India Day Parade “which has become iconic, not just in New York and in this country, but all over the world.”

    Consul General Jaiswal noted that the Indian American story is that of “peace and progress,” as well as a story of “sharing and caring for others.” And that, he said, is what defines the community and has also become its identity. He urged the community to keep playing a pivotal role in “strengthening the friendship between the U.S. and India, which is going to be a defining pathway of the century.” He said he is looking forward to the time when the Indian American community “will have a stronger imprint of our strength, of our hard work, of our identity, culture, color, and vibrancy, in this country and everywhere else.

    He said he seemed the community’s support and wishes, as he “carries out his responsibilities as a representative of the Government of India.” The Consulate will “have an engaging relationship with the FIA,” he said, and added that during this time of the pandemic “we have to see how to hold each other’s hands and see how best we can help each other.”

    FIA ladies with Ambassador and FIA President
    Photos / Paresh Gandhi -Gunjesh Desai

    He said he looks forward to interacting with the Indian American community which is full of “great ideas and great energy.” He said the Consulate General of Indian in New York is “looking forward to supporting the FIA support next year when it will celebrate 50 years. He said, he, along with his college Deputy Consul General Sinha and the entire team in New York is “ere for you whenever you need us.

    Consul General Jaiswal’s first introduction to prominent members of the community was on July 19, a few hours after his arrival in New York. He administered the oath of office to FIA’s new executive committee. “No sooner than I arrived in New York, I had the opportunity to engage with a few members of the Indian American community when I swore-in the new FIA team,” he said.

     

  • Harris promises jobs, fight climate change and affordable care act as part of Biden administration

    Harris promises jobs, fight climate change and affordable care act as part of Biden administration

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic party’s vice-presidential nominee, has said that once elected the Joe Biden administration will create millions of jobs, fight climate change and build an affordable care act among various other strong initiatives for the welfare of Americans.

    Hitting hard on the three and half years of the Trump administration during her first appearance after being picked as the vice-presidential nominee of the Democratic party on Tuesday, Harris, 55, presented a long list of missteps taken by the current US government.

    “As Biden-Harris Administration, we will create millions of jobs and fight climate change through a clean energy revolution, bring back critical supply chains so the future is made in America, build on the Affordable Care Act so everyone has the peace of mind that comes with health insurance, and finally offer caregivers the dignity, the respect, and the pay they deserve,” she said.

    “We’ll protect a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her own body, root out systemic racism in our justice system, and pass a new Voting Rights Act, a John Lewis Voting Rights Act, that will ensure every voice is heard and every voice is counted,” Harris added.

    During her speech alongside Biden, Harris said the case of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence is open and she has worked every day to hold the officials accountable to the American people.

    “Let me tell you, as somebody who has presented my fair share of arguments in court, the case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut,” said Harris.

    “And the people are who Joe and I will fight for every day in the White House,” she said.

    During the speech, she mentioned a lot of sectors where the current administration has created a complete mess.

    “Just look where they’ve gotten us. More than 16 million out of work, millions of kids who cannot go back to school, a crisis of poverty, of homelessness afflicting black, brown, and indigenous people the most, a crisis of hunger afflicting one in five mothers, who have children that are hungry, and tragically, more than 165,000 lives that have been cut short, many with loved ones who never got the chance to say goodbye,” she said.

    “It didn’t have to be this way. Six years ago, in fact, we had a different health crisis. It was called Ebola. And we all remember that pandemic. But you know what happened then? Barack Obama and Joe Biden did their job. Only two people in the United States died, two,” Harris said.

    That is what’s called leadership, she told the audience.

    “But compare that to the moment we find ourselves in now. When other countries are following the science, Trump pushed miracle cures he saw on Fox News. While other countries were flattening the curve, he said the virus would just, poof, go away like a miracle,” she alleged.

    She said it was due to the fault of the Trump administration that the US had to shut down various of its regions again while other countries were opening up.

    “So when other countries open back up for business what did we do? We had to shut down again. This virus has impacted almost every country, but there’s a reason it has hit America worse than any other advanced nation,” she said.

    Harris alleged that it is because of Trump’s failure to take it seriously from the start.

    “His refusal to get testing up and running, his flip-flopping on social distancing and wearing masks, his delusional belief that he knows better than the experts. All of that is the reason, and the reason that an American dies of COVID-19 every 80 seconds,” she said.

     “It’s why countless businesses have had to shut their doors for good. It’s why there is complete chaos over when and how to reopen our schools. Mothers and fathers are confused and uncertain and angry about childcare, and the safety of their kids at school, whether they’ll be in danger if they go or fall behind if they don’t. Trump is also the reason millions of Americans are now unemployed. He inherited the longest economic expansion in history from Barack Obama and Joe Biden,” she said.

    Harris said that this is what happens when one elects a person “who just isn’t up for the job”.

    “Our country ends up in tatters, and so does our reputation around the world. But let’s be clear. This election isn’t just about defeating Donald Trump or Mike Pence. It’s about building this country back better, and that’s exactly what Joe and I will do,” she said.

    She said the Biden-Harris administration will ensure equality for the people of America.

    “The civil rights struggle is nothing new to Joe. It’s why he got into public service. It’s why he helped reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and restore unemployment discrimination–and employment discrimination laws. And today, he takes his place in the ongoing story of America’s march toward equality and justice as only–as the only, as the only who has served alongside the first black president and has chosen the first black woman as his running mate,” Harris said.

    (Source: PTI)

     

  • August 14 New York & Dallas E – Edition

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    E-Edition

    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Special Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F08%2FTIP-August-14-Special-Dual-Edition.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”100689″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/TIP-August-14-Special-Dual-Edition.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”82828″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][vc_single_image image=”82829″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Lead Stories This Week” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2F%20|||”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”mh-sidebar”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • August 7 New York & Dallas E – Edition

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    E-Edition

    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F08%2FTIP-August-7-Dual-Edition.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”100627″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/TIP-August-7-Dual-Edition.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”82828″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][vc_single_image image=”82829″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Lead Stories This Week” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2F%20|||”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”mh-sidebar”][/vc_column][/vc_row]