The Indian Panorama

Tag: LeadStory

  • Diwali at Times Square

    Diwali at Times Square

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  • WE WISH OUR READERS A HAPPY NAVRATRI, JEWISH NEW YEAR, ISLAMIC NEW YEAR

    WE WISH OUR READERS A HAPPY NAVRATRI, JEWISH NEW YEAR, ISLAMIC NEW YEAR

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    WE WISH OUR READERS A HAPPY NAVRATRI, JEWISH NEW YEAR, ISLAMIC NEW YEAR

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  • Twitter hires Indian American Sriram Krishnan as director of product team

    Twitter hires Indian American Sriram Krishnan as director of product team

    TIP: Micro-blogging website Twitter has hired Indian-born Sriram Krishnan, a former top executive from Facebook and Snap, as its Senior Director of Product.

    “I’m going to be joining Twitter and become a part of #theflock to work with the fantastic product team there,” Krishnan tweeted. A well-known product executive around Silicon Valley, Krishnan has primarily focused on ad technology.

    As someone who uses Twitter a LOT, I’m a big believer in the impact it has on the world in ways big and small, especially in recent times. Krishnan earlier tweeted

    “So so so so so so excited to have you Sriram! Welcome home,” tweeted Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey late on Monday.

     Starting October 2, he will be responsible for core features inside the main app, including timeline, direct messaging and search.

    Krishnan will report to Keith Coleman, Twitter’s Vice President of Product.

    According to a Recodereport, Krishnan left Facebook in February 2016 where he helped build the company’s ad network as well as audience network. At Snap, he helped build out the company’s ads API to help lead advertising efforts at Snapchat’s parent company Snap. He quit Snap in February, just a month ahead of the company’s IPO.

    At Facebook, he led “Facebook Audience Network” to take on Google.

    With inputs from IANS & Firstpost

     

  • Indian American girl makes it to US army

    Indian American girl makes it to US army

    18-year-old Sukhleen inducted as private after combat training

    KAPURTHALA (TIP): Less than a year after moving to the US with her family, 18-year-old Begowal girl Sukhleen Dhillon has been inducted as a private in the army, according to a September 16 Tribune report filed by Aparna Banerji.

    Sukhleen’s father, Jatinder Singh Mintu, who is on a visit to Kapurthala these days, proudly shows the certificate issued by the Fort Jackson Army Training Camp in July. It reads: “This certificate is presented to Pvt Dhillon Sukhleen Kaur, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment, for successful completion of basic combat training.”

    Sukhleen is part of a company of 450 young recruits training in Georgia. She is the only Indian girl cadet among them, while there are several Indian men.

    Speaking to The Tribune from Georgia, she said, “It’s special to have come this far. I have handled tricky weapons and walked over 10 miles carrying weights of more than 30 pounds. It feels nice to make my parents and country proud.” She is keen on becoming a lieutenant.

    Jatinder, accompanied by his brother Kulwinderjit Singh, said, “Sukhleen initially felt lonely in the US. She then started following army aspirants on the internet. Soon, she surprised us by saying that she wanted to join the US army.”

    Jatinder, who is in the construction business, admitted that the family once had doubts whether she would be able to train so hard. “During a training session, she suffered a fracture. We got worried and thought of calling her back. But she stayed put and said the injury would heal soon. We realized that she would pursue her dream at any cost,” said the Kapurthala native, whose grandfather and paternal uncles served in the Indian Army.

    Sukhleen studied at Begowal till Class VI and then moved to Amritsar after her mother, Balbir Kaur, got a job as a school principal there. She studied in the holy city till Class XII before shifting to the US last year. She wants her brother, Arshdeep, to join the army as well.

  • September 15 New York Print Edition

    September 15 New York Print Edition

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    Print Replica ~ Digitally

    E-Edition

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  • Bollywood Boulevard: A Journey Through Hindi Cinema

    Bollywood Boulevard: A Journey Through Hindi Cinema

    India’s Identities Through Bollywood Cinema: Panel discussion at Lincoln Center

    By Mabel Pais

    India’s Identities through Bollywood Cinema, was a panel discussion at one of Lincoln Center’s Film Center, in early August.  It explored the Hindi film industry’s (colloquially known as Bollywood) role in uniting Indians from different religious, ethnic, linguistic, economic, and class backgrounds. For over a century Bollywood has attempted to represent the country’s multitude of voices.

    The panel of expert filmmakers, journalists, and academics explored how Bollywood cinema represents India’s various identities and how that storytelling can continue to evolve and include all Indians.

    The moderator, Pulkit Datta, a freelance filmmaker, led the discussion.  He has worked on a wide variety of productions internationally, in addition to writing, directing and producing his own passion projects. Datta is also the Media Producer for The India Center Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting dialogue and cultural exchange between the U.S and India.

    Panelists were Tejaswini Ganti (Associate Professor, NYU), Sri Rao (screenwriter/producer), and Anisha Jhaveri (Film Critic, Indiewire).

    Bollywood Boulevard: A Journey Through Hindi Cinema, was the mainstay to the dual events on Bollywood.  Created by MELA Productions in association with Aaditaal Music Project, the song-and-dance presentation debuting in August, was part of Summer 2017 Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors Festival at Damrosch Park.  It attracted over 4,000 patrons.

    Scenes from various Bollywood movies.
    Photos / courtesy Heena Patel, MELA Group
    Scenes from various Bollywood movies.
    Photos / courtesy Heena Patel, MELA Group

    Bollywood Boulevard — a harmonious fusion of live music, dance, and film — led you from the birth of Hindi cinema to present day. You experienced the spirit, artistry, and history of India’s famous film industry from the classics of the black-and-white era and the timeless songs of Bollywood’s Golden Era to the foot-tapping blockbusters of today.

    The event was inspired by the music of R.D. Burman, Lata Mangeshkar, and A.R. Rahman, the dance moves of superstars like Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra, and romance as captured by Raj Kapoor and Yash Raj Chopra. It was an escape to grand palaces and mustard fields and dance clubs. Bollywood had captured the hearts of billions across the world over the generations for its vibrance, emotions, and heart-pounding beat that inspired the world’s largest entertainment industry.

    While the performance cast hails from the Tri-state, the project itself was an international collaboration between creatives based in the U.S. and India. Featuring 18 dancers, 9 musicians, digital backdrops and short films, over 100 years of Indian artistry of Hindi cinema was alive during this exuberant stage show. This vibrant group of dancers and musicians took the audience on a journey through time as they captured the history of Bollywood, from black-and-white classics to colorful blockbusters, stringing the spirit and romance of India’s grand palaces, mountain vistas, and sweeping mustard fields to Damrosch Park.

    Bollywood Boulevard demonstrated the magnetic power of Hindi cinema and Indian entertainment. Audience members engaged in the performance by singing along with the singers and dancing in the aisles.

    Lincoln Center not only served as the presenter of the show, but also the lead commissioning partner, breathing life into an idea conceived by Heena Patel of MELA Productions and created in partnership with Rushi Vakil of Aaditaal Music Project.

    “There are so many skilled Bollywood dancers and musicians in the five boroughs and New Jersey – Lincoln Center’s backyard – but with limited professional opportunities. By commissioning this show, it was an opportunity for us to invest in the next generation of creators from this community and showcase what they are capable of,” says Jill Sternheimer, Director of Public Programming at Lincoln Center.

     “Every person involved is an ardent fan of Hindi cinema and their passion could be seen in each aspect of the show,” says India-based executive producer, creator, and music director Rushi Vakil.

    “The premiere was more than what we could have imagined. It truly was an evening of pure love, joy, and beauty, and to see the show so thoroughly enjoyed made all the hard work of the last 8 months worth it,” says U.S.-based executive producer, creator, and dancer Heena Patel.

    Scenes from various Bollywood movies.
    Photos / courtesy Heena Patel, MELA Group

    With the overwhelmingly positive response, Bollywood Boulevard will commence on a tour in early 2018 with a series of performances in February and March in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New York before heading across the country later in the year.

    Executive Producer Heena Patel, MELA Productions (USA); Rushi Vakil, Aaditaal Music Project (India)

    Artistic Director Heena Patel; Music Director, Original Music, Background Score Rushi Vakil; Music Team Kanishka Bhatia, Maharshi Patel, Anil Jeengar; Choreographer Rohit Gijare (USA); Assistant Choreographer Aaliya Islam; Scriptwriter Bhargav Purohit (India); Film and Animation Faldu Studio (India); Backdrop Production Nyasa Productions (India); Costume Designer Vaishali Vakil, Kasbee (India)

    Scenes from various Bollywood movies.
    Photos / courtesy Heena Patel, MELA Group

    Dancers included Aaliya Islam, Aria Dandawate, Avinash Gabbeta, Barkha Patel, Bhumit Patel, Bindi Patel, Geatali Tampy, Heena Patel, Manav Gulati, Minal Mehta, Payal Kadakia, Poonam Desai, Pranav Patel, Proma Khosla, Rhea Ghosh, Rohit Gijare, Rohit Thakre, Sean Kulsum

    Musicians included Achal Murthy (Bass), Varun Das (Drumkit), Niranjan Nayar (Guitar), Rohan Prabhudesai (Keyboard), Sanjoy Karmakar (Percusion), Harini (Rini) Raghavan (Violin), Harini (Rini) Raghavan, Harshitha Krishnan, Krishna Sridharan, Neel Nadkarni (Vocals).

    Bollywood Boulevard was commissioned by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, along with the Bushnell Center for Performing Arts, and The Jay and Linda Grunin Center, with additional support from the Patels. Additional support for the Lincoln Center presentation came from the India Center Foundation, Anil Bansal, and Raoul Bhavnani.

    For more information on Bollywood Boulevard, please visit: http://bollywoodblvdshow.com/

    (Mabel Pais is a freelance writer.  She writes on the arts and entertainment, health and wellness, social issues and spirituality)

  • India Celebrates 70 Years of Independence at the United Nations

    India Celebrates 70 Years of Independence at the United Nations

    UNITED NATIONS (TIP): Ambassador Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the UN was present along with PRs/Ambassadors of several countries at the celebration of 70 years of India’s independence, hosted by the Permanent Mission of India.

    It was Indian ambience all over at the Delegates Dining Room at the United Nations building on September 8, 2017. In fact, the invitation itself with the picture of a man playing dhol (Indian drum) left one in no doubt that the event will offer music and, of course, food. And, so it was.

    Guests enjoying the musical extravaganza

    Over 600 hundred guests who descended at the beautiful venue, with East River flowing by and the colorful lights of Manhattan and Long Island lending romance and charm, were treated to Indian traditional and modern music and a delectable cuisine from various parts of the vast country that India is. It will be no exaggeration to claim here that India offers the most variegated food in the world. And, all of it is delicious.

    Guests were treated to a scintillating evening of music and dances
    Guests were treated to a scintillating evening of music and dances
    Guests were treated to a scintillating evening of music and dances

    A scintillating musical evening awaited guests who were treated to lovely Indian classical and modern music and enchanting dances, presented by Surati Performing Arts headed by an accomplished dancer Rimli Roy who has earned for herself the reputation of being a great promoter of Indian dance forms.

    Traditional welcome. Tilak being applied on a guest’s forehead

    The Indian hospitality was evidenced by the fact that the host, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin with his lovely wife Padma Akbaruddin, personally welcomed every guest. The deputy PR and his wife also joined them in welcoming guests who all were greeted at the entrance with a tilak on the forehead, an Indian way to show respect and express warmth.

     

     

  • Diwali At Times Square

    Diwali At Times Square

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  • New strategy, old game: on Trump and Afghanistan

    New strategy, old game: on Trump and Afghanistan

    By Varghese K. George

    “The Trump administration has presented its plan for Afghanistan as a regional approach — it’s anything but that”, says the author.

    “This is a continuation of the Obama administration’s policy. In 2015 and 2016, it had held back part of reimbursements to Pakistan from the Coalition Support Funds. Though Mr. Trump spoke tough on Pakistan, it is still unclear what could be the tough measures. Mr. White thinks overdoing this could be counterproductive: “Increased pressure is likely to push Pakistan into a corner, unlikely to deliver results in terms of cooperation on critical security issues. The insurgency in Afghanistan is largely organically funded. The safe havens help the Taliban, but I don’t think they are vital to the Taliban. So even if the pressure on Pakistan produces results, I don’t think its impact on the situation in Afghanistan will be significant.”

    “The core goal of the U.S. must be to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaeda and its safe havens in Pakistan, and to prevent their return to Pakistan or Afghanistan… And after years of mixed results, we will not, and cannot, provide a blank check (to Pakistan)… As President, my greatest responsibility is to protect the American people. We are not in Afghanistan to control that country or to dictate its future,” said the President of the United States, announcing a “regional strategy” for Afghanistan after the worst year of the conflict. The President was Barack Obama and the year was 2009.

    On August 21, when President Donald Trump unveiled his new “regional strategy” for Afghanistan, it was in large part a reiteration of the above speech in terms of strategic objectives. By now 2016 has become the worst year of the conflict. Mr. Trump’s speech was high on rhetoric and low on detail. Three weeks later, do we know better? Interactions with people close to the subject, including Ahmad Daud Noorzai, head of the office of President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan, and Joshua White, who was Director for South Asian Affairs at Barack Obama’s National Security Council, provide some clues.

    Junking timelines

    Mr. Trump’s announcement of military commitment without a deadline in Afghanistan could be a game changer, both agree. “The word on the street is that Afghans are happy. This allows us to create a culture of peace, to build institutions and improve delivery of public services,” Ahmad Daud Noorzai, said during an interaction with a group of journalists and experts at the Afghanistan embassy in Washington last week. He said the most important reason for Afghanistan’s failure to stabilize has been the uncertainty around security.

    Not announcing a timeline is wise strategy, feels Mr. White, who played a crucial role in President Obama’s Afghanistan strategy. “We examined the risk of drawdown and the outcomes looked ugly. Withdrawal would have been unwise. Significant scaling up of American troops would also have been unwise — that is the lesson that we learnt from the surge (in U.S. troop deployment in Afghanistan). We could not have fundamentally changed the balance of power without a large number of forces there forever,” he said in an interview at the Johns Hopkins University, where he teaches now (http://bit.ly/JoshuaTWhite).

    Mr. Noorzai said Mr. Trump’s declaration that the U.S. would go after terrorists has already made a difference on the ground in Afghanistan: “From the military point of view, this is a huge change. This has already impacted the armed insurgents. When your commander-in-chief says to go after the terrorists, the nature of the military presence changes.” So more than the number of American boots on the ground, the nature and quality of America’s military presence has changed, and this could make a difference.

    Pressure on Pakistan

    The most tangible measure against Pakistan came a week after Mr. Trump’s speech as the administration decided to keep $255 million in military assistance to Pakistan in suspension until Islamabad demonstrates action against terrorist groups. This was earmarked in the U.S. budget for 2017. In July, Defense Secretary James Mattis did not provide certification that Pakistan was taking action against the Haqqani network, and held back $50 million from reimbursements to Pakistan for logistical support for the war in Afghanistan.

    This is a continuation of the Obama administration’s policy. In 2015 and 2016, it had held back part of reimbursements to Pakistan from the Coalition Support Funds. Though Mr. Trump spoke tough on Pakistan, it is still unclear what could be the tough measures. Mr. White thinks overdoing this could be counterproductive: “Increased pressure is likely to push Pakistan into a corner, unlikely to deliver results in terms of cooperation on critical security issues. The insurgency in Afghanistan is largely organically funded. The safe havens help the Taliban, but I don’t think they are vital to the Taliban. So even if the pressure on Pakistan produces results, I don’t think its impact on the situation in Afghanistan will be significant.”

    Mr. Noorzai said Mr. Ghani is trying to impress upon Pakistan to make the best use of Afghanistan’s economic potential: “We have excellent relations with the countries on the north, west and south. New trade routes and opportunities are opening up and Pakistan has a lot to gain from it all.”

    Mr. Trump called upon India to play a larger role, but Washington’s expectations from India are very modest. No specific demand for monetary assistance has been made.

    Expectations from India

    The Trump administration, it appears, would like India to help in working with Afghanistan’s domestic factions in widening and buttressing the political legitimacy of the current government, and helping it improve its governance. For his part, Mr. Noorzai finds India’s increasing role in Afghanistan very welcome. “The Indian private sector must come to Afghanistan,” he said. “Start your business, make your profit. We could start with IT, we have so many needs. There is an impression in India that Indians are targeted in Afghanistan; Indians will need as much security as any other, but they can do their business. India needs to create a positive view in the country about Afghanistan so that the private sector understands the economic opportunity in Afghanistan.” Mr. White believes India has been self-restrained — “for good reasons” — in its role in Afghanistan, though from 2012 onwards the Obama administration was open to New Delhi playing any role that it could agree with the Afghan government. “There is value in signaling that the U.S. sees India as a critical partner for Afghanistan. But there is also a risk, because feeding Pakistan’s anxiety about Indian influence in Afghanistan is not necessarily helpful to either Washington or New Delhi,” he said.

    Following Mr. Trump’s speech, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said India has a role to play in changing Pakistan’s behavior: “India and Pakistan, they have their own issues that they have to continue to work through, but I think there are areas where perhaps even India can take some steps of rapprochement to improve the stability within Pakistan and remove some of the reasons why they deal with these unstable elements inside their own country.”

    Mr. White feels this is continuation of U.S. policy under President Obama: “The Trump administration has spoken more clearly and more directly about safe havens, not only for Afghan-focused groups but also for Indian-focused groups. But again, near the end of the Obama administration there were some strong statements and acknowledgment on that issue, particularly after the Uri attack.” He adds that America always wanted India to remain constantly engaged with Pakistan, “despite the disappointments India and the U.S.” had with Islamabad. There is an unmistakable level of continuity between the Obama and Trump administrations in viewing the India-Pakistan rivalry as a potential nuclear catastrophe. In fact, Mr. Trump mentioned that in his South Asia speech, and he has inherited the idea from the Obama era.

    Not exactly regional

    The Trump administration has presented the new strategy as a “regional” approach, but in the last three weeks it is clear that there is hardly any regional cooperation evolving or to be expected. Russia has termed the strategy a “dead end”, China has said Pakistan should be on board. The administration has acknowledged that Russia will work to undermine America in Afghanistan, but believes that China is interested in stability in Afghanistan. In June, the Pentagon’s half-yearly report on the situation in Afghanistan described India as “Afghanistan’s most reliable regional partner” and noted the interests — conflicting in many cases — of countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia and the Central Asian states in Afghanistan, not to mention Pakistan. The new strategy does not appear to be addressing this factor and other measures of the Trump administration could aggravate the rivalries. Herein lies the most serious challenge in making any meaningful progress in Afghanistan.

    (The author is a columnist with The Hindu)

     

  • Bullet Train to boost India-Japan bilateral ties

    Bullet Train to boost India-Japan bilateral ties

    Modi, Abe jointly Lay foundation stone for Rs 1.08 lakh-cr Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed train; 15 agreements signed GANDHINAGAR

    (TIP): It may have been a dream come true for PM Narendra Modi when, on September 14, he and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe jointly laid the foundation stone of India’s first much-hyped Rs 1.08 lakh crore bullet train corridor between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

    The two Prime Ministers also oversaw the signing of 15 memoranda of understanding, including on disaster risk management, skills development, connectivity, civil aviation and science and technology. On the second and concluding day of Abe’s visit, the two leaders issued a joint statement at the end of the 12th Indo-Japan Joint Summit.

    Speaking at the business summit, Abe said the foundation of the friendship between the two countries was laid when his grandfather, who was the then Prime Minister, visited India 60 years ago and his then Indian counterpart Jawaharlal Nehru accepted him with open arms though Japan then had just started to recover from the battering of the World War.

    “Today I and Modi have decided to start a new chapter in the friendship and develop stronger bonds between the two countries,” he said.

    Modi described Abe as a “great friend of India” and his “best friend”. Modi said in 2016-17, Japan invested $4.7 billion in India, 80% higher than the previous year. “Japan is the third largest investor in India. This shows the optimism in Japan about India’s economic development and bright future,” he said.

    Expecting the bullet train project to be completed by 2022-23, Abe said it would stand out as a towering example of the growing close ties between the two countries. He hoped that during his next visit to Gujarat, he would “come to Ahmedabad in the bullet train from Mumbai with Modi beside him, enjoying the beautiful scenery of India”.

    Both PMs also unveiled the plaque for an institute in Vadodara to train about 4,000 personnel to run the bullet train. The project would provide direct and indirect employment to about 20,000 people.

  • Dr. VK Raju Honored

    Dr. VK Raju Honored

    CONEY ISLAND, NEW YORK (TIP): Internationally renowned ophthalmologist Dr. VK Raju was, on September 14, honored by The Asha Niketan Community at a special event to honor the Founder-President of The Eye Foundation of America. Dr. Raju is a clinical Professor, department of Ophthalmology at West Virginia University. Through his Eye Foundation, he has been working all over the world, in particular in India, for the prevention of avoidable blindness among children. He runs eye hospitals in his native State of Andhra Pradesh.

    A renowned ophthalmologist, he has received a number of prestigious recognitions and honors. He was recently admitted to Toledo University Hall of fame.

  • Indian American Scientist Ananda Theertha Suresh honored with Paul Baran Young Scholar Award

    Indian American Scientist Ananda Theertha Suresh honored with Paul Baran Young Scholar Award

    NEW JERSEY (TIP): The Marconi Society, dedicated to furthering scientific achievements in communications and the Internet, will honor Google Research Scientist and UC San Diego PhD Ananda Theertha Suresh with the 2017 Paul Baran Young Scholar Award. The 28-year-old researcher will receive the award at an awards ceremony in Summit, NJ on October 3, 2017.

    Suresh’s research focuses on understanding the most efficient ways to use information, data and communication. As a PhD student at UC San Diego, Suresh showed why Good-Turing frequency estimation works well and developed improvements to the technique, creating an estimator that works across fields ranging from genetics to language modeling. At Google Research, his work helps provide sophisticated communications capabilities and applications to people with low bandwidth Internet connections and low-end devices.

    Suresh’s innovations in distribution estimation, co-authored with Alon Orlitsky and described in “Competitive Distribution Estimation: Why is Good-Turing Good,” won a best paper award at the 2015 Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) conference. In addition, the prestigious 2017 Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC) chose Suresh’s work for presentation at their first-ever “best of theory” session.

    “Ananda applied his philosophy to several important tasks in probability estimation, compression, classification, closeness testing, and outlier detection,” said Alon Orlitsky, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering and Suresh’s PhD advisor and nominator for the award. “In all these problems he derived crisp, insightful, and surprising results that often required broad vision, keen intuition, and mastery of diverse technical skills, a highly unusual combination for such a nascent researcher.”

    As a Research Scientist at Google Research, Suresh follows his passion to make communications available to everyone. Access and opportunities for those in developing countries are gated by low-bandwidth Internet services, as well as by low-end devices that have limited storage and intelligence. In most machine learning algorithms used to support capabilities such as autocomplete suggestions when a user is searching, the phone sends all the information about the search to the server and the server sends all the information back to the phone. Suresh’s algorithms reduce the amount of data that needs to be sent to the network on the uplink – the bottleneck in the entire process – thereby reducing data sent and data costs by orders of magnitude.

    According to Dr. Michael D. Riley, Principal Research Scientist and Manager at Google Research, “Ananda’s research has already led to algorithms that give better compression for a given decompression time budget than we have previously used and this work is now used by millions of people within speech and keyboard input applications in Google products.”

    “I am a great admirer of some of the previous Marconi Society Young Scholar winners and I am humbled and honored to be in their company,” said Suresh. “I look forward to interacting with the other Young Scholars and Fellows. I know that talking with them and learning from them will inspire me to tackle the most challenging problems in the world.”

    As the first in his family to attend college, Suresh’s goal is to deeply understand the fundamental limits of what is possible in data science so that he can develop a set of tools that will make an impact on people who have access to only limited resources.

    “Suresh’s work requires very diverse techniques ranging from high-dimensional statistics and approximation theory to information theory, which clearly demonstrates the depth of his understanding,” remarked Yihong Wu, 2011 Marconi Society Young Scholar, Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science at Yale University and collaborator at the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing. “Furthermore, it attests to his vision, intuition and good judgment as a theoretical data scientist. I am thoroughly impressed by his creative and systematic way of thinking and great tenacity when tackling tough research.”

    Young Scholar candidates are nominated by their academic advisors. Winners are selected by an international panel comprised of engineers from leading universities and companies, and receive a $4000 prize plus expenses to attend the annual awards event. Three other Young Scholars were also selected this year.

    Suresh will receive his award at the same event where former Bell Labs chief Arun Netravali, regarded as the “father of digital video,” will be honored with the $100,000 Marconi Prize.

     

  • University of North Texas Establishes Professorship in Jain Studies

    University of North Texas Establishes Professorship in Jain Studies

    DALLAS (TIP): The University of North Texas has named George Alfred James, a distinguished faculty member in the department of philosophy and religion, as its first Bhagwan Adinath Professor of Jain Studies. The professorship aims to promote Jainism, an ancient religion of India, in the US. It was created in the university’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences with a USD 500,000 gift from the Jain Education and Research Foundation.

    The professorship was established by the foundation to promote the study of Jainism, an ancient religion of India, in the United States. The central tenet of Jainism is nonviolence and love toward all living beings, with nonviolence, non-absolutism and non-possessiveness as the three main principles. Mahatma Gandhi adopted many Jain principles in his life, although he was born and raised Hindu. The professorship at UNT is named for the first Tirthankara, a spiritual guide in Jain tradition who preaches the dharma, or righteous path.

    On June 27, 2017 Jain Education and Research Foundation signed an MoU to establish the Professorship in Jain Studies at the University of North Texas (UNT). This was the second major initiative after successful establishment of the Bhagwan Mahavir Professorship of Jain Studies at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami in 2010. The professorship at FIU has flourished in the past 6 years exposing thousands of students to Jain values through academic courses and other programs. The program at UNT aims to follow in the footsteps of FIU to create a perpetual center of Jain education and research. UNT is ideally suited for this endeavor with its many scholars of Jainism and other Asian cultures. UNT is also one of the largest Tier-1 US universities with student body of almost 40,000 from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds.

    James, who joined the UNT faculty in 1983, has included information about Jainism in the courses on South Asian philosophy and world religions that he teaches in the Department of Philosophy and Religion. The department also occasionally offers a course on Jainism, which was created after Pankaj Jain was hired as an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Philosophy and Religion and the Department of Anthropology. Jain taught a similar course at North Carolina State University.

    James also studies environmental movements in India and has traveled extensively to the nation for his research.

    He said a Jain professorship at UNT “will help to fortify the religion program and provide UNT with distinction.”

    “Not every university includes information about Jainism as part of its courses, but there’s a long legacy of the influence of Jainism throughout history. The religion’s idea of nonviolence was extremely influential on Gandhi and also Martin Luther King, who adopted Gandhi’s actions during the civil rights movement,” he said. “Unfortunately, the idea of nonviolence is now getting less and less attention in the world.”

    Interest from the professorship’s endowment will eventually fund conferences focusing on nonviolence as it pertains to contemporary issues and bring speakers with expertise in Jainism to UNT, James said.

    David Holdeman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, said many faculty members and students in the college and at UNT are interested in cultural and social issues pertaining to India.

    “We hope that the Jain professorship will help to foster additional discussion not only of Jainism in particular but also of Indian religion and culture more generally. We are excited and grateful to be able to launch this new professorship,” he said.

  • Indian American Cosmetic Surgeon Reappointed to Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine

    Indian American Cosmetic Surgeon Reappointed to Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine

    LAS VEGAS (TIP): Las Vegas based Indian American cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Samir Pancholi has been reappointed to the Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine for a four year second term ending June 2021.

    Earlier, NV Governor announced the appointment of another Indian American Swadeep Nigam to the NV State Board of Osteopathic Medicine as a public member to the Board.

    Dr. Samir Pancholi is fellowship-trained in cosmetic surgery and a diplomat of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. After graduating from medical school, he completed a surgical internship at Ohio University and then spent 5 years training at Michigan State University in general surgery and then head, neck and facial plastic surgery training programs. In 2006, he completed an advanced, one year accredited Cosmetic Surgery fellowship training program through the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

    Dr. Pancholi has trained specifically in and exclusively practices cosmetic surgery. With an artistic approach, he has developed a focus in breast augmentation and breast implant revision surgery. As one of the fastest growing cosmetic surgery practices in Las Vegas, Dr. Pancholi is highly respected by his peers and considered a leading expert in cosmetic surgical procedures of the face and body.

    Throughout his career Dr. Pancholi has attained a number of accomplishments including publishing several articles and serving on cosmetic surgery boards and committees. He’s lectured on cosmetic surgery locally, nationally, and internationally; performed live surgery demonstrations of facial, breast, and body cosmetic procedures and taught other surgeons his techniques. In 2009, Dr. Pancholi was selected as a guest editor to review peer articles submitted to The American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery. This journal publishes leading research and advances in the world of cosmetic surgery.

    Dr. Pancholi was selected in 2010 as one of Las Vegas’ Top 40 Under 40, honored for gaining recognition in Las Vegas as a breast implant revision specialist. In 2011, he was recognized as a distinguished speaker by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and also selected as a chairperson to the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. In 2014, Dr. Pancholi was featured as one of Las Vegas’ Top 3 “Best-Dressed Gents” by Luxury Las Vegas Magazine, an honor that speaks to his eye for aesthetic detail, balance and proportion.

  • Members of WA Delegation Call for Protecting Dreamers

    Members of WA Delegation Call for Protecting Dreamers

    WASHINGTON (TIP): In a letter to President Trump, led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), members of the Washington congressional delegation, including Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Representatives Adam Smith (WA-09), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Denny Heck (WA-10) and Derek Kilmer (WA-06), urged President Trump to reconsider his decision to repeal DACA and make sure that Dreamers’ application information is not used for immigration enforcement. The members also called on President Trump to work with Congress to pass clean legislation to protect Dreamers.

     “We write to express our profound disappointment in your decision to repeal the DACA program. This repeal will impose severe harm, not only on the 800,000 DACA recipients nationally, but also the broader community,” the letter said. “We urge you to immediately work with Congress to pass clean legislation to protect Dreamers.”

    Earlier, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal heavily criticized Trump for his decision to terminate the DACA Program.

    “President Trump is destroying the future of nearly 800,000 young men and women who were brought here by their parents and know no other country but this one. After toying with their futures and raising their hopes with talk of his ‘big heart,’ Donald Trump has shown exactly what his priorities are. He has once again sided with hate and xenophobia, putting in place a repeal that is cruel, inhumane and unjust”, she said.

    Termination of the program will impact more than 17,500 Washingtonians who have been granted DACA status in Washington State. Moreover, this move by the Trump administration will cost the state an estimated $1.1 billion in annual gross domestic product (GDP).

  • Indian American Appointed as Top Economic Diplomat

    Indian American Appointed as Top Economic Diplomat

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The White House announced Sep 7th, President Trump’s intent to nominate Indian American Manisha Singh of Florida as Assistant Secretary of State, Economic and Business Affairs. When confirmed by the US Senate, Singh will succeed Charles Rivkin, who had resigned following Trump’s swearing-in as the 45th President of the United States. Ms. Singh is Chief Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska.   At the State Department, under President Bush, Singh served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs and as a senior aide to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

     Fluent in Hindi, Singh was born in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and moved to the US as a child. She earned an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from the American University Washington College of Law, a J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law and a B.A. from the University of Miami at the age of 19.  Singh is licensed to practice law in Florida, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, where she has worked at multinational law firms and worked in-house at an investment bank.  Ms. Singh also served as the first executive director of the Barer Institute for Law and Global Human Services at the University of Washington, School of Law, where she is crafted policy, albeit in an academic setting.

     In an interview to Washington Examiner, Ms. Singh credited her interest in public policy was piqued, on a high school visit to the Capitol, under a program called Congressional Classroom. After a successful stint in private practice, working as a legal advisor, Singh switched to translating practice into policy, while serving under Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Indiana, at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

     On the nomination, Sanjay Puri, Chairman, US India Political Action Committee, said, “USINPAC has worked with Manisha in the past during and she has a proven track record in dealing with foreign policy, trade, intellectual property issues and the law. She will be a great asset to the Trump administration. We wish Singh all the success for the confirmation process.

     

  • Poetry Corner – The Journey

    Poetry Corner – The Journey

    The journey acquaints the traveler,

    With roads narrow and wide.

    As they bend and curve; swivel and swirl,

    They take him places near and far.

    At times they teach him,

    The lessons of walking;

    Rugged they maybe- giving him a furious fight,

    Smooth they may turn out to be- proving it’s not so difficult all the while.

    As smooth seas never made skilled sailors,

    All the bumps, bends and brakes;

    Make him balance his staid.

    Fast ways never meant the destination was any nearer.

    He sees the sun strike a silent slumber;

    Worried, if he’ll never make it;

    But the road roars,

    Of the drawing destination.

    So he beats on, mindfully marching to make the future his present;

    Milestones moving by his side, painting pictures of proximity.

    (Mannat Arora, based in Ludhiana, India,  is a penultimate year student of Bachelors of Law at Panjab University. Winner of a national-level poetry competition, she strongly considers literature to be a food for the soul. She is a university topper.  She spends most of her time in her library or in the backyard playing with her dog)

  • After DACA Repeal Trump says he has ‘great love for young immigrants’

    After DACA Repeal Trump says he has ‘great love for young immigrants’

    Widespread condemnation of DACA Repeal

    WASHINGTON (TIP): US President Donald Trump has said that he has “great love” for young immigrants who came to America as children and hoped that the Congress would bring in a legislation to help them, hours after he scrapped an amnesty program for 8,00,000 undocumented workers.

    US Attorney-General Jeff Sessions on September 5 announced the rescinding of the Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA), an Obama-era amnesty program that granted work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children.

    The move likely to impact 800,000 undocumented workers including more than 7,000 Indian-Americans.

    “I have a great heart for the folks we’re talking about—a great love for them. And people think in terms of children, but they’re really young adults. I have a love for these people, and hopefully now the Congress will be able to help them and do it properly,” Trump told reporters at the White House, September 5.

    The decision has evoked widespread criticism with former President Barack Obama calling it calling it “wrong,” “self- defeating” and “cruel.”

    The announcement, which was anticipated for the past few days, was greeted with protests from across the country. The move is likely to impact 8,00,000 undocumented workers including more than 7,000 Indian-Americans.

    Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the White House yesterday demonstrating against Trump.

    The White House has defended the decision to rescind DACA.

    “There is a misconception that DACA primarily serves as a shield from deportation. This is misleading. DACA grants work authorization to nearly 800,000 individuals who are not legally authorized to work. DACA recipients, whose average age is in their 20s, were not an enforcement priority before, and they certainly won’t become a priority now,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said yesterday.

    “The priorities remain the same—criminals, security threats, and those who repeatedly violate our immigration laws,” she said.

    Sanders said the main effect of the announcement is that work permits and other government benefits are being gradually phased out.

    “No permits will be expiring for another six months, and permits will remain active for up to two full years. The president was elected partly on his promise to deliver meaningful immigration reform that puts the jobs, wages, and security of the American people first.

    “He is delivering on that promise every day, and he has put forward serious proposals to Congress that would responsibly end illegal immigration, prevent visa overstays, remove dangerous criminals, protect American jobs and wages,” she said.

    Responding to questions, Sanders exuded confidence that that the Congress is going to step up and do their job.

    “This is something that needs to be fixed legislatively, and we have confidence that they (Congress) are going to do that. And we stand ready and willing to work with them in order to accomplish responsible immigration reform, and DACA is certainly part of that process,” she said.

    Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the president is right to want this issue to be resolved legislatively.

    “Hopefully, while addressing it, we also will deal with a myriad of other issues that need to be corrected with our broken immigration system, including enhancing enforcement and security measures,” he said.

    Senator Chuck Schumer said most Americans know how heartless this DACA decision is, ripping apart families and telling people who worked so hard to become Americans for years that they now have to leave the country.

    “These are folks who were brought here as children, through no fault of their own. They may have known no other country but ours and have voluntarily registered themselves with the government in order to live, work and give back to our great country,” he said.

    Schumer said 91 percent of DACA recipients are employed, paying taxes and paying into Social Security.

    A study by the Center for American Progress earlier this year found that ending DACA would drain $433 billion from national GDP over 10 years, he said.

    “The human and economic toll of rescinding DACA will be far reaching. The Trump administration’s action to end DACA is senseless and cruel. California has its eyes on Congress to do what it should have done years ago, but we cannot bank on that.

    “So, the Governor stands with Attorney-General Becerra as he takes our fight to court to defend the Dreamers,” California Governor Edmund G Brown said.

    House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer has written a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan today urging him to allow consideration of amendments to the omnibus appropriations bill on the Floor this week that would prohibit the use of taxpayer funding by the Administration for certain purposes. (Source: PTI)

     

     

     

  • Ambassador Hardeep S Puri is appointed a Minister in Modi’s Rejigged Cabinet

    Ambassador Hardeep S Puri is appointed a Minister in Modi’s Rejigged Cabinet

    PM Narendra Modi reshuffled his cabinet September 3 and brought in nine new faces.

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi elevated four senior ministers to the cabinet rank as he roped in nine new faces to the Union council of ministers on September 3  morning.

    The ministers promoted were Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal and Nirmala Sitharaman.

    Nirmala Sitharaman is the First Woman Defence Minister After Indira Gandhi

    Here are the revised portfolios of the ministers:

    CABINET MINISTERS

    1. Rajnath Singh: Minister of Home Affairs.
    2. Sushma Swaraj: Minister of External Affairs.
    3. Arun Jaitley: Minister of Finance; Minister of Corporate Affairs.
    4. Nitin Jairam Gadkari: Minister of Road Transport and Highways; Minister of Shipping; Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
    5. Suresh Prabhu: Minister of Commerce and Industry.
    6. DV Sadananda Gowda: Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
    7. Uma Bharati: Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
    8. Ramvilas Paswan: Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
    9. Maneka Sanjay: Gandhi Minister of Women and Child Development.
    10. Ananthkumar: Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers; Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
    11. Ravi Shankar Prasad: Minister of Law and Justice; Minister of Electronics and Information Technology.
    12. Jagat Prakash Nadda: Minister of Health and Family Welfare.
    13. Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati: Minister of Civil Aviation.
    14. Anant Geete: Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
    15. Harsimrat Kaur Badal: Minister of Food Processing Industries.
    16. Narendra Singh Tomar: Minister of Rural Development; Minister of Panchayati Raj; Minister of Mines.
    17. Chaudhary Birender Singh: Minister of Steel.
    18. Jual Oram: Minister of Tribal Affairs.
    19. Radha Mohan Singh: Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
    20. Thaawar Chand Gehlot: Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.
    21. Smriti Zubin Irani: Minister of Textiles; Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
    22. Harsh Vardhan: Minister of Science and Technology; Minister of Earth Sciences; Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
    23. Prakash Javadekar: Minister of Human Resource Development.
    24. Dharmendra Pradhan: Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas; Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
    25. Piyush Goyal: Minister of Railways; Minister of Coal
    26. Nirmala Sitharaman: Minister of Defence.
    27. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: Minister of Minority Affairs.

    MINISTERS OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

    1. Rao Inderjit Singh Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning; Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
    2. Santosh Kumar Gangwar: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
    3. Shripad Yesso Naik: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).
    4. Jitendra Singh: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office; Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy; Minister of State in the Department of Space.
    5. Mahesh Sharma: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Culture; Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
    6. Giriraj Singh: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
    7. Manoj Sinha: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Communications; Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways.
    8. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports; Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
    9. Raj Kumar Singh: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Power; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
    10. Hardeep Singh Puri: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
    11. Alphons Kannanthanam: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Tourism; Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

    MINISTERS OF STATE

    1. Vijay Goel: Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; Minister of State in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
    2. Radhakrishnan P: Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance; Minister of State in the Ministry of Shipping.
    3. SS Ahluwalia: Minister of State in the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
    4. Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi: Minister of State in the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
    5. Ramdas Athawale: Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
    6. Vishnu Deo Sai: Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel.
    7. Ram Kripal Yadav: Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development.
    8. Hansraj Gangaram Ahir: Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    9. Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary: Minister of State in the Ministry of Mines; Minister of State in the Ministry of Coal.
    10. Rajen Gohain: Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways.
    11. VK Singh Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs.
    12. Parshottam Rupala: Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Minister of State in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
    13. Krishan Pal: Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
    14. Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor: Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
    15. Shiv Pratap Shukla: Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance.
    16. Ashwini Kumar Choubey: Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
    17. Sudarshan Bhagat: Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
    18. Upendra Kushwaha: Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
    19. Kiren Rijiju: Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs
    20. Virendra Kumar: Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development; Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
    21. Anantkumar Hegde: Minister of State in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
    22. MJ Akbar: Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs.
    23. Niranjan Jyoti: Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
    24. YS Chowdary: Minister of State in the Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State in the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
    25. Jayant Sinha: Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
    26. Babul Supriyo: Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
    27. Vijay Sampla: Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
    28. Arjun Ram Meghwal: Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; Minister of State in the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
    29. Ajay Tamta: Minister of State in the Ministry of Textiles.
    30. Krishna Raj: Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
    31. 31. Mansukh L Mandaviya: Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; Minister of State in the Ministry of Shipping; Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
    32. Anupriya Patel: Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
    33. CR Chaudhary: Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
    34. PP Chaudhary: Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice; Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
    35. Subhash Ramrao Bhamre: Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence.
    36. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat: Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
    37. Satya Pal Singh: Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development; Minister of State in the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
  • September 8 New York Print Edition

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  • Hardeep S Puri-Just Minted Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development

    Hardeep S Puri-Just Minted Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development

    By Ravi Batra

    Ambassador Hardeep S Puri, now Minister of State with Independent Charge of Housing and Urban Affairs in the rejigged Cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 4 May 2009 – 27 February 2013. His four years at the United Nations were eventful for Indian diplomacy when India pushed for a permanent seat on Security Council, and contributed hugely to furtherance of UN agenda. Outside the UN, Ambassador Puri was an admired and much-loved person for his qualities of head and heart, and an affable and winsome nature.

    The news of Mr. Puri’s induction in Modi cabinet immensely pleased his friends and admirers in New York. One of his closest friends, attorney Ravi Batra, sent in his comment to The Indian Panorama which we are hugely pleased to publish here. Mr. Puri assumed office on September 3.

    The Indian Panorama has had a long association with Mr. Puri who the newspaper featured a couple of times while he was stationed in New York. We are glad to see him in the select group guiding the destiny of a great democratic nation of 1.3 billion people. We wish him all success and happiness. We also congratulate his wife Ambassador Lakshmi Puri.  –EDITOR

    PM Narendra Modi has tapped H. E. Hardeep Singh Puri as the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development – directly answerable to him.  It’s a deeply happy and proud moment for all of us who know and love Hardeep, and who wish India well always (especially, to be America’s indispensable ally). This most difficult of assignments has been given to a man who was born to serve and has much to contribute to humanity – now, at least to 1.3 billion Indians who are impatient to realize their version of the American Dream.

    Like Ian Flemings’ 007 James Bond, Hardeep is India’s, to achieve the difficult goal and do it beyond expectations. My wife, Ranju and I were with him and Lakshmi in 2010 in the UNGA hall for the Security Council vote and witnessed that even as the Ballots were being given out, as India’s Permanent Representative, Hardeep (and DPR Manjeev Puri) was walking up and down the aisle to give that last “warm touch” of friendship to each nation’s PR. The result was that India won on the first ballot – with a near-unanimous support of 189 countries entrusting India with global peace and security – because of Hardeep Singh Puri. Our joy and love was palpable and overflowing. We saw nation after nation coming over to greet and celebrate him. The SC seat he won, he worked hard and earned a reputation for uncommon maturity in policymaking and a healthy distaste for regime change – even if it came camouflaged as Responsibility to Protect.

    Everybody knows of Hardeep’s service to India – from Sri Lanka, to Ambassador in London and Brasilia, and as Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and New York.  Now, India has entrusted an intractable portfolio to a man who, like Bond, always rise to the challenge to succeed handsomely. His innate ability to first harness the challenges, develop an action plan, and then effectuate it with sufficient perseverance, and sometimes with needed flexibility, to reach the goal beyond expectations. Knowing Hardeep, from friend to family, and more, PM Modi just harnessed the personal and professional relationships of a global superlative fiduciary of India to provide affordable housing and develop urban centers that comport to the Paris Accord and latest technology.

    Unlike the telephone sector success, when India escaped the landline telephone shortage and misery to 21st century digital mobile phones, in Housing & Urban Development there is no way to succeed by going 100% digital – as land will remain analogue, even if we embed it with digital upgrades.

    Yet, every Indian has the right to a roof over their head, clean water to drink, clean air to breathe and a waste management system worthy of a nation on a hasty march to enjoy her destiny with youthful vigor of an educated citizenry.

    To all who have played the game of obstruction of this Portfolio, beware as Hardeep-the-diplomat will overcome you – in his unique authoritative style. Perhaps, India noticed that the very evening of his Oath-taking, he held his first meeting with his top subordinates to harness the landscape and obstacles. The rest, as they say, will soon enough be history-making success for India – as entrusted to Hardeep by PM Modi.

    (Ravi Batra is a Lawyer; Chairman, National Advisory Council South Asian Affairs, and Greenstar Global Energy Corp.; and Pro Bono Advisor to the Ukraine Mission to the UN in New York. He can be reached at ravibatralaw@aol.com)

     

     

     

     

     

  • September 1 New York Print Edition

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  • Indian American Professor awarded Talanta Medal for outstanding contributions to analytical chemistry

    Indian American Professor awarded Talanta Medal for outstanding contributions to analytical chemistry

    ARLINGTON, TX (TIP):  Professor Purnendu “Sandy” Dasgupta, the Hamish Small Chair of Ion Analysis in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Arlington, has been named recipient of the 2017 Talanta Medal, an international award that recognizes world leaders in the analytical chemistry field.

    The Talanta Medal was initiated in 1961 by Pergamon Press, which was later acquired by multinational publishing group Elsevier, as a prestigious award of a gold medal for outstanding contributions to analytical chemistry. Dasgupta is the fourth American academic to win the award and the first of Indian origin. A special issue of Talanta, an acclaimed international journal devoted to Analytical Chemistry, will be published to coincide with the award ceremony, to commemorate this occasion.

    Dasgupta’s high-impact research is improving public health on a global scale, a clear demonstration of advancing the University’s Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions | Global Impact. Dasgupta has won numerous awards over the course of his career. In 2016, he was awarded the Eastern Analytical Symposium’s highest award, the Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Fields of Analytical Chemistry, and the Tech Titans Technology Inventors Award for his many innovations in chemical and environmental analysis.

    Other honors include the 2015 American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry J. Calvin Giddings Award for Excellence in Education; the 2012 Stephen Dal Nogare Award in Chromatography; the 2012 Wilfred T. Doherty Award, DFW Section of the ACS; and the 2011 ACS Award in Chromatography. He also was named a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and an honorary member of the Japan Society of Analytical Chemistry, both in 2015.

    Dasgupta received a bachelor’s degree with honors in Chemistry from Bankura Christian College in 1968 and a master’s degree in inorganic chemistry from the University of Burdwan in 1970, both located in West Bengal, India. He came to the United States in 1973 and earned his doctorate in analytical chemistry under Philip W. West, with a minor in electrical engineering, from Louisiana State University in 1977. He has published more than 400 papers and holds 29 patents.

  • Modi Cabinet Reshuffle: Uma Bharti, Rajiv Rudy and 3 other ministers quit

    Modi Cabinet Reshuffle: Uma Bharti, Rajiv Rudy and 3 other ministers quit

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi set in motion the reshuffle of his council of ministers with the resignation of at least half-a-dozen ministers, according to sources in the ruling BJP and the government.

    Small and medium enterprises minister Kalraj Mishra, water resources and Ganga rejuvenation minister Uma Bharti, skill development minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, minister of state for human resource development Mahendra Nath Pandey and minister of state for water resources Sanjiv Baliyan have quit the government.

    While Bharti met BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday, August 30, Mishra called on him on Thursday. Party sources said these were routine meetings.

    Rudy was among three ministers — the other two were steel minister Choudhury Birendra Singh and minister of state for human resource development Upendra Kushwaha — who met the BJP president last week.

    One of the ministers who submitted his resignation to party general secretary (organization) Ram Lal on Thursday said that he had been asked to step down. Even during the last reshuffle in July last year, sources said, ministers were asked to submit their resignations to the party leadership first.

    Modi will be out of the country from September 3 to September 7 for the Brics summit in China and a state visit to Myanmar. President Ram Nath Kovind is scheduled to visit Tirupati on Friday and will return to Delhi on Saturday afternoon, making September 2 the most likely date for the reshuffle.

    The latest reshuffle will be the third after Modi came to power in 2014.

    Among the ministers who resigned, Pandey was named the Uttar Pradesh BJP chief earlier in the day, and insiders said that Rudy may also be allotted organizational responsibilities.

    The latest round of resignations will add to the vacancies already created after defense minister Manohar Parrikar became the Goa chief minister, urban development and information & broadcasting minister Venkaiah Naidu quit to become vice-president, and environment minister Anil Dave died after a prolonged illness this May.

    Finance and corporate affairs minister Arun Jaitley was given the additional charge of defense, while Smriti Irani got the additional portfolio of information and broadcasting. Science minister Harsh Vardhan was allotted the environment ministry.

    At an event on Thursday, when Jaitley was asked how long he would have dual charge of the finance and defense ministries, he had replied: “At least, I hope, not very long.”

    Sources added that in the upcoming reshuffle, the NDA’s latest partner — Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) — may bag at least one berth. Kumar had left the NDA in 2013 but returned dramatically last month, dumping his poll partners Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress to renew an alliance with the BJP.

    Modi’s last reshuffle was in July 2016 when he brought in 19 fresh faces and promoted Prakash Javadekar to the Cabinet.

    Unconfirmed reports say transport and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari may get additional responsibility of railways.

    There is speculation whether some ministers will shed additional portfolios and if railway minister Suresh Prabhu will retain his position after two back-to-back derailments, killing at least 20 people, led him to take responsibility and offer to quit. Modi didn’t accept the resignation though, and asked him to wait.

  • US Retaliates Against Russia, Closes 3 Diplomatic Buildings

    US Retaliates Against Russia, Closes 3 Diplomatic Buildings

    WASHINGTON (TIP): In a tit-for-tat, Washington finally decided to retaliate against Russia, ordering Thursday, August 31, to close its Consulate in San Francisco and scale back its diplomatic presence in Washington and New York. The retaliation comes in the wake of Moscow forcing the cut in American diplomatic staff earlier this year in retaliation for U.S. sanctions. Washington had to reduce its diplomatic staff by 755 people.

    The Trump administration said the move constituted its response to the Kremlin’s “unwarranted and detrimental” decision to force the U.S. to cut its diplomatic staff in Russia. Under the order, Russia must close its San Francisco consulate by Saturday, along with Russia’s “chancery annex” in Washington and a “consular annex” in New York.

    “The United States is prepared to take further action as necessary and as warranted,” said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert. Still, she said the U.S. hoped both countries could now move toward “improved relations between our two countries and increased cooperation on areas of mutual concern.”

    Earlier this month, the Kremlin retaliated for stepped-up U.S. sanctions on Russia by announcing the U.S. would have to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people. During meetings in the Philippines shortly thereafter, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson left open the possibility the U.S., in turn, would retaliate for that move, and promised Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov a formal response by Sept. 1.

    The U.S. has said as a result, it will stop issuing visas at its consulates in Russia in cities other than Moscow. A senior U.S. official said Thursday that the U.S. reduction of diplomatic staff is complete.

    There was no immediate reaction from the Russian government. But given the back-and-forth nature of the escalating tensions over the past year, it was likely the Kremlin would feel compelled to respond by taking further action against the U.S.

    Nevertheless, the United States argued that the score has been evened, urging Russia not to retaliate for the retaliation. U.S. officials pointed out that Russia, when it ordered the cut in U.S. diplomats, had argued it was merely bringing the size of the two countries’ diplomatic presences into “parity.”

    “The United States hopes that, having moved toward the Russian Federation’s desire for parity, we can avoid further retaliatory actions by both sides,” Nauert said.

    The newly arrived Russian ambassador to the United States has invoked Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in saying Moscow will carefully consider its response to the order to close its consulate in San Francisco and scale back operations in Washington and New York.

    Anatoly Antonov flew into Washington on Thursday, hours after the State Department’s announcement of the closure.

    Russian news agencies quoted him as saying: “We have to act calmly and professionally. Speaking like Lenin, we don’t need hysterical impulses,” citing a Lenin maxim.

    Not much activity was detected outside the consulate building at 2790 Green Street in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood Thursday afternoon. A white van bearing the consulate logo could be seen parked outside. Several people, including aged relatives of people living in Russia, had shown up to get their passports renewed, and were surprised to hear the news.

    Women with suitcases could also be seen coming out of the building, but nobody offered any comment. News crews with cameras were parked outside the building.

    Daniel, a dual Russian citizen who was visiting the consulate Thursday, told NBC Bay Area he was blindsighted. “A lot of people feel blindsighted,” he said.

    Back in December, then President Barack Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats from the U.S., including four employees and their families from the Russian consulate.

    The four Russian consulate employees in San Francisco — including a chef accused of being a spy by the U.S. government — were ordered to leave the United States within 72 hours.

    At that time, the Consul General called Obama’s accusations against their staff “bizarre and ridiculous.”

    With this action both countries will remain with three consulates each. While there will continue to be a disparity in the number of diplomatic and consular annexes, we have chosen to allow the Russian Government to maintain some of its annexes in an effort to arrest the downward spiral in our relationship.

    The United States hopes that, having moved toward the Russian Federation’s desire for parity, we can avoid further retaliatory actions by both sides and move forward to achieve the stated goal of both of our presidents: improved relations between our two countries and increased cooperation on areas of mutual concern. The United States is prepared to take further action as necessary and as warranted.”