The Indian Panorama

Tag: LeadStory

  • Indian American Community hosts warm reception to welcome Ambassador Navtej Sarna

    Indian American Community hosts warm reception to welcome Ambassador Navtej Sarna

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The Indian American Community of Metropolitan Washington hosted a reception on December 4, 2016 at Fair Oaks, Virginia to welcome Ambassador Navtej Sarna who took charge as Ambassador of India to the United States of America on November 5, 2016 and to bid farewell to Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, DCM who is proceeding for his next assignment as High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka soon. The event was attended by over 350 prominent members of the Indian American Community.

    Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Navtej Sarna hailed Indian American community for its remarkable success in various areas and highlighted their contributions in strengthening Indo-US relationship.

    Ambassador Navtej Sarna announced a fresh initiative to improve the Consular service being provided by the Embassy. Starting first week of January 2017, Embassy and the five consulates located in New York, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Francisco will hold “Open House” once every fortnight wherein Senior Embassy/Consulate officials will attend to grievances of public on Passport, Visa and OCI cards in person. The date and time of each Open House session will be intimated on the website of the Embassy and the Consulates.

    In his remarks, Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, DCM also highlighted the role of the Indian American community in strengthening India US relationship. He stressed on the need to involve the youth of Indian American community in activities aimed at strengthening India US ties. The Indian-American Community of Metropolitan Washington felicitated him on the occasion.

  • The Young Prodigy – Jayalalithaa

    The Young Prodigy – Jayalalithaa

    Jayalalithaa was only 16 years old when she starred opposite M.G.R in Ayirathil Oruvan. The entire cast & crew would stand up every time the veteran actor walked in, but the Church Park educated, English speaking Jayalalithaa sat there with her legs crossed, reading her book. It was this audacity that went on to define the rest of her political career. Obviously, she was a charming, multi-faceted actor who was trained in various dance forms. But not so obviously, she was well read and witty, she was intelligent and she knew it. It was not merely her affair with MGR that drew her to politics, it was her prolific ability to speak in English & Hindi with an intellect that could match an economist. When MGR died, she sat conspicuously at his head for an entire two days, relegating his wife Janaki to a sidelined spot. Janaki’s aids tried to push her away, in fact pinched her, stepped on her feet, but she refused to budge. When she got on to the carriage for the final procession, she was visibly pushed off it in front of all television cameras. This effrontery was what would help her survive all those years of politics that would follow. The entire party split into two after MGR’s death, but four years later united under her leadership to form one formidable opposition.

    She won against all odds. She was a white skinned Brahmin in a party that thrived due to its Dravidian anti-class rhetoric. She was a glamorous actor who cannot be taken seriously. Above all, she was a woman trying to ascend to power in 1980s in Tamil Nadu. An unmarried, childless woman. To put it in context, she was not only walking a path of thorns, she did it in an oxygen less chamber while her arms and legs were tied. It’s a feat that she survived at all, not to mention that she thrived. In 1989, when she opposed Karunanidhi’s presentation of the budget, she was almost disrobed in the assembly. This was in addition to being the recipient of lewd comments and hair pulling. This is probably the highest documented insult that a woman has ever faced in a state Assembly. Yet she persisted. She came out of that incident more guarded than ever before. She wrapped herself in layers of clothing and stopped wearing any jewelry at all. She succeeded at ‘desexualizing’ herself and branded herself as ‘amma’ (mother), the only known way to gain respect in that highly testosterone filled environment.

    Everyone knows her as the person who silences opposition and who creates sycophants who fall at her feet and worship her. This was the only possible way she could command, consolidate and hold on to the otherwise elusive power. If she was any more cordial than this, she might have as well been an airhostess.

    She played popular politics. When the DMK promised laptops, she provided table fans, mixers and grinders instead all branded with her cherubic photograph on it. She accumulated disproportionate assets in 1996, and has faced her share of atonement. However, no one else, not even men, could have been a formidable opposition to the DMK that has systematized corruption and nepotism in ways that she couldn’t. Forget her followers who baselessly immolate themselves or cut off their fingers in a spree of blind devotion towards her. I have spoken to several civil servants of the state who claim they function with lesser interference under her leadership than under the other party.

    And with four and a half years of her term left, there is no single leader that can fill her void. It will be several years, even decades, before another woman can even remotely achieve what she did in a state like Tamil Nadu. Now her statues will come up all over the state, and for once I’m glad. In a few generations, all that will matter is that there is a woman’s statue as well, and that statue is not a mere kannagi who was venerated because she was a perfect wife, but of a woman who was a true and powerful leader of her own merit and her own making.

  • Trump names General James Mattis as his defense secretary

    Trump names General James Mattis as his defense secretary

    NEW YORK (TIP): Donald Trump’s win over Hillary Clinton has surprised many. But now the President-elect’s Cabinet picks also have created a buzz as he is building it with his allies, old friends, and even some past rivals.

    The latest to be named is General James Mattis as defense secretary (in picture above). Trump made the announcement in Ohio, December 1, at the start of a “USA Thank You Tour 2016” for his supporters. “We are going to appoint ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis as our secretary of defense,” he told the crowd in Cincinnati.

    “He’s our best. They say he’s the closest thing to General George Patton [World War Two commander] that we have.”

    Trump has previously described Gen Mattis, 66, as “a true general’s general”.

    Gen Mattis, who is known as “Mad Dog“, was an outspoken critic of the Obama administration’s Middle East policy, particularly on Iran.

    He has referred to Iran as “the single most enduring threat to stability and peace in the Middle East“.

    Gen Mattis is a former marine with battlefield experience.

    He led an assault battalion during the first Gulf war in 1991 and commanded a task force into southern Afghanistan in 2001.

    He also took part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and played a key role a year later in the Battle of Fallujah.

    Sen. Jeff Sessions, Attorney General
    Sen. Jeff Sessions, Attorney General

    Sen. Jeff Sessions, Attorney General – The Alabama senator became one of the first members of Congress to endorse Trump this February. He became an adviser on almost every major decision and policy proposal Trump made during the campaign. As the chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration, Sessions helped Trump craft a hardline immigration plan that he touted would prevent people from entering the country illegally. Sessions has opposed nearly every immigration bill that has come before the Senate the past two decades that has included a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally.

     

    Rep. Tom Price, Secretary of Health and Human Services
    Rep. Tom Price, Secretary of Health and Human Services

    Rep. Tom Price, Secretary of Health and Human Services -Georgia Rep. Tom Price, the six-term Congressmanis the fierce opponent of the Affordable Care Act. A Republican with a plan to simultaneously repeal and replace Obamacare, Obama’s signature legislative accomplishment, Price, 62, an orthopedic surgeon from the Atlanta suburbs and the chair of the House Budget Committee, began focusing his energies on dismantling Obamacare almost as soon as President Obama signed the landmark health insurance law in 2010.

    Betsy DeVos, Secretary of the Department of Education
    Betsy DeVos, Secretary of the Department of Education

    Betsy DeVos, Secretary of the Department of Education -DeVos is aschool-choice activist, philanthropist and Republican mega-donor. The 58-year-old billionaire philanthropist, heads the American Federation for Children. Her group advocates for charter school education and she has been an advocate for school vouchers. Her foundation (American Federation for Children) has been mainly focused on trying to further the privatization of public education, not on strengthening it.

    Gov. Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
    Gov. Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

    Gov. Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations – SouthCarolina Gov.Nikki Haley became the first woman Trump appointed to his Cabinet. She quickly accepted Trump’s offer to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. She initially backed Trump rivals Sen. Marco Rubio and then Sen. Ted Cruz during the GOP battle for a White House nominee. At one point she called Trump “everything a governor doesn’t want in a president.”

    Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation -
    Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation –

    Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation – Trump tapped Chao, a former labor secretary, to head the Department of Transportation. Chao is the first American woman of Asian descent to be appointed to a President’s Cabinet in nation’s history. Having served from 2001-2009, she is the longest tenured Secretary of Labor since World War II, and the only member of President George W. Bush’s original cabinet to have served the entire eight years of his Administration.

    Secretary the Treasury- Steve Mnuchin
    Secretary the Treasury- Steve Mnuchin

    Steve Mnuchin, Secretary of the Treasury- Mnuchin, a banker, film producer, and political fundraiser served as the Trump campaign’s national finance chair and was largely considered the frontrunner for the job. He began his career at Goldman Sachs, where he spent 17 years and rose to become a partner. He left to start his own hedge fund and went on to become a financier of Hollywood films like “Avatar” and “American Sniper.” Throughout his career, Mnuchin showed only a limited interest in politics and remained mostly behind the scenes during Trump’s run.

    Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce
    Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commercerump

    Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce – The 79-year-old billionaire former banker, is known for restructuring failed companies in industries such as steel, coal, telecommunications, foreign investment and textiles. He also has been an outspoken critic of free trade agreements, which was a hallmark of Trump’s campaign. His relationship with Trump goes back decades. Ross helped Trump keep control of his failing Taj Mahal casino in the 1990s by persuading investors not to push out the real estate mogul.

  • Trump wants Preet Bharara to stay on: Community is pleased

    Trump wants Preet Bharara to stay on: Community is pleased

    NEW YORK (TIP): Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan, said after meeting the President-elect at Trump Tower on November 30 that he would remain in office under Donald Trump’s administration.

    Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bharara said, “The President-elect asked, presumably because he’s a New Yorker and is aware of the great work that our office has done over the past seven years, asked to meet with me to discuss whether I’d be prepared to stay on as the United States attorney to do the work as we have done it, independently, without fear or favor for the last seven years.”

    Bharara said that he had already talked to Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, who is Trump’s choice for attorney general. “He also asked that I stay on, and so I expect that I will be continuing,” he said.

    Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, for whom Bharara served as chief counsel, issued a statement after Bharara made his announcement, saying, “President-elect Trump called me last week and asked me what I thought about Preet Bharara continuing his role as U.S. attorney.” “I told him I thought Preet was great,” Mr. Schumer added, “and I would be all for keeping him on the job and fully support it. I am glad they met, and am glad Preet is staying on.”

    Indian Americans are happy that Bharara, has agreed to stay in his current role under the Trump administration and hailed President elect Donald Trump for his effort to ‘Reaching across the party lines’ and expressed hope that in near future ‘President Trump will appoint Preet to become a justice of the United States Supreme Court.’

    Rajiv Khanna, President, India-America Chamber of Commerce and a prominent lawyer said in a brief comment, “I am glad that President-elect Trump is reaching across the party lines to pick his team.”

    Ravi Batra, renowned Indian American lawyer said in a statement, “President elect Trump after meeting with the fearless United States attorney Preet Bharara, in a move more poignant then any before, declared that America, a nation of laws, will enjoy law enforcement without regard to political party labels: Republican or Democrat. After all, as has been said before, there is no democratic or republican way to lock up a criminal.

    That Preet shared, within the confines of the law, his areas of interest with POTUS45 resulted in, as I had publicly hoped and urged, Trump offering Preet four more years. To our great benefit, Preet who can do anything he wants and go anywhere he wants, chose to remain the “Horatio Hornblower” of the United States Attorneys for the Southern District of New York and continue to battle against those who play checkers while Preet plays chess.

    The fumigation and disinfectant of Albany and City hall is far from over, because those in dire need of being indicted, convicted and severed from their arrogant corrupt roots of power were playing the “run the clock out game” – suddenly find themselves checkmated by President elect Trump. I know that all hard-working New Yorkers are celebrating with unexpected joy that they have Preet back on their side to eviscerate the casual and comfortable corruption that has taken residence in the great state of New York.

    Given Preet Bharara’s exceptional service to the people of these United States, meeting, and I believe well exceeding, the power that emanates from the chair of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York – I hope that then-president Trump will appoint Preet to become a justice of the United States Supreme Court when the next vacancy occurs – beyond the one created by the untimely demise of the great Nino Scalia.

    There is inherent greatness and Preet, much like the America we love and the Constitution we cherish and protect from enemies foreign and domestic.”

    As U.S. Attorney, Bharara oversees the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States in the Southern District of New York, which encompasses New York, Bronx, Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Sullivan counties. He supervises an office of more than 220 Assistant U.S. Attorneys, who handle a high volume of cases that include domestic and international terrorism, narcotics and arms trafficking, white collar crime, public corruption, gang violence, organized crime, and civil rights violations.

    Since his appointment as U.S. Attorney, the office successfully extradited and prosecuted one of the most notorious arms traffickers in the world, Viktor Bout, who is now serving a 25-year sentence. The office also obtained a life sentence for Faisal Shahzad, the Times Square bomber, and for one of the Al Qaeda plotters of the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in East Africa. In addition, the office has convicted scores of insider trading defendants, including Raj Rajaratnam, who was sentenced to 11 years, and Rajat Gupta.

    Bharara was born in 1968 in Ferozepur, Punjab, India, to a Sikh father and Hindumother. He grew up in Eatontown in suburban Monmouth County, New Jersey and attended Ranney School in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, where he graduated as valedictorian in 1986. He received his B.A magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1990 and his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1993, where he was a member of the Columbia Law Review.

  • Francois Hollande decides not to seek re-election

    Francois Hollande decides not to seek re-election

    PARIS (TIP): In a surprise move Francois Hollande has announced he will not seek a second term as president of France.

    “I’ve decided not to be a candidate to renew my mandate,” the Socialist leader said in a live televised address.

    The 62-year-old, faced with very low popularity ratings, has become the first sitting president in modern French history not to seek re-election.

    Conservative Republicans party candidate Francois Fillon is seen as a favorite in next year’s election. Recent opinion polls suggest far-right contender Marine Le Pen from the National Front could be Mr Fillon’s closest challenger. “In the months to come, my only duty will be to continue to lead my country,” Mr Hollande said on Thursday, December 1. “The world, Europe, France have faced particularly serious challenges during my mandate. In these particularly challenging circumstances I wanted to maintain national cohesion,” he said.

  • Indian Origin Nikki Haley to be the US Ambassador to the United Nations

    Indian Origin Nikki Haley to be the US Ambassador to the United Nations

    NEW YORK (TIP): South Carolina’s Governor of Indian origin Nikki Haley has been chosen by President elect Donald Trump to be the US ambassador to the United Nations, the transition team announced Wednesday, November 23. She would be the first woman and minority representative to join Trump administration and the first ever Indian-American Cabinet rank official in any administration. Haley had a face-to-face meeting with Trump at Trump Tower in New York last week.

    Accepting the offer Haley said in a statement that the US “faces enormous challenges” both at home and internationally. She cited a “sense of duty” in accepting Trump’s offer.

    “When the President believes you have a major contribution to make to the welfare of our nation, and to our nation’s standing in the world, that is a calling that is important to heed,” Haley said. “The second is a satisfaction with all that we have achieved in our state in the last six years and the knowledge that we are on a very strong footing.”

    Haley will keep serving as governor until the Senate confirms her nomination.

    “We still have much to do in South Carolina, and my commitment to the people of our State will always remain unbreakable, both while I continue to hold this office, and thereafter,” she said in a statement.

    The Indian American community hailed president-elect Donald Trump’s selection of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to be the next US Ambassador to the UN and expressed the hope that she will do a great job in her new position. Nikki Haley (born Nimrata “Nikki” Randhawa; January 20, 1972) is a Republican who has served as the 116th Governor of South Carolina since 2011. Prior to becoming governor, she represented Lexington County in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011.

    Haley is the first woman to serve as Governor of South Carolina; at the age of 44, she is the youngest current governor in the United States. She is the second Asian-American of Indian descent to serve as governor in the United States, after Bobby Jindal of Louisiana. As governor, she also serves as chair, ex-officio, of the board of trustees of the University of South Carolina during her term in office.

    Born in Bamberg, the daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley’s first job was keeping the books for her family’s clothing store -at the age of 13. She is a proud graduate of Clemson University where she earned a degree in accounting.

    Haley and her husband, Michael, a Captain in the Army National Guard and combat veteran who was deployed to Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, attend Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church in Lexington. The Haleys have two children, Rena, 18, and Naline, 15.

  • A 90-year-old parade that reflects the changing face of New York City Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

    A 90-year-old parade that reflects the changing face of New York City Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Like previous years, everything was there – floats, balloons, cheerleaders and dancers, clowns, marching bands and performance groups, and of course the first glimpse of Santa Claus. But amid the fun, high-fives and cheers, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2016 saw unprecedented security as there was a possibility of an extremist attack after a recent posting in an English language Islamic State group magazine that called the parade “an excellent target.” Thousands of people watching the 90th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade saw officers carrying assault rifles and portable radiation detectors and walking bomb-sniffing dogs, NYPD helicopters flying overhead, more than 80 sand-filled sanitation trucks parked at intersections and other spots along the route to serve as barriers against any kind of possible attack.

    But heightened security could not impede the festive spirit as spectators cheered and yelled, “Thank you!”holding signs and balloons as they watched Santa Claus and his reindeer, Ronald McDonald and SpongeBob Square Pants pass by.

    The parade stepped off at around 9 a.m. after a performance from The Muppets. Charlie Brown led the signature balloons as the parade kicked off with a ceremonial ribbon cutting before making its way down to Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street. This year’s three-hour event marked 90 parades. Sixteen character balloons, 27 novelty/ornament balloons, 26 floats, 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers, more than 1,000 clowns and 16 marching bands and performance groups made their way down the 2.5-mile parade route. Felix the Cat, the parade’s first-ever balloon, returned this year. Celebrities, including singers Tony Bennett and Sarah McLachlan and Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez, were among the attendees.

    Macy's Parade in 1920's. Some pretty queer looking pedestrians can be observed at large gatherings at Broadway, but some of the creatures who make their way down the famed thoroughfare in the annual Macy Thanksgiving Parade are enough to faze even a taxi driver. Here throngs of New Yorkers jamming Columbus Circle gape as a flying fish swings onto Broadway from Central Park West Photo/ Bettmann / Getty
    Macy’s Parade in 1920’s. Some pretty queer looking pedestrians can be observed at large gatherings at Broadway, but some of the creatures who make their way down the famed thoroughfare in the annual Macy Thanksgiving Parade are enough to faze even a taxi driver. Here throngs of New Yorkers jamming Columbus Circle gape as a flying fish swings onto Broadway from Central Park West
    Photo/ Bettmann / Getty

    The most popular holiday parade in America, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a Big Apple tradition since 1924. Attracting more than 3.5 million people to the streets of New York City each year, as well 50 million TV viewers nationwide, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become so synonymous with Thanksgiving tradition in NYC that it’s often shortened to “The Macy’s Day Parade.”

    Like any great tradition in NYC, the Macy’s Day Parade in Manhattan features a long and storied history. In the 1920s, many of Macy’s department store employees were first-generation European immigrants. Proud of their new American heritage, they wanted to celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving with the type of festival their parents had loved in Europe.

    In 1924, the annual Thanksgiving parade started by Louis Bambergerin Newark, New Jersey at the Bamberger’s store was transferred to New York City by Macy’s.

    The first-ever Macy’s Day Parade actually took place on Christmas of 1924. Macy’s employees dressed as clowns, cowboys, and other fun costumes, and traveled with Central Park zoo animals and creative floats a lengthy six miles from Herald Square to Harlem in Manhattan.

    The parade was meant to draw attention to the Macy’s store in NYC, and the gimmick worked – more than 250,000 people attended the inaugural Macy’s Day Parade. It was decided that this NYC parade would become an annual NY event in Manhattan. In 1927, Felix the Cat became the first giant balloon to ever take part in the Macy’s Day Parade. The parade was suspended from 1942 to 1944 as a result of World War II when commodities like helium and rubber were in short supply.

  • New York City Council honors Ranju Batra for securing Diwali Stamp

    New York City Council honors Ranju Batra for securing Diwali Stamp

    NEW YORK (TIP): The New York City Council honored, November 15, businesswoman, community leader and chairperson of Diwali Stamp Project, Ranju Batra for her singular achievement in having a Diwali Stamp issued by the USPS.

    Batra’s journey to have the US postal department issue a Diwali stamp started in 2010. She discussed the idea of a Diwali stamp with community leaders only to learn that many had already tried only to fail. But this did not deter Ranju. She was able to get support from multiple members of Congress and collected thousands upon thousands of paper petitions. The then-Consul General Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay authored the official poem of the Diwali Stamp Project and during the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, Ranju Batra asked Prime Minister Modi to support the stamp and the Prime Minister wrote to President Obama, as well as to the Postmaster General.

    Ranju Batra’s perseverance and single minded devotion bore fruit. On August 23, 2016, the announcement was made that the Diwali Stamp was approved. On October 5, 2016 at the Consulate General of India, history was made and Diwali Forever Stamp was unveiled at an official function of the USPS jointly with Consulate General of India and Diwali Stamp Project.

    Ranju Batra has dedicated her life to serving the public. Born in India, she immigrated to the United States in 1975. She has a successful business record and still finds time for social, civic, political and charitable activities, including working as a trustee of the Hindu Center in Flushing.

    She served as President of Association of Indians in America (AIA), New York Chapter in 2011-12.

  • AAPI President Ajay Lodha asks Trump to enact medical liability reform

    AAPI President Ajay Lodha asks Trump to enact medical liability reform

    NEW YORK (TIP): Dr. Ajay Lodha, president of the largest body of Indian-American doctors has asked President-elect Donald Trump to enact medical liability reform, which it claimed is driving up the healthcare cost in its current shape through “extra testing and the practice of defensive medicine”. “AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) supports a healthy doctor-patient environment by curbing aggressive litigation targeting physicians,” AAPI president Ajay Lodha said in a statement in which he congratulated Trump on his victory in the presidential election.

    Lodha said, “such lawsuits have had a chilling effect and driven up the cost of healthcare, through extra testing and the practice of defensive medicine”.

    In the 112th Congress, The Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2011′, limited the conditions for lawsuits and punitive damages for healthcare liability claims.

    It established a statute of limitations and limited noneconomic damages to USD 250,000, he rued. AAPI wants modification of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), he said.

    Under the ACA, hospitals and primary physicians would transform their practices financially, technologically, and clinically to drive better health outcomes, lower costs, and improve their methods of distribution and accessibility.

    “We believe that the current ACA could be improved upon greatly. To merely repeal the ACA would result in 20 million losing their health insurance coverage and that would be problematic to say the least,” he said.

    “A more reformed system with emphasis on free-market while retaining the provisions protecting consumers with pre-existing conditions would be ideal,”he said.

    AAPI represents the interests of over 60,000 physicians and 25,000 medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the US.

    In the statement, Lodha also invited Trump to address the delegates at the next AAPI Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey next year.

  • Cuba’s iconic leader Fidel Castro dies aged 90

    Cuba’s iconic leader Fidel Castro dies aged 90

    NEW YORK (TIP): Fidel Castro, Cuba’s former president and leader of the Communist revolution, has died aged 90, state TV has announced. It provided no further details.

    Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century before handing over the powers to his brother Raul in 2008. His supporters praised him as a man who had given Cuba back to the people. But his opponents accused him of brutally suppressing opposition. In April, Fidel Castro gave a rare speech on the final day of the country’s Communist Party congress.

    He acknowledged his advanced age but said Cuban communist concepts were still valid and the Cuban people “will be victorious”. “I’ll soon be 90,” the former president said, adding that this was “something I’d never imagined”.

    “Soon I’ll be like all the others, “to all our turn must come,” Fidel Castro said.

    A Timeline

    1926: Born in the south-eastern Oriente Province of Cuba

    1953: Imprisoned after leading an unsuccessful rising against Batista’s regime

    1955: Released from prison under an amnesty deal

    1956: With Che Guevara, begins a guerrilla war against the government

    1959: Defeats Batista, sworn in as prime minister of Cuba

    1960: Fights off CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion by Cuban exiles

    1962: Sparks Cuban missile crisis by agreeing that USSR can deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba

    1976: Elected president by Cuba’s National Assembly

    1992: Reaches an agreement with US over Cuban refugees

    2008: Stands down as president of Cuba due to health issues

    (Source: BBC)

  • Trump election: Request for Wisconsin vote recount sent

    Trump election: Request for Wisconsin vote recount sent

    NEW YORK (TIP): The election commission in Wisconsin has received a request for a recount of the votes in the state narrowly won by Donald Trump.

    The request has been filed by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein.

    Dr Stein has also pledged to file vote recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

    A win by Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin alone would not overturn Mr. Trump’s lead – it provides only 10 votes in the crucial electoral college that gave him victory in the 8 November election.

    But wins in Wisconsin, Michigan (16 electoral votes) and Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes) would have clinched the presidency for the Democrat.

    In a tweet, the Wisconsin Elections Commission said: “The Commission has received the Stein and Del La Fuente recount petitions.”

    It added that details would be released shortly. Meanwhile, Dr Stein tweeted that the recount would begin next week. Friday was the deadline for the request.

    Dr Stein’s campaign needs to raise millions of dollars to cover the fees for the vote recount in all three states. Dr Jill’s website says nearly $5.3m  has already been raised toward a $7m target. It says this is enough to fund the recounts in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

    Voting rights lawyers who urged candidates to request recounts, John Bonifaz and J Alex Halderman, have said the results need to be closely analyzed. The fact that the results in the three states was different from what polls predicted was “probably not” down to hacking, Mr Halderman said. Concerns over possible Russian interference had been expressed in the run-up to the vote.

    “The only way to know whether a cyber-attack changed the result is to closely examine the available physical evidence,” he wrote. Pennsylvania’s deadline is Monday, November 28 and Michigan’s is Wednesday, November 30.

    US officials have said there was no evidence of election tampering in the three states where Republican candidate Donald Trump had razor-thin victories over his Democratic rival. Mr Trump won 290 electoral votes in the November election, while Mrs. Clinton had 232 votes.

    Michigan is yet to declare results. Mr Trump’s camp has made no public comments on the recounts issue.

  • Trump chooses Nikki Haley to be the US Ambassador to the United Nations

    Trump chooses Nikki Haley to be the US Ambassador to the United Nations

    NEW YORK (TIP): South Carolina’s Governor of Indian origin Nikki Haley has been chosen by President elect Donald Trump to be the US ambassador to the United Nations, the transition team announced Wednesday, November 23. She would be the first woman and minority representative to join Trump administration and the first ever Indian-American Cabinet rank official in any administration. Haley had a face-to-face meeting with Trump at Trump Tower in New York last week.

    Accepting the offer Haley said in a statement that the US “faces enormous challenges” both at home and internationally. She cited a “sense of duty” in accepting Trump’s offer.

    “When the President believes you have a major contribution to make to the welfare of our nation, and to our nation’s standing in the world, that is a calling that is important to heed,” Haley said. “The second is a satisfaction with all that we have achieved in our state in the last six years and the knowledge that we are on a very strong footing.”

    Haley will keep serving as governor until the Senate confirms her nomination.

    “We still have much to do in South Carolina, and my commitment to the people of our state will always remain unbreakable, both while I continue to hold this office, and thereafter,” she said in a statement.

    Ravi Batra
    Ravi Batra

    Welcoming President-elect’s choice of Nikki Haley , New York based eminent attorney Ravi Batra, said in a statement released to The Indian Panorama, Wednesday, November 23, “President elect Donald J. Trump’s nomination of Governor Nikki Haley to be our ambassador to the United Nations and to sit at the Horse Shoe table of the Security Council, a cabinet level position, has taken my breath away as I celebrate the highest milestone for the Indian American community and the inherent trust that America has in her citizens’ love of America and our cherished Constitution. A trust that we hold dear and honor with our every act to protect these United States from enemies foreign and domestic.

    Just a little over 100 years ago, they used to be “NINA” signs – which meant No Irish need apply. The same sign was used for no Italians need apply, and then no Indians need apply. But because of America’s ability to continue its unique path of greatness is why every human being on earth wishes to live in America and be an American citizen. Indian Americans, like every other community that landed on the shores, leaving aside our original sin of slavery, has worked hard and honestly while embracing the American dream that rewards hard work, true grit as John Wayne personified, and love of nation and the human family.

    With the appointment of Governor Nikki Haley, America, acknowledged as the world’s sole superpower, POTUS45 declares that America will no longer act insecure and engage in John Boltonesque war lust or arrogance, and in its place use Charm and Respect as its preferred diplomatic arsenal.

    Trump’s Nikki Haley’s appointment, signals that the United States unilaterally declares the end of the rebirth of the Cold War, which in recent years was on a constant simmer to boil over into World War III – such that 40 million Russian citizens were doing weekly anti-nuclear drills.

    I now have hope that the Trump presidency will abstain from the discredited “counterbalance” tactic, the Cocaine of Statecraft, a universally discredited tool of statecraft that has brought us the worst conflicts and un-ending wars and perilous interventions, and use Charm and Respect to work wonders that no Insult ever could or did.

    A bright new dawn welcomes 193 nations of earth, who are members of the United Nations. Every capital of every nation can now step back, breathe in a long breath of relief, and refocus on finding means and methods of working with your neighbor states to not only enhance peace and security of their nation and the world, but honor Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg covenant: to be a government “for” the people.

    While hope may spring eternal, President-elect Trump has announced that it is Spring time in November 2016. As a Democrat, having voted for him to be president of these United States rather than the legally-fatigued Hillary and Bill Clinton, who I knew personally, I am duty-bound to aid and assist the Trump presidency make America greater than it has ever been. To complete Trump’s Confident America Policy (Philippines’ noisy Duterte are you listening?), appointing Gov. Mitt Romney as our secretary of state will give America a head-to-toe body armor of Charm and Respect. The world just got safer and less mean.”

    Nikki Haley (born Nimrata “Nikki” Randhawa; January 20, 1972) is a Republican who has served as the 116th Governor of South Carolina since 2011. Prior to becoming governor, she represented Lexington County in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011.

    Haley is the first woman to serve as Governor of South Carolina; at the age of 44, she is the youngest current governor in the United States. She is the second Asian-American of Indian descent to serve as governor in the United States, after Bobby Jindal of Louisiana. As governor, she also serves as chair, ex-officio, of the board of trustees of the University of South Carolina during her term in office.

    Born in Bamberg, the daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley’s first job was keeping the books for her family’s clothing store —at the age of 13. She is a proud graduate of Clemson University where she earned a degree in accounting.

    Haley and her husband, Michael, a Captain in the Army National Guard and combat veteran who was deployed to Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, attend Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church in Lexington. The Haleys have two children, Rena, 18, and Nalin, 15.

  • Three soldiers killed in LoC attack, body of one mutilated

    Three soldiers killed in LoC attack, body of one mutilated

    A counter-infiltration patrol party of the Indian Army was ambushed by Pakistani terrorists ahead of the fencing along the Line of Control in the forest belt in Machhil sector in Kupwara district on Tuesday, an Army officer said.

    Srinagar/Jammu: In a cross-LoC attack by suspected Pakistani terrorists, three Indian soldiers were on Tuesday killed, with body of one of them being mutilated in second such incident in less than a month, triggering outrage in India.

    The ambush on an army patrol took place in Machhil sector of Kashmir, following which the Indian Army vowed heavy “retribution”.

    “A counter-infiltration patrol party of the Indian Army was ambushed by terrorists ahead of the fencing along LoC in forest belt in Machhil sector in Kupwara district today,” a senior Army officer said.Three soldiers were killed in the attack, he said, adding the body of one of them was mutilated.

    Earlier, Army’s Northern Command spokesman tweeted, “3 soldiers killed in action on LC (Line of Control) in Machhal. Body of one soldier mutilated.” He said the “retribution will be heavy for this cowardly act.”

    A Defence spokesman said heavy cross-Line of Control shelling was going on at four places in Machhil sector from 3.30 pm.

    “Around 1530 hour, heavy cross-LoC shelling has started from both sides at Dana Machhil, Ashni, Ringsar and Ringsar Payeen in Machhil sector of Kupwara district,” he said. He did not give any further details. This is the second such incident of mutilation of the body of an Indian soldier in the same sector since October 28.

    On that day, terrorists, aided by the cover fire by Pakistani Army, had crossed the Line of Control and killed an Indian army jawan and mutilated his body in the Macchil sector. One attacker was killed in that incident.

    In June 2008, a soldier of the 2/8 Gorkha Rifles lost his way and was captured by a Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) in Kel sector. His body was found beheaded after a few days.

  • DEMONETIZATION STALLS Parliament

    DEMONETIZATION STALLS Parliament

    Chaotic scenes witnessed in both Houses of Parliament over scrapping of Rs1,000 and Rs 500 notes

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Both Houses of parliament were adjourned on Thursday, November 17, as opposition lawmakers continued their attack on the government over the impact of its ban on 500 and 1000 rupee notes. Today was the second day of the winter session. Union finance minister Arun Jaitley later rejected all demands of the opposition.

    In the Rajya Sabha or Upper House, where a debate on demonetization has been on since Wednesday, the opposition shouted slogans demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi come to the house, listen to debate and respond to their questions. It’s a stalemate, with the government refusing to give in to that demand. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will reply to the debate, in which a united opposition has attacked the government over what they call “economic anarchy”.

    In the Lok Sabha, which did not function yesterday after obituaries, opposition parties have moved 21 adjournment motions, which seek to put aside regular work to debate and vote on the notes ban. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she would allow the debate but not until lawmakers stopped shouting. When that did happen, she adjourned the Lower House for the day. “We are ready to discuss any issue, there is nothing to hide. We want the Congress to clarify, are they with the government decision or not? You’ve got every right to make demands, and the government will reply to it all,” said senior union minister Venkaiah Naidu this morning.

    ‘There is no question of a rollback of the government’s cash clean-up move,’ Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, rejecting the Opposition’s demand of a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee into the alleged leak of information to BJP units and “friends of BJP” on notes ban. Regarding the opposition’s other demand, that the Prime Minister respond to the debate, Mr. Jaitley said it was the prerogative of the party and government to decide who would reply. Opposition parties, except for the Trinamool Congress, have not demanded that the government withdraw the notes ban, but have criticized the manner in which it was implemented causing hardship to common people who have had to queue up for hours at banks amid a cash crunch. Ministers speaking in the debate said the radical step was taken in national interest to end corruption and black money. No honest taxpayer would lose a single rupee, while those with unaccounted wealth would suffer, as would terror organizations that had been choked by the currency ban, they said.

    Before the winter session began PM Modi had said he was counting on “good debates” on key issues and hopes the opposition will cooperate to support key legislation like taking the next steps to introduce the national Goods and Services Tax or GST, the biggest tax reform in decades.

     

     

  • Guesses galore about Donald Trump’s Cabinet-in-waiting

    Guesses galore about Donald Trump’s Cabinet-in-waiting

    BUT ONLY TRUMP KNOWS WHO WILL BE IN

    NEW YORK (TIP): As President-Elect Donald Trump vets his prospects, a mix of loyalists and others has emerged.

    Names being floated for top Cabinet positions include: Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton for Defense secretary; Texas Rep. Mike McCaul for Homeland Security secretary; and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, and Governor Nikki Haley for secretary of state. Here is a list of likely contenders, as on November 17. The list has been prepared on the basis of information gathered from various sources in media and the Trump transition team. The Indian Panorama does not lay claim to the list being exhaustive or perfect.

    Secretary of State: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani; Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton; Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker; Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

    South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is also being considered for the post.

    Treasury secretary: Steven Mnuchin, a 17-year-veteran of Goldman Sachs; House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling; JPMorgan Chase Chief Executive Jamie Dimon.

    Secretary of Defense: Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions; Former George W. Bush National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley; Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.);Former Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.); Clinton CIA director Jim Woolsey and Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.)

    Attorney general: Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach; Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.); Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi

    Interior secretary: Robert Grady, a George H. W. Bush White House official with ties to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; Forrest Lucas; Sarah Palin; Mead Treadwell, the former lieutenant governor of Alaska; Former Republican Rep. Richard Pombo; Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer; Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin; Wyoming Rep. Cynthia Lummis; and Oklahoma oilman Harold Hamm.

    Agriculture secretary: Sid Miller, the current secretary of agriculture in Texas; Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas; former governors: Dave Heineman (Nebraska), Sonny Perdue (Georgia) and Rick Perry (Texas); Charles Herbster, a Republican donor; Mike McCloskey, a dairy executive in Indiana; Bruce Rastetter, a major Republican donor in Iowa, and Kip Tom, a farmer.

    Commerce secretary: Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross, a Trump economic adviser is Trump’s leading contender for the job.Dan DiMicco, the former CEO of steelmaker Nucor Corp and a Trump trade adviser, is another possibility, though he is expected to be tapped as U.S. Trade Representative.

    Labor secretary: Victoria Lipnic — the Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission since 2010 who also served as an assistant secretary of Labor for employment standards from 2002 until 2009 — is the most likely candidate for Labor Secretary. A possible private sector pick is Andrew Puzder, chief executive of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, Green Burrito and Red Burrito.

    Health and Human Services secretary: Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), the chairman of the House Budget Committee and an early Trump backer, is being considered for Secretary of Health and Human Services.Former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is another possible candidate for the job.

    Housing and Urban Development secretary: Names being circulated include Pam Patenaude, the president of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Foundation for Housing America’s Families, former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown and former New York Rep. Rick Lazio (R).

    Transportation secretary: Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.); James Simpson, the former commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Transportation and the former head of the Federal Transit Administration during the George W. Bush administration; and Mark Rosenker, the former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

    Energy secretary: Continental Resources CEO Harold Hamm, an Oklahoma billionaire who has been a friend of Trump’s for years; Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), a Trump energy adviser; venture capitalist Robert Grady; James Connaughton, a former utility executive; and Kristine Svinicki, the sole Republican on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

    Education Secretary: Indiana Rep. Luke Messer; William Evers, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution; Tony Zeiss, a former president of Central Piedmont Community College; Michelle Rhee, an education reform activist who formerly served as the chancellor of Washington D.C.’s public schools; Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, now the president of the Purdue University System; Gerard Robinson a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute focused on education policy; Tony Bennett, the former Florida Commissioner of Education and the former Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction; Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker; Hanna Skandera, the New Mexico Secretary of Education; and  education activists Betsy DeVos and  Kevin Chavous.

    Veterans Affairs secretary: House Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller

    Homeland Security secretary: House Homeland Security Chairman Mike McCaul; Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee’s transportation security panel; David Clarke, the conservative Sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wis.

    Environmental Protection Agency administrator: Mike Catanzaro, a George W. Bush-era EPA official; Jeff Holmstead, another former Bush EPA official; Venture capitalist Robert Grady, who was an environmental adviser for George H.W. Bush; Myron Ebell, a climate skeptic who is running the EPA working group on Trump’s transition team; Joe Aiello, director of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Environmental Safety and Quality Assurance; Carol Comer, the commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, who was appointed by Mike Pence; and Leslie Rutledge, the attorney general of Arkansas and a lead challenger of EPA regulations in the state.

    Director of the Office of Management and Budget: Eric Ueland, a veteran Republican Capitol Hill aide and top staffer on the Senate Budget Committee who is working on Trump’s transition team, is a possible candidate to lead the OMB. Former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn is also seen as a potential OMB chief.

  • THOUSANDS MARCH TO PROTEST TRUMP VICTORY

    THOUSANDS MARCH TO PROTEST TRUMP VICTORY

    NEW YORK (TIP): The day after the election victory of President-elect Donald Trump, protesters took to the streets in cities across the country, expressing anger and resistance. Thousands marched in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Seattle, Washington DC, Portland, Ore, St. pau, Minn. and more, chanting and carrying signs. Tens of thousands filled the streets in at least 25 USA cities to protest Donald Trump’s victory. In some major cities, the protests continued Thursday too.

    Thousands of anti-Donald Trump protesters shut down 5th Avenue in front of Trump Tower as New Yorkers react to the election of Trump as president of the United States on November 9, 2016.
    Thousands of anti-Donald Trump protesters shut down 5th Avenue in front of Trump Tower as New Yorkers react to the election of Trump as president of the United States on November 9, 2016.

    The protests ranged from peaceful candlelight vigils to more destructive demonstrations, particularly in California, where freeways were shut down and cars and effigies burned in Oakland and L.A. The protesters’ point: that Trump, with his history of racist and sexist rhetoric, does not represent the American people. That’s true in some ways. Though there is no question that Trump’s election is legitimate, he won-as many other presidents have won-by very narrow margins, and he is currently losing the popular vote after securing the Electoral College. Though that fact might be painful to millions of Americans, they can take this comfort: Split and troubled as it’s been, their nation has not changed.

    In New York City about 5,000 people protested his victory outside Trump Tower near the busy intersection of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue and blasted his campaign rhetoric about immigrants, Muslims and other groups. They included pop star Lady Gaga, a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter.

    Taxis, city buses and passenger vehicles stood at a standstill as the protesters clogged streets in Manhattan. At least 15 protesters at Trump Tower were arrested Wednesday, November 9 night for disorderly conduct, New York police said.

    In Washington DC protesters from the group Avaaz displayed a “Better Than Bigotry” sign outside the White House. Hundreds took to the streets carrying signs saying “Nasty Women Fight Back” and “White Males for Equality for All.” Activists chanted, “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA,” as they marched downtown to the Trump International Hotel.

    Protesters in Chicago walk during a protest Republican president-elect Donald Trump on November 9, 2016
    Protesters in Chicago walk during a protest Republican president-elect Donald Trump on November 9, 2016

    In Chicago, protesters marched down Lake Shore Drive toward the Trump Tower. They gathered near the Trump International Hotel and Tower holding signs with messages such as “Love Trumps Hate,” “Not My President.” Chicago Police said five people were arrested in Chicago over the course of the protest.

    Demonstrators gather to protest a day after President-elect Donald Trump's victory, at a rally outside Los Angeles City Hall in Los Angeles, California, on November 9, 2016
    Demonstrators gather to protest a day after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, at a rally outside Los Angeles City Hall in Los Angeles, California, on November 9, 2016

    In Los Angeles protesters burned Donald Trump effigy where more than 1,000 protesters rallied outside Los Angeles City Hall. Later in the night, hundreds marched onto the busy 101 Freeway, which brought the highway to a complete standstill. About 2,000 protesters shouted angrily in downtown Seattle, chanting “Not My President” and “No Racist USA.” In Oregon, dozens of people blocked traffic in downtown Portland and burned American flags.

    Among the demonstrators earlier on Wednesday were hundreds of high school and college students who walked out of class in cities including Seattle, Phoenix and San Francisco’s Bay Area. Many college students and faculty leaders took to social media to announce support groups and even postponed exams.

  • Indian-Americans show their mettle: 5 make it to the Congress

    Indian-Americans show their mettle: 5 make it to the Congress

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Indian-Americans created history in US Congressional politics with one of them becoming the first to be elected to the Senate and four others winning seats in the House of Representatives.

    Pramila
    Pramila Jayapal from Washington

    While Kamala Harris was elected from California to the Senate, Pramila Jayapal from Washington, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois and Ro Khanna from California are going to join Ami Bera, who was re-elected from California in the House of Representatives.

    kamlaCalifornia’s Attorney General Kamala Harris created history by becoming the first Indian- American Senator in the US Congress by defeating Loretta Sanchez. The democrat politician and lawyer was elected California’s Attorney General in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother who emigrated from Chennai in 1960 and a Jamaican American father, is the first female, the first African-American, and the first Indian-American attorney general in California.

    A financial analyst by profession, Pramila Jayapal has also created history, by becoming the first Indian American woman to be elected to the US Congress from Washington state’s 7th District. Born in Chennai, she moved to the U.S in 1982. She started her political career through campaigns for the rights of immigrants, women, and workers. She was recognized by the White House as a “Champion of Change” for her work for immigrant community.

    Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois
    Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois

    Raja Krishnamoorthi, a technology entrepreneur who had advised President Barack Obama on economic issues when he was a Senator, also served as Illinois state Deputy Treasurer and an Assistant Attorney General on special assignment to fight corruption. He defeated Republican Peter DiCianni in Illinois’s 8th District. Democrat Krishnamoorthi is the fourth Indian American to be elected to the US House of Representatives.

    Ro Khanna
    Ro Khanna

    Rohit Ro Khanna, a former federal Deputy Assistant Commerce Secretary, defeated sitting Congressman Mike Honda on his second try. Khanna had also challenged Honda in 2014, losing to him by just four percentage points. He received donations and endorsements from big tech names involved in companies such as Yahoo, Google, and Facebook.

    Ami Bera
    Ami Bera

    Amerish Babulal “Ami” Bera, a physician who has been the U.S. Representative for California’s 7th congressional district since 2013, had come under a cloud after his 83-year-old father, Babulal Bera, was found guilty of illegally funding his son’s election campaign and sentenced to a year in prison. Prosecutors, however, cleared Ami Bera of involvement in his father’s crime and he beat the odds to defeat his Republican rival Scott Jones.

     

  • Obama vows Smooth Transition of Power to Trump

    Obama vows Smooth Transition of Power to Trump

    WASHINGTON (TIP): President Barack Obama hosted, November 10, his successor Donald Trump at the White House to discuss smooth transition of power.

    Trump, 70, flew from New York on his private jet and landed at Reagan National Airport, just outside the nation’s capital.

    He broke from protocol and barred journalists from travelling with him to cover his first meeting with Obama.

    The president-elect was accompanied by his wife, Melania, who had a separate meeting with First Lady Michelle Obama. Melania was given a tour of the White House.

    The meeting between the President and the President-elect, originally to last 30 minutes, took 90 minutes during which the two discussed a variety of issues. Obama said his main task now would be a smooth transition of power. Trump was appreciative of Obama about whom he twice said, “He is a very good man”.

    However, nobody missed to notice the lack of warmth between the two who have been fiercely critical of each other. Donald Trump had questioned Obama’s birth in the US and has vowed to show the door to Obamacare, a legacy which Obama desired to leave. And Obama has repeatedly alleged that Trump is unfit to be the Commander in chief of the country.

    No love lost there.

  • Meet the President-elect of the United States of America

    Meet the President-elect of the United States of America

    Donald J. Trump is a graduate of the Wharton School of Finance. An accomplished author, Mr. Trump has authored over fifteen bestsellers, and his first book, The Art of the Deal, is considered a business classic and one of the most successful business books of all times.

    During the 2014 political cycle, Mr. Trump was a top contributor and fundraiser for Republican efforts. Mr. Trump also campaigned across the country, with each candidate winning by a record margin.

    Mr. Trump has over 25 million followers on social media. He frequently uses this platform to advocate for Conservative causes, Republican candidates and to educate the public on the failures of the Obama administration. Mr. Trump appears on Fox and Friends on Monday mornings and devotes much of his time to media interviews to promote a Free Market, the importance of a strong family, a culture of Life, a strong military and our country’s sacred obligation to take care of our veterans and their families.

    Mr. Trump has long been a devoted supporter of veteran causes. In 1995, the fiftieth anniversary of World War II, only 100 spectators watched New York City’s Veteran Day Parade. It was an insult to all veterans. Approached by Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the chief of New York City’s FBI office, Mr. Trump agreed to lead as Grand Marshall a second parade later that year. Mr. Trump made a $1 million matching donation to finance the Nation’s Day Parade. On Saturday, November 11th, over 1.4 million watched as Mr. Trump marched down Fifth Avenue with more than 25,000 veterans, some dressed in their vintage uniforms. A month later, Mr. Trump was honored in the Pentagon during a lunch with the Secretary of Defense and the entire Joint Chiefs of Staff.

    In New York City, the Trump signature is synonymous with the most prestigious of addresses, among them the world-renowned Fifth Avenue skyscraper, Trump Tower, the Trump International Hotel & Tower, Trump World Tower at the United Nations Plaza, 40 Wall Street, and Trump Park Avenue. His portfolio includes the historic Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida and his ever-expanding collection of award-winning golf courses (seventeen thus far), which span the U.S from Los Angeles to New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Florida, and internationally from Scotland and Ireland to Dubai. He recently added the iconic golf resorts of Turnberry, Scotland, and Doonbeg, Ireland, to his portfolio and Trump National Golf Club Washington, DC, has been highly acclaimed. The Trump Hotel Collection has grown to include properties in Chicago, Las Vegas, Waikiki, Panama and Toronto in addition to Trump SoHo/New York and the acclaimed Trump International Hotel & Tower on Central Park West, which once again won the coveted Mobil Five-Star Award as well as the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. The Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago was awarded the #1 Hotel in the US and Canada by Travel & Leisure Magazine. Recent acquisitions include the iconic Doral Hotel & Country Club (800 acres) in Miami, and the historic Old Post Office Building in Washington, D.C. which is being developed into a world class luxury hotel. Seen as a generational asset by the Trump family, the redevelopment plan will infuse the building with new life. Groundbreaking was in July of 2014.

    Mr. Trump is the Emmy-nominated star and co-producer of the reality television series, “The Apprentice” which quickly became the number one show on television, making ratings history and receiving rave reviews and world wide attention. “The Celebrity Apprentice” has met with great success as well, being one of the highest rated shows on television. The Apprentice’s record fourteenth season premiered in January, 2015. “You’re fired!” is listed as the third greatest television catchphrase of all time. In 2007, Mr. Trump received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he is among the highest paid public speakers in the world. The Apprentice has raised over $15 million for charity.

    Mr. Trump was born in Queens, New York. He is married to Melania Trump and father to Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany and Barron. He is a proud grandfather of seven.

  • Trump’s “Hidden Votes” Surface to make him the 45th President of USA; Hillary Gracefully Concedes

    Trump’s “Hidden Votes” Surface to make him the 45th President of USA; Hillary Gracefully Concedes

    NEW YORK (TIP): Upsetting all polls predicting victory of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, in early hours of Wednesday, November 9, won the Presidential elections with a wide lead over his Democratic opponent. Trump reached the winning 270 mark (276) with Hillary sitting at 218. “Unbelievable” is what a pollster exclaimed when Trump pocketed State after States, including battleground Ohio which has 18 electoral votes, Florida which has 29 electoral votes and the Blue Pennsylvania which has 20 electoral votes. Not only that this election saw Trump adding to the number of Red States, it has also witnessed the Red becoming redder.

    At a point when Trump had already got 254 electoral votes in his kitty and Hillary was trailing at 214 with the results of Pennsylvania, then a close one but pointing to a Trump victory, yet to come in, it became clear that Trump will be the 45th President of the US. At that point, Trump was leading in quite a few States where counting was in progress.  It was at this point of time that Hillary Clinton called Trump to concede the election.  Shortly afterwards, Trump made his victory speech to a jubilant gathering at the Hilton in Manhattan, with the Vice President elect Mike Pence on his right and his youngest son Barron Trump on his left.

    Trump was conciliatory in his 15-minute speech. “To all Republicans, Democrats and Independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It’s time”, he said.

    Trump pledged to “every citizen of our land, that I will be president for all Americans. This is so important to me. Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation.”

    Referring to economy and relations with nations in the world, he said: “We have a great economic plan. We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world. At the same time, we will get along with any other nations willing to get along with us. We expect to have great relationships.”

    Getting on to making America great again, Trump said: “Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country’s destiny.”

    Read also: Meet the President -elect of the United States of America

  • Republican Hindu Coalition and Donald Trump perfect a Campaign of Misinformation and Hate

    Republican Hindu Coalition and Donald Trump perfect a Campaign of Misinformation and Hate

    As I watched the latest Republican Hindu Coalition TV advertisements on some Indian channels, usually viewed by Indian Americans for India news, I was shocked how the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was being dragged in to the US Presidential election.

    The RHC TV ad on Aaj Tak and India Today showed repeatedly the photograph of Narendra Modi with a list of accusations against Hillary Clinton. It gave one the impression that Prime Minister Modi was listing the accusations and appealing to US voters to vote for Republican Donald Trump, with the catch line “Ab ki baar Trump Sarkar”, echoing the slogan in India during the 2012 general elections: “Ab ki baar Modi Sarkar”.

    It is hard to believe that Mr. Modi was not aware of the RHC TV campaign, with his vigilant diplomatic staff and intelligence agencies network which report every single event, incident and development to Delhi. His silence only indicates his approval. As they say in Sanskrit: Maunam sammati lakshanam – silence means assent/ approval.

    This suspicion grows when one looks at the credentials of RHC Chairman Shalabh Kumar, better known as Shally Kumar who has touted his proximity with Narendra Modi for a long time. He is believed to have been a member of RSS, a Hindu organization. Readers will recall he was keen to organize a reception for Modi in New York but at that time, Modi chose to entrust the job to another favorite of his from Chicago, and a rival of Shally Kumar- Bharat Barai. Though Shally Kumar had to lick the ground then he continued to look for an opportunity to create his impression on Modi that he was a good organizer. He visited India at regular intervals meeting RSS leaders and, reportedly, PM Modi. During the last one year, his visits multiplied. He is reported to have intensified during this period his activities, obviously, with a view to gaining RSS and Modi support for RHC proposal to back Donald Trump, a Republican.

    Again, one gets the impression that RSS and Hindu organizations in India are supportive of RHC ‘s open “HINDU” support to Trump when no RSS or Hindu leader objects to the use of the name “HINDU”. The fact, however, is Shally Kumar does not represent all Hindus. Nor do RSS and Hindu organizations in India. Is RHC not involving Hindus in an undesirable controversy? Is RHC not guilty of bringing a bad name to entire Hindu American community by indulging in misinformation and a hate campaign?

    Both PM Narendra Modi and RSS leaders in India owe an apology to Indian Americans and, to Hillary Clinton, for allowing RHC to spread misinformation and hate, using Modi’s pictures in the election campaign advertisements and, in the name of Hindus.  The RHC campaign is loaded with diplomatic ramifications and likely to impact adversely US India relations after Hillary takes over as President on January 20, 2017.

    Have a look at how Shally Kumar is maligning Hindus who have always stood for truth and propriety. Read the Hindu holy books and you would find Hindus have always been on the side of righteousness. Just recently Hindus the world over celebrated the victory of good over evil in the form of Dussehra and Diwali festivals.

    One, Hillary is anti-India. Two, Hillary is anti-Modi. Three, Hillary is a friend of Pakistan. She gave military aid to Pakistan against India. Clinton Foundation, (indirectly, Hillary), funded terrorists.

    The misinformation and the hate campaign of RHC includes a tirade against Hillary’s aide, Huma Abedin who is described as a possible “Saudi spy” and “a lesbian lover of Hillary Clinton”. RHC worked hard to spread the canard even as their master Trump continued with his lies. This election will be best known for the lies of RHC and Donald Trump, the Republican candidate who inspired many journalists to count the number of lies he came out with on a day. I remember reading an article which listed 28 lies of Trump on a single day.

    Poor Trump. He was taken in by Shally Kumar’s claims of a great Hindu support. He might have been impressed with the number of people who gathered at the RHC rally. He probably never knew that people were there not so much for him as for the entertainment that was promised them. He probably failed to realize that here was a crowd and not the voters. And he was surely taken in by Shally Kumar’s assurances that all Hindus will vote for him just as he was taken in, in his infamous lewd comments against women on tapes about which Melania had explained in defense of her husband that he was “egged on”. Trump may have been told that “Ab ki baar Trump Sarkar” is a Vedic Mantra, the recitation of which could make him President of America just as the slogan “ab ki baar Modi Sarkar” had brought Modi to power. Is the Republican Presidential candidate so gullible? If yes, how can Americans trust him with nuclear weapons?

    I pity Trump. All thorough the campaign, he has been promising the Sun, the Moon, the stars without ever laying bare before Americans how he was going to achieve them. On top, there was ample manifestation of hate, something, which is alien to American way of life. Americans are so welcoming, so loving. And here is a man so full of hate for all kinds of people- Latinos, Muslims, so on, so forth.

    A welcoming America never spoke of throwing millions out of the country. And here he is who says it would be one of his first tasks to throw millions out. America has been building bridges with the world. Here is a Trump who will build wall along Mexico border and claims the more the Democrats oppose his plan “the higher the wall goes”. No trade pacts. China is looting America. Outsourcing is hurting American labor. Immigrants have taken away jobs of “white” Americans. Muslims are a threat to USA. Jews, and this one is indirect, have fleeced and bled America when the latest Trump campaign TV advertisement displayed the pictures of three top Jewish personalities-Janet Yellen, who chairs the Federal Reserve, the progressive financier George Soros and the Goldman Sachs chief executive, Lloyd Blankfein.

    Trump claims he will go after the Wall Street bosses and yet opposes raise in taxes on the rich. And then he claims the minimum wage is high enough to warrant a wage increase.  How is Trump pro people?  How can Americans have a president who is so indifferent to their lot?

    I think there is no end to the subject. One can go on and on. But let me now return to RHC.

    Birds of the same feather flock together. No doubt then that Trump and RHC are partners in a misinformation and hate campaign.

    I sanguinely hope Indian Americans, and the Hindus Shalli Kumar is targeting, would see through the designs of RHC and consider truth and truth alone on the day of the election.

     

  • “Get Out and vote for Hillary-a longtime friend of India and Indian Americans

    “Get Out and vote for Hillary-a longtime friend of India and Indian Americans

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Indian American supporters of Hillary Clinton strongly feel that the community should vote for her as only she can take the Indo-US relationship to a new level because she truly understands India and its culture.

    Hillary Clinton and Sant Chatwal- a firm handshake
    Hillary Clinton and Sant Chatwal- a firm handshake

    Indian Americans for Democrats and Friends of Hillary for President, an advocacy group supporting Hillary Clinton for President made a passionate plea to the Indian American community to vote for Hillary. Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, chairman of Indian-Americans for Democrats and Friends of Hillary for President, hosted a well-attended press conference on November 2 at the Chatwal hotel in midtown Manhattan, New York City. He was joined by former chief of medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and community leader, Dr. Bhupi Patel, and Founder of Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and former commissioner in President Bill Clinton’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Mike Patel.

    The Chatwal family with Hillary
    The Chatwal family with Hillary

    Chatwal, who has been a longtime friend of the Clintons, described how he convinced Bill Clinton for his India trip that ‘opened the doors for improving India-US relations.’Bill Clinton undertook a visit in March, 2000, 22 yearsafter a US President had visited India. It was in 1978 when a Democratic President Jimmy Carter had last visited India. Sant took a jibe at the Republicans for touting their love of India now but where were they earlier. He also highlighted how Bill and Hillary Clinton relentlessly worked for betterment of ties between the two countries. “She (Hillary) visited India quite a few times since 95- in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012. She understands India, Indian culture. Indian-Americans should vote for her as she can boost India-US relations.”

    Hillary joins Daman Chatwal in a Punjabi jig
    Hillary joins Daman Chatwal in a Punjabi jig

    Getting nostalgic about his and wife, Daman’s 25 year old relationship with Clintons, Sant Chatwal described that he felt immediate positive vibes on his first ever meeting with Clintons.

    “I had good vibes when I first met the Clintons in 1991. They are good people; very fair and emotionally connected,” Chatwal recalled, adding, “Hillary’s experience as a politician; her love for India and Indian Americans and her conscious effort to do good for America, made her an ideal candidate to receive our vote.”

    Hillary poses with Sant and Daman Chatwal at a public gathering
    Hillary poses with Sant and Daman Chatwal at a public gathering

    Chatwal dwelt a length the long and distinguished career of Hillary. It began with Hillary as the First Lady of Arkansas where her husband Bill Clinton was Governor for more than a decade. It was then that she came in close contact with politics and politicians and started learning the nitty gritty of the statecraft. As First Lady of The US from 1993-2001, she got ample opportunity to meet with world leaders and leaders from the country and got to have an intimate knowledge of working of politics and diplomacy. In the White House, Hillary assumed a serious policy role and took the lead on Bill’s failed efforts to reform the American healthcare system.

    Chatwal recounted her services as Senator from New York and later as Secretary of State of the US. Over four years that she was Secretary of State she visited 112 countries and wracked up nearly 1 million miles in the air, as she carried Obama’s message of multilateralism and cautious use of American power around the world. In Washington, she became one of the President’s closest advisors working closely with the White House as the Arab Spring flared and the US moved to kill Osama bin Laden.

    If Chatwal spoke highly of Hillary Clinton, he did not hold his comments on Trump, too. He questioned Donald Trump’s ability “to run a country”.

    “Running a government is very different from running a business. One needs knowledge and experience. It’s not easy to run a country.”

    He feared that if Trump became Presidenthe will be disastrous for the country and wipe out trillions of dollars from US economy.

    “As a businessman I want to protect our economy. If Trump becomes President, the market will drop by 25 per cent, four-five trillion dollars will be lost.”

    Chatwal also slammed Trump for his remark that he is a “big fan of Hindus” and of India at an event in New Jersey last month. “India is not only for Hindus; India has Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and many more. Trump has to understand that. India has a large Muslim population. Muslim population is more in India than in Pakistan. Trump does not know that. Talk is cheap but it is difficult to deliver.”

    Dr Bhupi Patel highlighted how Hillary has stood with India and the Indian-American community on vital issues like immigration, education and health care. He said the community should vote for her as Clinton has strong policies in these areas that will benefit the community and future generations.

    “It’s time to reciprocate. We need somebody in White House who knows India. Trump does not know India.”

    Dr Patel said Clinton is an “inclusive” leader who has worked for the community for the last few decades while Trump is in “exclusive’ person who talks about isolating the US. “How can you have a leader who damages global relations? America cannot afford to get isolated. You cannot discriminate against minorities. It is very important for the minority communities to be involved in the political process. We have to make our presence felt.”

    Hillary addressing a convention of International Punjabi Society in New York. Sant Chatwal is seen to her right
    Hillary addressing a convention of International Punjabi Society in New York. Sant Chatwal is seen to her right

    Mike Patel recounted his experience as commissioner in President Bill Clinton’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. “President Clinton did what he did because he cared about new immigrants, who worked hard and paid taxes but never received full benefits. It shows the party cares for us. We have to decide what kind of America we want for our kids. Who will be inclusive of your children? That should give you the answer who should you vote for.”

    HR Shah, CEO of TV Asia and a long time supporter of Indian Americans for Democrats gave a hard-hitting note. “In 240 years America does not have a Woman president. Even India had a woman prime minister 30 years ago, who ruled for 10 years, but it’s unfortunate that America is so backward in realizing the strength of women power. We want to see the change. Make noise for the fundamental change,” he said.

    The speakers also reminded that Indian community’s voting numbers may be small but in close elections, small numbers matter more. The key states are those that are traditionally Republican and are called Red States, and the swing states where the two parties are almost evenly poised and could go either way.

    Chatwal pointed to the 2000 elections, which Democrat Al Gore lost by less than 400 votes in Florida and said, that in states like Florida votes of Indian Americans carry more weight as a deciding factor. Urging the Indian-American community to exercise their electoral right, he said each vote would count on November 8.

    Over three-million-strong Indian-American community has traditionally supported the Democratic Party and Trump has been trying to pursue the community to make a dent in its vote bank. According to a poll, over 70% of Indian Americans are Democratic supporters with only 13% backing Republicans and 14% Independents. About 67% of them support Clinton compared to only 7% for Trump.

    The panelists -Sant Chatwal, Bhupi Patel and Mike Patel-made a unanimous and passionate appeal to Indian Americans to “Get out and vote for Hillary”.

  • Hillary Clinton leads in National Polls

    Hillary Clinton leads in National Polls

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Hillary Clinton has built a formidable lead over Donald Trump in terms of opinion poll’s percentage points, but, poll numbers are swinging in Battleground states as Nevada and Florida change status back to “battleground” from “lean Democratic” and now maintain their traditional toss-up status.

    Leaving the battleground states undecided for now, CNN’s electoral outlook has Clinton at 272 electoral votes from states either solidly or leaning in her direction. Trump has a total of 179 electoral votes from the states either solidly or leaning in his direction. 87 electoral votes currently up for grabs in the battleground states will decide this head to head race regardless of what Opinion Polls suggest – remember opinion polls generally tend to have a sample size of about 1,000 people or more and can track movement and general opinion well.

    But the US election is won and lost in swing states and decided by the electoral college system.

    ratingThis means that polls in states that look like they could vote for either candidate play an integral role in election projections.

    As on October 27, most polls here in the US and in UK speak of Clinton’s lead, and a comfortable one, over Trump.

    The Upshot gives Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president, a 92 percent chance of winning, compared to Republican candidate Donald Trump’s 8 percent. While Trump could still win, The Upshot says: “Mrs. Clinton’s chance of losing is about the same as the probability that an N.F.L. kicker misses a 31-yard field goal.” According to The Upshot, the chance of Clinton winning the election has increased steadily since the beginning of the month: On October 1, Clinton had a 76 percent chance of winning compared to Trump’s 24 percent.

    On October 26th night, FiveThirtyEight ‘s Nate Silver wrote that Trump has “probably narrowed his deficit against Clinton,” but by too little to see any major shift. FiveThirtyEight ‘s election forecast on October 27 predicted that, nationally, Clinton will take 84.4 percent of the vote to Trump’s 15.6 percent. Meanwhile, 46 percent of voters in a YouGov poll published October 27 said they intend to vote for Clinton, while 41 percent said they will cast their vote for Trump.

    Real Clear Politics had Clinton leading Trump by 5.4 points on Thursday, a slight dip from the same time a week ago, when she was up by 6.1 points. The average from Thursday’s polls had Clinton with 48.6 percent support and Trump with 42.7 percent.

    Outlier of The Day: Evan McMullin! According to a SurveyMonkey poll from Utah published on October 27, 29 percent of voters say they will choose McMullin, a conservative independent candidate, the same percentage who say they intend to vote for Clinton. Trump is ahead in Utah by a narrow margin, at 32 percent. McMullin, who is Mormon, has polled highly in the state, where he’s seen as a viable alternative to the brashness and unpredictability of Trump.

    map

    Solid Republican:

    Alabama (9), Alaska (3), Arkansas (6), Idaho (4), Indiana (11), Kansas (6), Kentucky (8), Louisiana (8), Mississippi (6), Missouri (10), Montana (3), Nebraska (4), North Dakota (3), Oklahoma (7), South Carolina (9), South Dakota (3), Tennessee (11), Texas (38), West Virginia (5), Wyoming (3) (157 total)

    Leans Republican:Georgia (16), Iowa (6), (22 total)

     

    Battleground states:

    Arizona (11), Florida (29), Nevada (6), Ohio (18), Maine 2nd Congressional District (1) Nebraska 2nd Congressional District (1), North Carolina (15), Utah (6) (87 total)

    Leans Democratic:

    Colorado (9), Michigan (16), New Hampshire (4), Pennsylvania (20), Virginia (13), Wisconsin (10), (72 total)

    Solid Democratic:

    California (55), Connecticut (7), Delaware (3), DC (3), Hawaii (4), Illinois (20), Maine (3), Maryland (10), Massachusetts (11), New Jersey (14), New York (29), Oregon (7), Rhode Island (4), Vermont (3), Washington (12), Minnesota (10), New Mexico (5) (200 total)

  • 61 charged in India-based IRS Impersonation Scam

    61 charged in India-based IRS Impersonation Scam

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The U.S. Justice Department charged 61 people on Thursday, October 27, with taking part in a scam involving India-based call centers where people impersonated Internal Revenue Service, immigration and other federal officials and demanded payments for non-existent debts.

    The scam, which had operated since 2013, targeted at least 15,000 people who lost more than $300 million, the department said in a statement.

    The defendants, who were indicted by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on Oct. 19, included 32 people at five Indian call centers and 24 people in nine U.S. states, the statement said.

    The indictment said the operators of the call centers in Ahmedabad, in the Indian state of Gujarat, “threatened potential victims with arrest, imprisonment, fines or deportation if they did not pay taxes or penalties to the government.”

    Payments by victims were laundered by a U.S. network of co-conspirators using prepaid debit cards or wire transfers, often using stolen or fake identities, the statement said.

    The call centers also ran scams in which victims were offered short-term loans or grants on condition of providing good-faith deposits or payment of a processing fee, it said. The investigation involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Treasury, Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service and police officials, the Justice Department said.

  • Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Dhanush advocates for ‘Proper Understanding of Gender Equality’

    Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Dhanush advocates for ‘Proper Understanding of Gender Equality’

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Dhanush, UN Women’s Advocate for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in India, strongly believes that to bring gender equality in the society we have to first understand what equality means. She spoke of this equality beginning from home where a girl is given the same status and opportunities as a boy. The film director, classical dancer and writer, who was appointed UN Women’s Advocate in August this year, was delivering a speech at UN Women’s Headquarter in NYC on October 27. America Tamil Sangam and UN Women jointly organized the event. In his welcome speech America Tamil Sangam President Prakash Swamy described how extremely talented Aishwaryaa maintains her simple, down to earth approach despite being daughter of India’s biggest star Rajinikanth and wife of another superstar Dhanush. He also highlighted Aishwaryaa’s social awareness and urge to help people in distress that had made her ideal for the advocate’s job.

    “As a first step in our march towards equality, we would need to understand what equality means. Now I understand that this has been debated and continues to be debated by philosophers, politicians ad nauseam”, said Aishwaryaa. “And I understand we are yet to fully understand what equality means.” She also admitted that the present situation is grim but it has a solution too. “While an understanding of what is equality is important, but to wait or to make half-hearted attempts until we fully understand, would result in future generations looking back at us and wondering what sort of society did we live in! And we should be conscious of what sort of legacy are we likely to leave behind.”

    UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri briefed the audience about the transformations UN wants to bring to society with their vision for the 2030 Agenda and Planet 50-50 by 2030. International Women’s Day celebration on 8 March 2016 was aimed to mobilize people around the world to call for a Planet 50-50 by 2030. UN Women is organizing a series of diverse, high-profile events in over 40 countries, where ordinary citizens, activists, musicians, athletes, students, security personnel, scholars and stock exchange officials will be among those who commit to “Stepping It Up for Gender Equality. “One woman can represent 500 women better than 500 men can represent one woman.” Said Puri. UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka also delivered a brief speech where she expressed hope thatAishwaryaa with her genuine commitmentto the causewill be a true game changer to make this planet equal for men and women.