Tag: Long Island

Winter Storm Jonas to hit East Coast
NEW YORK (TIP): The monstrous winter storm is coming to disrupt life, starting Friday, January 22. After an initial round of snow and ice, Storm Jonas will turn into a major snowstorm for the East Coast with strong, possibly damaging winds, significant icing and coastal flooding.

Heavy snow is expected to fall across parts of at least 15 states, with blizzard conditions possible over parts of the Washington D.C., Baltimore and New York City metro areas.

More than 50 million people could be affected by the “potentially paralyzing storm” headed for the East Coast this weekend, according to National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini said on a call with reporters Thursday afternoon. CNN put the figure at 75 million.

The New York area will face the storm early Saturday for its first winter storm of the season and could see up to 8 inches of snow by Saturday night. Temperatures in the city are forecast to drop into the high 20s to the low 30s, according to the National Weather Service.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a news conference on Thursday, Jan 21, that anyone in the area who planned to take “big trips over the weekend, get that out of your mind” and urged motorists to stay off the road.

CNN predicts it will be “one nasty snowstorm” that could leave the cities covered in a couple of feet of snow. The storm will start in the south and the Ohio Valley on Friday before moving north on Friday night and into Saturday morning, AccuWeather reported. By Sunday night, it will be over.

The storm could shut down highways and airports, according to AccuWeather. “This could be a long-duration snowfall that could last more than 24 hours in some locations,” AccuWeather meteorologist Elliot Abrams said.

Howling winds and pounding surf along the coasts could cause “substantial” beach erosion and coastal flooding, as well as property damage, the National Weather Service said.

Parts of Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina can expect ice accumulations that will mean slick roads, tree damage and power outages, AccuWeather said.

Snow and Ice Impacts
- At least 6 inches of snow likely: I-95 corridor northward through New York City/Long Island, westward into the Ohio Valley and northwest Tennessee.
- At least 1 foot of snow likely: Eastern Kentucky into most of West Virginia, Virginia except southeast portion, most of Maryland, D.C., northern Delaware, far southern Pennsylvania and extreme northwest North Carolina. Parts of these areas may see more than 20 inches of total snowfall.
- Sharp snowfall gradient: There remains considerable uncertainty regarding snow amounts on the northern edge of Jonas’ snow shield from Pennsylvania to southern New England. These areas could see snowfall exceeding 6 inches, but confidence is not as high as areas just to the south.
- Ice: The highest probability of accumulating ice to the extent of not only leading to slick roads, but also some tree damage and power outages is also possible.
High Winds
- Strongest wind potential: Delmarva Peninsula, Chesapeake Bay, New Jersey and Long Island Saturday. Occasional gusts to 60 mph, coupled with the weight of wet, heavy snow in some of these areas, will likely lead to power outages, downed trees and limbs, and perhaps some structural damage.
- Additional strong gusts: Washington and Baltimore metropolitan areas, where blizzard conditions are possible; New England coast, particularly southeast New England, Cape Cod, Nantucket Island and Martha’s Vineyard; North Carolina’s Outer Banks. There will also be rather strong winds gusts in the Mid-South region of west Tennessee, southeast Missouri, eastern Arkansas and northwest Mississippi Friday that could also produce local blizzard conditions in spots. The combination of heavy snow and these strong winds could lead to power outages and some downed trees/limbs.
Predictably, meteorologist message boards & social media are abuzz with the storm’s potential. One leading meteorologist on Twitter has already dubbed the storm a “blockbuster blizzard for the ages.” The person who literally wrote the textbook on major Northeast winter storms, Paul Kocin, wrote on Tuesday, Jan 19, that this week’s storm is “textbook.” Another meteorologist called the storm’s predicted evolution “perfection.”
Jan 22, 2016 – 3:46 pm EST
Melinda Katz shares her vision ‘Only in Queens’ in the State of the Borough address

QUEENS, NY (TIP): Borough President Melinda Katz shared some of the milestones reached in the first half of her term in office and outlined the priorities for the future of Queens in her second annual State of the Borough Address, delivered Thursday, January 21 morning at Colden Auditorium on the campus of Queens College.

Building upon last year’s theme of “If It’s Good For Our Families, It’s Good For Queens,” Borough President Katz this year highlighted the ways in which the borough’s diversity is “an asset not just for Queens but for all New Yorkers.” She cited the “inherent opportunity – by both necessity and design – to meet challenges with more creativity, more perspectives, and more innovation. And what may be Only in Queens today sets the template for our country of tomorrow.”

Among the policy areas discussed in the speech included Economic Development, Education, Housing, Parks, Tourism and Culture, Transportation and Constituent Services. A copy of the full State of the Borough Address as prepared for delivery can be found at www.queensbp.org/speech-sotb- 2016.pdf.

The Address concluded with special appearances from New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson, former player Edgardo Alfonzo and Manager Terry Collins. Borough President Katz praised the “hometown heroes” for their 2015 National League Championship victory that “reminded us what it means to believe”, likening their “true grit, determination and heart” to the “Queens identity.”

Immediately following the State of the Borough Address, guests enjoyed a brief reception with refreshments provided by Paul Evans Catering.

The 2016 State of the Borough event was partly sponsored by JetBlue Airways Corporation, headquartered in Long Island City, Queens.

Jan 22, 2016 – 3:03 pm EST
India Association of Long Island (IALI) has new leadership

LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): The India Association of Long Island (IALI) held its 38thAnnual General Body Meeting on Dec 27, 2015at Mint Restaurant in Long Island. It was attended by anoverwhelming record crowd of over 200 IALI Membersin good standing. Quite a few Past Presidents, who are considered pillars of this esteemed organization like; Mr. Rajeshwar Prasad, Dr. Dev Chitkara, Dr. Jagan Pahuja, Dr. Sharwan Bagla, Mrs. Gitanjli Anand, Mrs. Avinash Suri, Indu Jaiswal, Mr. Satpal Malhotra, Mrs. Sampurna Jain, Dr. Jagdish Gupta, Dr. Sukhvinder Ranu, and Mr. Gobind Munjal were in attendance. The meeting started with a 20 minute stylized big screen presentation of IALI’s multi-faceted year-long programs for 2014 and 2015. IALI President Mr. Satnam Parhar then presented the Report for the year 2015, itemizing IALI’s successful on-going programs and events.

Mr. Parhar stressed that the main objective of his presidency was to realize the dream of owning the IndiaCenter for IALI members, which he was happy to see that mission accomplished. He stated that IndiaCenter has given IALI the ability to expand their programs in addition to increasing the frequency of the many existing programs including doing their monthly and weekly meetings. His vision was to start small, as we have to start from somewhere, and then grow into a bigger & better place. He was happy to report that we managed to get the Real Estate Tax Exemption backdated from Day 1 from the NassauCounty and NYS. President thanked all the India Center Committee members, especially Mr. Gobind Munjal, the Chairperson of India Center Committee, without whose help, it would not have been possible to achieve this eluded dream of owning India Center. He invited him to say a few words.

The New Executive Council for 2016

Mr. Gobind Munjal, India Center Chair thanked everybody from the bottom of his heart for the support given to him by the Past Presidents, Executive Council Members and India Center team, especially the President Mr. Satnam Parhar, Vimal Goyal and Gunjan Rastogi and the IALI general membership in helping him achieve this long standing dream of owning India Center, which was close to his heart and he had developed a passion for it since his presidency in 2011. Both Mr. Munjal and Mr. Parhar thanked all those, who contributed / donated funds to buy the building for IndiaCenter and said that all the Diamond. Gold and Silver Donors name plates are being prominently displayed in IndiaCenter and the Bronz Donors names are also being listed and displayed there. They particularly thanked the Diamond Donors Jeet & Late Dr Sanjeeva Nayak and Elizabeth & Dr. Dev Chitkara for their dedication and support for the IndiaCenter. Gobind Munjal then recognized all Donors and read out their names.

President then asked the IALI Treasurer Mrs. Gunjan Rastogi to present her Treasurer Report to reflect upon the funds collected for India Center to the tune of $140,000 in donations thereby increasing the Assets / Net Worth of the organization from $328,000 to about$460,000 and the cash balance of over$100,000 left in the bank accounts, after buying the building, to be handed over to the new executive council of 2016.

President, Mr. Satnam Parhar then presented awards and plaques to all IALI’s Executive Council Members, Chairs, Committees Members, who had served IALI diligently for the entire year 2015 in recognition of their hard work and selfless service. IALI Secretary Ms. Rekha Valliappan gave the vote of thanks to everyone present.

The Committee for 2016

Election Committee Chair – Mr. Satpal Malhotra announced the incoming Elected Officials for the Year 2016.

PRESIDENT – MRS. BEENA KOTHARI

VICE PRESIDENT – MRS. GUNJAN RASTOGI

SECRETARY – MR LALIT AERY

TREASURER – Mr. VIMAL GOYAL

8 MEMBERS AT LARGE – Mrs. Saroj Aery ; Mr. Hargovind Gupta; Mrs. Kiran Gupta; Ms Anu Jain; Ms Amita Karwal; Mr. Sushil Khanna; Mrs. Veena Lamba; Mr. Mohinder Miglani

Jan 1, 2016 – 1:55 pm EST
Hyderabadi Cultural Association of Greater New York organize 4th Annual Gala

HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): On Saturday the 12th of December 2015, the Hyderabadi Cultural Association of Greater New York (HCA) held its Fourth Annual Gala in New York City. The keynote address was delivered by Mr. M. A. Faiz Khan, a scion of the Paigah royalty of Hyderabad.

Mr. Quddus Mohammed, the Chairman of the HCA, welcomed the over 250 attendees, and Mr. Hussain Baqueri, the President delivered the state of the organization and stressed the role of HCA as a secular cultural organization that not only sought to promote Hyderabadi culture among the diaspora, but also participated in charitable initiatives helping the underprivileged get educational access. The President also presented a donation check to two organizations: Equally Able and Indo-American Hospital in Hyderabad. The organization also felicitated a variety of diasporic Hyderabadis including Dr. Hussain Ali Mir, Professor, writer and lyricist, Ms. Dilshad Ali, an Autism Advocate, Mr. Rajender Dichapally, a former Youth President of Telugu Association, Mr. Iftekhar Shareef, an outstanding Entrepreneur, and Ms. Zaynah Abid, a medical student for youth leadership.

The gala also featured a standup performance by New York comedian Mr. Aman Ali, a musical program featuring the famous singer Darshana Menon and a sumptuous authentic Hyderabadi-style dinner. The attendees lightedthe night in their traditional Hyderabadi attire as a team of panelist recognized the person wearing the best Sherwani.

Photos/ Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia

HCA executive members and Honorees at the gala dinner

Prominent Indian American leader of Chicago and Entrepreneur Iftekhar Shareef being honored by HCA Seema Zaki Secretary HCA and Habeeb Ahmed

M.A.Faiz member of board of Governors and Treasurer HPS Society Hyderabad speaking about Hyderabad history and the past at the gala dinner

Dec 18, 2015 – 4:20 pm EST
Harendra Singh arrested again – Long Island indicted restaurateur in violation of bail bond

MINEOLA, NY (TIP): Long Island restaurateur Harendra Singh was re-arrested by FBI agents Wednesday, December 16, on a charge of violating the conditions of his release on $5 million bond by submitting a fraudulent loan application, according to a Newsday report.

Singh was ordered jailed until at least a hearing Thursday by U.S. Magistrate Arlene Lindsay at the federal court house in Central Islip.

Newsday recounted that Singh was arrested in September and released on bond with the proviso that he engage in no criminal activity. He was re-arrested by FBI agents Wednesday after he was asked to come to the court house to report to pre-trial services, officials said. That agency supervises federal defendants.

The original charges against Singh included allegedly bribing a former Town of Oyster Bay deputy attorney in order to have the town give him an “indirect guarantee” of $32 million in loans. The attorney allegedly received $50,000 in checks made out to cash and a $36,000 luxury car lease.

Singh has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Eastern District federal prosecutors Catherine Mirabile, Lara Treinis Gatz and Raymond Tierney originally argued that Singh should not be released on the bond because he was an economic danger to the community and might commit further crimes.

Wednesday, they reiterated those arguments in court.

Mirabile told the court that the allegedly fraudulent loan application was part of a continuing pattern of Singh’s illegal business actions, saying that he had applied in the past “numerous” times for fraudulent loans.

Mirabile, Gatz and Tierney also noted in court papers that both Singh’ wife, Ruby Singh, and mother, Rajeswari Singh, had acted as sureties on the $5 million bond, as people guaranteeing the payment of the bond and ensuring he meet its conditions.

“It is clear not only that the defendant has violated the conditions of his release, but also that his wife and mother do not provide moral suasion as sureties on the bond,” the three wrote.

Singh’s attorney, Anthony La Pinta, of Hauppauge, who said he had not had time to familiarize himself with the prosecutors claims, declined to comment after he left the courtroom.

The three prosecutors said in papers that: “Between November 2, 2015 and December 3,, 2015, the defendant submitted…fraudulent documents in support of a credit application…in direct violation of his conditions of release.”

The documents claimed that Singh needed a loan to purchase restaurant equipment from a contractor, and submitted a phony bill or invoice from the contractor to the loan company. The contractor, however, contacted the FBI, Mirabile said.

Mirabile, Treinis Gatz and Tierney, wrote in the papers requesting that that Singh be permanently detained, that he submitted an application to an unnamed private lending company for $148,511, claiming an intended purchase of restaurant equipment for one of the defendant’s restaurants, “H.R. Singleton’s,” in Bethpage.

“Among other items, the Invoice identifies equipment to be purchased from the Contracting Company such as $8,950.00 for lighting fixtures, $12,560.00 for a wine cooler, $12,000.000 for chairs, $14,950.00 for tables, and $15,759.00 for booths,” their papers said.

The lender requested additional information from Singh, including “follow-up questions, and these calls were not returned. Thereafter, the Private Lender cancelled the transaction,” court papers said.

The contractor was troubled that he had been involved by Singh in what he considered a questionable scheme and contacted the FBI earlier this month, the papers say.

“The Contractor informed the FBI special agent that the Invoice was a fake, stating that the Contracting Company had not prepared the Invoice, that the Contractor had never seen the Invoice before, and was not aware the Invoice had been created,” the prosecutors said.

Singh’s former attorney, Joseph Conway, of Mineola, has said in court that the federal prosecution of his client is motivated by the desire of prosecutors and agents to have him provide compromising information on important politicians with whom he has friendships.

Conway has said that Singh has no such information to provide.

Dec 17, 2015 – 4:19 am EST
Maragos: Preschool education plan needs improvement

Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos has released a report titled “Opportunities for Improving Preschool Special Education Outcomes for Nassau County Children.”

A press release said the report finds that Nassau school districts lag New York State (NYS) in placing three and four-year-old special needs children in optimal learning settings. Federal guidelines indicate that preschool students with special needs can benefit most when taught in integrated early childhood settings alongside typically developing, age-appropriate peers. Only one Nassau school district exceeded the NYS average for placing children in integrated settings. Nevertheless, our special needs children still achieve average developmental benefits

In 2014, Nassau County served 5,249 three and four-year-old special needs children at a total cost of $100.7 million. The average cost per student was $19,186, but private center-based programs charge as much as $52,000 per child.

“Nassau school districts pride themselves on being some of the best in the country for K-12 learning,” Comptroller Maragos said. “The same, however, cannot be said for our special needs children. We should aim for better than average results for all of our children.”

The data available indicates that Nassau County school districts underperform the NYS average with respect to placing students in integrated settings. Less than one in four Nassau preschool special education stu-dents (22%) attended a regular or integrated preschool class from 2011-2012 through 2013-2014, compared to 43% of students across New York State and 42% of students nationwide.

Within the County, placement results vary dramatically from district to district. At the low and high extremes, East Meadow school district placed 3% of special needs students and Island Park placed 49% of special needs students in regular or integrated preschool classes.

Despite Nassau’s below-average integration rates, special needs students reach the NYS average for skill development. Countywide, more than 50% of Nassau County’s students reached age-appropriate development in any of the three main skill categories by the time they finished pre-school.

State and local school administrators surmise that low integration rates may be due to the lack of availability of classes where children with special needs can learn alongside typically developing peers, and to parents’ and administrators’ belief that the more intensive instruction provided in separate classes is more beneficial for many children. Integration also appears to be impeded by the NYS Education Department’s lack of regular feedback to districts on the merits of integration and to lagging districts on their performance compared to their peers.

Dec 13, 2015 – 2:48 pm EST
Long Island: Political Winners & Losers

Winners

Madeline Singas: Nassau’s acting-District Attorney earned a four-year term promoting her credentials as a non-political career prosecutor committed to rooting out corruption wherever it is and whoever is responsible.

Tired of countywide GOP scandals, Republicans and Conservatives deserted their party’s unqualified candidate, Kate Murray, in droves to vote for the competent and experienced Singas.

John Venditto: The long-time Oyster Bay town supervisor won re-election by only 99 votes. His unknown and under-financed Democratic opponent John Mangelli surged in this
Republican stronghold after the indictment of big-time politically connected vendor Harendra Singh, who had questionable contracts and financial arrangements that were blessed by Venditto and the township’s legislative body.

With Federal investigators searching every nook and cranny in Oyster Bay, one can only wonder if he will serve out his 10th term of office.

Judi Bosworth: Unlike her predecessor, Jon Kaiman, who barely skated by in his last two campaigns for North Hempstead supervisor, Bosworth won in a landslide receiving 68 percent of the vote.

She proved that voters reward honest hard work, civil demeanor and dedication to public service.

Anthony Santino: He pulled off an impressive victory in the race for Hempstead Town Supervisor. Santino, Nassau County GOP spokesman for many years, managed to garner 60 percent of the vote, as incumbent Town Supervisor Kate Murray went down in flames in the DA’s race.

It will be interesting to learn if his first allegiance is to the taxpayers or to Boss Joe Mondello.

Bruce Blakeman: After losing races for state Comptroller, U.S. Senator, Congress and county Legislature, Nassau’s leading political narcissist finally won a race. The downwardly-mobile Blakeman was elected to the Hempstead Town Council.

Boy oh boy, what an accomplishment for the 60-year-old Blakeman.

LOSERS

Ed Mangano: The county executive’s administration is in shambles. He has an ever-growing structural operating deficit he is incapable of fixing. Court transcripts indicate Mangano said he would invoke Fifth Amendment rights if called to testify in the Skelos trial.

There are allegations he accepted expensive free vacations and tens of thousands of dollars of free meals from indicted vendor and restaurateur Harendra Singh.

Rob Walker: Nassau’s first deputy county executive testified against his political crony, Sen. Dean Skelos. Although Walker received federal immunity for taking the stand in the Skelos trial, he admitted he received no protection from ongoing federal investigations involving county contracts for campaign donors and business pushed to a personal friend.

Will Walker soon cut a deal and throw Mangano under a NICE bus?

Kate Murray: The popular Hempstead Town Supervisor permitted herself to be talked into running for Nassau DA despite the fact she had no prosecutorial experience.

Appalled by her lack of credentials, the voters overwhelmingly rejected her. She even lost Hempstead receiving only 45 percent of the vote. Will her next job be acting county executive if Mangano resigns his post?

Jon Kaiman: The NIFA Chairman’s self-proclaimed cost-neutral wage deal with the public employees union has been a disaster. It has driven the county deeper into the red to the tune of $70 million annually. Political wags are asking what Kaiman actually does to earn the $150,000 he’s paid annually as Gov. Cuomo’s Long Island’s Hurricane Sandy Recovery Czar. Given references to NIFA’s role in approving the controversial AbTech contract and former North Hempstead Councilman Tom Dwyer’s role with Adam Skelos, there are questions if one of NIFA’s board members has been interviewed or deposed by the feds.

Dec 11, 2015 – 11:11 am EST
Harbachan Singh sworn in as President of Queens Civic Congress (QCC) for another term

NEW YORK (TIP): Harbachan Singh was sworn in for his second term as president of Queens Civic Congress (QCC) at the annual QCC Legislative Reception on December 6, 2015 at the Douglaston Club in Queens. It was another successful QCC event which was well attended by its many organization members and several prominent legislators from federal, state and city levels. Highlighting the event was the swearing in of the newly elected QCC team by US Senator Charles Schumer who commended QCC for its representation and advocacy.

Harbachan Singh, born in Malaysia, is a Barrister-at-Law from U.K He is a former Chairman of the Headquarters Committee on Contracts of the United Nations. Currently, he is Secretary-General of the Indian National Overseas Congress, USA. and President of the Advisory Board of the Holocaust Center at the Queens Borough Community College. He is a past president of the Saul Weprin Democratic Club, Vice President of the Community Advisory Board of the Queens Hospital Center and a delegate of the Queens Borough President’s’ General Assembly. Singh is also a life member of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO.

Ashook Ramsaran, formerly of Guyana, was sworn in as the newest vice president of QCC. Ramsaran emigrated from Guyana in 1968 and currently president of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO International). He is a board member of the Fresh Meadows Civic Association and Secretary of New York Presbyterian/Queens Hospital Community Advisory Council, among several other notable positions in prominent organizations and institutions.

New York State Senator Tony Avella (third from left, front row) with members of the newly sworn in QCC team.

The growing impact of the activities of Queens Civic Congress has certainly drawn attention recently as evidenced from the significant number officials attending the event. Legislators who participated in the Legislative Reception included: U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng; Queens Borough President Ms. Melinda Katz; New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer; Public Advocate Letitia James; State Senators Tony Avella and Toby Ann Stavisky; State Assemblymen David Weprin and Edward Braunstein; State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic; NYC Council Members Rory Lancman, Alicia Hyndman, Karen Koslowitz and Barry Grodenchik; NYC Design & Construction Commissioner Dr. Feniosky Peña-Mora representing Mayor Bill di Blasio; and others.

QCC second term president Mr. Harbachan Singh spoke after the swearing in ceremony of the many challenges Queens residents were facing on issues such as those relating to public transport system, airplane noise at vicinities of Queens two major airports, congestion pricing, shelters for the homeless, zoning for quality and affordability housing, use of parks and the parkland, business development districts and Long Island Rail Road line activation proposals. Singh reasoned with the legislators that “while we invariably find ourselves on the same side of the table at City Council or State Assembly hearings, we both serve the common interests of the residents and the county; we also appreciate your listening ears to our opposing positions when necessary”. Singh recognized their overall collaboration, support and cooperation.”

Queens Civic Congress, formed in 1997, is a registered New York State non-profit organization representing more than 100 civic and other community organizations throughout the Borough of Queens in New York City, is committed to the protection and advancement of the “Quality of Life”, to provide a forum for the civic associations and neighborhood organizations, to develop and present common policies and positions, and to furnish effective leadership and advocacy for the advancement of the welfare and interests of Queens’ neighborhoods.

Dec 10, 2015 – 1:42 pm EST
The Vegetarian Vision Aim is to Promote Vegetarian Way of Life

LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): Vegetarian Vision, under the leadership of Chairman & Founder H.K. Shah and Malati Shah, has been highly influential in spreading vegetarian way of life. Their programs and events are focused on promoting happy healthy vegetarian way of life and healthy food habits.

Chairman H.K. Shah announced big celebrations of Upcoming Vegetarian Vision Silver Jubilee Year in 2017, intending to promote vegetarianism across various other communities. Additional information can be found on our website at www.vegetarianvision.org. He urged for organization and community support and volunteers to make this a grand success.

President Chandra Mehta said in her inspiring speech emphasizing the benefits to become vegetarian. She said human being by nature is vegetarian and veggie diets are healthy and environment friendly. Production of non-vegetarian food has direct effect on global warming. Mrs. Mehta created beautiful pumpkin decorations making event’s center of attraction. She informed the community about upcoming events including the vegetarian pageant in spring of 2016 and encouraged everybody to participate and be a member.

Overall event was co-ordinated and emceed by Flora Parekh (Vice President) and Vinod Shah (Director) with the help of the entire executive committee and volunteers. Ms. Flora Parekh also urged all interested volunteers can sign in / donate through our website at
www.vegetarianvision.org for our upcoming Silver Jubilee Celebrations in 2017.

A cardiologist Vegan from Michigan, Dr. Joel Kahn was the esteemed speaker at this Thanksgiving Dinner and spoke on Best Heart healthy diets and Vegetarian dietary patterns and mortality inspiring people to live a happy healthy vegetarian life. Several doctors in attendance had an informative question /answer session providing immense wealth of knowledge to attendees.

Vegetarian Vision conducted its kids annual Essay competition in February coordinated by Ms. Nivea Kothari, Youth Chair. All 4 Essay competition winners were felicitated with cash checks and certificates. Amongst the winners were Aneesh Sabarad (1st Prize) IS237 School, Priyansh Raval (2nd Prize), Grade 10 Hicksville High School, Prisha Arora (3rd Prize) HB Thompson Middle School and Rishi Rakesh Shah (Prize 4th) Southwoods Middle School. Vegetarian Vision Congratulates all the winners and encourages all students to look forward to their participation in future.

H.K. Shah’s generous donation of$125,000 included $25,000 for the current year and $100,000 for the upcoming Silver Jubillee celebrations, was very motivating to the community. He urged this first time in 25 years fundraising, encouraging the community to feel a part of the event.

The organization also announced its Mr. and MS. Vegetarian Pageant next year.

A rocking musical night by Sargam group rocked the dance floor. Exciting raffle coordinated by Kirti Shukla, Paresh Parekh, Meghna Shah and Dipika Modi. Regsitration desk managed by Minesh Desai, Ashok Acharya, Suman Munjal, Meghna Mehta and team. Executive Committee Member Kanak Golia and many organization heads were in attendance. Entire executive committee and volunteer’s hard work made the event flow seamless and highly successful with an attendance of over 400 guests.The event ended with sumptuous vegetarian dinner with a message to live a happy healthy life.

Nov 28, 2015 – 11:23 am EST
Congressman Joseph Crowley and Councilmember Daniel Dromm Celebrate Diwali with Indian American Business Association

NEW YORK (TIP): Indian American Business Association, New York Inc held diwali celebration at Delhi Palace in Jackson Heights, New York On Nov 09 2015.

Diya Lighting Ceremony

Many respected community leaders and businessmen attended the Diwali celebration. Which include Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, Councilmember Daniel Dromm, Mr. Ved Prakash Sharma, District Leader Uma Sengupta, Dr. Vijay Chabra, Sunil Chugh, Harish Chugh, Mahendra Patel, Harshad Patel, Apan Bazar, Deepak Varma, Sunil Patel, Dr. Surinder Malhotra, Virendra Patel, Trilok Malik,Mohinder Singh Taneja, Viredra Patel & Commissioner Sharanjit Thind,

Event started with bollywood dance performances by students of Aparna Dance Academy. National Anthom sung by Kirti Shukla and Indu Gajwani. Congressman Crowly conveyed greetings on Diwali to Indian community and recognized and appreciated Indian businessman contribution to American economy and the community as well as appreciate the Contribution of Indian American Business Association NewYork Inc’s President Mr. Mohinder Verma.

Councilmember Daniel Dromm also conveyed greetings on Diwali and appreciated the community. And expressed regret that Indian community was not granted holiday in city schools by Mayor and he vouched that he would fight to get diwali holiday in schools of NY City. President Mohinder Verma Thanked Congressmember Crowley and Councilmember Daniel Dromm as well as Wish Everyone on the occassio of Diwali, Also
Mr.Mohinder Verma stated Indian American Business Association Inc. is formed with collective efforts of New York and India based businesses. The main objective of the organization is to provide a platform and disseminate information to and among businesses that are looking to grow and expand from India to the U.S. and vice-versa. Based on our experience and the data provided by the relevant authority, many businesses are interested to expand their activities in New York, USA. To advance such interests, those businesses need support, information, and a network besides other things, IABANY intends to bridge that gap.

Dilip Chauhan South East Asian Affairs Director of Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos Presented a Citation to President of IABANY Mohinder Verma, left Ved Prakash Sharma, Uma Sengupta, Councilmember Daniel Dromm, Congressmember Joseph Crowley, President Mohinder Verma, Dilip Chauhan , Darshan Bagga, and Commissioner Sharanjeet Thind.

Dilip Chauhan South East/Asian Affairs Director of Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos Presented a Citation on behalf of Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos to President Mohinder Verma for his outstanding Contribution to the community.

Many businessmen and community leaders were awarded by citations from New York Senator Jose Peralta, Assembly member David Weprin.

Nov 20, 2015 – 12:24 pm EST
Oyster Bay supervisor John Venditto wins re-election by 99 votes

HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): In his re-election bid, John Venditto barely managed to trounce his Democratic opponent John Mangelli.

In a keenly contested election, the incumbent Supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay, John Venditto managed to win the election by a small margin of 99 votes.

The final tally in “an incredibly, incredibly close election” was 23,400 for Venditto and 23,301 for John Mangelli, said Nassau County Democratic elections Commissioner David Gugerty. The Board of Elections is expected to certify the race in a few days.

Nov 20, 2015 – 11:30 am EST
Krishna Mehta wins suit against Kamlesh Mehta

HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): Justice Roy S Mahon of Supreme Court of State of New York handed out a verdict, November 11, 2015, in the case filed by Krishna Mehta, a Long Island CPA against Kamlesh Mehta, a former employee of Nassau County for recovery of the loan amount.

The Judge ordered Kamlesh Mehta to pay$227, 606.40, plus interest, costs and disbursements.

The Court did not see any independent admissible evidence from Kamlesh Mehta on the collaterals and payments he said he had made to Krishna Mehta.

Krishna Mehta had sued Kamlesh Mehta for failing to repay a loan of $227, 606, for transactions dating back to the late 1990s.

Kamlesh Mehta, a close associate of indicted Bethpage restaurateur Harendra Singh,, had recently resigned as Nassau County’s director of business and economic development, amid an examination by Newsday of his role in the county administration.

Nov 15, 2015 – 8:25 am EST
Doyen of Indian American Community Narain Kataria Passes away

NEW YORK (TIP): Narain Kataria, a well known figure in the Indian American community, passed away peacefully in his sleep, sometime on November 2 night. He was 85.

He is credited with championing the cause of Hindus and creating awakening among them in USA. A man with ideas he was sociable and likeable despite his extreme Hindu views. He will be greatly missed.

His Funeral is on Saturday, Nov. 7 in ‘Long Island’ at 11 am.

A Proud Hindu and a Fine Human Being Narain Kataria dies in peace at 85

A Son-in-Law’s Thoughts – By Shyam Bhaya – Narain Kataria was born on February 15th, 1930 in Sukkur, Sind in an undivided India. At a very early age he lost both his parents and the responsibility of looking after and supporting his family, consisting of three younger brothers and a sister, fell on his young shoulders. He rose up to the challenge and through a lot of hard work and sacrifice he made sure that his family survived this very difficult phase in their lives. This strength of character became a hallmark of his life’s journey.

The Partition of India in 1947 was a traumatic period in Narainji’s life when the entire family was uprooted, like millions of other Hindus, and the horrors perpetrated upon them remained deeply etched in his mind for the rest of his life.

Narainji moved with his family to Ulhasnagar, near Bombay and the task of rebuilding his life and that of his family began once again. He realized early on that getting a good education was very important and applied himself diligently and worked his way to a Master’s degree (in History) from Bombay University, while simultaneously working.

He had a deep love for music and learned to play the banjo. He spent many years fulfilling this passion playing with several musical orchestras. He was a tough teacher when training his daughters to sing. He did not accept mediocrity from anyone. For him, music was the sound of the soul. He last played the banjo on October 18th, 2015 and his control over the strings was a sight to behold.

In May of 1956 he married Bhagwanti with whom he had two daughters, Meena and Rajni. Sadly, his wife passed away last September. Narainji joined BARC in Trombay and worked as the Personal Assistant to one of the Directors. During his tenure at BARC, he was disturbed and concerned at what he perceived to be a lack of a serious focus within the organization, on matters of national security.

Narainji moved to the U.S.A. in the early 1970s where, after an initial period of struggle, he joined the law firm of Cahill Gordon in Manhattan as a Legal Assistant. He worked at this firm for over 25 years, and the quality of his work was recognized by all his colleagues at the firm. He retired from there in 1998.

During his years in India, Narainji had begun to sense that even after the Partition of India, there were vested interests within India and outside its borders that believed in destabilizing the country. At the same time he realized that the news media, which at the time was controlled by the Government, distorted and misrepresented facts that were detrimental to Hindus. With this in mind, he took it upon himself to lift the curtain of lies and draw attention to the truth. He became an outspoken and passionate crusader highlighting stories which the media wanted to suppress.

Early in this endeavor, he began writing letters to various newspapers presenting his point of view. His was a lone voice but he never gave up on reporting the true and hidden reality that there was a concerted effort by the elite to keep the masses in the dark. His continued efforts gradually began to make people sit up and take notice that there was finally someone who did not shy away from taking a stand.

Slowly, his message began to resonate with the Indians living in the US and after the advent of the Internet, spread all over the world. People from all walks of life reached out to him and offered their support and encouragement and from there on there was no stopping.

He made it a point to attend every event in the Tri-State area, be it cultural, religious or political, to demonstrate his support and encouragement. And as an organizer of rallies, supporting or opposing any cause, he was unmatched. He spoke to student and youth groups because he believed they were the future of the Hindu Renaissance.

To foment a sense of unity among Hindus, in the mid-eighties Narainji came up with the idea of organizing the Hindu Unity Day in New York. He saw this as a venture with which to awaken and empower Hindus. This year marked the 20th annual celebration, which saw prominent speakers from India and the US speaking on important issues pertaining to Hindus. His dream of a Government in India, one which would treat all Indians alike, irrespective of their religion, was finally realized in May 2014.

As a family man, Narainji was a man of principles who instilled the values of hard work and integrity in his children and loved ones. He used to work more than 12 hours a day, even in retirement and never seemed to tire. He despised weakness in any form and set an example by his own moral and physical strength. He also had a very funny side and enjoyed spending time with three different generations of his now grown family. He could converse as easily with a 50-year old as he could with a teenager. He believed that the younger generation needed to be well informed about their proud heritage that went back thousands of years. Every family gathering had him emphasizing the perils and dangers that faced Hindu society.

Narainji used to joke that he would live up to at least 100 years. He might have lived only 85 years in body but he will live more than 100 years in our thoughts and prayers. His legacy will live on. May God bless him with eternal peace.

(Shyam Bhaya is married to Narainji’s younger daughter, Rajni. They have been married for 28 years and have a daughter and three sons (triplets). Bhaya lives in Great Neck, NY He is an Engineer working for a Private Company. He can be reached at ravisaak2003@yahoo.com)

Nov 6, 2015 – 11:14 am EST
Dr. Ajay Lodha appointed to Nassau County Comptroller’s Advisory Council on Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise

MINEOLA, NY (TIP): Dr. Ajay Lodha, President Elect of the powerful organization of Indian American doctors AAPI (Amrerican Association of Indian Physicians ) and a very active member of Rajasthan Association of North America was appointed to Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos’s MWBE Advisory Council on Oct 14th 2015. The mission of the council is to assist the County in doubling the participation of MWBE (Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise) businesses in the contracting process. The advisory council will assist the Comptroller’s office in monitoring the County’s compliance with MWBE goals and encourage MWBE firms to participate in County contract opportunities.

Dr. Lodha stated: ” I am very pleased to join the Comptroller’s MWBE Advisory Council. I will make sure through my connections with Indian American community to increase awareness of the Nassau County Government MWBE outreach program. I hope to assist office in organizing educational seminars for South Asian business owners, where they can learn how to apply for contracts.

Nov 6, 2015 – 11:00 am EST
RANA Diwali gives a Message of Integration
Senior Citizens honored. RANA President Naveen C Shah is seen on extreme right

President Naveen C Shah & Patron Dr. Chitranjan Ranawat Honor Chanchal Devi Shah

In Festive spirit

A view of the gathering

HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): After the huge success of the Rajasthan Mahotsav in April 2015 earlier this year and continuing in its tradition of bringing the merriment of Traditional Indian Festivals to the tri state area, RANA – Rajasthan Association of North America’s Deepavali

Celebrations held on Sunday November 1 2015 was another monumental sensation. Over 600 people packed the Grand Ballroom at the Long Island Marriott and were entertained by the sensational Music Trio from India – Dhwani accompanied by electrifying dance performances by the dancers of Sonalee Vyas Dance Company.

Attendees were seen packing the dance floor and dancing to the pulsating beat of Bollywood songs till the wee hours of the morning. “We have never experienced such a fabulous show before” was the universal sentiment amongst all those who attended the celebrations on that evening.

Naveen C Shah, President of RANA in his address attributed the success of RANA’s Rajasthan Mahotsav & the Diwali celebrations to not just entertaining ourselves, but to enrich ourselves from the talent & wisdom which we all bring to this part of the world. Attendees also commended Naveen’s vision to spread the message of integration among various communities and created awareness amongst the new generation about our values, culture, traditions, food and festivities.

Respected members of the community were presented with plaques on this evening for their efforts in instilling Rajasthani culture, values, heritage & traditions in the current and future generations. “We can never thank our elders enough for what they have done for us. They are a shining example to our current and younger generation to emulate and follow” said Naveen.

Kanak Golia, Vice President of RANA informed the gathering that “the focus and objective of the Diwali event is also to continue RANA’s mission towards charitable and welfare causes. All excess proceeds from the event will be remitted to a residential orphanage devoted to the care of orphans. Our hope is that these children, who have nowhere to go will receive food, clothing, shelter and an opportunity for a better life”.

Comptroller of Nassau County, George Maragos and Bollywood actress, Preety Jhangiani were the guests of honor on the evening.

The following distinguished Rajasthani’s were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments and achievements in their respective field, philanthropic activities and contributions to religious values and fundamentals of our traditions.
- Mrs. Manju Sharma, Managing Director of Eternal Heart Care Research Center, Jaipur.
- Mr. Rajeev Pandya, Managing Partner of Ashi Diamonds, New York.
- Mrs. Prabha Golia, Vice – President of Perfume Center of America, New York.
The evening’s entertainment was a mix of traditional Rajasthani Music and contemporary Bollywood songs by Dhwani, coupled with dynamic and lively dances by the dancers of the Sonalee Vyas Dance Company with colorful costumes and traditional props to showcase the rich and vibrant culture of Bollywood.

In her thank you address, Madhu Pareek, Secretary of RANA thanked all the Sun, Moon & Star sponsors for their support without whom this event would not have been possible. She also appreciated various vendors who worked behind the scenes to make this event successful. MC for the evening was Sangeet Sharma, the popular voice behind radio station Easy 96, Sound and Light effects for the event was provided by BD Sound, Catering was provided by Tandoor Caterers, Souvenir design was done by A-HA Designs, NJ and printing was done by Media Masters of Mineola, NY. Plaques for the honorees were provided by Crown Trophy, New Hyde Park and the honoree trophies were specially got fabricated in India by Patron member Haridas Kotahwala.
Nov 6, 2015 – 11:00 am EST
Senator Chuck Schumer Endorses Rita Kestenbaum for Town of Hempstead Supervisor

NEW YORK (TIP): “I am proud to endorse former Councilwoman Rita Kestenbaum for Town of Hempstead Supervisor,” said Senator Schumer. “Rita has been a community activist and civic leader for many years and will be an independent voice who will fight to deliver a more affordable and transparent government.”

“Rita and I have been friends for many years, but came together in most recent years to fight for common-sense gun reform after the tragic death of her own daughter to a senseless act of gun violence. Rita Kestenbaum doesn’t just have the experience and know how to lead the Town of Hempstead, she has the heart to lead it, too,” Senator Schumer said.

“I am humbled by Senator Schumer’s confidence in me to serve the great people of Hempstead as their Supervisor. The Town of Hempstead has been fortunate to have such a great friend in Senator Charles Schumer,” said Rita Kestenbaum.

“Because of his great advocacy, so many of the Town’s residents were able to get what they needed to rebuild after superstorm Sandy. There is no greater advocate for Hempstead residents than Senator Schumer and I can’t wait to work together with him as Supervisor to ensure that we are making our Town safer and more affordable for all.”

Rita Kestenbaum is a mom and grandmother and has been married for thirty five years, living in Bellmore for the past thirty years. She is a community volunteer and has been president of the Bellmore PTA and her temple, vice president of the Long Island Crisis Center and was a member of the Hempstead Town Board.

Oct 30, 2015 – 1:06 pm EDT
Attempted Chain Snatching, Shooting Caught on Video in Long Island City, Queens

NEW YORK (TIP): The hunt is on for two men wanted in connection with an attempted robbery and shooting in Queens, the CBS reported.

The suspects tried to steal a 29-year-old man’s gold chain around 6:20 A.M. Sunday, October 25, on 43rd Avenue in Long Island City. During a struggle, police said one of the suspects took out a gun and shot the victim in the abdomen and thigh.

A shot was also fired at the victim’s 26-year-old friend, but missed, police said.

The victim was rushed to a hospital in stable condition.

The incident was caught on surveillance video, which was released by police.

Oct 30, 2015 – 7:04 am EDT
Long Island Premiere of On Golden Years

Grammy-nominated Indian American filmmaker Tirlok Malik’s ‘On Golden Years’ has won best feature film USA award at the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) in New York.

Malik was also honoured with a special outstanding achievement in the multicultural arts category for acting, filmmaking, and immigrant advocacy.

Written and directed by Malik, ‘On Golden Years’ portrays complex emotions of the retiring immigrants. Through various characters, the film deals with the conflicts faced by the residents of an Indian retirement community such as India versus America, contentment versus regrets and of course, where to retire.

Oct 27, 2015 – 4:18 am EDT
Mangano joins in Grand opening celebration of Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island’s (OCLI) 11th office

MANHASSET, NY (TIP): Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano
(7th left) joined in the grand opening celebration of Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island’s (OCLI) 11th office. The state of the art facility located at 1355 Northern Boulevard offers a wide range of eye care services. OCLI locations house the most advanced technology available to patients including routine eye examinations and sophisticated LASIK surgery.

County Executive Mangano stated, “Local businesses are vital to our community- they create jobs, stimulate economic growth and serve our residents. With local employers contributing to the economic base and connectivity of our local communities, we must help raise awareness about the role they play to promote a business-friendly Nassau that attracts suppliers and distributors in similar industries. To improve the business climate, I have assembled a team of economic development professionals and business resource partners who are ready to assist employers looking to relocate or expand their business in Nassau County. In doing so, the County has experienced growth in jobs and I pledge that my administration will continue to do all it can to improve our economic climate. I am certain that OCLI’s new state of the art facility will be a meaningful addition to the Manhasset community, providing the highest quality of care and medical services for all vision needs and expanding their ability to better serve their patients. I am honored to be here today as OCLI’s eye care group has opened another fine establishment in Nassau County.”

Oct 23, 2015 – 10:53 am EDT
Indian American Dilip Chauhan appointed Director of South East/Asian Affairs in Nassau County Comptroller’s Office

MINEOLA, NY (TIP): Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos announced, October 5, the appointment of Mr. Dilip Chauhan as Director of South East/Asian Community Affairs.

Mr. Chauhan will be responsible for monitoring and enhancing minority and women owned business participation in County contracts and purchases.

“Dilip is a diligent professional and a respected leader in the South East/Asian community,” Comptroller Maragos said. “In this new capacity, he will continue his outstanding community efforts, while assisting the Comptroller’s office to ensure that Nassau County is adequately addressing the challenges of our minority business owners and residents.”

“I look forward to advancing the mission and goals of the Comptroller’s Office while helping members of the community to better navigate local government, and gain full access to business opportunities,” Mr. Chauhan said. “I am honored to serve in this capacity, and I look forward to working tirelessly on Comptroller Maragos’ and the community’s behalf.”

In addition to serving as the South Asian Community Coordinator for several municipalities, Mr. Chauhan served as a past advisor to the Association of Indian American Physicians. He was a volunteer for the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit and received numerous awards for his service and contributions to the South Asian community. Dilip Chauhan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering.

Oct 9, 2015 – 12:15 pm EDT
Immigration Seminar Calls for Community Campaign
NEW YORK (TIP): Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO-New York), South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) and the Kerala Center organized an immigration seminar looking at the changing rules and updates for 2015 on Sunday, September 27th at the Kerala Center, Elmont, New York. The panelists were attorneys Michael Phulwani and David Nachman of NPZ Law Group, P.C. (Ridgewood, NJ) and Anand Ahuja (Law Offices of Anand Ahuja, Hicksville, NY). The seminar was moderated by GOPIO International Founder President Dr. Thomas Abraham.

Kerala Center President Thambi Thalappillil and GOPIO-New York Vice President Inderjit Singh extended a word of welcome. SACSS Executive Director Sudha Acharya was also present.

Initiating, Attorney Michael Phulwani spoke on how to read the visa bulletin which is available to everyone, H-1B alternatives, present status of DACA and DAPA.

Attorney Anand Ahuja, who also serves as GOPIO-New York president, spoke on business and investment visas and special juvenile status.

Attorney David Nachman spoke on AC-21, STEM OPT issues/changes, provisional wavers, President Obama’s immigration reform initiatives and consular processing issues.

Some of the community issues which emerged out of this seminar included:
- it’s time that US includes India into Treaty Investment and Treaty Trader category for the immigration visa purpose. This is been the source of a great deal of frustration between the United States and India for many years. It is not clear why Bangladesh and Pakistan and Sri Lanka all have E visas but India does not.
- Need grass-root actions to support President Obama’s executive actions that were announced in November 2014. While immigration reform holistically seems to be stalled, President Obama’s executive actions are designed in a piecemeal manner aimed at improving the overall immigration law system.
- The present Visa bulletin reflects extreme backlogs for Indian nationals in many visa classifications. These backlogs have resulted in families being separated for long periods of time. One of the major tenets underlying US immigration law is family unity. It continues to be our hope that these backlogs can be reduced in some fair manner.
- H-1B nonimmigrant professional and specialty occupation work visas continue to be scrutinized heavily by such agencies as the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Department of State, and the US Department of Labor. Additionally, many of the largest users of the H-1B visa are very significant technology companies from India. Grassroots efforts should be made to help the government understand that India is not the only user of these technology visas. Attempts to avert a form of reverse discrimination should be undertaken soonest.
It was resolved that GOPIO and other community groups must campaign with Obama administration and elected officials on these issues.

GOPIO-New York Treasurer Rekha Sahgal concluded the seminar with a vote of thanks.
Oct 9, 2015 – 12:02 pm EDT
GOPIO calls for Community Campaign on Immigration Issues like SIJS, H1-B, STEM OPT…

NEW YORK: Indian American group GOPIO have called for a campaign on immigration issues affecting the Indian diaspora including use of H-1B visa by technology companies from India and growing backlog of family visas.

An immigration seminar was organized by Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO-New York), South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) and the Kerala Centre in Elmont, New York on Sep 27. The panelists included attorneys Michael Phulwani and David Nachman of NPZ Law Group, P.C. (Ridgewood, NJ) and Anand Ahuja (Law Offices of Anand Ahuja, Hicksville, NY) and was moderated by GOPIO International Founder President Dr. Thomas Abraham.

Attorney Anand Ahuja, who also serves as GOPIO-New York president, spoke on business and investment visas and special immigrant juvenile status. Attorney Michael Phulwani spoke on the topics such as how to read the visa bulletin which is available to everyone, H-1B alternatives, present status of DACA and DAPA. Attorney David Nachman spoke on AC-21, STEM OPT issues/changes, provisional wavers, President Obama’s immigration reform initiatives and consular processing issues.

Grass-root actions were also required to support President Barack Obama’s executive actions that were announced in November 2014, participants said.

While immigration reform holistically seems to be stalled, Obama’s executive actions are designed in a piecemeal manner aimed at improving the overall immigration law system.

The participants also hoped that extreme backlogs for Indian nationals in many visa classifications may be reduced in some fair manner.

These backlogs have resulted in families being separated for long periods of time despite one of the major tenets underlying US immigration law being family unity.

H-1B non-immigrant professional and specialty occupation work visas continue to be scrutinized heavily by such agencies as the US Homeland Security, State, and Labour departments, the seminar noted.

Additionally, many of the largest users of the H-1B visa are very significant technology companies from India, the seminar noted.

Grassroots efforts should be made to help the government understand that India is not the only user of these technology visas, it suggested.

Attempts to avert a form of reverse discrimination should be undertaken soonest, the participants suggested.

Among other issues raised was India’s exclusion from Treaty Investment and Treaty Trader category for the immigration visa purpose.

It is not clear why Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka all have E visas but India does not, the participants noted.

It was resolved that GOPIO and other community groups must campaign on these issues.

“It is important for the Indian American community to take up such issues with Obama administration and elected officials and make them aware of importance of such issues for the country as a whole,” said GOPIO’s Founder President Thomas Abraham.

Oct 8, 2015 – 8:42 am EDT
The Long Island Sikhs participate in Prabhat Pheri and Asa Ki Var Kirtan at Glen Cove Gurdwara

GLEN COVE, NY (TIP): Gurdwara Sahib Glen Cove, Mata Sahib Kaur, Long Island celebrated Guru Ram Das Ji’s Gurugaddi Divas on September 27th. The event began with a Prabhat Pheri and ended with Asa ki Var.

The sangat walked barefoot. The participants in the Prabhat Pheri walked singing hymns to the ecstatic music of dholak and copper bells. Chanting hymns from the holy scripture of the Sikhs-Shri Guru Granth Sahib-, they completed a small round of the 15 acre gurdwara grounds. The procession was full of vibrations and energy, and the chants echoed in the morning winds.

The Prabaht Pheri was followed by Asa ki Var kirtan in a specially erected tent where a Darbar Sahib was beautifully decked up in royal blue and gold silks. The slight chill and the winds did not keep the sangat away as they all sat down on the carpeted floors to enjoy two hours of uninterrupted spiritual bani sung by famous Ragi Jatha Ragi Mukhtiar Singh Philadelphia wale.

The Asa ki Var is usually recited in the early morning hours in a very melodious manner. These hymns are sung in special morning raagas which are very soothing. The kirtan was followed by a scrumptious Langar.

At the overwhelming response from the sangat, , Manmeet K Lamba, the general secretary of Glen Cove Gurdwara Management announced joyously to continue this tradition from June- November every year. The management also thanked all the event sponsors, the volunteers and the sangat for sharing their morning with their event.

The next Prabhat Pheri and Asa ki Var will be held on: Sunday November 22nd 2015 – 8.00 am- 12.00 pm. In celebration of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab at Gurdwara Mata Sahib Kaur, 100 Lattingtown Road, Glen Cove, NY.

Oct 3, 2015 – 6:18 am EDT
The Indian Panorama Hosts Long Island Premiere of Tirlok Malik’s New Film ‘On Golden Years’

LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): The Long Island Premiere of Emmy Award Nominee Tirlok Malik’s new film “On Golden Years” was hosted on September 27, at Farmingdale Multiplex Cinemas by The Indian Panorama and Prof. Indrajit Saluja who is also one of the lead actors in the film.

The premiere which was attended by many members of the cast and crew drew a huge gathering, filling up the theater. The guests included many media and community leaders from Long Island. At the premiere, filmmaker Tirlok Malik was presented a citation from Nassau County Office of the Comptroller. It was presented by Dilip Chauhan, Director of South East Asian Affairs with the office of the Nassau County Comptroller.

Many of the audiences from Long Island had witnessed Mr. Malik’s previous films such as Lonely in America, Khushiyaan and many more. Malik’s films have been about Indian American immigrant experience in America. His work has been shown all over the world and has won many awards. Malik has given chances to many new talents in front of the camera and as well as behind the camera. Same was the case with the film “On Golden Years”. Many Long Island residents such as Indu Gajwani, Sunita Babber, Professor Indrajit Saluja, Lovllien Kaurr, Reeves Lehmann and others are also a part of this movie “On Golden Years.”

The film also portrays the complex emotions, which come at the time of retirement for immigrants. Through various characters, who are residents of an Indian retirement community, the film deals with the conflicts such as India vs America, contentedness vs regrets and places to retire etc. This is the story about the retirement of the American Dream.

Some of the guests at the premiere who gave their felicitations included Dr. Parveen Chopra, Indu Jaiswal, Darshan Bagga, Rao Anumolu, Uma Sengupta, Sharanjit Singh Thind, Dharmatan Saran, Satnam Parhar, Jarnail Singh Gilzian, Parveen Chopra, Bidisha Roy, Dr.Krishna Jhaveri, Dr. Ajay Lodha.

Malik thanked Professor Saluja and The Indian Panorama for hosting the Long Island premiere. Malik also commented that Mr. Saluja has done the wonderful work as an actor in the film.

The film On Golden Years stars RANJIT CHOWDHRY who was also the lead of Lonely In America, JYOTI SINGH, REEVES LEHMANN, SHETAL SHAH, NOOR NAGHMI, TIRLOK MALIK, SHRUTI TEWARI, FAROKH DARUWALA, INDU GAJWANI, PROF. INDRAJIT S. SALUJA, LOVLLIEN KAURR, SANDEEP SURI, IGGY IGNATIUS, KAMLESH GUPTA and many more. There are some new talents making their debut in the film.

The film On Golden Years is written and directed by Tirlok Malik. The film is produced by Golden Movies. The idea of the story is inspired from the book Seeking Roots by Iggy. Iggy Ignatius is also the codirector of the film. The film was shot at the Indian retirement community Shantiniketan in Florida. Other credits of the film are Director of Photography Christo Bakalov B.A.C., Music by Peter Lobo, Art Direction by Sunita Babber, Editing by Tom Knight and others.

Singer Falu makes her film debut doing the item number song ‘Raba Raba’ in the film On Golden Years. The opening song of the film ‘Gayatri Mantra’ is sung by Sumitra Iyer who is an award winning Bollywood singer and who now lives in America.

The film On Golden Years is in English language and is made for NRIs and an international audience. It is a romantic emotional comedy. Its length is 85 minutes. Tirlok Malik and the team of On Golden Years are happy to share this film with the audience.

Tirlok Malik has recently launched the website which is the first ever streaming of Indian American movies www.nritvfilmclub.com. The purpose of the website is also promoting the new talents. One can go on the website and become a member. Malik’s dream is to create NRI-wood just like Hollywood and Bollywood. He invites everyone to join his vision.
www.nritvfilmclub.com

Another attraction at the event was the soulful Ghazal singing by Sudhir Narain who follows the tradition of Agra Gharana. Sudhir who cut his first disc in 1995 has until now made many and is considered to be the best Ghazal singer after the late Jagjit Singh and Mehndi Hassan.

Oct 2, 2015 – 5:59 am EDT
Cablevision, 5th-Largest U.S. Cable Firm, To Be Sold in $17.7 Billion Deal

LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): European telecom giant Altice is buying the largest cable provider in New York City’s metropolitan area, agreeing to pay $17.7 billion to acquire Cablevision, the company that was founded in 1973 by the Dolan family, say media reports.

The total value of the transaction reflects $10 billion in equity (valuing Cablevision at $34.90 a share) and another$7.7 billion in net debt.

The sale comes nearly eight years after Cablevision shareholders rejected a $10.6 billion offer from the Dolan family to purchase the company at more than $36 a share – but at the time, Cablevision’s portfolio also included the Madison Square Garden Company (owner of the New York Knicks and Rangers), as well as AMC Networks. Since then, those sports and entertainment entities have been spun off into their own companies.

The Cablevision purchase marks the second time this year that Altice’s founder, French-Israeli billionaire Patrick Drahi, has bought a large American cable company. In the spring, Altice bought Suddenlink for $9.1 billion.

Together, the new company will be the fourth-largest cable firm in the U.S., with 4.6 million customers in 20 states, according to Altice, with many of those customers in the Northeast.

“We believe that this is an expansion into the most attractive and affluent part of the United States,” said Altice Chief Executive Dexter Goei on a Thursday morning conference call.

Cablevision’s shareholders have approved the acquisition, which is expected to close in the first half of 2016.

Drahi said, “We will be in a stronger position, as in all other markets in which we operate, to deliver the best services, invest in the most advanced technology, and develop innovative products for the benefit of our customers.”

Some are seeing the deal as a signal that Altice “also may have ambitions to become a wireless carrier,” reports Brian Fung at The Washington Post. Analysts say that while cable is seen as heading for a decline, wireless is still growing.

Outlining other recent consolidations in the cable industry, Bloomberg reports:

“The U.S. pay-TV industry is consolidating rapidly. AT&T Inc. acquired DirecTV, the biggest satellite operator, in July for about $65 billion, including debt, and Charter Communications Inc., the company backed by John Malone, is scooping up Time Warner Cable Inc., the No. 2 cable provider, in a transaction valued at $79.2 billion.”

The Altice deal also includes Lightpath, Cablevision’s business services unit.

In addition to its TV division, Cablevision operates the Newsday Media Group, which publishes several newspapers in New York, including amNewYork and Long Island’s Newsday. The company also owns News 12 Networks, which operates in the tristate area around New York City.

Sep 18, 2015 – 9:28 am EDT

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