NEW YORK CITY (TIP): GOPIO International and its chapters in the New York area organized a Meet and Greet event with Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, MP, former Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India, currently a Member of Parliament from New Delhi Parliamentary Constituency. It was attended by GOPIO members, chapter officials, community leaders and media representatives. It was hosted by GOPIO Life Member Ashok Bhatt at his new hotel Lexington Plaza in Manhattan. GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham and Prakash Shah spoke on GOPIO’s mission and its activities. Ms Lekhi spoke on the importance of the Diaspora contributing to the STEM area in the Western countries and answered many questions from the audience. GOPIO presented her with a collector’s item, two designs of First Day Covers released by the US Postal Service at the First Global Convention of People of Indian Origin held in New York in 1989.
“Indians abroad are informal ambassadors of India”, said minister Meenakshi Lekhi.
NEW YORK (TIP): Jaipur Foot USA and Gracious Givers foundation welcomed Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture at the Jan Aashirwad Abhar event organized in New York City. Mr. Randhir Jaiswal, Consul General, New York, was also present at the event. Alok Kumar, former FIA president, did the introductions.
Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture spoke on occasion. She highlighted that Indian diaspora acts as goodwill ambassadors for the country, and their achievements in the professional, business, and education fields add value to the country’s goodwill. She also appreciated the contributions of the powerful Indian community in helping the country whenever in need. She also highlighted the COVID pandemic impacts in India and the capacity to deal with such grave situations and coming together to dealing with these. The contributions of the Indian community, including doctors & nurses, oxygen help during COVID was commendable. She also voiced that the whole world is one big family and each member country supported each other during the COVID crises, considering the COVID infections and waves going in circles affecting the entire world. She also highlighted India’s contributions through providing vaccines and other required help to the world. She also praised honorable PM Narendra Modi ji and the timing of his leadership and the serious health crisis India and the world is going through. She mentioned that bureaucracy has been in place before and will be in the future, but the way current
leadership under Shri Modi ji is taking right decisions at the right time and drive bureaucracy relentlessly to implement these decisions so people on the ground get help and positive impacts very quickly. She also praised Shri Modi ji’s quick decision-making, allocating Rs 3000 crore for vaccine research to enable medical scientists to conduct research and development rolling out vaccines in less than one year, which used to take years. This is a great achievement for our Indian scientists and is a great level playing for India on international research and development in the medical field.
Earlier, Mr. Prem Bhandari, Jaipur Foot USA Chairman and social activist, strong voice for the Indian diaspora spoke at the event. He spoke about the difficulties the Indian diaspora faced due to lockdown and travel restrictions that came into place during COVID and the help, and excellent support received from MEA and secretaries from Home, External Affairs, and Civil Aviation. He also briefed about the partnership of BMVSS, the parent organization of Jaipur Foot USA and MEA under India for Humanity banner to conduct prosthetics fitment camps to help differently abled people around the world and reinforce India’s soft power. He also thanked honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, the guiding force and blessed this partnership. The host countries very well received these 13 camps and BMVSS helped over 6000 differently abled people. The Government of India provided funding for all these 13 camps and the Ministry of External Affairs offices coordinated and facilitated these prosthetics fitment camps.
Prem Bhandari also extended his heartfelt thanks to Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Foreign Secretary of India for extending the partnership to organize another 12 prosthetic fitment camps on a historical day, Aug 5th, 2020. Under this partnership, BMVSS already conducted the first prosthetics fitment camp last December in Uganda. Mr. Bhandari voiced words of Padma Bhushan, D.R. Mehta, Founder & Chief Patron of BMVSS, about the bravery of our leg-warriors, who conducted this Uganda camp in the middle of the COVID pandemic. He also expressed that Jaipur Foot USA is working under the guidance and mentorship of Mr. Mehta and his vision to expand the help of the prosthetic within India and abroad.
Another important point Mr. Bhandari brought forward was related to 6 million-plus OCI cardholders who suffered tremendously since 2019 due to cumbersome renewal regulations and administrative issues when one is traveling with OCI. These regulations are eased, made simple and frequent OCI renewal is not required. Earlier, there were many difficulties and to name a few, the most difficult one was the necessity to renew OCI every 5 years; every time foreign passport is renewed, OCI needed renewal due to regulation to carry the passport which has OCI stamp along with the new passport until the age of 20 years, as well as renewal of OCI at the age 50 again. As a result of this requirement, 1000s of passengers and their families around the world were not allowed to travel without carrying old, expired passport with OCI number and it caused emotional pain and resulted in significant financial loss and logistical nightmares.
(Based on a press note issuedby Nishant Garg, Secretory, Jaipur Foot USA.)
Consul General Randhir Kumar Jaswal in his welcome to the minister said it is a special occasion because it is the maiden visit of Madam Lekhi to New York as a ministerMaithili Patel giving a Kathak performance.Bani Ray gave a performance of Odissi dance.Deputy Consul General Dr. Varun Jeph thanked the Minister and the guests.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi praised the Indian diaspora at the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”, a program commemorating 75 years of India’s Independence, at the Indian Consulate here on September 8.
“Members of the Indian diaspora are innovators, engineers and have contributed to the well-being of your adopted nation. That is the positivity of India which Indians bring together” the Minister said.
Ms Lekhi added: “We tend to assimilate ourselves in the societies we live in. We believe in working for the well-being of mankind and not cause disruption, which several other people do. India is for peaceful purposes, India is for the progress of mankind, India stands truly for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and that message is carried on by all of you. While India is innovating, India is trying to help the world and help itself and that is what Atmanirbharta’ and self-sustenance is all about. We have to ensure we meet our goal of building Aatmanirbhar Bharat when we celebrate 100 years of India’s Independence.” “I cannot thank you enough that when the world was battling pandemic and COVID-19, how the entire community across the globe stood together. India launched its own Atmanirbhar vaccine in January 2021 and “many skeptics talked against the vaccine and the result was that second wave (of the pandemic) took its toll. But before the second wave could take its toll, because we were stable and we had fought the first wave well due to timely lockdown and other procedures, we were helping the countries which were going through difficult times. At the same time when the second wave hit us, because of people like you across the globe we were helped by several other countries who we stood for, and they stood for us. We stand for friendship, we stand for goodwill, we stand for cooperation.” Meenakshi Lekhi posted on social media after the event – “Addressed the vibrant Indian community in New York and witnessed how deeply they are connected to their roots. Invited the diaspora to support and build a new India.” Earlier, the Consul General Randhir Kumar Jaiswal welcomed the minister. “It’s a very special occasion because it is the maiden visit of Madam Lekhito New York as a minister. The Indian community here welcomes you in their own style, and their own colorful manner. There is a reason to celebrate – Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, with you being here. For us it is a privilege to have you here at the Indian consulate’, Mr. Jaiswal said. Representatives of various organizations and media persons were invited to the event which witnessed impressive Indian classical dance performances. Maithili Patel gave a performance of Kathak while Bani Ray impressed with the Odissi performance. Both the artists are associated with Sneh arts. Deputy Consul General Dr. Varun Jeph thanked the Minister and the guests.
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NEW YORK (TIP): Jaipur Foot USA and Gracious Givers foundation welcomed Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture at the Jan Aashirwad Abhar event organized in New York City. Mr. Randhir Jaiswal, Consul General, New York, was also present at the event. Alok Kumar, former FIA president, did the introductions.
