Tag: NRI

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): : Former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai has been elected to a three-year term as an at-large member of the America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) board of trustees, effective Feb 26, 2024.
The first Indian American official to chair the FCC from 2017 to 2021, is now a partner at Searchlight Capital Partners, a global investment firm.
“America’s Public Television Stations are honored and delighted to welcome Ajit Pai to the APTS board,” said APTS president and CEO Patrick Butler announcing Pai’s election on Nov 14.
“Over the course of his four years leading the FCC, Chairman Pai saw clearly the value of public television stations’ public service missions of education, public safety and civic leadership, and his support on matters ranging from the spectrum auctions to the adoption of the NEXTGEN TV broadcast standard reflected that vision.
“As we plan to make the most of our spectrum assets in service to the American people, Chairman Pai will bring an immensely useful perspective and extraordinary experience to our work,” Butler said. “We’re most grateful that he has agreed to contribute his formidable talents to help advance public television’s service to the public.”
“I am honored to join the distinguished board of America’s Public Television Stations,” said Pai. “For many years, I have appreciated the thoughtful approach APTS President and CEO Pat Butler and the entire APTS team have brought to challenging communications issues, and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to help shape that vision going forward as a member of the board of trustees. And I have long recognized the value of public television, from my childhood affinity for Sesame Street through my tenure at the FCC.”
Pai is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Chicago Law School. He has worked in all three branches of government, including as a lawyer in various offices of the US Department of Justice and the US Senate Judiciary Committee. He also served in the private sector at Jenner & Block LLP and Verizon Communications. He joined the FCC as a lawyer in its Office of General Counsel in 2007.
Nominated to be a commissioner in 2011 by President Barack Obama, he was confirmed unanimously by the US Senate on May 7, 2012, and was sworn in on May 14, 2012, for a five-year term. In January 2017, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump designated Pai as FCC Chairman. He was the first Asian-American to hold the office.
Later that year, Pai was nominated to serve another term (while remaining Chairman of the FCC) and was confirmed by the US Senate on October 2, 2017. After almost a dozen years at the agency, Pai returned to the private sector on January 20, 2021. APTS is a nonprofit membership organization ensuring a strong and financially sound public television system and helping member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and civic leadership to the American people.

EDMONTON (TIP): An Indian-origin Sikh man, described as a “higher-level figure” in the organized crime scene in Canada, and his 11-year-old son were shot and killed in what police have called a “sick and twisted” escalation of gang violence in the city of Edmonton. Harpreet Singh Uppal, 41, and his son were gunned down outside a gas station on Thursday afternoon in a brazen, daytime shooting, Edmonton Police Service acting superintendent Colin Derksen told the media on Friday. The boy’s young friend, who was in Uppal’s car at the time, survived with no physical injuries. Derksen said police do not know whether the shooter or shooters knew children were in the car when they began following Uppal. “But what we do know, sadly, is that once the shooter or the shooters learned that the son was there, they intentionally shot and killed him,” the Edmonton Journal quoted Derksen as saying.
He said killing children was once a “line in the sand” gang members refused to cross, but that is changing.
“That is sick and twisted,” Derksen said. “I think most gang members would agree.”
Police have not released the name of the boy, pending autopsy.
Derksen said a suspect vehicle—a stolen 2012 BMW X6—was located on fire north of Beaumont. No one was located inside the vehicle and no injuries were reported because of the fire.
As of Friday morning, police had made no arrests and identified no suspects.
Derksen said Uppal was a “higher-level figure” in Edmonton’s organized crime scene but declined to say if he was affiliated with any specific groups, the report said.
Uppal was facing charges related to cocaine possession and trafficking, as well as illegal possession of body armor. A trial was set to start in April 2024, media reported.
He was also charged with assault with a weapon and unauthorized possession of a firearm in relation to a case from March 2021. The Crown continued those proceedings in February, it said.
Derksen also declined to say whether police believe the shooting was retaliation for other violence, or whether retaliation for Uppal’s killing is expected.
Sources have told the media that Uppal was a prominent Brothers Keepers associate.
His murder is believed to be part of a war between the UN gang and the BK.
While originating in the Vancouver area, the tit-for-tat slayings are now happening across the country. The day before Uppal was killed, BC UN gangster Parmvir Chahil was shot to death in Toronto. Media reports said the killings may be linked. Derksen said it was too early to say, “if there’s a connection” to violence in other cities, “or if there is, how far-reaching it is”.
Police said the details of the shooting were immediately posted to social media and detectives are hoping to speak with anyone with information. Anyone with security or dash camera footage that was active in the area at the time is also encouraged to contact police.
Derksen confirmed Uppal and his family were the targets of a 2021 shooting in which a gunman fired through the window of a restaurant where they were having dinner.
The lone man charged in the case—Harsh Jindal, who police claimed was the getaway driver—had his charges dropped last month, court records show.
The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service said the charges were stayed after a preliminary inquiry led prosecutors to conclude there was “no longer a reasonable likelihood of conviction”.
“With a heavy heart, I contemplate how it’s conceivable for a child to be killed in such a tragic manner like this,” Alberta’s premier, Danielle Smith, said in a statement. “Like many of you, I am concerned with the rise in gun violence in our neighborhoods.”
Edmonton, like other metropolitan areas across Canada, is grappling with an increase in shootings and gang-related crimes. But the death of a child has intensified police efforts to solve Thursday’s daylight shooting.
“We’re going to give it everything we got,” said Derksen. “We’re pulling out all the stops. We lost a child here.

LONDON (TIP): Five members of a family, including three children, have died in a house fire in west London, the Metropolitan Police said on Monday, November 13, as it announced an investigation into the tragic incident.
While the victims are yet to be named by the police, local reports suggest the family was of Indian heritage and had been celebrating Diwali before the fire broke out on Sunday night.
A sixth victim remains unaccounted for in the fire and one male remains in hospital with injuries that are not thought to be life-threatening.
“My thoughts are with the loved ones of those who very sadly lost their lives in this tragic incident,” said Met Police Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, responsible for policing in Hounslow where the fire occurred.
“I don’t underestimate the impact that this will have on the wider community and beyond. I understand that there will be a demand for answers and my officers are working to establish exactly what has happened,” he said.
Police said they were called at about 2230 local time on Sunday to reports of a fire at a residential address in Channel Close, Hounslow, where its officers attended alongside several London Fire Brigade firefighters and the London Ambulance Service (LAS). The bodies of five victims were found inside the property and a sixth person is currently unaccounted for. “It is believed that all five are members of the same family. One man left the house prior to the arrival of emergency services. He was taken to hospital by LAS. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening,” reads the Met Police statement.
The police said nearby properties of the area were evacuated as a precaution and enquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing. At this early stage in the investigation there have been no arrests, the Met Police said.
“We sent a number of resources including five ambulance crews, an advanced paramedic, two clinical team managers, two incident response officers and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team,” LAS said in a statement. Dileep Singh, 54, from Manchester, told reporters that his brother-in-law was at the property with his wife, three children and two adult guests. Singh told the ‘Evening Standard’ newspaper: “I received a call and came as soon as I could with my wife. We are desperate for information. My brother-in-law is alive, but I don’t know what has happened to everyone else. “We are desperate. I was told the fire came from outside from a bin. We are going to the hospital to try to get more information.”
It is reported that the family had moved to the house in London relatively recently from Belgium.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): President Biden has named Indian American lawyer Shakuntla L. Bhaya to the Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States. The independent federal agency is charged with convening expert representatives from the public and private sectors to recommend improvements to administrative processes and procedures.

The first South Asian Indian to be admitted to the Delaware Bar Association, she has been working towards “diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession and in politics,” the White House said in a press release announcing the appointment. Co-owner of a statewide law firm, her “practice focuses on representing individuals who are seriously injured as a result of businesses and people making unsafe decisions.” She has been a member of Governor Carney’s Judicial Nominating Commission for the past seven years. In addition to practicing law, she is involved in Delaware politics and is currently a member of the Delaware Democratic Party’s State Executive Committee. She is past president of the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association, and “continues to be involved in protecting consumers’ 7th Amendment Right to a jury trial and access to courts,” the White House said. A member of the American Association for Justice and American Civil Liberties Union, she is involved in helping pro-choice democratic women become elected to office, as well as fighting for rights for the LGBTQ+ community and helping members of her community to adopt children, seek legal redress when discriminated in the workplace, and permit people to marry. Bhaya is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law.

VIRGINIA (TIP): Krystle Kaul, a noted Indian American defense and national security expert, is running for Congress from Virginia’s 10th District in the Democratic primary to inspire the next generation of young Indian American girls. Kaul with a 20-plus-year career with the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, says she is seeking to bring her wealth of national security knowledge and experience to the halls of Congress.
Her campaign is driven by a passion for public service, a commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our nation, and a desire to shape a better future for her constituents and the country, she says.
Currently, Kaul runs a defense technology company helping small to large tech companies work with the government. Her clients include startups owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, disabled veteran-owned and women-owned companies, medium-sized businesses and large companies, including Bank of New York Mellon, McKinsey, Intel Corporation and Bain & Company.
Virginia’s 10th Congressional district includes all of Rappahannock County, Fauquier County, and Loudoun County, parts of Fairfax County and Prince William County, as well as the independent cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
“My motivation to run for Congress stems from my desire to be an inspiration for the next generation of young Indian American girls,” she told The American Bazaar. “I aim to empower them to pursue any leadership role they set their sights on in life.”
“I was publishing articles about getting more Indian Americans into politics while working on Capitol Hill when I was 19 years old participating in the Washington Leadership Program,” recalled Kaul.
“Indian Americans have succeeded in virtually all industries in the US, but they are vastly underrepresented in politics,” she said.
“I believe our government system is broken and we need more authentic leaders with moderate voices to help foster an environment of dialogue and effect change for this generation and the next generation to come.”
Asked why she thought she was the best candidate, Kaul said, “As a fervent proponent of defense and national security, with a 20+ year career with the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community I have committed my career to protecting the homeland.”
“As such, I am committed to upholding the importance of defense and security in District 10 which is the predominant industry considering most constituents work in the US defense space,” she said.
“I understand the issues the constituents face because I have walked in their shoes and understand the daily challenges of working in the US defense industrial base,” Kaul said.
“I commit my career to public service where I can make a difference in the lives of our military, veterans, government officials, government contractors, small businesses, minority groups and all of District 10.”
“I am committed to bettering our education, health care and public safety in VA District 10 because our elected officials have not adequately served the people in the VA House,” Kaul added.
According to her website, Kaul has played pivotal roles in shaping the way America approaches its most critical security challenges, particularly through her work with the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public service and a deep passion for shaping the future of our nation, it says.
As the former Director of Strategic Communications (GS-15) at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Krystle demonstrated her ability to navigate complex national security communication strategies. Her leadership in this role exemplified her dedication to safeguarding the nation and ensuring the clear, effective communication of vital security information.
She also served as the Chief of the Political-Military Intelligence Night Cell on the Department of Defense’s ISIS Crisis Group under Secretary Lloyd Austin at US Central Command contributing significantly to the defense of the homeland during a time of war, the website says.
Notably, she has also contributed her expertise to the National Counterproliferation Center at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as Senior Advisor.
In this capacity, she played a critical role in addressing proliferation threats, reinforcing the security of the nation, and fostering collaboration between intelligence agencies.
Her service as a Senior Advisor to the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center underscores her forward-thinking approach to tackling emerging technology-related national security challenges.
Her contributions to projects such as the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Project Salus, an AI predictive modeling effort aimed at combatting the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate her dedication to crisis management and public safety.
Krystle holds double MA degrees from Brown University and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She was working on her PhD at Brown University in Political Science. Kaul has participated in 12 competitive fellowships with the Department of Homeland Security and others.
She also participated in seven elite delegations to India, Israel, China and several other countries. She has in-country experience in 71 countries.
She speaks eight languages, including Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, Arabic, Punjabi, Italian and Dari. Kaul holds an active Top Secret/SCI security clearance with a polygraph.

WASHINGTON D.C. (TIP): Varun Raj Pucha, the 24-year-old Indian student who was stabbed at a fitness center in the US state of Indiana, has succumbed to his injuries, the university where he was studying has said.

Varun, a computer science student at Valparaiso University, was stabbed in the head with a knife by the assailant Jordan Andrade, 24, at the public gym on October 29 for reasons that the authorities are still investigating.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Varun Raj Pucha. Our campus community has lost one of its own, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Varun’s family and friends as we mourn this devastating loss,” Valparaiso University, a private university in Valparaiso, Indiana, near Chicago said in a statement on Wednesday.

Following the incident, the attacker was arrested and is facing charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and attempted murder. “The university continues to be in contact with Varun’s family, and we will continue to offer assistance and support wherever possible as they navigate this extremely difficult time. We ask that you join us in keeping them in your thoughts and prayers,” the university said.

A service of remembrance and memorial for Varun is being planned on campus for November 16.

“Our university gives the family and friends of Varun Raj Pucha our deepest condolences. Our thoughts are with his family, and we pray for their healing,” said the university.

Varun had been pursuing an MS in Computer Science and left for the US in August 2022. He was expected to return home (Telangana’s Khammam) after completion of his course next year.

His cousin told ABC7 Chicago that his condition did not improve after the incident. He only had movement on one side of his body and remained unconscious at a hospital in Fort Wayne before his death. Anile Balleboyne is one of just a couple of relatives the student had in the US as his parents and the rest of the family are in India. She said he came to Indiana about a year and a half ago in hopes of getting a good education.

“It’s very difficult because no one would expect this kind of situation for their kids. He had many dreams. He came with many dreams, to financially and emotionally support his family,” Balleboyne said. By Wednesday, the North American Telugu Society had raised USD 90,000 through GoFundMe for Varun’s family.
(Source: PTI)

TORONTO (TIP): Indo-Canadian Sikh poet Rupi Kaur has declined an invitation for a Diwali event on Wednesday from US President Joe Biden’s administration over its response to the situation in Gaza.
“I decline any invitation from an institution that supports the collective punishment of a trapped civilian population—50 per cent of whom are children,” Kaur, 31, wrote in a statement posted on X on Monday, November 6. “I’m surprised this administration finds it acceptable to celebrate Diwali, when their support of the current atrocities against Palestinians represent the exact opposite of what this holiday means to many of us,” the author of “Milk and Honey” said.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health said on Monday that the Palestinian death toll has crossed 10,000, including 4,104 children, with no signs of a ceasefire in the besieged enclave.
In addition, 16 of Gaza’s 35 hospitals, running low on fuel supplies, have been forced to suspend operations, and according to the UN, more than 1.5 million people — more than half of Gaza’s population — have been displaced since Hamas launched its war against Israel on October 7.
Kaur implored other South Asians in the US to do the same and hold the Biden administration accountable in the wake of the spiraling civilian death toll.
“I implore my South Asian community to hold this administration accountable. As a Sikh woman, I will not allow my likeness to be used in whitewashing this administration’s actions.”
Kaur, who immigrated to Canada from Punjab at the age of four with her parents, said: “We must not be tokenized by their photo-ops. When a government’s actions dehumanize people anywhere in the world, it is our moral imperative to call for justice.”
The Diwali event is being hosted by America’s Indian-origin Vice President Kamala Harris.
Among Sikhs, Diwali is celebrated as Bandi Chhor Divas (Day of Liberation), commemorating their sixth guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib, who helped free 52 fellow political prisoners from unjust imprisonment by a Mughal emperor. “I have always used this day to reflect on what it means to fight for freedom against oppression. Today, the American government is not only funding the bombardment of Gaza, but they also continue to justify this genocide against Palestinians regardless of how many refugee camps, health facilities, and places of worship are blown to bits,” Kaur wrote.
Kaur, whose work encompasses love, loss, trauma, healing, femininity, and migration, also urged her followers to sign petitions, join boycotts and attend protests in support of a ceasefire.
Her collections have sold over 11 million copies and have been translated into over 43 languages, with “Milk and Honey” surpassing Homer’s “Odyssey” as the best-selling poetry of all time. She was also regarded as “writer of the decade” by the New Republic and recognized on the Forbes 30 under 30 list.
In 2022, Kaur released her fourth book, “Healing Through Word”. Earlier this year, her X account (formerly Twitter) was withheld in India over the Khalistan issue.

MELBOURNE (TIP): Five Indians, including two children aged nine and 11, were killed and several others injured after a car driven by an elderly man ploughed into the beer garden of a pub in the Australian state of Victoria, police said. Vivek Bhatia (38), his son Vihan (11), Pratibha Sharma (44), her daughter, Anvi (nine), and partner Jatin Chugh (30) died after an SUV mounted a kerb and hit patrons on the front lawn of the Royal Daylesford hotel on Sunday, November 5 evening. Five other people, including Bhatia’s wife, Ruchi (36), younger son Abeer (six) and an 11-month-old child, are in hospital being treated for injuries. While addressing a news conference on Monday, November 6, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said the victims were all visitors to the area, and described the incident as “an absolute tragedy”.

Patton said the driver of the white BMW, a 66-year-old man from Mount Macedon, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, where he was breath tested and did not have alcohol in his system.

The police chief said it was too early to determine if speed was a factor in the fatal crash.

Gurjit Singh, secretary of the Australian Sikh Support group, confirmed to The Age that Pratibha Sharma and her partner, both from Point Cook, died on the spot. Her daughter was taken to hospital where she succumbed to injuries. Singh said Sharma joined the group as a volunteer in 2020 during the pandemic and helped deliver food and groceries to people in quarantine.

She also ran for Victorian parliament and local council and, according to friends, was involved in multiple charities in the communities, the Melbourne-based newspaper reported. Bhatia’s parents are now reportedly on their way to Victoria from India to watch over Ruchi and her son as they recover in the Royal Melbourne Hospital intensive care unit after suffering broken legs and internal injuries. Meanwhile, hundreds of members from the Daylesford community turned up for a vigil for those who met with a tragic end.

Expressing his condolences, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on X: “We are all shocked by what happened in Daylesford, and so deeply saddened — for those whose lives were so cruelly cut short, and for those who can never be the same again. The hearts of all Australians go out to everyone affected, including loved ones, friends, first responders and the Daylesford community.”

A total of 204 people have reportedly died on Victorian roads so far this year.
(Source: IANS)