SAN FRANCISCO (TIP) : Infogain, a Silicon Valley-headquartered leader in human-centered digital platforms and software engineering services, has appointed Indian American executive, Dinesh Venugopal as its CEO, effective Feb 8. Venugopal will take over from Ayan Mukerji, who joined Infogain in 2018 as COO before becoming CEO in 2021, according to a company press release.
Venugopal joins Infogain with close to three decades of management experience. He was the CEO of PK, an experience engineering company, before its acquisition by Concentrix, where he became the President of Concentrix Catalyst. Venugopal also spent over a decade at Mphasis, serving in various roles, including President of Direct & Digital.
Rohan Haldea, Partner at Apax, said, “We are delighted to welcome Dinesh as the new CEO of Infogain. He brings a wealth of experience in digital transformation, experience engineering, and large deals, which closely complements Infogain’s growth strategy.” “We thank Ayan for his immense contribution to Infogain and for setting the stage for dynamic growth in the last six years,” he added.
“Infogain’s platform growth story over the last few years has been remarkable,” Venugopal said. “I’m delighted to join at an exciting time as Infogain positions its customers to succeed in the race for digital dominance.”
“Leading Infogain has been an extraordinary journey, and I extend my gratitude to Apax and the Infogain Board for this incredible opportunity.” said Mukerji. “Dinesh comes with a proven track record and is the perfect choice to steer Infogain into its next growth chapter. I wish him the very best.”
Infogain engineers’ business outcomes for Fortune 500 companies and digital natives in the technology, healthcare, insurance, travel, telecom, and retail/CPG industries, according to the release.
The company says it accelerates experience-led transformation of digital platforms using technologies such as cloud, microservices, automation, IoT, and artificial intelligence. It’s a multi-cloud expert across hyperscale cloud providers – Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services.
Infogain, an Apax Funds portfolio company, has offices in California, Washington, Texas, the UK, and Singapore, with delivery centers in Seattle, Dallas, Montevideo, Kraków, Noida, Bengaluru, Pune, Gurgaon, and Mumbai.
Tag: San Francisco
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Indian American Dinesh Venugopal appointed as Infogain CEO
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Indian American Nikesh Arora Palo Alto CEO becomes a non-founder billionaire
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): Nikesh Arora, a SoftBank veteran and now the CEO of cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks, has entered the billionaires’ club after a hefty paycheck he received from the firm.
He received a $125 million stock and options compensation package from Palo Alto when he was hired in 2018.
Since then, the company’s share price has more than quadrupled and Arora’s stake is now worth $830 million ($1.1 billion Singapore dollars), according to a report.
At Google, his compensation package was about $51 million in 2012 and he received stock awards worth at least $200 million by the time he left.
He joined SoftBank Group in 2014 and amassed a $135 million first-year compensation package.
Arora was president and chief operating officer of SoftBank Group from 2014 to 2016 and received a total compensation of over $200 million, a Japanese record at the time.
If we combine the pay awards Arora received in his career, his net worth stands at $1.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
“That makes him a rare non-founder billionaire tech chief executive,” the report noted.
On June 1, 2018, Arora took on the role of CEO and chairman at Palo Alto Networks.
Arora began his career at Fidelity Investments in 1992, holding a variety of finance and technology management positions, ultimately serving as vice president, finance of Fidelity Technologies.
(Source: IANS) -
US lawmakers strongly condemn vandalism of Hindu temple in California
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): Several US lawmakers, including three prominent Indian-American Congressmen, have strongly condemned the vandalism of a Hindu temple in California and asserted that those responsible for the act must be held accountable. The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark, California was vandalized with anti-India graffiti and the police are investigating the matter as a possible hate crime.
Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents California’s 17th Congressional District located in Silicon Valley, said in a post on X that he strongly condemns the “defacing” of the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California which is in his district.
“Freedom to worship is at the heart of American democracy. Those who committed this act of vandalism must be held accountable,” Khanna said.
He said he is heartened that the community is coming together to stand up against hate and remove the graffiti. “This community action is answering wickedness with goodness,” he said.
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi termed the defacing of the Swaminarayan temple as “despicable” and said he strongly condemns it.
Krishnamoorthi, the US representative for Illinois’s 8th congressional district, said he is glad the community is rallying in support of the mandir.
“We must stand united against bigotry in all its ugly forms. Those who did this vandalism must be held accountable,” he said.
Congressman Shri Thanedar also expressed his profound condemnation of the “disgraceful act of vandalism”.
“This desecration, marked by anti-India graffiti, strikes at the very essence of our diverse and inclusive society. I denounce such attacks of intolerance and call for a thorough investigation into this heinous crime,” Thanedar, the US representative from Michigan’s 13th congressional district, said. “Religious freedom and communal harmony are fundamental tenets of our nation, and I urge swift action by law enforcement to bring the perpetrators to justice, ensuring the safety and sanctity of all places of worship,” he added.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee from California “unequivocally” condemned the attack. “Hatred in all forms cannot be tolerated. Those responsible must be held accountable,” she said.
State Senator in the Ohio Senate Niraj Antani, elected to the Ohio Senate at age 29 and the youngest currently serving member of the Senate, said that as the first Hindu-American State Senator in Ohio history, he condemns in the “strongest terms” the vandalization of the Hindu Mandir.
“The perpetrators must be caught and punished to the full extent of the law. We must root out and vanquish Hinduphobia everywhere it is,” Antani said.
The US State Department on Saturday also condemned the vandalism at the temple and welcomed efforts by the police to ensure those responsible are held accountable. “We condemn the vandalism of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in California. We welcome efforts by the Newark Police Department to ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” the US State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said in a post on X Saturday. The City of Newark Police Department in Newark, Newark, California had told PTI in an emailed statement that on Friday at approximately 8:35 am, Newark Police received a report of graffiti at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple.
Officers responded and met with temple leaders who described the vandalism as meant to intimidate them.
“Based on the content of the graffiti it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act, and the vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime,” the statement said.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco strongly condemned the defacing of the temple.
“We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti,” the Consulate posted on X.
“This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter,” the Consulate said. According to images posted on social media, the word ‘Khalistan’ was spray-painted on a signpost outside the temple along with other objectionable graffiti.
Newark police further said that any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are considered very serious and given very high priority.
“Officers are investigating, collecting evidence, and reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses to establish the chain of events and bring those responsible to justice,” the police said.
The department said that “we stand united with our community and are urging community members with any information regarding this incident to come forward and speak with investigators.”
The police are asking anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact the Newark Police Investigations Unit. -
Indian American Rishi Kumar takes lead in California congressional race as per Polls
- Parminder Aujla
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): In a recent poll conducted for the open California Congressional District 16 seat, Indian American Democrat Rishi Kumar has emerged as the frontrunner in a closely contested race, positioning himself as a formidable candidate in a field of 10 hopefuls.
Kumar, a software tech executive, previously challenged incumbent Anna Eshoo in the November 2022 election, securing an impressive 42.3 percent of the votes. In the current race, he leads with 12 percent of the vote, surpassing competitors Joe Simitian at 1 percent, Sam Liccardo at 7 percent, and Low at 6 percent. However, a significant portion of likely voters, approximately 57 percent, remains undecided.
The poll, conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs, surveyed 633 registered voters in CD-16. Clarity, a nationally recognized polling leader, is utilized by major Democratic organizations such as the DNC, DCCC, DGA, DSCC, and DAGA. As the race unfolds, Rishi Kumar’s lead showcases his growing support and positions him as a strong contender for the California Congressional District 16 seat.
Results of the poll were shared with the American Bazaar by Kumar’s campaign.
One of Kumar’s key campaign points is his status as the sole non-career politician in the race, emphasizing his refusal to accept PAC money, developer contributions, and special interest group funding. He highlights a track record of accomplishments, including a notable reduction in crime during his tenure on the Saratoga Council.
Kumar has also served on former Gov. Jerry Brown’s University of California Regent committee and California’s Department of Education K-12 public school computer science implementation panel. His political journey includes multiple elected terms as a Saratoga Councilmember, where he secured reelection with the highest votes in 66 years, even surpassing the incumbent mayor. Kumar has also served as both a Delegate and Executive Board member of the California Democratic Party.
Kumar’s platform addresses a range of critical issues, including crime reduction, tackling inflation, advocating for abortion rights, supporting Congressional term limits, overturning Citizens United to promote clean money in American politics, advocating for a ban on insider trading in Congress, addressing climate change, and boosting Silicon Valley’s innovation economy. He emphasizes a focus on the upcoming Artificial Intelligence automation economy.
Born to Indra Prasad and Shanta Prasad, Rishi is married to Seema Kumar, with two sons, Rishub and Shivaum Kumar. He attributes his success to their role in his life.
With a master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut, Rishi Kumar has been living in Silicon Valley for nearly 20 years. -
Indian American entrepreneur Apoorva Mehta quits Instacart
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): Instacart’s Indian American co-founder Apoorva Mehta has ended his 11-year tenure with the company he founded in 2012 with a $1.3 billion fortune as the online grocery-delivery giant went public.
As the San Francisco-based company made its stock market debut, Mehta, 37, relinquished his board position as executive chairman to current CEO Fidji Simo, a former Meta Platforms Inc executive, after transitioning to the role from CEO in August 2021.
The young entrepreneur, who became a billionaire in 2020, is exiting with “a $1.3 billion fortune,” Fortune reported. His addition to the Forbes coveted list of billionaires comes after Instacart’s value rose from $7.9 billion to $13.7 billion.
Instacart, which is incorporated as Maplebear Inc, priced its IPO at $30 a share on Sep 18, “giving it a $9.9 billion valuation,” according to media reports. “The following day they “jumped more than 40% “when they began trading in New York and “were at $40.02 by afternoon.”
According to the Associated Press, the IPO is “a long-awaited step for Instacart,” after it “filed privately for an IPO in May 2022, but delayed those plans last fall when the markets were roiling due to recession fears.”
The company raised $660 million in its initial public offering, selling 22 million shares at $30 apiece, the news agency reported. That pricing gave Instacart “a market value of around $10 billion, significantly lower than the $39 billion value placed on it after a fund-raising round in 2021.”
Data shared on the company website reveals that it “provides delivery and pick up from 85% of US grocers, or more than 80,000 stores, using a network of 600,000 freelance shoppers.
It offers retail enablement solutions for more than 1,400 retail banners across more than 80,000 locations, according to the website.
Mehta founded Instacart in 2012. The demand for the company’s delivery model has skyrocketed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Citing estimates from Instacart, Forbes reported then that the company’s “order volume has gone up by as much as 500 percent in the past 12 months,” with the average customer spending up to 35 percent more per order.
Instacart also provides in-store technology, like smart carts and electronic shelf tags, and sells online ads to food companies and retailers. It says it has 7.7 million active customers who spend about $317 per month on the platform.
Mehta was born in India and grew up in Canada and Libya. He studied engineering at the University of Waterloo and worked as a design engineer at Blackberry and Qualcomm.
He moved to Seattle, Washington, to work at Amazon as a supply chain engineer where he worked on Amazon’s Fulfillment Engine “to deliver packages quickly and efficiently to customers,” his LinkedIn profile says.
In a blog on the company’s website, Mehta wrote that an incident in a small town outside of Toronto was one of the reasons he wanted to start Instacart.
“I remember waiting at a bus stop carrying bags of groceries in the freezing cold,” he wrote. “Fast forward to 2012, I realized that while a lot had changed in the world, grocery shopping was the same. I wanted to change that. I wanted to make grocery shopping effortless.”
He also wrote about trying his hand at “at least” 20 companies before starting Instacart. “While every single one of them eventually failed, I learned a lot through this journey, including things like rapid prototyping, business strategy, and managing my own psychology through the inevitable ups and downs of building a company.”
Mehta had a knack for fundraising as well. Over the last decade, he has raised “more than $2.8 billion from investors including Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz,” according to PitchBook. -
Indian-origin slain cop Ronil Singh honored- Stretch of highway in California named after him
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): A stretch of a highway in California has been named after a 33-year-old Indian-origin police officer who was shot dead while conducting a traffic stop in 2018. Dedicated to Ronil Singh from Newman Police Department, the “Corporal Ronil Singh Memorial Highway”, which stands at Highway 33 and Stuhr Road, was unveiled at a ceremony on September 2, a local newspaper reported. “Love you papa,” Singh’s son Arnav, who was just five months old when his father was killed, wrote on the back of the signboard.
He was present along with Mother Anamika and other family members and was joined by Singh’s Newman Police Department colleagues and officials, including county Supervisor Channce Condit, state Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, US Representative John Duarte and Assemblyman Juan Alanis.
“Today, a promise that was made has finally been brought to life. The Newman community honored the late Corporal Singh for his dedication and commitment to putting his life on the line for the safety of others,” Senator Alvarado-Gil wrote in a Facebook post, saying Singh will always be a hero. A resolution for naming a portion of Highway 33 after Singh was passed by the Assembly Transportation Committee in September 2019.
Fiji-born Singh started his law enforcement career as a volunteer with the Modesto Police Department and then served as a cadet and animal service officer with the Turlock Police Department. He was gunned down by a suspected drunk driver when he was working overtime on Christmas night in 2018. Multiple agencies responded to assist Singh, who was found at the scene with gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
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Indian American doctor Rachandeep Singh arrested for sexually assaulting co-worker in California
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): An Indian American doctor is facing sexual assault charges for inappropriately touching a co-worker at a medical facility in California. Rachandeep Singh, a medical director at the River Pointe Post-Acute Care Facility in Carmichael, was arrested on June 17 at the San Francisco International Airport and was booked into custody at the San Mateo County Jail.
He was released on bail the same day and is scheduled to appear in court in Sacramento on August 17 for his alleged sexual misconduct, the Sacramento County Sheriff Office said.
The Office began an investigation after receiving a report of a sexual assault on April 26.
The victim, an employee at the medical facility, alleged that Singh touched her sexually against her will.
Based on the subsequent investigation results, the District Attorney’s Office elected to file felony sexual battery charges against Singh.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Singh was removed from the River Pointe Post-Acute Care Facility by their administration.
He oversaw at least two other facilities as the medical director in the City of Stockton and the San Joaquin County areas.
Due to Singh’s position in several areas throughout the region, detectives are looking for other potential victims, the Sheriff’s Office said.
A media report said that Singh graduated from Dayanand Medical College in Ludhiana in 2001 with a medical degree. -
India, China relationship is going to be ‘tough’, says Rahul Gandhi
- Rahul Gandhi in US
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asserted that India cannot be pushed around by China as he underlined that the relationship between the two neighbors is going to be “tough” and not an easy one.
Gandhi, who is in the US for a three-city US tour, made the remarks on Wednesday, May 31 night in response to a question from Indian students at the Stanford University Campus in California. “How do you see the India-China relationship evolving in the next 5-10 years?” he was asked.
Gandhi replied, “It’s tough right now. I mean, they’ve occupied some of our territory. It’s rough. It’s not too easy (a relationship).” “India cannot be pushed around. That something is not going to happen,” Gandhi said.
India and China are also locked in a lingering border standoff in eastern Ladakh for three years.
The bilateral relationship came under severe strain following the deadly clash in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June 2020.
India has maintained that the bilateral relationship cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border area.
During his interaction at Stanford University, Gandhi supported New Delhi’s policy of having its relationship with Russia in the context of the Ukrainian war, despite the pressure it feels from the West.
“We have a relationship with Russia, we have certain dependencies on Russia. So, I would have a similar stance as the Government of India,” Gandhi said in response to a question when asked does he supports India’s neutral stance on Russia. At the end of the day, India has to look for its own interest. India, he said, is a big enough country whereby it generally will have relationships with other countries.
It’s not so small and dependent that it will have a relationship with one and nobody else, he added.
“We will always have these types of relationships. We will have better relationships with some people, evolving relationships with other people. So that balance is there,” the former Congress president said.
Supporting a strong relationship between India and the United States, Gandhi underscored the importance of manufacturing and both countries collaborating in emerging fields like data and artificial intelligence. Simply focusing on the security and defense aspect of this bilateral relationship is not enough he said.
(Source: PTI) -
Rahul Gandhi says his disqualification from Lok Sabha has given him huge opportunity
Rahul Gandhi in US
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that he did not imagine his disqualification from Lok Sabha was possible when he joined politics but asserted that it has given him a “huge opportunity” to serve the people. Gandhi, who is in the US for a three-city US tour, made the remarks on Wednesday, June 31 night in response to a series of questions from Indian students at the prestigious Stanford University Campus in California.
The Wayanad (Kerala) Member of Parliament was disqualified from Lok Sabha earlier this year after he was convicted by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark.
In his remarks, Gandhi said that when he joined politics in 2000, he never imagined this is what he would go through. What he sees is going on now is way outside anything that he had thought when he joined politics.
Referring to his disqualification from Lok Sabha as a Member of Parliament, Gandhi, 52, said he didn’t imagine that something like this was possible.
“But then I think it’s actually given me a huge opportunity. Probably much bigger than the opportunity I would have. That’s just the way politics works,” he said.
“I think the drama started really, about six months ago. We were struggling. The entire opposition is struggling in India. Huge financial dominance. Institutional capture. We’re struggling to fight the democratic fight in our country,” he said, adding that at this point in time, he decided to go for the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
“I am very clear, our fight is ours fight,” he said. “But there is a group of young students from India here. I want to have a relationship with them and want to talk to them. It’s my right to do it,” he said during his interaction with Indian students and academicians of Indian origin at the University here.
He also emphasized in his frequent foreign trips like this, he is not seeking support from anybody.
“I don’t understand why the prime minister doesn’t come here and do it,” Gandhi asked amidst applause from the audience who had packed the entire auditorium at Stanford.
The moderator said that the Prime Minister is welcome to come to Stanford anytime and interact with the students and academicians.
Some of the students were denied entry as the auditorium was packed. Students started queuing up two hours before the event started.
In the last one and a half years, several Indian ministers have interacted with Indian students.
(Source: PTI) -
Air India denies 85-Year-Old Lady boarding despite a confirmed seat reservation
Family rejects offer of compensation; demands punishment to the guilty
November 16, 2021
3.45 PM
I.S. Saluja
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): Kamani Bhandari, an 85-year-old lady who is a US Citizen and an OCI card holder had a taste of Air India mismanagement on November 15 when she was denied boarding because the airline said there was no seat available. The lady was having a confirmed seat Number 9F in the Business class. The boarding agent said the seat was defective, and no other seat was available.
Passenger Kamani Bhandari Kamani Bhandari was booked on Air India Flight AI184 from San Francisco to Delhi, and for onward flight to Jodhpur. She was to fly out on November 15 at 8.30 PM (PT).
After the check-in and obtaining a boarding pass with Business class Seat 9 F the special assistance took her for security check and then to the boarding gate. Meanwhile, the son of Kamani, Sanjay Bhandari, a former President of Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) who had come to the airport to see her off left for home,
It was at the boarding gate that a boarding manager informed Kamani Bhandari that she will not be boarding the flight because some seats are unserviceable and because of overbooking, no alternative seat could be found for her. Mrs. Bhandari was taken to the lobby where her luggage was handed over to her.
The worried lady informed her son of the development.
Mr. Prem Bhandari, a well-known Community leader, Chairman of Jaipur Foot USA and associated in important capacity with several other organizations called the offices of The Indian Panorama this morning to narrate the story of harassment to the old lady. Mr. Bhandari is known to have helped Air India and Air India passengers on many occasions, particularly during COVID-19. He told the editor that the old lady’s son Mr. Sanjay Bhandari would call him to give the details.
Mr. Sanjay Bhandari narrated the sequence of the event and said Air India offered to send his mother to Delhi by a United Airlines flight on November 16. But then there was no connecting flight available for onward flight to Jodhpur until the 19th, almost 30 hours after her arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport. It meant she was to have over 30 hours’ lay off. It could not have worked for the old lady.
Mr. Sanjay Bhandari got in touch with Anju Sahani, Air India Station Manager for a convenient flight for his mother but found Sahani evasive. Incidentally, Anju Sahani was present at the boarding gate when the boarding manager was telling the lady that she could not go by the flight AI 184 because of non-availability of a seat.
The Indian Panorama editor called Anju Sahani on her number 650-942-3131 at 8 AM (PT) on November 16. The phone was not answered. A message was left in the voice mail detailing the reason for the call and a request was left for a call back. There has been no call back more than 4 hours after the message was left.The Editor of this newspaper then called Air India Regional Manager Mr. Sunil Daware to have the update. Mr. Daware said he would get back after getting the information. He called back in a few minutes and informed the editor of the arrangements being worked out with the family of Kamani Bhandari to put her on a convenient flight. Mr. Daware said the family preferred to go by an Air India flight to Delhi from where a convenient connecting flight to Jodhpur was available, and that Monday, November 22 was the date they were working on.
Asked if it was not a serious case of mismanagement, Mr. Daware said Air India considers the safety and comfort of passengers of paramount importance, and therefore, when the seat was found to be unserviceable, the passenger was told about non availability of the seat. Asked if the airline will give a compensation to the passenger for the loss of time and inconvenience, Mr. Daware said “Yes, as per regulation”.
Mr. Sanjay Bhandari, Kamani Bhandari’s son said in a note: “They (Air India) said $1550 .00 is the compensation but I never agreed to the amount. My mother already had a Business Class ticket before the incident. This incident has caused so much trauma to my mother that no amount of money can compensate for what Air India has done with her”.
The Bhandari family insists that an inquiry into the incident be held and the guilty be punished.
The Indian Panorama has been told that the incident is not the first of its kind. Air India has earned a certain amount of notoriety for being deficient in providing services and treating passengers rather callously. A friend who is a lifelong friend of Air India admitted that Air India itself is responsible for its doom.
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Global Entry Program Introduced for Indian citizens residing in USA
WASHINGTON (TIP): As part of the citizen-centric service, Embassy of India, Washington DC and Consulates General of India in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco introduced the system of accepting GEP applications by Indian citizens residing in USA.
Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Members enter the United States through automatic kiosks at select U.S. airports .
How to Apply for Global Entry:
Citizens of India are eligible for Global Entry. Applications must be submitted through CBP’s Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) website .
Application Process for background check for GEP:
Apply Online with U.S. CBP: Apply and complete application process at TTP website https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry of U.S. CBP
For those applicants presently living in USA, after completion of step ‘1’, he/she needs to submit the requisite information in the website of Global Passport Seva Project (https://embassy.passportindia.gov.in/) for completion of background check in India. After completion of online submission, he/she should submit the application at CKGS office according to the Consular jurisdiction, along with the applicable fee.
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Indians detained in US ‘in shackles’: India’s Consulate General in San Francisco seeking access
PORTLAND USA(TIP) Three men bunked in a small cell for more than 22 hours a day. No access to legal help. Lawyers willing to help pro bono, but authorities say no. In shackles and forced to eat food in cells next to open toilets. No idea where their families might be, or when the next court hearing is. Two men shot at but not provided medical care.
Activists and lawyers working for the detainees have told The Tribune in India that almost all of the 123 persons — 52 of whom are Indians — being held at a federal prison in Portland, Oregon (US), are living in sub-human conditions. The Tribune could not independently verify these claims, but a host of respected legal and voluntary organizations have talked about the inhuman conditions in which these detainees from 16 different countries, including Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal and Brazil, have been kept at Oregon’s Sheridan detention center.
“They are from 16 countries and speak 13 languages. We believe many of them have been detained since mid-May after seeking asylum at the port of San Diego,” said Jai Singh, Field Organizer for voluntary organization APANO (Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon).
Facing criticism globally and at home, even within his own Republican Party, President Donald Trump has backed down on the controversial immigration order separating young children from families. However, the fate of 1,600 plus illegal immigrants detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remains unsure. The largest group of immigrants at the Sheridan facility comprises 52 Indians, most of them Sikh or Christian, who have sought asylum to avoid “religious persecution” back home.
Ministry of External Affairs sources underline that the cases of asylum seekers are different from the diaspora arrested in foreign countries under criminal charges.
Officials claim some of them could be seeking asylum under the pretext of “religious persecution” only to avoid the law of the land for crimes they might have committed.
However, sources said K Venkata Ramana, Consul (Community Affairs, Information & Culture), Consulate General of India, San Francisco, was seeking consular access to the detainees in Portland. He would try to ascertain details of the Indians at the Oregon center.
The detainees have not been allowed visits by faith leaders or any meaningful access to attorneys, which is in violation of the US Constitution, federal immigration laws and international treaties, point out lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Oregon (ACLU of Oregon), Innovation Law Lab and the American Immigration Lawyers Association Oregon Chapter (AILA Oregon).
In a joint letter, they have said while the courts decide the fate of these men’s asylum claims, the ICE must ensure the federal prison complies with civil detention standards. “There should be no deportations until all 123 men have meaningful access to lawyers,” said Mat dos Santos, legal director of ACLU, Oregon. Civil organizations claim the detainees are allowed out of their cell for 15 minutes at a time, three times a day. They are forced to eat in their cells nextto open toilets.
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Indian American Neeraj Bhatia honored with Hind Rattan award 2018
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): A certified public accountant and a leading Indian American tax consultant, Neeraj Bhatia has been honored with the prestigious Hind Rattan Award 2018, which is one of the highest Indian diaspora awards granted annually to non-resident persons of Indian-origin by the NRI Welfare Society of India.
Bhatia is a sought-after tax professional who has offered extensive commentary on US and India tax issues over the years.
An accomplished accounting professional with over 30 years of practice in international and domestic tax planning and compliance for start-ups and multinational entities, Bhatia runs a successful tax and accountancy firm in the heart of Silicon Valley with offices in New Delhi as well.
“With India-US trade, corporate and economic relations booming, companies on both sides of the world are always looking for professionals who have expertise in tax and corporate laws of America and India,” Bhatia said.
“My firm has the advantage of having accounting professionals who have decades of experience navigating tax laws in the two countries,” he said.
He has helped around 1,000 startups get off the ground during the past two decades of practice in Silicon Valley. It was his insights into the IT sector that led him to be associated closely with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) – an Indian government undertaking – in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bhatia has also kept his focus on helping several Indian-American organizations representing half a dozen Indian states engaged in charitable causes. He assists them in maintaining their charitable status through strict regulatory compliance.
Bhatia has a degree in chartered accountancy from India and holds an LLM in international taxation from the US. He is vice president and director of Indo American Chamber of Commerce and is also on the Board of the University of Silicon Andhra, a newly-formed university imparting post-graduate degree programs in Indian languages, literature and arts.
He was awarded a gold medal and monthly scholarship for three years by India’s Central Board of Secondary Education for securing the first rank in India in the Board exam. He was also awarded a gold medal by Institute of Cost & Works (Management) Accountants of India for securing the first rank in north India. He is vice president and director of Indo American Chamber of Commerce and is also on the Board of the University of Silicon Andhra, a newly-formed university imparting post-graduate degree programs in Indian languages, literature and arts.
The Hind Rattan, which means ‘Jewel of India’ in English, is one of the highest Indian diaspora awards. The award is granted at the Society’s annual Congress on the eve of India’s Republic Day, in conjunction with national Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations.
The award ceremony is attended by senior members of the Government of India and of the Supreme Court of India. The number of awardees varies each year, but is generally about 25 to 30. Criteria for award selection are not published by the Society; award selections are made among the Society leadership and awardees are invited to attend the conference in New Delhi to accept their awards.
The NRI Welfare Society has been operating over the past 37 years, connecting people of Indian origin with their motherland.
(Source: Connected to India)
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Indian American Executive Naveen Chopra named Interim CEO of Pandora
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): Pandora – a powerful music discovery platform – has announced that Indian-American executive and current chief financial officer (CFO) Naveen Chopra has been made the interim chief executive officer (CEO) of the company since co-founder and CEO Tim Westergren is stepping down from the company board.
“Over the past several weeks, the board has taken a number of steps to refocus and reinforce Pandora,” Pandora board member Roger Faxon said in a press release. “As listeners continue to move from traditional terrestrial radio to more dynamic and flexible offerings, it is the board’s belief that this transition continues to present a massive opportunity, and that Pandora is in an ideal position to capture an increasing share of the audience.”
Naveen Chopra joined the company as chief financial officer on February 28, 2017. Prior to joining Pandora, Chopra served as interim CEO of TiVo Inc. Chopra has extensive experience advising companies on financial planning, investor relations, corporate development and strategic growth. He joined TiVo in 2003 and most recently served as the company’s interim chief executive officer from January 2016 until its acquisition by Rovi Corporation in September 2016. During his tenure at TiVo, Chopra guided the company through a critical financial and strategic transformation while building respected relationships with employees, investors, analysts and strategic business partners. From 2012 to 2016, Chopra served as chief financial officer and senior vice president of corporate development and strategy and was responsible for overseeing numerous strategic initiatives in addition to TiVo’s accounting, financial reporting, planning, tax and treasury functions.
A graduate of Stanford in computer science and economics, he also earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
