The Indian Panorama

Tag: Vin Gopal

  • Gopal Bill Requiring Pay Parity for Telehealth Providers for One More Year Clears Budget Committee

    Gopal Bill Requiring Pay Parity for Telehealth Providers for One More Year Clears Budget Committee

    TRENTON, NJ (TIP): The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal that would extend pay parity for telehealth and telemedicine providers until July 1, 2026. The bill would require that reimbursement rates for providers using telemedicine and telehealth will be equal to the same applicable services and treatments delivered through in-person contact and consultation.

    The practical benefits of telemedicine were made clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling healthcare providers to continue to treat patients when actual in-person visits and services were limited and often unavailable.

    “Since the days of the pandemic, the use of telehealth services has become an integral part of our health care landscape,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “As telemedicine only continues to become more and more popular, we must strive to make sure that its logistical structures are built out smartly and fairly and remain affordable across New Jersey.”

    The bill stipulates that providers of telehealth will continue to be reimbursed equal to in-person visits, because outside of the public health emergency, the provision of health care, especially mental healthcare, through telehealth has proven highly beneficial.

    The bill, S-2988, advanced in 13-0 vote.

  • Tanishq enters American market; first store inaugurated by Senator Robert Menendez

    Tanishq enters American market; first store inaugurated by Senator Robert Menendez

    ISELIN, NJ (TIP): Tanishq, India’s leading jewelry retail brand from the house of Tata, has entered the American market and its first store, in New Jersey’s Little India, was inaugurated by Senator Robert Menendez this week. ”Oak Tree road is the jewelry capital of New Jersey,” Menendez, Chairman of the powerful Foreign Relations Committee, told a gathering of jewelers, local businessmen and Indian Americans. While Oak Tree Road has more than a dozen jewelry stores, mostly owned by Indian Americans, Menendez said the arrival of Tanishq at this popular Indian shopping destination is significant and different from others.

    ”Some people might look at it as another jewelry store …, a new business, but this is different … because of the creativity of the designer … to create very unique pieces,” the Senator said. A Senator inaugurating a jewelry store is very rare in American politics.

    The 3750+ square foot, two-story showroom on New Jersey’s Oak Tree Road, offers over 6,500 unique designs in 18 and 22 KT gold and diamond jewelry, as well as solitaires and colored stones, a media release said.

    Tanishq said the brand aims to meet the evolving needs of Indian Americans, who comprise 4.35 per cent of the state’s total population and are 387,000 strong. According to the US Census Bureau, jewelry store sales were estimated at USD 33.2 billion in 2020, which was a 25 per cent increase over the previous decade.

    Tanishq has been in the US market through e-commerce for over a year and has received positive community feedback.

    The store inauguration among others was attended by Randhir Jaiswal, Consul General of India in New York, along with John E McCormac, Mayor Woodbridge, Sam Joshi, Mayor Edison, Wesley Mathews, Choose New Jersey Inc, Vin Gopal, New Jersey State Senator and Congressman Frank Pallone.

    Congressman Pallone described jewelry as a ”pride of India”. This brings home the wonder and culture of India, he told the gathering.

    The launch is a part of Tanishq’s retail business expansion strategy. It launched its first international brick-and-mortar store in Dubai in November 2020. It now has eight international stores, seven in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the first in the United States of America. ”Tanishq already has a significant online presence in the US market. The high demand and interest shown by the Indian American community encouraged us to have an on-ground presence for them.

    ”This showroom will have our latest collections and masterpieces designed to suit all jewelry needs of the Indian Americans,” said Kuruvilla Markose, CEO – International Business Division, Titan Company Ltd.

    Tanishq said it intends to collectively open 20-30 stores in North America and the Middle East over the next 2-3 years. In India, Tanishq has a presence of 400 plus stores across 240 cities and intends to add another 100 stores in the next year.

    ”We are on a mission to establish Tanishq as a global brand, and our retail showroom expansion in the United States is a significant step in that direction.

    ”Tanishq has been balancing the elegance of tradition with the brilliance of modernity for decades and we want to bring it to New Jersey,” said C K Venkataraman, managing director at Titan Company Ltd, the parent company of Tanishq.

    (Source: PTI)

  • Indian American Joshi backed by Lawmakers for Mayor of Edison

    Indian American Joshi backed by Lawmakers for Mayor of Edison

    NEW JERSEY (TIP): New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has endorsed Sam Joshi for the Democratic nomination for mayor of the fifth largest municipality in the state against fellow Indian American Mahesh Bhagia.

    Joshi or Bhagia, if they win, would be the first Indian American mayor of Edison, with a 43% population of Asian descent, 24% of it Indian American, according to the last US Census.

    A third Indian American candidate, Sapana Shah, dropped out of the race recently.

    Murphy’s endorsement of councilman Joshi, 31, follows a decision by Middlesex County Democratic Chairman Kevin McCabe to award the organization line to Joshi against Bhagia in the June primary election, according to local media reports.

    All three South Asian Americans in the New Jersey legislature – Senate Majority Conference Leader Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch), Assembly Judiciary Committee Chairman Raj Mukherji (Jersey City) and Assemblyman Sterley Stanley (D-East Brunswick) — have also endorsed Joshi, New Jersey globe reported.

    “As three legislators of South Asian descent, we are proud to wholeheartedly endorse Sam Joshi to be the next mayor of Edison Township.” the three lawmakers were quoted as saying.

    “We know Sam to be a champion of his constituents, an ethical elected official and someone who is interested in bringing communities together, rather than tearing them apart.”

    Gopal and Mukerji pledged to help the Middlesex Democratic ticket prevail in the June 8 primary contest.

    “We will be working tirelessly to ensure that Senator Pat Diegnan, Assemblymembers Rob Karabinchak and Sterley Stanley, Surrogate Claribel Cortes and County Commissioners Director Ron Rios, Shanti Narra and Chanelle Scott McCullum win this June’s primary, and that Sam Joshi is elected as Edison’s next mayor this November,” they were quoted as saying.

    Bhagia, the beleaguered Edison Democratic Municipal Chairman, has been accused of masterminding a racist flyer in the final days of the 2017 campaign that Murphy has referred to as “offensive,” New Jersey globe said.

     “I’m proud to endorse Sam Joshi for Mayor of Edison. Sam has the experience, passion, and vision needed to unite Edison and continue its role as one of New Jersey’s most thriving and diverse communities,” Murphy was quoted as saying.

    “As mayor, Sam will create a new township master plan and prioritize smart investments, such as municipal broadband.”

    McCabe cited Bhagia’s alleged connection to the scandal as justification to deny the line to Bhagia and called Joshi “an effective and ethical elected official.”

    “In 2017, a despicable flyer was sent to Edison voters that attacked members of the East and South Asian communities, which appears to have been calculated to use racism to increase voter turnout by sowing division in our community,” McCabe was quoted as saying.

    “A subsequent federal investigation has identified up to eight people allegedly involved in creating and disseminating this mailing, many (if not all) of whom are closely affiliated with Mr. Bhagia.”

    McCabe also cited reports that Attorney General Gurbir Grewal has launched a state investigation into the scandal.

    Grewal has empaneled a grand jury to probe the mailer, which recently issued subpoenas seeking document related to the Edison council’s own investigation, the Globe said.

    The anonymous mailer promising to “Make Edison Great Again” alleged “Chinese and Indians are taking over our Town!”

    “Chinese School! Indian School! Cricket Fields,” the flyer said. “Enough is Enough.”