Indian-origin Priti Patel, new Employment Minister May 12, 2015 11:40
Prime Minister David Cameron appointed one of Britain's most prominent Indian-origin MPs Priti Patel as the new Employment Minister. Ms Patel was re-elected from Witham in Essex with a big majority in the general election. The 43-year-old replaces Esther McVey, who lost her seat at the polls. Priti Patel, who was born on 29th March 1972 is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament from the Witham constituency in Essex since 2010. Her parents migrated from Uganda and were of Gujarati origin who came to Britain in the 1960s. Ms. PritiPatel attended Watford Grammar School for Girls in Watford, studied economics at Keele University, completed her postgraduate studies at the University of Essex. She joined the Conservative Party when John Major was Prime Minister. It was a Ladies' Day at Downing Street as British Prime Minister David Cameron completed his cabinet formation, in which many ladies found the place. Amber Rudd is made Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Anna Soubry and Priti Patel are appointed as small business and employment ministers. Pakistani-origin Sajid Javid is moved from Culture Secretary to Secretary of State for Business and London Mayor Boris Johnson has been made a minister without a portfolio. By Premji
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President Obama nominates IITian to a key post! May 09, 2015 15:59
US President Barack Obama has nominated an MBA from IIT, Ms Sanjita Pradhan, to his advisory commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). She is one among several persons nominated for key posts. "These men and women bring extraordinary dedication to their roles and will serve the American people well. I look forward to working with them," Obama said while making the announcement. She is currently serving as an Executive Officer of the Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs at the Iowa Department of Human Rights. She also served as Resettlement Director at Catholic Charities of Des Moines, Iowa from 2010 to 2013. And as per her Linked In profile, she worked as an Employment Coordinator of Lutheran Services of Iowa's Refugee Cooperative Services from 2009 to 2010. The Nepali American Knows Nepali, Hindi and English proficiently and she also knows Urdu (with limited working proficiency). -Kannamsai
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10 Indian-Origin MPs in Britain House of Commons May 08, 2015 16:00
The number of Indian-Origin members in House of Commons has not changed as only 10 members have become successful in Thursday’s election. Nine out of ten of previous house have won the election, while Paul Uppal of the Conservative party lost in Wolverhampton South West in the West Midlands of England in the hands of Rob Marris of the Labour party by a margin of 801. The constituency is having storng hold for Sikhs from India. However, Uppal’s loss was compensated by son-in-law of N.R. Narayana Murthy, Mr. Rishi Sunak of Conservative party, from Richmond in Yorkshire. And the nine members, who won their seats again, Keith Vaz (Leicester East), who has been an MP from 1987; his sister Valerie Vaz (Walsall South); Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove), who is half Indian-half Pakistani and was minister for culture, media and sport in the outgoing cabinet; Virendra Sharma (Ealing Southall); Seema Malhotra (Feltham & Heston); Lisa Nandy (Wigan), who is half Indian-half English; Priti Patel (Witham), who was a junior minister; Alok Sharma (Reading West); and Shailesh Vara (Cambridgeshire North West), another junior minister who has been an MP since 2005. Over 50 Indian-origin members have contested in the neck to neck elections this time. -Kannamsai
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Bengalore female grads receives USD 210,000 from a US org! May 07, 2015 10:51
An anonymous person has donated $210,000 to a not-for-profit organization based in the United States for providing stipends to Christel House India-Bangalore female graduates for college and career, named Vidya Maanini-Kannada for ‘young girl full of knowledge’. The organization is well-known for its service to the poor children for their education. “Our donor is passionate about providing opportunities and empowerment for our female students in India for many years to come,” Christel DeHaan, founder and CEO of Indianapolis-based Christel House International, said. It is unclear about the donor, but he is apparently an Indian origin person, committed to encourage the girls’ education in India. -Kannamsai
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Indian Techie goes Missing in Houston May 06, 2015 19:11
A software employee, Puneet Nehra (43), has been missing in Houston, the city in Texas, where he lives with his wife and two children. He was last seen by his family on May 3rd evening while he was leaving out to buy dinner for them. The employee of Avanade, reportedly stopped to help an accident victim on a bridge across the Brazos river. The police and family members suspecting that he might have met with accident by a drunken driver who plowed into the accident site. But there was no official information about this confirmation. Fort Bend County sheriff's office issued a call to public for tracing him, and about the crash incident. The members of Punit’s family praying for his return. According to his father and friends, he was a great human being. He earlier had associated with CSC in India before leaving leaving for the US with his wife Minita. His parents are urging the government of India to extend help in locating their son. -Kannamsai
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PM David Cameron visits Mandhir to Woo NRI votes? May 05, 2015 12:48
Just hours before the ending of the election campaign, which are slated to take place in next week, Prime Minister David Cameron has paid a symbolic visit to the Shri Swaminarayan mandir. He was greeted with a garland of pink and white flowers, as well as a ‘nadachide’ tied to his right wrist and tikka on his forehead. The PM offered flowers and performed ‘Abishek’ at the temple. During his speech at the temple, around 1,000 devotees keenly listened to his voice on the greatness of Hinduism and Dharma. Interestingly, he started his speech with ‘Jai Swaminarayan’ chanting and said “If we want to make Britain better, we could do a lot worse than taking Hinduism as an inspiration.” He lauded the contribution and service by Indians to console the Nepal earthquake victims, and the family systems. This his second visit as PM and he had visited the mandhir as leader of the opposition in October 2008 for the first time. Most of the Indian NRIs are considering this as his election campaign to cash the crucial votes of Indians in Britain. -Kannamsai
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Indian American families are high earning groups in US! May 02, 2015 16:42
Indian-origin persons in US are considered to be best-educated and wealthiest ethnic group, ahich has been proved again by the revelations of data by US Census Bureau as part of the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month which is celebrated in May. According to the data for the year of 2013, the median income of Indian-American house hold was above $100,000 per annum, and the median income of households headed by the Asian population in 2013 was $72,472. The data also said that the national (US) median income was around $51,000 only. And among the immigrants the Pakistani-Americans ($63,000) and Bangladeshi-Americans ($51,000) came next. As per the census bureau's "American Community Survey in 2010", Indian-American median family income was $86,135. The report did not cover the incomes on the basis of religions, but US Religious Landscape Study by Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in 2008, 46% of Jews reported family incomes of over $100,000 compared to 19% of all Americans, with the next highest group being Hindus at 43%. Most of the youth from Indian origin attends post-graduate studies ans earns more than those of natives. -Kannamsai
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Indian Student Dead Body Reaches Mother Land May 02, 2015 15:59
The dead body of a student from Manoharabad Village in Medak district of Telangana, Vishweshwar Reddy Bethi, who was found dead on Thursday April 23, 2015 in Buffalo River Park, Arkansas, reached India. The police officials suspected it as suicide and probing on the reasons for his death. American Telugu Association contributed a lot to send his Caracas to India on the request of the members of his family and their financial condition. After learning about the incident Mr. Sreedhar Reddy Kanchanakuntla, the Regional Coordinator ATA Houston and ATA Community Services team informed his relatives in US and association president Sudhakar Perkari urged the members for financial contribution to send his body to India. Vishweshwar had gone to US for pursuing M.S. degree in Southern Arkansas University. -Kannamsai
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Amitabh to Lead a campaign initiated by NRI doctors April 30, 2015 15:52
Indian movie legend Amitabh Bachchan will be leading an awareness campaign on road safety initiated by the American physicians of Indian Origin. There are several road safety missions and programmes existing in India, but they are unable to drop the number of accidents as expected or as needed. Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and pharma company Abbott jointly organizing the campaign in order to minimize the accidents and there by injuries and deaths. The campaign would include the posters with the messages on road safety endorsed by Amitabh will be showcased in all the clinics and hospitals across the country to remind the importance to the visitors. “I am with you in this campaign to create awareness about head injury and trauma because of road accidents”, said Bachchan in a press statement issued by Abbott. “AAPI is committed to building the right foundation to address the serious concerns of head injury and trauma,” said Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, president of AAPI. AAPI and Abbott have conducted a country-wide road safety awareness drive, which reached over 800,000 people as the Abbott is having larger base in Indian hospitals. The campaign includes the safety precautions like adequate protection, speed limits, concentrated driving. "With our vision of 'Zero Injury Zero Incidents', Abbott’s field force is trained on safe two-wheeler driving. This has resulted in reduction in accidents to the tune of 83 percent amongst Abbott employees," said Bhasker Iyer, Abbott management representative in India. "AAPI has been working with multiple stakeholders and professional associations like NSI, NSSI and AASAN in developing the first trauma and brain injury guidelines for India," said Anwar Feroz Siddiqi, honorary advisor to AAPI. They have designed the project in Indian context to nullify the accidents in India. Renowned actor and potential organizational support can help the NRI doctors to realize their aspirations. - Kannamsai
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Yoga Events at Indian Embassy in Washington April 30, 2015 14:12
The Indian Embassy in Washington has started a series of curtain raiser events to promote the ancient Indian practice called ‘Yoga’. The embassy along with the practitioners, organizers and community associations are planning to conduct a day-long Yoga event at the Mall in Washington on June 21, coinciding with the International Day of Yoga. "Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfilment, harmony between man and nature, a holistic approach to health and well-being," Charge d'Affaires Taranjit Singh Sandhu quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi as saying at the UN last year. Most of the practitioners have been suggesting yoga as perfect tool to combat all difficulties and to discover the sense of oneness oneself. Yoga will create the social consciousness and help the practitioners to deal with the climate change. In just 75 days the United Nations General Assembly adopted an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as the 'International Day of Yoga' on December 11 with 177 countries becoming co-sponsors. India is planning to celebrate the day by organizing events in several parts of the world including US. Yoga is said to be a better mean to develop the best communication among the people and between people and environment. -Kannamsai
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Raja Rajeswari, the first India-born judge in New York City April 28, 2015 13:08
India-born Raja Rajeswari has been sworn-in as a criminal court judge in New York by Mayor Bill de Blasio. She had immigrated to the US in her teenage. She had worked with the Richmond County District Attorney's Office. During her service, she worked in several bureaus including Criminal Court, Narcotics, Supreme Court, and the Sex Crimes Special Victims Bureau. She was deputy chief at Sex Crimes Special Victims Bureau. The 43-years old Rajeswari was sworn-in along with 27 other judges appointed earlier this month to the Family Court, Criminal Court, and Civil Court, which are part of the New York State Unified Court System. The ceremony took place on Monday in New York. The tenure of the judges will be 10 years in the New York City Criminal Court and the Family Court within the city. “To ensure New Yorkers have access to a fair, equitable justice system, we need judges who are qualified, honest and reflective of the people of this city,” said Mayor de Blasio. “With their wealth of legal experience, these appointees represent all five boroughs and all walks of life. From the first female South Asian-American judge in New York City to a former NYPD First Deputy Commissioner, these talented leaders truly reflect the diverse range of communities that make up our great city,” he said. Mayor has lauded the language skills of Rajeswari as she can speak in Indian, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian languages and also praised the India-born judge for her extraordinary empathy for others. “For someone like me, an immigrant who comes from India, I’m beyond grateful,” Raja Rajeswari said. “I told the mayor this is not only my American Dream, but it shows another girl from a far away country that this is possible,” She said. She has worked on cases involving women and children and said they are the ones that touched her the most. She said that she hopes to use her new position to improve the judicial system by encouraging interpreters to have more access to aid immigrants. -Kannamsai
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Satish Vemana and his panel wins TANA Elections with huge majority April 27, 2015 10:41
The results of the Telugu Association of North America (TANA) elections have been announced on Saturday. Contestants have campaigned the elections as if the parliamentary elections. Satish Vemana has won the election for post of Executive Vice President with a majority of more than 5,000 votes. After serving two years in this post he will automatically become the President of the association. Satish Vemana has secured 8257 votes, and his opponent in the election Mr. Ram Yalamanchili got 3137 votes. Madhu Tata from Satish’ panel has won the election for the post of Secretary with 7039 votes while Baktha Balla got 4235 votes. For the Treasurer's post Murali Vennam got 7187 votes his opponent Mr. Paturi got 4033 votes. In the election for Joint Secretary Post, Ravi Potluri got 7934 votes and Mr. Bullaiah Chowdary who contested against him got 3293 votes.Laxmi Devineni has won the Regional vice presidential election for New York and New Jersey region in the tough fight on Vidyadhar Garapati. And Mr. Sivaram won Regional Vice President post for the North region and SK Vemuri won for the West. Doctor Chaudary Jampala will take the presidentship from the current president Mohan Nannapaneni at the 20th grand meet in Detroit. Satish Vemana will get the executive vice president charge on that stage. Other members will also take oath for their positions. -Kannamsai
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