US to temporarily suspend special payment programme for H-1B visas
In a significant development for Silicon Valley and Indian IT firms and engineers, the Donald Trump administration on Friday suspended “premium processing” of H-1B visas — a fast lane used by US companies to circumvent long waiting periods to get their petitions for high-skilled foreign workers approved, or rejected, for an extra fee. Under “premium […]
India says talks positive amid US move to plug H-1B shortcut
In a significant development for Silicon Valley and Indian IT firms and engineers, the Trump administration on Friday suspended “premium processing” of H-1Bs, a fast lane used by US companies to circumvent long waiting periods to get their petitions for high-skilled foreign workers approved, or rejected, for an additional fee. It could severely impact the […]
Renowned Geologist Donates 100 Year Old Journals to OIL
RICHMOND, TEXAS – Norman Kent, a renowned structural geologist, has donated 100-year-old AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists) Bulletins/Journals, along with numerous geology books to OIL’s (Oil India Limited) Library in India. Kent, of Kent Geoscience Associates, has had extensive international experience in projects with complex geological plays in various countries like India, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, […]
The Great Night of Shiva at Hillcroft
By Vanshika Vipin Varma HOUSTON: Maha Shivratri is a popular Hindu festival that is celebrated every year in reverence of the Lord Shiva. It is a day of thanksgiving to the Lord for protecting us from annihilation. Religious penances are carried out to gain boons through the practice of meditation and chants of “Om Namah […]
A Blissful Sivaratri at Saumyakasi Sivalaya
By Satchitananda HOUSTON: Siva means auspiciousness. On February 24th 2017, as Houston celebrated Mahasivaratri, a day that is most auspicious to Siva, thousands of devotees of the Houston Indian American community had one venue on their minds and calendar – Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya. In that iconic linga-shaped temple located within the premises of Chinmaya […]
Krishnamurthy to Head Sankara Nethralaya OM Trust
By Jawahar Malhotra HOUSTON: With the start of the new year, local community activist and philanthropist Leela Krishnamurthy has been selected to head the Sankara Nethralaya Ophthalmic Mission Trust, a national non-profit in the US, which was established in 1988 to support the highly regarded charitable, not-for-profit Sankara Nethralaya, Ophthalmic Hospital, in Chennai, India. The […]
Maha Sivarathri Celebrations at Sri Meenakshi Temple
By Muthukumar & Sriram PEARLAND: Maha Sivarathri is celebrated on 13th night (waning moon) and 14th day of the month Phalguna (Magha). Sri Meenakshi Temple gave their devotees a very unique and rare opportunity to make a holy pilgrimage to five important Siva Kshetras (Panch Bhootha Sthalams), all under one roof, to experience the divine […]
YLDP: Leadership the Muscle
By Arshia Batra HOUSTON: On February 4, a group of young aspiring leaders filled a conference room in India House and were asked: Is Governing Possible? In a matter of 45 minutes, we had the opportunity to hear one whole semester worth of government, from former Mayor Annise Parker herself. As the former 61st mayor […]
Arya Samaj for Houston Food Bank
HOUSTON: Arya Samaj Greater Houston organizes its annual Food Drive for the Houston Food Bank. Its members enjoy food every Sunday together after the weekly Satsang, called Rishi Langar’s Preeti Bhoj. But this time of the year is slightly different for them when they spare a thought to the recurring pain of the hungry people […]
FIS Scores Partnership with SAADA
HOUSTON: Philadelphia,PA based South Asian American Digital Archives (SAADA), a non-profit 501(c3) organization has sought partnership with Houston based Foundation for India Studies (FIS) to create a more inclusive voice to South Asian Americans at the national level by documenting, preserving, and sharing stories that represent Indian immigrants’ unique and diverse experiences. SAADA’s existing partnerships with Asian Indian […]
Diversity of Beauty Queens at Creole Heritage Festival
By Jawahar Malhotra HOUSTON: The Bayou City was home to the fourth annual Houston Creole Heritage Festival this past Saturday, February 25 which featured a Mardi Gras Parade held downtown at Discovery Green. The lively and colorful all day event was presented by the Houston Shop Ministries to celebrate the food, music and heritage of […]
Abuwala Seeks Support for Yale Medical Outreach in Peru
By Jawahar Malhotra MISSOURI CITY: Nafeesa Abuwala, is a pre-med sophomore at Berkley College in Yale University majoring in Cognitive Science and in the Global Health Studies program, hoping to graduate in 2019. She is originally from Missouri City where here parents live and her dad Ammar has a travel agency, Reliable Travel & Tours. […]
Golden Moon Festival: Gaura Purnima 2017
HOUSTON: Gaura Purnima is a festival that celebrates the divine appearance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Navadwipa, India. Gaura Purnima means “Golden Full Moon”. The name signifies that Lord Chaitanya took birth at time of full moon and He blesses everyone with the moonlike rays of His teachings. Lord Chaitanya is non-different than Lord Krishna […]
Sightseeing in India Off the Beaten Path: Pune’s Medieval and Maodern Attractions
By Pramod Kulkarni On the Road: This is the fourth episode describing my wife Jyoti and I’s visit to India during Dec.-Jan. 2016. After a nine-day trip in Gujarat, we spent four days in Pune, the cultural capital of Maharashtra, visiting family and friends, and taking in some of the sightseeing attractions. Rather than describe […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Choliya da Snack (Green Chickpea Snack)
Most young people in the US are familiar with safayd chole (white garbanzos or chickpeas) since they are served often at restaurants and private parties. Usually they are eaten with white rice or some form of roti (Indian flat bread). Boiled chickpeas are even served in many mainstream American restaurants as an item to be […]
Baahubali 2 premiere: Queen Elizabeth II will watch it before anybody else in India?
A day before its worldwide release, the most-anticipated film of this year – Baahubali: The Conclusion, will have its premiere in the UK. The screening, a part of the cultural events organised by the Indian and British governments to celebrate 70 years of India’s independence, will take place on on April 27. The British Film […]
Priyanka Chopra’s Oscar dress triggers a joke flood on social media
Social media trolls are always on the lookout for an opportunity to mock something. Their latest victim? Actor Priyanka Chopra for the geometric Ralph & Russo gown she wore for the 89th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, US. While some fashion critics applauded PeeCee’s fashion choice, Twitterati took to relentlessly mocking her ensemble, comparing it […]
India sets the stage for a clash with US, EU at WTO
If timing is what matters in life as well as global trade negotiations, India could not have asked for a more inauspicious time than now for circulating the draft negotiating text for improving several provisions of the World Trade Organization’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), according to services experts who spoke to Mint. […]
India among the regions with highest potential: Hyperloop
In 2012, Elon Musk revived an interest in pneumatic tube transportation system and named it hyperloop, a proposed mode of passenger and freight transportation that would propel a pod-like vehicle through a near-vacuum tube at greater than airline speed. The concept generated a lot of interest, with many people deciding to work on the project. […]
Despite demonetisation, India’s GDP growth stays 7 per cent: Govt data
The economy clocked a faster-than-expected growth of 7 per cent in fiscal third quarter, notwithstanding the demonetisation of high-value banknotes in November and the resultant impact on output and well as consumption. Data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Tuesday showed that the rate of economic growth in the three months ending […]
