Democracy First
By Lakshmy Parameswaran The United States of America – the model of democracy for the world – is at the precipice of becoming an autocratic state. The validity and certainty of the 2020 presidential election hang in the balance. President Trump claims that our ballot system is rigged, that is, if he loses the election. […]
Houston Chronicle Endorses Sri Kulkarni
Changing demographics and a narrow escape in the 2018 elections helped persuade longtime Republican Congressman Pete Olson not to run for reelection in U.S. House District 22 this year. The six-term incumbent’s departure sets up a showdown that mirrors the presidential race with Sri Preston Kulkarni representing the moderate approach of Democrat Joe Biden and […]
The Indo-American Voter in 2020
By Safiya Ghori-Ahmad and Fatima Salman In her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Senator Kamala Devi Harris (D-CA) put her Indian roots on full display. She spoke movingly about her Indian mother and gave a shout out to her “chittis” or, aunts in Tamil. Just a few days later at the Republican National […]
Biden Holds Lead among Indo-Americans
San Francisco: Sixty-six percent of Indian Americans currently favour Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for the 2020 presidential election as compared to 28 per cent who prefer President Donald Trump, according to a survey released Tuesday. Indiaspora, a nonprofit member organisation of global Indian diaspora leaders, and Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Data on Tuesday […]
What Kamala Means to Indo-American Women
By Chaya Murali I cried when Slumdog Millionaire won the Oscar for Best Picture. I didn’t expect the tears, but there they were, brought on by the sight of little brown children onstage at the Academy Awards, the sound of A.R. Rahman dedicating his statue to God in Tamil. I had never dreamt of such […]
Bill to Name Post Office for Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal
Houston: A new bill honoring Harris County Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, who was killed in the line of duty in September 2019, passed unanimously in the U.S. House of Representatives Monday. Dhaliwal was killed during a traffic stop in Cypress, Texas on Sept. 27, 2019. In 2015, he made history as the first Texas law […]
Trump Official Verma ‘Abused’ Government Rules
Washington DC: Seema Verma, the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, “abused the federal contracting process” and “wasted millions of taxpayer dollars” on consultants and other services to boost her own profile, lawmakers found as part of a lengthy congressional investigation. The alleged abuses included Verma hiring a team of pricey media […]
Judge Sandill Rejects Request to Halt Harris County Mail Ballot Plan
Houston: A judge on Friday rejected Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request to halt Harris County’s plan to send mail ballot applications to all 2.4 million registered voters. State District Judge R.K. Sandill denied Paxton’s request for a temporary injunction, stating that nothing in the Texas Election Code bars Harris County Clerk Christopher Hollins from […]
Federal Judge Hears Arguments against Trump’s H-1B Visa Ban
San Francisco: The future of U.S. immigration policy and the fate of thousands of H-1B, L-1 and other visa holders rests in the hands of a federal judge. Arguments were heard on a preliminary injunction filed by businesses against the Trump administration’s June 2020 proclamation to suspend the entry of foreign nationals on H-1B, L-1, […]
Biden’s Indian Connection Goes Back in History
Chennai: Kamala Harris spoke movingly of her discussions with her grandfather P.V.Gopalan as they walked along the beach at Chennai. It now appears that her running-mate Joe Biden may also have ancestors who strolled along the same stretch of sand two centuries before. Joe Biden first made the claim of an Indian connection in 2013. […]
FIS Presents Distinguished Lecture on India-China Competition
Houston: On Sunday, August 23, 2020, the Foundation for India Studies (FIS) presented its first virtual webinar in its Distinguished Lecture Series. The lecture, titled “India China Competition in South Asia: the Past, Present and Future,” was presented by Dr. Constantino Xavier of the Brookings Institute in New Delhi. Dr. Xavier’s presentation focused on the […]
Trump or Biden: Desis Can Make History
By Bhamy Shenoy For once, President Trump spoke the truth during the recent Republican convention. He roared that this election is the most important one deciding which direction the country will take. While we hear such warnings during each election, this time the wolf has finally come to town. I am sure that Desi Indians, […]
Does Federal Policing Violate U.S. Constitution?
By Surendran K. Pattel There can be little doubt that the Trump administration’s provocative decision to send federal agents to “police” city streets in Portland, Ore, was a clear violation of the U.S. Constitution. Without question, such federal “policing” infringes on state and local rights and powers. The fact is, there is far more clarity […]
Fort Bend County Judge KP George Speaks Out against Racist Attacks
BY CLAIRE GOODMAN RICHMOND: Fort Bend County Judge KP George has spoken out against hatred and racism he has encountered as county judge. George, who was born in India but is an American citizen, took to Twitter and Facebook […]
In Buzbee’s Houston, Diversity is More than Just a Buzzword, it’s an Opportunity
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: The floor-to-ceiling glass windows of his 73rd-story office provide a spectacular and all-encompassing view of the city that he has come to love and admire. Behind the tall, Phillip Johnson designed, Gothic-spired brown skyscraper snakes the spaghetti bowl of the elevated I-45 freeway and just in front lies Jones Plaza and […]
SIMA & IAPAC Host Reception for Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner
HOUSTON: SIMA (Small Independent Motel Association of Houston) & IAPAC (Indo-American Political Action Committee of Greater Houston) hosted a reception for the Indo-American community of Greater Houston honoring the Mayor of Houston, Mr. Sylvester Turner. SIMA and IAPAC President Mr. Hasu Patel welcomed and introduced the Honorable Mayor Sylvester Turner. At a very well attended […]
Justice Hegde Lauds Narendra Modi’s Win at FIS Distinguished Lecture
HOUSTON: India’s former Supreme Court Justice Santosh Hegde praised the reelection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the recent general elections, saying it was perhaps more due to the personal popularity of Mr. Modi than necessarily the appeal of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Justice Hegde spoke at the Foundation for India Studies (FIS) Distinguished […]
Indologist Sees Modi’s Second Term Favorable to the Hindu Agenda
HOUSTON: Indologist Dr. Koenraad Elst, who is the topmost Hindu Renaissance scholar in the world today, delivered a lecture on Saturday, June 1 in the afternoon titled ‘Hindu Agenda On Modi Time’ right after the election results came in from India at the Holiday Inn Westchase. Dr. Elst, Ph.D. is a Hindu Renaissance scholar from […]
Naushad Kermally is First Muslim to Win Sugar Land City Council Seat
BY POOJA SALHOTRA SUGAR LAND: With encouragement from his wife Narmin and support from his three children, Naushad Kermally decided six months ago to run for Sugar Land City Council. After an arduous journey involving dozens of volunteers, around the clock block-walking and non-stop phone banking, Kermally emerged victorious in the District 2 run-off election […]
Sri Kulkarni Campaign Kicks into High Gear with Group Meets
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA SUGAR LAND: It was hurriedly put together but even then about 30 people came out to meet the announced second-time candidate for Texas’ 22nd Congressional District held since 2009 by Republican Pete Olson. Sri Preston Kulkarni had made himself amply known to the Indian community during his run for office last year, […]
