Obama Nominates Shamina Singh to Community Service Board
President Barack Obama Jan. 16 nominated Shamina Singh, the current executive director of the MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth, to the board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Singh has held the position at the MasterCard Center since December 2013. She is also global director of government social programs in MasterCard’s […]
US Energy Secretary Cancels India Trip Amid Strain in Ties
WASHINGTON, United States: U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz Jan. 8 canceled his crucial trip to India next week in view of the strained bilateral ties over the arrest of a senior Indian diplomat on alleged visa fraud charges, the most serious fallout of the ordeal yet. Moniz’s planned visit to India next week has been […]
The Serial Philanthropist: Romesh Wadhwani Nurtures Entrepreneurship in India
LOS ALTOS HILLS, Calif., United States: Romesh Wadhwani, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of strategic private equity firm Symphony Technology Group in Palo Alto, Calif., relishes solving large problems, not small ones. Whether it is sowing the seeds of innovation like an entrepreneurial Johnny Appleseed, urging President Obama to consider policy changes for the U.S. […]
Indian American Rights Groups Support Diplomat’s Maid
WASHINGTON D.C., United States: A coalition of South Asian rights bodies in the U.S. has came out in support of Devyani Khobragade’s maid Sangeeta Richard, who has claimed that she suffered while working for the Indian diplomat. “We stand with Sangeeta Richard and call upon our community members to support her and domestic workers around the […]
Indian Passenger Arrested After Allegedly Attacking JetBlue Crew
By Indiawest A Southern California woman heading to Bogota, Colombia to meet her family for the holidays was arrested on Christmas Eve after allegedly attacking a JetBlue crew member on a flight from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Trisha Sen, 39, was arrested early morning Dec. 24 by Broward County sheriffs immediately upon landing, […]
New Ambassador Jaishankar Wants Withdrawal of Charges
New Indian Ambassador to the U.S. S. Jaishankar Dec. 27 met top officials of the State Department to convey India’s strong protest over the arrest of its senior diplomat in New York over visa fraud charges, even though she had diplomatic immunity. Immediately after presenting copies of his credentials to the Office of Chief of […]
Indian American Teen in Solitary Cell for 2 Years Waiting for Trial
By Indiawest Following his arrest in connection with a series of bombings at four New Jersey synagogues, Rutgers Indian American freshman Akaash Dalal has spent the past two years in solitary confinement, holed up in a tiny, windowless cell waiting for trial, which is scheduled to begin Jan. 23, 2014. “I talk to him every […]
Sikh Soldiers Want More Indian Americans in U.S. Army
By Indiawest The United States should change its policy to allow more Indian Americans to join the military without compromising on their religious beliefs and practices, the only three Sikh soldiers in the U.S. Army say. Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, Captain Tejdeep Singh Rattan and Corporal Simran Preet Singh Lamba are the only three Sikhs […]
Pakistani Composer Usman Riaz Named TED Senior Fellow
By Indiawest UNITED STATES: Composer and guitarist Usman Riaz of Pakistan is one of 12 individuals in the new class of 2014 TED Senior Fellows, who will join the TED community for two years beginning in 2014. In his TED profile, Riaz said, “I began playing classical piano at the age of six and taught […]
Indian American Gifts $500K to CSUSB Nursing Department
By Indiawest SAN BERNADINO, United States: Physician and philanthropist Dr. Prem Reddy, of Victorville, has donated $500,000 to Cal State San Bernardino and its department of nursing. To recognize his gift, the university’s nursing lab will be renamed the Dr. Prem Reddy Nursing Laboratory. Reddy has been a long-time supporter of CSUSB. In 2006, the Dr. […]
Seattle Cabbie Attacker Gets 40 Months for Hate Crime
By Indiawest Calling a repeat felon’s outbursts during an attack on a cab driver “the most disgusting, ugly and racist language that I have heard in 30 years on the bench,” U.S. district Court Judge John Coughenour in Seattle, Wash., sentenced a homeless man Dec. 10 to 40 months in prison for brutally beating a […]
Indian Americans, Indians Named 2014 IEEE Fellows
By Indiawest Nearly 30 researchers of Indian origin from the United States and India were recently named newly elevated fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for 2014. The IEEE grade of Fellow is conferred by the IEEE Board of Directors upon a person with an outstanding record of accomplishments in any of […]
Guilty Plea in U.S. Ancient-Statue Smuggling Case
By indiawest A former manager of a now-closed New York art gallery has pleaded guilty for his role in an international scheme to smuggle ancient Buddhist and Hindu sculptures. Federal officials say Aaron Freedman pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court in Manhattan Dec. 6 to conspiracy and criminal possession of stolen property worth $35 million. […]
Couple Accused of Hiring, Abusing Illegal Indian Workers
By Indiawest An Indian American couple who operate four Subway restaurants in Lexington, Kentucky, allegedly employed undocumented Indian nationals who worked long hours under duress for little pay, according to sworn statements by a manager at one of the restaurants and some of the illegal workers. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Homeland Security investigator David […]
ICA Honors Activists Nileema Mishra, Melinda Kramer
By Indiawest The Indians for Collective Action marked its 45th year with its Annual Award Dinner and Benefit Gala Nov. 17, honoring Padmashree and Magsaysay Award winner Nileema Misra from Maharashtra, founder of Bhagini Nivedita Gramin Vigyan Niketan, and Melinda Kramer of Berkeley, founder of Women’s Earth Alliance, at the TiE Silicon Valley office here. […]
Indian American Entrepreneur Introduces Obama in SF
By Indiawest SAN FRANCISCO, Calif, United States Immigration reform is widely popular among Democrats, as well as some of President Barack Obama’s Silicon Valley donors, who have long lamented federal rules that bar them from hiring top talent trained in the United States but without the ability to work here. To underscore that point, the […]
U. of Iowa Official Ordered to Pay Indian American for Error
By Indiawest A senior University of Iowa medical official has been ordered to pay $183,000 for unfairly revoking the clinical privileges of Ravi Sood, a subordinate doctor, and taxpayers will have to foot the bill. A jury ruled in May that director of nuclear medicine Michael Graham violated Sood’s constitutional right to due process when […]
Four South Asians Advance to Siemens National Finals
Four South Asian high school students — from Texas, Massachusetts and New York — have advanced to the national finals of the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology, the nation’s leading science, engineering and math contest for high school students. All four were team competition winners and will vie for $500,000 in scholarships at […]
Indian Film Distributor Eros Plans $200 Million IPO
By Indiawest United States: Eros International, which produces and distributes Indian films in more than 50 countries, announced terms for an initial public offering Oct. 29. The Secaucus, N.J.-based firm plans to raise $200 million by offering 12.5 million shares at a price range of $15-$17 a share. Its proposed symbol is “EROS” and it will […]
Thousands Throng ‘Little India’ to Celebrate Diwali
By Indiawest ARTESIA, Calif., United States: A major thoroughfare normally filled with thousands of vehicles every day was replaced by thousands of pedestrians for the whole of Nov. 10 as the Little India Chamber of Commerce and the City of Artesia brought a Diwali Mela to Little India’s Pioneer Blvd. The celebratory day and evening featured […]
