GOPIO NEWS BULLETIN
April 2007
NOTE: GOPIO News is a monthly newsletter of GOPIO International, based in the USA . If you do not wish to receive this newsletter in future, please go to the bottom and click the unsubscribe URL. If you feel the information contained here is useful, please forward this E-mail to your friends and relatives. One could also subscribe this newsletter FREE by visiting www.gopio.net and type in the e-mail address and other details.
CONTENTS
BASDEO PANDAY WINS CASE IN TRINIDAD COURT OF APPEALS
POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR PIO UNIVERSITY APPROVED
GUYANA TO HONOR LATE PRESIDENT CHEDDI JAGAN
PARLIAMENTARY PANEL FOR VOTING RIGHTS TO OVERSEAS INDIANS
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INDIAN DIASPORA CHILDREN
HOUSTON MAYOR LAYS FOUNDATION STONE FOR INDIA HOUSE
ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENTS ARE CALLED UPON TO FIGHT COLLEGE ADMISSION REJECTION IN THE US
GOPIO INTL. AND CHAPTER NEWS
GOPIO METRO DC APPLAUDS NEW APPOINTEES
GOPIO-NY TO PARTICIPATE IN NYC IMMIGRANT WEEK
GOPIO-CT OFFERS FREE COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION SEMINARS
UNITY DINNER IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA A HUGE SUCCESS
GOPIO FELICITATES DR. SHASHI THAROOR
GOPIO-CT TO CELEBRATE FIRST ANNIVERSARY WITH AWARDS BANQUET
GOPIO INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES ONLINE FORUM TO DISCUSS AND DELIBERATE NRI/PIO ISSUES
NRIs/PIOs ACHIEVE
SEVEN INDIAN AMERICANS WIN SOROS GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP
COLUMBIA UNIV. GROUPS RECOGNIZE GOPIO CHAIRMAN ABRAHAM WITH HERITAGE AWARD
DR. RAGHUPATY KANNAN IS NEWEST FULLBRIGHT SCHOLAR
SEVEN INDIAN AMERICANS SELECTED AS TRUMAN SCHOLARS
INDIAN AMERICAN SRINIVASA SR VARDHAN WINS ABEL PRIZE IN MATHS
FOUR INDIAN AMERICANS SELECTED IN 2007 GATES CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARSHIPS
DR. GEORGE THOMAS APPOINTED TO FLORIDA BOARD OF MEDICINE
INDO-GUYANESE JOINS CANADA S RULING CONSERVATIVE PARTY
INDIAN AMERICAN MARIA KURIAKOSE APPOINTED AS CHICAGO S COOK COUNTY JUDGE
TIRLOK MALIK NOMINATED TO NY EMMY AWARD
NEWS OF INTEREST TO NRIs AND PIOs AROUND THE WORLD
INDIAN ALUMNI GROUP OF INTL. HOUSE OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS TO INDIAN STUDENTS IN NEW YORK
SPECIAL NRI COURSES BY GUJRAT UNIVERSITY
INDIAN MISSION UNDER THE PREVIEW OF RIGHT TO INFORMAITON ACT
LIBERALIZED REGULATIONS FOR TRIPS ABROAD
ISRAEL NEEDS INDIAN TECHIES
US PROPOSES TO HIKE FLOW OF INDIAN STUDENTS
TV REALITY SHOW AS TOOL TO STTRACT INDINA STUDENTS TO BRITAIN
EIGHT LAKHS PIOs RECEIVE DUAL CITIZENSHIP
SAUDI ARABIA SET TO ISSUE SHORT-TERM VISAS
INDIA GOVERNMENT TO SET UP FACILITATION TRUST FOR NRIs
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES TO LAUNCH NON-STOP FLIGHT FROM NEW YORK TO MUMBAI
UK ANNOUNCES NEW RULES TO ENTRY BY MARRIAGE
SCRAMBLE FOR H-1B VISAS
MOB TURNS VIOLENT TWO INDIANS KILLED IN UGANDA
GOPIO LIFE MEMBERSHIP AND CHAPTER FORMATION
EDITORIAL BOARD
BASDEO PANDAY WINS CASE IN TRINIDAD COURT OF APPEALS
Former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Basdeo Panday on March 20, 2007 won his appeals case as Trinidad s Court of Appeals gave an oral ruling quashing the conviction and sentence imposed last year on the former Prime Minister. The Court of Appeals also ordered a new trial before a different magistrate to prevent a repeat of the prejudicial trial that led to Mr. Pandays conviction. On April 5, 2007 the Court of Appeals confirmed that decision and the three presiding judges were unanimous that there was apparent bias on the part of Chief Magistrate Mc Nicolls when he presided over the trial of former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday last year.
On April 24, 2006, the 73-year old former Prime Minister Panday was jailed for two years, fined $60,000 and ordered to pay $1.6 million to the State after Chief Magistrate Mc Nicolls found him guilty of failing to declare his London bank account to the Integrity Commission for the years 1997, 1998, and 1999. The Court of Appeals has also ruled that there will be a retrial of the integrity matter. The appeal of the case on behalf of former Prime Minister Panday was spearheaded by Ramesh Maharaj, Queens Council and former Attorney General in the Panday administration.
When former Prime Minister Panday was arrested immediately following Indian Arrival Day 2005, GOPIO International protested the arrest as uncivil and demeaning to the former Prime Minister. When the Govt of Trinidad and Tobago acted arbitrarily in violation of due process and the rule of law in its pursuit to remove Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma in 2006, GOPIO International rallied in protest at the United Nations in New York . Now both actions initiated by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago have been set aside by the courts in Trinidad and Tobago .
POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR PIO UNIVERSITY APPROVED
The government of India approved a policy framework to establish a university in India to provide affordable and quality education for children of NRIs/PIOs on March 22, 2007. The university will be a deemed university under the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act as an Institution of Excellence and will come up in a special economic zone (SEZ).
The university will be set up by overseas Indian trusts or societies with credible standing and experience in the field of education under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. An advisory board comprising representative from the UGC, the ministries of Overseas Indian Affairs, External affairs, Human Resource Development, Health and Family Welfare, Indian Medical Council and Dental Council will evaluate the academic and infrastructure standards of the university and its adherence to norms set up by statutory bodies.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced setting up of an exclusive university for the PIOs at the 4th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), held in Hyderabad in 2006. At the PBD 2007 in New Delhi , he once again announced that the proposal for establishing a university for PIO is under active consideration of the government.
GUYANA TO HONOR LATE PRESIDENT CHEDDI JAGAN
The Guyana government will bestow the highest civilian award of the country on former president, the late Cheddi Bharat Jagan, son of an ethnic Indian sugar plantation worker. The Order of Liberation will be posthumously be given to Jagan in recognition of his contribution to the struggle for Guyanese liberation, democracy and national development. The award will be presented to his wife on May 26, Guyana 's Independence day.
Jagan was the president of Guyana from 1992 to 1997. During a recent memorial held to observe Jagan's 10th death anniversary, President Bharrat Jagdeo said his administration recognized the immeasurable contributions made by him through literature, the trade union movement and politics, reported GINA, Guyana 's information agency.
"One of the dominant legacies of the late head-of-state was his fight to restore democracy and galvanise the Guyanese people together," the president said.
Jagan founded the People's Progressive Party in 1950.
Born on March 22, 1918 in Port Mourant, Berbice, Jagan studied at the Howard University Dental School in Washington DC and the Northwestern University in Chicago before returning home in the early 1940s to embark on a political career.
PARLIAMENTARY PANEL FOR VOTING RIGHTS TO OVERSEAS INDIANS
Taking a view contrary to that of an expert panel, the Standing Committee on External Affairs has recommended voting rights to Overseas Indians and asked the Government not to treat them merely as economic citizens by depriving them of their political rights. In a report tabled in Parliament on March 19, the Committee asked the government to explore the feasibility of extending voting rights to overseas citizens of India . There are about four to five million overseas Indians and they bring home $12-15 billion worth of foreign exchange every year. The figure is expected to rise at the rate of $1 billion every year, it noted.
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) has extended its full support for Committees demand for granting voting rights to Indians holding overseas citizenship of India cards. The ball was now in Parliaments court. A bill granting voting rights to overseas Indians by amending the Representation People Act, 1951 is currently pending in Parliament. According to the Standing Committees report, as on November, 2006, nearly eight lakh persons of Indian origin have been granted the status of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI). The OCI scheme, operation since December 2, 2005, allows for a life-long visa but cannot be considered as dual citizenship, as it does not confer any political rights. The report also revealed that nearly half of the total Non-Resident Indian (NRI) remittance of Rs. 55,000 crore came from Keralite NRIs.
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INDIAN DIASPORA CHILDREN
The MOIA has introduced a scholarship program for Diaspora children to study at
higher and technical institutions in
India for the academic year 2007-08.
The Educational Consultants India Limited (Ed.CIL), a
government of India
enterprise, is designated as the nodal agency for implementation of the
scholarship program.
Ed.CIL will provide all assistance on merit basis to
the children of the diaspora before and after the
admission. The no. of scholarships is limited to 100 only. Each student
admitted under the scholarship program will be provided financial assistance up
to $1,800 (Rs.80,000).
The main objective of the scholarship program is to make available India's
highly developed higher education system to children of the Indian diaspora (PIOs, people of Indian
origin, and NRIs) living in 39 different countries of
the world, including Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, Guyana,
Jamaica, Malaysia, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South
Africa, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, USA.
The scholarship covers a wide range of subjects, including engineering,
humanities, commerce, management, journalism, hotel management and agriculture.
The program is applicable to undergraduate studies in professional and general
courses (except medical and other related courses).
Completed application forms should reach The Project Manager, Educational
Consultants India Limited, Ed.CIL House-18-A,
sector-16-A, Noida-201 301 ( India ).
Interested candidates who are between the ages of 17 years to 21 years on
October 1, 2007, may visit www.moia.gov.in and obtain
necessary information or write to GOPIO International GOPIO-Intl@sbcglobal.net.
HOUSTON MAYOR LAYS FOUNDATION STONE FOR INDIA HOUSE
Houston Mayor Bill white laid the foundation stone for the India House lat month, a dream project of the Indian American community in Houston . Originally estimated to be a $3.6 million project at the time of ground breaking in January 2006, it has now become 30 million dollar project. The first phase of the project will be called O.P. Jindal Center and will be completed by end of 2007 and expect to be in use in 2008. This facility will have a center for senior citizens, continuing education classes, and clinics for underprivileged patients.
The foundation laying ceremony was attended by Indian Consul General S.M. Gavai, Rice University President David Leebron, Asian Society President Charles Foster, City Council member M.J. Khan and other dignitaries.
Major donors for the project include City of Houston $500,000, Jindal Steel Co. $1 million, Angela and Chowdary Yalamanchili $1 million, JP Morgan Chase bank $100,000, Houston Endowment $500,000, Fondren Foundation $500,000 and varying amounts from India House Board and Council. The land was donated by the India Cultural Center , which it purchased in 2000.
The second phase of project will include a 1,000-seat banquet hall, a childcare center and a museum to showcase the culture of various states of India . India House Board is headed by Durga Agrawal.
ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENTS ARE CALLED UPON TO FIGHT COLLEGE ADMISSION REJECTION IN THE US
A study published by Princeton researchers concluded that an Asian-American applicant must score 50 points higher on the SAT than a white applicant just to have the same chance of admission. (http://opr.princeton.edu/faculty/Tje/EspenshadeSSQPtII.pdf).
According to The Price of Admission: How America's Ruling Class
Buys Its Way into Elite Colleges - and Who Gets Left Outside the Gates, by Dan Golden, Education Editor of the
Wall Street Journal, colleges are making Asian American applicants the
new Jews and holding them to much higher standards than other students.
If your Asian American teenager received rejections from these colleges:
U.S. Air Force Academy
U.S. Naval Academy
U.S. Military Academy
U.S. Coast Guard Academy
Middlebury
Bowdoin
Georgetown
Williams
Dartmouth
Amherst
Duke
Princeton
Swarthmore
Rice
file discrimination
complaints with the US Department of Education's Office of
Civil Rights and the Office of Federal Contract
Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-1100
1-800-421-3481
FAX: (202) 245-6840; TDD: (877) 521-2172
Online complaint form: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html
E-mail: OCR@ed.gov
Web: http://www.ed.gov/ocr
OFCCP
complaint form (complete
and file at OFCCP regional
office nearest you).
One must file your complaint within 180 days after receiving the rejection letter
or other form of discrimination.
When affirmative action at universities was banned in California ,
Texas , Massachusetts ,
and Florida ,
the number of Asian American students admitted to universities in those states
increased by 20-40%. See Statistics on Reverse
Discrimination against Asian-Americans.
http://www.asianam.org/statistics%20reverse.htm
GOPIO INTL. AND CHAPTER NEWS
GOPIO METRO DC APPLAUDS NEW APPOINTEES
The year 2007 brought good news for the Indian-American community in the Metro Washington DC area. Honble Isiah Leggett the newly elected County Executive of Montgomery County - the most affluent county in the State of Maryland has appointed several distinguished individuals from South Asian community to senior management positions in the Montgomery county administration as follows: Dr Pradeep Ganguly as Director, Department of Economic Development; Ms. Uma Ahluwalia as Director, Department of Health & Human Services; Mr. Nadeem Khan as Chief, Special Needs Housing.
To celebrate this joyous occasion, GOPIO-Metro Washington DC held a Meet & Greet reception honoring and recognizing these appointees on Sunday, February 18 at the Woodlands restaurant in Langley Park, MD.
Despite sudden unexpected snow and bad weather, over 110 people from the South Asian community and several of the Montgomery county political leaders attended the event. Prominent among them were -- Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett & Mrs. Catherine Leggett; County Council members George Leventhal & Phil Andrews; and Delegate Susan Lee. In their remarks, these senior leaders applauded the Indian-American community for their long and sustained support in the growth and progress of the county, its infrastructure and its programs. Ike Leggett complimented the communitys prominent role in the last twenty five years in building the county into a power house of science & technology, academia and high-tech industry.
GOPIO- Metro Washington DC President Dr Renuka Misra welcomed senior political leaders and community members in her opening remarks. She elaborated on the role of GOPIO as a grassroot citizens organization that is dedicated to integrating the expatriate people of Indian origin (PIO) community at various levels of society and government in US. Dr. Misra traced the rapid progress of the community from its humble beginnings in the county about thirty years ago, and now its success in the countys political process. She introduced the prominent personalities at the reception and the GOPIO volunteers. She expressed special thanks and recognized other community organizations (Association of Indian Muslims of America; Prithiviraj Chauhan Society of America ; FOINA; ICCC; IAFPE (MD); IAFPE(VA); AICS).
Dr. Pradeep Ganguly, the incoming Director of Economic Development, in his remarks pledged his total commitment to rapidly expand the countys economic base. Ms. Ahluwalia, the new Health & Human Services Director, talked of her commitment to the needy citizens. Mr. Nadeem Khan described his vision that not a single individual in the county, who has any special housing need, will have to wait long.
Dr. Kaushal Chauhan, the GOPIO general secretary thanked the honorees, guests, audience and volunteers for their enthusiastic support of the event and expressed his hope for more such events in the near future.
GOPIO-NY TO PARTICIPATE IN NYC IMMIGRANT WEEK
GOPIO has been selected by New York City Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Guillermo Linares as one of the civic organizations to participate in New York City 's Immigrant History Week 2007 (April 16 through April 22). Commissioner Linares has reviewed GOPIO's proposal for participation during these city-wide celebrations and has recommended that GOPIO collaborate with the Asian American/Asian Research Institute (AAARI) and The Guyanese East Indian Civic Association (GEICA) on a joint conference to bring more awareness of the immigrants from the Caribbean who are of Asian heritage.
While GOPIO International Secretary General Ashook Ramsaran took the initial steps for GOPIO to be part of the week-long NYC Immigrants' Week events, GOPIO of New York is taking the lead role with its President Lal Motwani coordinating the session on "CHALLENGES and OPPORTUNITIES". Motwani will be supported by Rafeek Baksh (President of GOPIO of Upper New York) as well Ashook Ramsaran (Secretary General, GOPIO International). Prakash Singh would be coordinator for GEICA.
The planned conference is a 1-day event to be held at the facilities of the City University of New York on April 21, 2007. The theme is: 'CARIBBEAN ASIANS - THE JOURNEY CONTINUES,' and GOPIO is responsible for planning and coordination of Session II: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
Contact: Lal Motwani, President, GOPIO-NY, Tel: 718-470-1026 or E-mail: lmotwani@nyc.rr.com.
GOPIO-CT OFFERS FREE COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION SEMINARS
The number of people with diabetes is on a rise among people of Indian origin. Poorly controlled diabetes can lead to serious health problems like blindness, stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and non-traumatic amputations. Many of the complications of this chronic disease can be prevented by controlling the blood sugars.
GOPIO-CT and Bayer Healthcare LLC Diabetes Care Division organized a free community education programs for better understanding of self management and care on March 15, 2007. The program offered tips on eating properly and effectively participating the treatment plan. On April 19, 2007, the program will explore various options to prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The role of exercise in maintaining or improving overall health will also be discussed. The programs will be held in Hyatt Regency in Cos Cob, Connecticut and the speaker will be Sangeeta Ahuja a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator.
For registration and information, contact Sangeeta Ahuja, President, GOPIO-CT, Tel: 203-329-9744, E-mail: sangeetaahuja@aol.com.
UNITY DINNER IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA A HUGE SUCCESS
GOPIO-San Francisco Bay Area joined Indo-American Community Federation along with other groups to host the annual Unity Dinner held at Hilton Newark/Fremont on March 23rd.
The keynote speaker was Calif. Lieut. Gov. John Garamendi.
This sold-out sixth annual event was presented by Indo-American Community
Federation and was sponsored by a host of Indian American and mainstream
organizations including Chinese, Hispanic, Filipino and Vietnamese
organizations. The event was conceived by Jeevan Zutshi, the founder chairman of Indo-American Community
Federation as well as the president of GOPIO-San Francisco Bay Area chapter,
after 9/11 to celebrate and promote unity amongst diverse groups in
California .
After 9/11, I saw a need for an event like this which can bring diverse public
officials together with diverse community leadership, said Zutshi.
It gives the community an opportunity to understand different cultures, come
closer and also meet their elected representatives in a social setting.
We need to look at things that are happening in our backyard, Zutshi added. He stressed the need for Indians to be more involved in issues like homelessness, hospitals and schools that need community cooperation. Holding Unity Dinners is a way of reminding us that we need to be involved in this community, he said.
The Unity Dinner was a demonstration of unity of the human spirit in coming
together and sharing histories and experiences, Garamendi
said. Honda, a third generation Japanese American, spoke about the ultimate
need for understanding one another.
Other organization sponsors included the National
Federation of Indian American organizations, FIA, American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin, Citizens for Better Community, Fremont Chamber of
Commerce, Fremont Education Foundation, Ohlone College Foundation, Citizens for Better Community, Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce of Alameda County, and the Hispanic Community Affairs Council.
A slew of public officials attended, including state Sen.
Ellen Corbett, state assembly members Alberto Torrico and Mary Hayashi; Alameda county
supervisors, mayors of Fremont, Union City, Newark, Milpitas and Hayward,
council members and elected and appointed board members from local
governments.
GOPIO FELICITATES DR. SHASHI THAROOR
Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) International, GOPIO-New York chapter and over a dozen Indian groups joined together to felicitate Dr. Shashi Tharoor, the former Under Secretary General at the United nations. Dr. Tharoor was honored and inducted as a Lifetime Honorary Member of GOPIO International. Attended by nearly 150 members and supporters of GOPIO, the event held on Saturday, April 7th, 2007 at the Five Star Banquet & Restaurant, located at Long Island City , Queens, was the first community program for Dr. Shashi Tharoor after leaving his position as Under Secretary General at the UN.
Lal Motwani, president of GOPIO Connecticut, in his welcome address stated that GOPIO-New York had organized four major such programs in the last one year providing community interactive programs with ministers from India and Congressmen from the New York area. GOPIO Secretary General Ashook Ramsaran gave the vote of thanks.
GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, introduced Dr. Tharoor as a "great son of India ," and joined Motwani, Ramsaran, and GOPIO Academic Council Chairman Dr. Jagat Motwani in presenting a plaque of appreciation for his "great contributions and achievements." Dr. Abraham said, Dr. Tharoor was being felicitated for his service to the UN and India in the last three decades.
While introducing the honoree, the GOPIO chairman Abraham said that Dr. Tharoor was the official candidate of India for the succession to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2006, and came a close second out of seven contenders in the race. He has served as the UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information. Dr. Tharoor is also the award-winning author of nine books, as well as hundreds of articles, op-eds and book reviews in a wide range of publications.
"I am honored to be a member of GOPIO with its 35,000 members around the world, representing nearly 25 Million Indian Diaspora spread across the globe." GOPIO as it stands for, must represent all social, political, religious and economic groups, he added.
In his keynote address, Dr. Tharoor, stressed on the "pluralism and diversity of India , which make India unique." In his lengthy address that was followed by Q&A, Tharoor, enumerated his vision for the role that NRIs could play in uniting India and Indians around the world. "We are diverse and divided into several groups. However, the reality of being Indian" transcends all these factors that divide us. We are people of different identities, and yet, united as being part of India ." Dr. Tharoor went on to add. "Pluralism is the cornerstone of India ."
Sharing with the audience his own search for an identity as an Indian, after being born in UK, raised in Mumbai, educated in Calcutta, Delhi, and the United States, and having served the United Nations in various capacities in several parts of the world, the brilliant Indian author and international diplomat said, "I was inspired of our search for our own identity as a nation, which meant that India is a nation for people of all religious, ethnic, linguistic and cultural groups." Linking his own experiences with that of the Non Resident Indians around the globe, Dr. Tharoor said, "We are an heir to the Great Pan Indian civilization."
Dr. Tharoor lamented the "misplaced sense of loyalties" among some sections of the NRI community abroad, stating that all major religious groups have been victims of these, contributing to the acceleration of violence back in India . While lauding that, "We are now moving beyond," Dr. Tharoor said, "We can and need to make contributions that can benefit India in significant ways." Acknowledging that amidst the fast growth and all round development India has been witnessing in the recent past, Dr. Tharoor said, "We have a long way to go as there are over 250 million people in India , who are really poor and the benefits of growth have not reached them yet."
While reflecting on the causes and the consequences of Partition, Dr. Tharoor said, "We cannot return to history and undo whatever has taken place, especially after 1947. However, we can make our future and that of the people of South Asian region better, by working together with increased cooperation and understanding." Towards this end, what is needed today is "political will and vision," that transcends all narrow political considerations and populism.
During the lengthy Q & A session that covered several areas including his failed attempt to be the UN Secretary General, Dr. Tharoor shared with the audience, the reasons for his failure in being elected as the UN Chief and his future plans. When several members of the audience expressed their desire to see him as the future Prime Minister of India, Dr. Tharoor said, "I have not decided on my future yet. I want to give a couple of years to decide on what I want to do in the coming years. Meanwhile, I will continue to invest in India , and particularly in Kerala, from where I come from." He said, for now, he will be doing a number of different things in his post-diplomatic career at the world body. For one, Tharoor said, he will be writing as much as his time permits and will speak as often as he can about the issues that he cares about.
The event was put together by Lal Motwani, Dr. Thomas Abraham, Ramesh Goel, Ramesh Kalicharan, Nilesh Kadakia, Dr. Jagat Motwani, Bansi Shah, Deo Gosine, Charan Singh Prempura, Dr. Parveen Chopra, Ashook Ramsaran, Leela Maret, Kiran Hari, Dr. Binod Varma, Dharmatma Saran, Anand Ahuja, Darshan Singh Bagga, Dr. Sushila Gidwani-Buschi, Sudha Acharya, Mohinder Singh Taneja, Indu Jaiswal, Dr. Surendra Kaushik, Jaswant Mody, Sangeeta Ahuja, Chengad Sridhar, Dr. Radha Giridharan, Ravi Adhikari, and Prakash Singh.
And the
event was cosponsored by National Federation of Indian American Associations
(NFIA), Association of Indians in Construction Industry, Society of Indian
American Engineers and Architects, Indo Caribbean Council, Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha of West Indies, Inc. (Shiva Mandir), Indian Overseas Congress Haryana Wing, Federation of Kerala Associations of North America (FOKANA) ,
Asian American Coalition USA, Inc., Heart and Hand for the Handicapped (HHH),
Indian American Kerala
Cultural and civic Center, India Association of Long Island, Sindhi Circle,
Brain Link, and GOPIO-Connecticut.
GOPIO-CT TO CELEBRATE FIRST ANNIVERSARY WITH AWARDS BANQUET
GOPIO Connecticut Chapter has scheduled its first anniversary celebration with an Awards Banquet on April 22nd starting at 5 p.m. at the Italian Center in Stamford . The honored guests are Indian Consul General Neelam Deo and Congressman Christopher Shays. GOPIO will also honor a few Indian Americans who stand out in the community for their contribution in various fields and in community service.
Contact: Sangeeta Ahuja, President, GOPIO-CT, Tel: 203-329-9744, E-mail: sangeetaahuja@aol.com
GOPIO INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES ONLINE FORUM TO DISCUSS AND DELIBERATE NRI/PIO ISSUES
GOPIO International has launched an online public forum for NRIs & PIOs to discuss and deliberate on issues of concern. If you have an issue of concern to NRIs and PIOs, you are welcome to post it in this online yahoogroups forum. Please visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GOPIO_Intl and register to become a participant or post a note of concern.
NRIs/PIOs ARCHIEVE
SEVEN INDIAN AMERICANS WIN SOROS GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP
Seven Indian Americans are among the 31 2007 Paul and Daisy Soros New American Fellows. Fellows receive up to a $20,000 stipend plus half tuition for as many as two years of graduate study at any institution of higher learning in the US .
GAURAV GUPTA ( McLean , VA ) is a senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University , graduating in May with both a BS and an MSE. He will attend medical school in September. Having conducted cardiovascular physiology research since his freshman year, Gaurav has been listed as a co-author on three academic publications. He also used his engineering background to develop medical devices to meet pressing clinical needs, including a method for the early detection of preterm labor and an implant for elderly patients with spinal fractures and has filed for two patents.
AMIT KAUSHAL ( Newhall , CA ) is pursuing a combined MD/PhD at Stanford University . Having completed two years of medical school, he is in the first year of his PhD in biomedical informatics. A Stanford undergraduate as well, he received in 2004 his BS in biomedical computation, a major he created, and an MS in biomedical informatics. Amit plans to dedicate his career to using the tools of molecular biology, computer science, medicine, and economics to develop novel diagnostics and screening tools that will improve patient health
SUMIR MEGHANI ( Detroit , MI ) is a first-year MBA candidate at Harvard Business School . He holds a BA with honors in Economics and a MS in Computer Science, both from Stanford University . When he was only sixteen years old, Sumir founded The Eyepiece Network, a company that managed a leading Internet magazine and community for young adults. After graduating from Stanford, Sumir worked for Yahoo!, Inc., where he helped form content partnerships for the company's search business and led efforts to launch the Open Content Alliance, a free, open repository of digital text and multimedia content.
NINA SHEN RASTOGI is currently an associate editor at Barnes and Noble Publishing. She holds a BA degree in English, magna cum laude, from Yale University , with election to Phi Beta Kappa as well as an MA, with distinction, in Shakespearean Studies from King's College London and the Globe Theatre. She plans to begin a master's program in journalism in the fall of this year. Focusing especially on theater and performance, Nina is a frequent writer for PopMatters, a leading pop culture internet magazine.
RAJ SHAH of Bonaire , GA is currently the Special Assistant to the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for International Technology Security in the US Department of Defense. He plans to attend business school in the fall. Raj holds an AB from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University . Upon graduating from Princeton , he took a job at McKinsey and Company but left 4 months after 9/11 to join the United States Air Force. A distinguished graduate of both USAF pilot training and Officer Training School , Raj flew eighteen combat missions in Iraq as a captain and F-16 pilot. After four years of active duty, he transitioned to the reserves and rejoined McKinsey and Co.; from there he embarked on his present work. Raj also has started a non-profit foundation dedicated to improving education in his father's village in India .
GAURAV SINGAL is in his second year at the Health Sciences and Technology (HST) program offered by Harvard Medical School and MIT. He completed his BS degree in computer engineering at Columbia University , graduating summa cum laude and election to Tau Beta Pi. Gaurav is interested above all in the medical potential of artificial intelligence. He has worked in labs at Johns Hopkins, the University of Maryland , Columbia , and MIT exploring robotics, neuroengineering, and computational vision. This winter he operated several vision camps in India to address the problem of congenital blindness. Gaurav intends to be an ophthalmologist.
JAMES R.
WILLIAMS
of Portland , Oregon is a 2006 graduate of Princeton
University , where he earned an AB summa cum laude
in Public and International Affairs. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and
won the Pyne Prize, one of
Princeton 's highest undergraduate distinctions. A Truman Scholar, he is
currently working on environmental law and policy in India , supported by a
Labouisse Fellowship. James plans
to begin law school in the fall. At Princeton , James was an active member of
student government and many student organizations. He has worked in Portland 's
City Hall and with Campaign for a National Majority, a national PAC. James
aspires to a political career.
COLUMBIA UNIV. GROUPS RECOGNIZE GOPIO CHAIRMAN ABRAHAM WITH HERITAGE AWARD
Asian Pacific American of Asian Pacific American Awareness Month (APAAM) celebration got an enthusiastic start with an opening reception and award ceremony at Columbia University on March 28th. Sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs of Columbia College (CC) and School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), Asian Pacific Awareness Committee, Asian Columbia Alumni Association, College Activities of Barnard College and other affiliated groups, the month long program will explore and revisit Asian Pacific American (APA) identity founded upon the struggles, activism, and passion of APA communities whose impact and voices still resonate today. The organizers recognize that each generation brings new meaning to the APA identity and hope to bring all APA community voices, new and old, heard and unheard, into dialogue with each other, while acknowledging the differences and conflicts that are rooted in divergent experiences and shape vast and rich histories.
In his welcome address, Columbia s Associate Dean (CC/SEAS) for student affairs Dr. Ajay Nair said that APAAM is an annual celebration dedicated to promoting awareness of APA issues and history among the Columbia student body.
The keynote speaker for the opening ceremony was Dr. Evelyn Hu-Dehart, Professor of History and Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University . Dr. Hu-DeHart challenged the students to continue to fight against any Anti-Asian discrimination, and at the same time, take leadership in the continuing struggle of under-represented groups (African Americans and Latinos) to gain access to higher education.
This years Heritage Award recipient was Dr. Thomas Abraham, an alumnus of Columbia University , who is the founder of many Indian organizations including FIA New York, NFIA and GOPIO. Dr. Abraham, who currently serves as the Chairman of GOPIO, was recognized for his contribution to sensitizing and mobilizing the community for common Indian American and Asian issues for the last 33 years.
Our theme for this year, Resonance: Our Collective Voice, seeks to explore the evolution of the APA community, highlighting its past, present, and future. Asian Americans like Dr. Thomas Abraham embody the theme of our celebration, Dr. Nair added.
Dr. Abraham was introduced by Prof. P. Somasundaran, La von Duddleson Krumb Professor at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and said that as far as he knew, no one has contributed more to mobilize and unify the Indian American community other than Dr. Abraham.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Abraham brought out the issue of increasing number of highly qualified Asian American students being denied admission to many top schools in America . Dr. Abraham called upon Columbia University to take a leadership role among the Ivy League Schools in supporting meritocracy over mediocrity. Dr. Abraham also called upon all national Asian American organizations to work together on common Asian American issues such as denial of educational opportunities and discrimination.
The evening ceremony also recognized another Indian American Tejpaul Bhatia as Mentor Award Honoree. Bhatia, also a Columbia alumnus, is principal of Tej Media Networks. The evening ended with a Bhangra by Columbia students and a performance by Giles Li.
DR. RAGHUPATY KANNAN IS NEWEST FULLBRIGHT SCHOLAR
Dr. Ragupathy Kannan, associate professor of biology at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith , has been selected a Fulbright Scholar and will teach at a university in India for six months starting in July. The Fulbright Scholar Program is a U.S. government program in international education exchange and is named for the late Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas . Awards are given for academic and professional excellence, as well as leadership potential.
Kannan, a naturalized citizen, will teach ecology at the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, which is about 150 miles east of New Delhi . His award will enable him to travel around the country and give talks, although he will be based at the host institution, the university said in a media release.
SEVEN INDIAN AMERICANS SELECTED AS TRUMAN SCHOLARS
Madeleine K. Albright, president of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, announced that 65 students from 56 US colleges and universities have been selected as 2007 Truman Scholars. They were elected by eighteen independent selection panels on the basis of leadership potential, intellectual ability, and likelihood of 'making a difference.'
The 65 Scholars were selected from among 585 candidates nominated by 280 colleges and universities. Each selection panel interviewed Finalists from a 3 - 4 state region and generally elected one Scholar from each state and one at-large Scholar from the region. Each panel typically included a university president, a federal judge, a distinguished public servant, and a past Truman Scholarship winner.
Each Scholarship provides $30,000 for graduate study. Scholars also receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government. Recipients must be US citizens, have outstanding leadership potential and communication skills, be in the top quarter of their class, and be committed to careers in government or the not-for-profit sector.
The Truman Scholarship Foundation was established by Congress in 1975 as the federal memorial to our thirty-third President. The Foundation awards scholarships for college students to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or elsewhere in public service. The activities of the Foundation are supported by a special trust fund in the US Treasury. There have been 2,545 Truman Scholars elected since the first awards were made in 1977.
The 2007 Truman Scholars will assemble May 15 for a leadership development program at William Jewell College in Liberty , Missouri , and receive their awards in a special ceremony at the Truman Library in Independence , Missouri , on May 20, 2007.
Severn Indian Americans are among the 65 scholars this year. They are as gollows:
Deep Jayendrakumar Shah - Deep Shah is a Foundation Fellow at the University of Georgia (UGA). Majoring in both biology and international affairs, he hopes to pursue a career in health policy. Deep founded UGA's student think tank, Roosevelt at UGA, and currently serves as President. He has published on issues related to public health preparedness and neuroanatomical changes related to Parkinson's Disease. Lastly, Deep is committed to solving health, housing, and education issues related to the poverty crisis in UGA's home of Athens , Georgia .
Kesha Kaleire Ram - Kesha is pursuing degrees in Natural Resource Planning and Political Science at the University of Vermont . As a native of Los Angeles , she took her strong passion for environmental justice with her to the east coast. She has conducted extensive research on environmental inequality in Vermont , catching the attention of state policymakers who she is now working with on a statewide policy initiative. She recently interned with Senator Dianne Feinstein in Washington , DC where she focused on environmental and agricultural legislation for the state of California . Kesha enjoys spending time with children and animals, singing, dancing, discussing lifes great mysteries over tea, and generally being alive.
Salma Yasmeen Rizvi - Salmah, a double-major in Anthropology and International Relations at the Johns Hopkins University , founded Vision XChange, a nonprofit organization which serves as a mechanism to create entertaining, opportunistic events while spreading awareness of important issues. She has traveled extensively as a student ambassador promoting peace and stability and teaching International Humanitarian Law. Currently, Salmah is a Department of Defense employee and hopes to continue her career in government.
Monica Mukerjee Monica is studying international relations and psychology with specializations in political economy and gender studies at Michigan State University . She volunteers as a crisis and sexual assault counselor, and also works as an advocate for sexual assault survivors. She intends to pursue a career in creating international development policies from a gendered perspective. She is a hopeful traveler, spontaneous cook, and voracious reader.
Indra Narayan Sen is a junior at Georgetown University majoring in Culture and Politics. At Georgetown , he has developed a strong passion for fostering diversity awareness and advocating for social justice. His experiences range from tutoring prison inmates to coordinating the program Young Leaders in Education About Diversity to serving as the Co-President of the Asian American Student Association. In his free time, Indra enjoys playing basketball and performing poetry at benefits concerts.
Malkit Kaur Singh A sociology major at George Mason University , Malki "Mona" Singh plans to practice medicine in underserved areas, focusing on AIDS and other problems of living turned into medical illness. She serves as University Scholar Class Representative, President of the American Society for Microbiology, volunteers for the Hospital Elder Life Program, and is on the Ek Taal Dance Team. This past summer, Mona studied HIV/AIDS treatment in South Africa . She has also undertaken medical research at the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study.
Victoria Sehgal - Victoria is currently a junior at Amherst College . Her main policy interests are the social and economic impacts of education, and she has been thoroughly engaged in activities related to this passion. She interned at the US Department of Education where she synthesized state test data that guided the reauthorization of NCLB, tutors students in Latin at a local middle school, and is a policy fellow for the Roosevelt Institution. In her spare time, she enjoys reading mysteries and singing.
INDIAN AMERICAN SRINIVASA SR VARDHAN WINS ABEL PRIZE IN MATHS
Indian-American mathematician Srinivasa SR Varadhan won the prestigious $850,000 Abel Prize for mathematics this year for his "fundamental contributions to probability theory", it was announced on Thursday. The 67-year-old professor of New York University's (NYU) Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences would receive the honor, viewed as equivalent of a Nobel prize, "in particular for creating a unified theory of large deviation", the award committee said.
The six million kronor award was created by the Norway government in 2002 to mark the 200th birth anniversary of great Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel.
"Varadhan's work has great conceptual strength and ageless beauty. His ideas have been hugely influential and will continue to stimulate further research for a long time," said the citation from The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, according to a release from the NYU. He is expected to receive the Abel Prize from King Harald V of Norway in Oslo on May 22.
Professor Varadhan is a fellow of Institute of Mathematical Statistics and the Indian Academy of Sciences. He was born in Chennai and received his B Sc honors degree and MA from Madras University . He did his PhD from the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata before coming to Courant as a post-doctoral fellow in 1963. He has spent his entire professional life there, serving two terms as its director (1980-1984 and 1992-94).
FOUR INDIAN AMERICANS SELECTED IN 2007 GATES CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARSHIPS
Following interviews held in Annapolis , Maryland in February 2007, the Gates Cambridge Trust has announced list of 48 scholarships recipients from the USA , who will begin their studies at the University of Cambridge in October 2007. Of these four are students are of Indian origin. They are as follows:
Mukul Kumar ( Irvine , California ) - A history major with interests in urban geography, international development, and non-profit housing Kumar is currently at University of California , Irvine . Kumar also participated in the master's program in modern Indian History at Delhi University and volunteered with a community-based organization that provides street children with committed youth mentors, health care, and education. At Cambridge , Kumar wish to pursue an MPhil in Land Economy in order to better understand the challenge of slums and pro-poor land management within the fields of economics, geography, law, and environmental policy.
Srilakshmi Madhura Raj ( Lexington , MA ) Srilakshmi is currently studying Human Sciences at St. John's College , University of Oxford . The Human Sciences major focuses on understanding human diversity from biological and socio-cultural perspectives. She has also been conducting research on the genetics of plants, animals and humans at Harvard Medical School , MIT and Oxford over the last five years. Srilakshmi plans to pursue a D. Phil degree in Medical Genetics at the University of Cambridge .
Alan Rodrigues ( Dresher , PA ) A graduate of Williams Collge, Rodriques will pursue an MPhil in Computational Biology at Cambridge enroute to a medical degree and ultimately a career in academic medicine. Rodrigues hopesto be involved in developing therapeutics that capitalize on the synergistic pairing of high-throughput biotechnologies with burgeoning computational approaches.
Shamsher Samra (Fresno, CA) - Currently completing a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at Stanford University, Samra is president of the South Asian Preventative Health Outreach Program (SAPHOP) which provides understanding and awareness of heart disease and diabetes. Samra has been studying the efficacy of a low-cost treatment in preventing deterioration of visual acuity in poor patients with diabetic retinopathy in Bihar India . At Cambridge Samra plans on completing an MPhil in Epidemiology.
DR. GEORGE THOMAS APPOINTED TO FLORIDA BOARD OF MEDICINE
An eminent Indian American cardiologist, Dr. Thomas George, has been appointed to the Florida Board of Medicine by the Florida Governor, Charlie Crist. Dr. Thomas will serve his term beginning March 16, 2007, and ending October 31, 2010. He is the only Indian American in the Board.
The Board of Medicine establishes licensing regulations, provides certification for physicians and physician assistants, and has the authority to impose penalties for licensing violations. The Board consists of ten physicians and five lay members. Appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Dr. Thomas, 62, is president of Bradenton Cardiology Center . He formerly served in the position of chief of medicine and later as the chief of staff for the Manatee Memorial Hospital .
INDO-GUYANESE JOINS CANADA S RULING CONSERVATIVE PARTY
Canadas Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently announced that Mark Persaud, an accomplished Indo-Guyanese attorney-at-law residing in Toronto , has decided to join the ruling Conservative Party. The Prime Minister stated that Since the formation of the new Conservative Party of Canada, the party has been growing. Accomplished people like Mark Persaud are recognizing that all Canadians have a home and a future in the Conservative Party."
Mark Persaud fled turmoil in his native Guyana and immigrated to Canada in 1983. Rescued from poverty and homelessness by a Christian mission in Toronto , he entered university and began working to improve the lives of other new immigrants. After obtaining law degrees from York University s Osgoode Hall Law School , Persaud worked in civil litigation and criminal prosecutions with the federal Justice Department. He also served as counsel to the RCMPs Integrated Proceeds of Crime Unit. Persaud has won wide recognition as a civic leader and community activist through his volunteer work on behalf of immigrants, refugees and the poor. Fighting against discrimination, poverty and violence, and in support of tolerance, community development and peace, have been the hallmarks of his career.
For the last three years Persaud has led the Canadian International Peace Project, a non-partisan organization dedicated to building more peaceful, secure and stable communities at home and abroad. In June 2006, as Chair and CEO of CIPP, Persaud was nominated for the prestigious Seoul Peace Prize. A legacy of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, the prize is designed to encourage and reward individuals who make significant contributions to the cause of global harmony and prosperity. Previous laureates include Vaclav Havel, Kofi Annan and George P. Schultz. Included among Persauds many other awards and nominations for community service are the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal, the City of Toronto s Black History Month Award, and nominations for the Lincoln Alexander Award and Toronto Man of the Year.
Since taking office, Canada 's new Conservative Government has delivered for New Canadians, including slashing the right of landing fee, increasing settlement funding, Investing in improving foreign credentials recognition; and implementing a number of pro-family tax and social policies. "The new Conservatives exemplify the entrepreneurial and pro-community values of New Canadians and quite frankly they've delivered, said Mr. Persaud."
INDIAN AMERICAN MARIA KURIAKOSE APPOINTED AS CHICAGO S COOK COUNTY JUDGE
Maria Kuriakose Ciesil has become the third Indian American judge in Cook County . She was sworn in on April 11th. The other Indian American judges are: Reena Vantine and Sanjay Tailor. Kuriakose has been assistant bureau chief of the criminal prosecutions and trials assistance bureau at the office of the attorney general of Illinois Lisa Madigan.
Born in Madras and emigrated to the US with her family to Chicago in 1976, Kuriakose earned a bachelors of arts degree with a major in criminal justice and psychology in 1987 from the University of Illinois-Chicago. She received juris doctor degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology-Ken College of Law in 1990.
TIRLOK MALIK NOMINATED TO NY EMMY AWARD
Actor/filmmaker Tirlok Malik was nominated in a Thirteen/WNET segment that is nominated for a New York Emmy Award in the category of Historical Programming Cultural Historical. This segment on Indian film making, for which Malik is also the segment producer, has been aired several times on Thirteen/WNET in both the Setting the Stage and the New York Voices programs. Both programs cover the New York art scene.
NEWS OF INTEREST TO NRIs/PIOs AROUND THE WORLD
INDIAN ALUMNI GROUP OF INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS TO INDIAN STUDENTS IN NEW YORK
Indian alumni of the International House of New York, a graduate-level residential and cultural centre, have established a $10,000 scholarship for Indians pursuing studies in New York , an official said Saturday. The scholarship endowment will be awarded annually to Indians keen on graduate studies in the US city, though the number of recipients is yet to be finalized.
The International House hosted its 24th World Council of Alumni meet in New Delhi last month and members stressed on better educational ties with India .
"By hosting The World Council of Alumni in Delhi we can establish stronger ties with educational advisors in India and continue to build bridges between our organization and Indian leaders. With our scholarship endowment, we can better enable graduate students from India to help International House achieve its mission," said Donald L. Cuneo, president of International House New York.
" India , as a country, is growing increasingly important on the world stage. Students from India have long proven their academic and leadership abilities at US universities and as members of International House," Cuneo added.
India currently equals China for representing the fourth-largest contingent of non-US residents among International House members, comprising 3.8 percent of the total population.
The International House, a non-profit organization that was set up in 1924, is home to over 700 graduate students and trainees from several countries.
"The International House provided an excellent opportunity for me to learn about cultures around the world and had a powerful influence in the way I think and view the world," said Harjiv Singh, co-founder and CEO of Gutenberg Communications, and an International House alumnus.
"The India alumni had focused on raising this $10,000 to provide Indian students the same opportunities to learn and develop leadership skills that we enjoyed," he added.
SPECIAL NRI COURSES BY GUJRAT UNIVERSITY
The Gujarat University has decided to introduce Diaspora studies at post-graduate level. The course will be in English medium only and the university will grant M. Phil in Diaspora Studies which will start from the coming session.
In addition, the university would offer a wide range of cultural, philosophical, traditional and contemporary courses to NRIs. The three weeks course fees is USD 1500 which includes teaching by world famous faculty and field trips to Baroda , Gandhinagar and Agra . The students shall be given certificate by the University at the end of the course. The interested incumbent can contact Dr. Neerja Arun, Coordinator, Gujarat University at aayusharun@yahoo.co.in. Fro more details, visit: http://www.gujaratuniversity.org.in/web/WebStudyAbroadProgramme.asp
INDIAN MISSION UNDER THE PREVIEW OF RIGHT TO INFORMAITON ACT
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has ruled that all Indian missions abroad come under the purview of the Right to Information Act. The ruling was given by the CIC while hearing an appeal by Anju Musafir who sought information pertaining to the issuance of visa to a French national.
The Right to Information Act 2005 is a law which gives citizens of India access to Government records. According to the provisions of the Act, any person may request information from a "public authority" (a body of Government or instrumentality of State) which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days.
LIBERALIZED REGULATIONS FOR TRIPS ABROAD
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been liberalizing regulations for the grant of foreign exchange for various purposes. The current regulations allow:
RBI has approved some dealers from where resident individuals can obtain foreign exchange after meeting the necessary requirements.
ISRAEL NEEDS INDIAN TECHIES
The high-tech industry in Israel is having difficulties in finding qualified people. The availability of high tech people is far below the demand, causing hindrance for faster development processes.
Israel faced similar problem in the agricultural, nursing, construction and restaurant industries, but the import of foreign laborers has been permitted while it is banned for high paying sectors. Consequently, the monthly salary of newly recruited programming engineers has skyrocketed. The high salaries of workers make Israeli products more expensive, decrease industry profits and reduce competitiveness of Israeli companies in the global market. The high tech companies have started demanding lifting of the ban so that they can import high tech people from India .
US PROPOSES TO HIKE FLOW OF INDIAN STUDENTS
The United States proposes to open its doors even wider to Indian students, who have been topping the charts for five years in terms of numbers flocking to American campuses for higher education. A high-power delegation, led by Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes, visited India last month to hold discussions on giving a further push to this phenomenon. Six university presidents from across the US and a top State Department official dealing with academic programs accompanied Hughes, who met Government officials, businessmen and student leaders.
India overtook China five years ago and has ever since topped student flows to the US 76, 503 students in 2005-06, compared to China s 62,582 and South Korea s 58,847, according to the Institute of International Education s Open Doors 2006 report.
TV REALITY SHOW AS TOOL TO STTRACT INDINA STUDENTS TO BRITAIN
Five leading universities in UK are going to use Reality TV show to entice Indian students for their universities. The top student selected in the show could get up to 80,000 (Rs 68 lakhs) over a four-year period for Fees and living expenses.
The five universities which have agreed with Sunil Mittals Bharti Airtel and NDTV include Leeds, Sheffield, Middlesex, Cardiff and Warwick . They want to attract maximum foreign students as they pay full fees. Through the TV show that will run for several weeks, the universities hope to attract many students.
EIGHT LAKHS PIOs RECEIVE DUAL CITIZENSHIP
About 800,000 PIOs have received dual citizenship (OCI) status by end of November, 2006 as per a report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs presented recently to the Indian Parliament. The report also stated, "The Committee has been recommending to the Government to allow OCI cardholder[s] to participate in the political process of the country. Given the contribution of overseas Indians to the Indian economy through their investments and remittances, the committee feels that it is time the Government stops treating overseas Indians as mere economic citizens."
The OCI scheme was started on December 2, 2005 and allows for a life-long visa for India . The scheme does not confer any political rights to the holders of the OCI.
SAUDI ARABIA SET TO ISSUE SHORT-TERM VISAS
Saudi Arabia plans to issue temporary work visas for six months and seasonal work visas for four months. The Saudi Shoura Council has passed a draft law allowing, for a fee of SR 1,000, the issuance of temporary work visas. The draft law must be approved by the Cabinet before it is implemented. The validity of visas cannot be extended or changed to a permanent visa. However, a person holding the visa can get multiple travel visas during the six-month period. Companies and individuals applying for a seasonal work visa must deposit a guarantee equal to the value of a return ticket or not less than SR 1,000 for each worker.
INDIA GOVERNMENT TO SET UP FACILITATION TRUST FOR NRIs
The Indian cabinet decided on March 22, 2007 to set up a facilitation centre for overseas Indians to serve as a 'one-stop-shop' and also extend financial support to it. The facilitation centre in the form of not-for-profit trust, will be set up by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) in Delhi in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The objectives of the centre will be to promote overseas Indian investment into India and facilitate business partnership, establish and maintain a Diaspora knowledge network, and function as a clearing house for all investment related information. Besides, it will also assist states to project investment opportunities to overseas Indians in the infrastructure and social sectors as well as to provide a host of advisory services to People of Indian Origin (PIOs) and non-resident Indians.
The government will extend assistance on matters related to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)/Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cards scholarship to the children of non-resident Indians and also to overseas Indians visiting India .
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES TO LAUNCH NON-STOP FLIGHT FROM NEW YORK TO MUMBAI
Continental Airlines will launch daily nonstop flights between New York and Mumbai from October 30 subject to government approval. Continental already has been operating nonstop service between New York and Delhi since 2005. Other airlines offering non-stop flights from the USA to India are American, North Western and Delta. Air India also plans non-stop flight after it gets the new 777 aircraft ordered from Boeing.
The new Continental flight will be timed to provide convenient connections and will use Boeing 777-200 aircraft with Business First and Economy cabins. Flying times will be approximately 15 hours eastbound, and 16 hours westbound.
In flight meals will include Indian vegetarian and Indian non-vegetarian choices, designed by Indian chefs based in the U.S. and in India .
UK ANNOUNCES NEW RULES TO ENTRY BY MARRIAGE
Britain has announced double-strength immigration controls, with a bold new focus on rules governing entry-by-marriage. The move will mean that an estimated 3,000 women, mainly Indian, would be barred from coming to the UK . The British Home Office announced on March 19 that it was raising the minimum age at which foreign nationals can receive marriage visas from 18 to 21. This is expected to plug the perceived gap in Britain s immigration regime, mainly with respect to Indian girls imported into the country as wives of British Indian men.
Officials say that around 15,000 British nationals marry non-Europeans each year, the majority from the Indian sub-continent and that India featured as the single largest provider of wives. Observers said this is the most recent of a range of British governments measures to limit non-European immigration to the UK . The 1.3 million-strong Indian community is Britain s largest immigrant minority. Though generally seen to be economically important and reasonably well-integrated, a section of less globalised British Indians continues to seek spouses from the mother country. The Home Office said raising the minimum age for foreign marriage visas would substantially reduce the number of immigrant spouses coming into the country as a result of forced marriages.
SCRAMBLE FOR H-1B VISAS
A notification by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services [USCIS] that it will apply a lottery system if the number of H-1B applications exceed the annual 65,000 quota has led to a scramble among IT firms and their attorneys to line up applications to be delivered to the USCIS office in St. Albans in Washington by April 2. H-1B petitions for the fiscal year 2008 H-1B cap, which is to begin on October 12, 2007, can be filed six months in advance [i.e. April 2007]. A March 21 alert sent by the American Immigration Lawyers Association noted that USCIS has stated that if a sufficient number of petitions to exhaust the quota is received on the first day, the USCIS will apply the random selection lottery to petitions received on the first and second day. Executives at both US and Indian IT companies have little doubt that demand for IT workers will again outstrip supply this year. IT managers say demand is highest in dot.net, Java and identity management.
MOB TURNS VIOLENT TWO INDIANS KILLED IN UGANDA
Two Indians were killed during the protest rally by the environmentalists in the Ugandan capital Kampala against the move for expansion of the Sugar Corporation of Uganda , owned by an Indian group. The mob also damaged a Hindu temple, a branch of the Bank of Baroda and some Indian-owned shops.
The Ugandan authorities controlled the violence by using armed police and provided security to the Indian establishments.
India
's Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma has taken up the matter
with the Uganda s Foreign Minister Sam Kuteesa. The President of Uganda also spoke strongly
about the violence and termed the perpetrators as "anti-national".
GOPIO, LIFE MEMBERSHIP AND CHAPTER FORMATION
GOPIO is a non-partisan, non-sectarian global organization with chapters in several countries, actively promoting the interests of people of Indian origin worldwide by monitoring and addressing current critical issues of concern, and by enhancing cooperation and communication between groups of Indians living in various countries.
GOPIO Individual Life membership is open to all who believe in the mission of GOPIO. The one- time fee is $5,000 for Platinum Life Membership, $2,500 for Gold Life Membership and $1,500 Silver Life Membership and half the amount for each category for those from developing countries and India .
GOPIO is looking forward to opening chapters in all major cities of the world so as to network people of Indian origin all over the world. If you do not have chapter in your city, please visit GOPIO website (www.gopio.net) and get details of chapter initiation (visit http://www.gopio.net/chapter_initiative.htm). Process involves sending a letter of intent to start a chapter by a committee of five people or more. For more information, contact:
GOPIO President Inder Singh, Tarzana , California , USA , Tel: 818-708-3885, E-mail: gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net
GOPIO Secretary General Ashook Ramsaran, Fresh Meadows, New York City , Tel: 718/939-8194, E-mail: ramsaran@aol.com
To become a Life member of GOPIO, visit http://www.gopio.net/membership_form.htm, print and fill up the form and send it with a check to: GOPIO, P.O. Box 1413 , Stamford , CT 06904 , USA .
EDITORIAL BOARD
Chief Editor: Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman, GOPIO ( Stamford , CT , USA )
Webmasters: Prashant Gupta (Gurgaon, Haryana , India ) and Abu Thomas ( New Rochelle , NY , USA )
Contributors of this issue: Inder Singh (USA) and Ashook Ramsaran (USA)
GOPIO NEWS welcomes NRI/PIO related stories from all over the world. Be a volunteer correspondent or reporter. Contact Dr. Thomas Abraham, Tel: 203-329-8010, E-mail: gopio@optonline.net
Visit GOPIOs Official site at www.gopio.net or www.gopio.com