GOPIO NEWS BULLETIN

May 25, 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

GOPIO DEMONSTRATES SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

 

GOPIO DELEGATION JOINS INDIAN ARRIVAL DAYS IN THE CARIBBEAN

 

LAST SURVIVING INDENTURED LABORER IN GUYANA

 

INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY TO BE CELEBRATED IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

 

GOPIO TO HOST INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND BUSINESS SUMMIT ON DECEMBER 3-4, 20007 IN BELGIUM

 

THE 93RD ANNIVERSARY OF KOMAGATA MARU SHIP ARRIVAL CELEBRATED IN CANADA

 

INDIA EMPIRE MAGAZINE CONDUCTING OPINITION POLL

 

INDIAN AMERICANS TAKE LEAD IN ORGANIZING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CONFERENCE

 

GOPIO INTL. AND CHAPTER NEWS

GOPIO HONORS MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ANIL GUPTA IN WASHINGTON , DC

GOPIO-CT FREE COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION SEMINARS CONTINUE

GOPIO INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE

GOPIO INVITES COMMUNITY ACTIVIST TO JOIN ITS ONLINE FORUM ON NRI/PIO ISSUES

 

NRIs/PIOs ACHIEVE

LAKSHMI MITTAL IS THE RICHEST IN EUROPE

FOURTEEN INDIAN AMERICAN STUDENTS SELECTED AS PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS

BRITISH INDIAN SA NJ EEV SHAH SUCCEEDS FIDELITY FUND MANAGER

LORD SWRAJ PAUL DONATES HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO CARNEGIE MELLON UNIV.

BRITISH INDIAN HARSHADBHAI PATEL ELECTED AS MAYOR OF LONDON BOROUGH BRENT

BRITISH INDIAN HARJIT GILL INSTALLED AS GLOUSTER MAYOR

 

NEWS OF INTEREST TO NRIs AND PIOs AROUND THE WORLD

UK TRIBUNAL BRINGS CHEEERS TO SKILLED INDIAN IMMIGRANTS

INDO-CANADIAN MUSEUM SET TO OPEN IN TORONTO

US IMMIGRATION BILL PROPOSES 50,000 MORE H-1B VISAS EVERY YEAR

NEW US IMMIGRATION Bill Could Force H-1B Employers To Fund U.S. Scholarships

AMERICANS SUPPORT PROVISIONS OF THE NEW IMMIGRATION BILL

HIGHLY SKILLED IMMOGRANTS QUOTA IN AUSTRALIA INCREASED

NRIs AVAIL KUWAITS AMNESTY SCHEME

UK PROVIDES PERMANENT RESIDENCE TO WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS

NRI DEPOSITS IN KERALA BANK GREW TO RS 89. 85 BILLION

 

GOPIO LIFE MEMBERSHIP AND CHAPTER FORMATION

 

EDITORIAL BOARD

 

 

GOPIO DEMONSTRATES SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

 

GOPIO DEMONSTRATES SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

 

While GOPIO had campaigned for the passage of US-India Atomic Energy Cooperation Bill in the US Congress last year, GOPIOs lobbying power was again demonstrated in France when India scored a major victory by successfully defeating anti-Indian lobby. During its Plenary Session on 24th May, the European Parliament (EP) in Strasburg adopted a report on Kashmir . The report called "Kashmir: Present Situation and Future Prospects strongly criticizes Pakistan for lack of progress on democracy and human rights. The GOPIO Belgium lobbied with several Members of European Parliament ever since the report was presented to the Foreign Affairs Committee. The support from four Indian origin MEPS was of great help to GOPIO in its lobby work. The report was adopted by an overwhelming majority in the full session in Strasbourg with 522 votes in favor 9 against and 19 abstentions.

 

The President of GOPIO Belgium Sunil Prasad and other Executive Committee members spent considerable time and energy to see that the report was approved. Welcoming the adoption of the report he said that the he report should be seen in the context of India s growing influence in Europe and European Institutions support of India s progressive policies in Jammu & Kashmir. The GOPIO London President Mr. Raj Lakha and his team too had campaigned in support of the report with Members of European Parliament in UK .

 

For more information, contact GOPIO Belgium President Sunil Prasad at +3224692677 or +32472207338, E-mail: sunil.prasad@coditel.net or GOPIO London President Raj Lakha, E-mail: r.lakha@rlcorp.co.uk.

 

GOPIO DELEGATION JOINS INDIAN ARRIVAL DAYS IN THE CARIBBEAN

 

A delegation of GOPIO International comprising of GOPIO President Inder Singh and Secretary General Ashook Ramsaran, among others, will be participating in the India Arrival Day celebrations in Trinidad, St. Vincents and Suriname . India s Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi is planning to attend the celebrations also in all these countries, in addition to Jamaica where Indian Arrival Day is commemorated on May 27.

 

The first batch of indentured laborers from India arrived in Trinidad on May 30, 1845 aboard the Fath Al Razak, in St. Vincents on June 1, 1861, and in Suriname on June 4, 1873. Despite enduring extremely harsh conditions and severe hardships, the first arrivals persevered to maintain their sense of origin, traditions, culture and religion. Their descendents presently number in the hundreds of thousand and comprise a large percentage of their respective populations, and have contributed significantly to the development of each country.

 

The GOPIO delegation will attend celebrations in Trinidad on May 30 and travel to St. Vincent s on June 1 to participate in the celebrations organized by the St.Vincents Indian Heritage Foundation. The GOPIO Chapter in Suriname has planned a symposium on June 4 in conjunction with other Indian Arrival Day events scheduled for that day. This would be followed by a dinner with chief guest Minister Vayalar Ravi.

 

For more information, please contact GOPIO IAD Coordinator, Trinidad, Dr. Vijay Ramlal, E-mail: vijayramlalrai@gmail.com; GOPIO Regional VP for Caribbean Ambassador Krishna Nandoe (Suriname), E-mail: knandoe@yahoo.com; and in St. Vincent, Jannis Deanne of SVGIHF, E-mail: cafeme84@hotmail.com.

 

The GOPIO delegation will also be visiting Guyana where Yesu Persaud, Chairman of GOPIO Guyana, has planned a dinner meeting on June 6th, 2007 with a talk on the subject of Benefiting from India 's Expanding Economic Growth and Investments. Mr. Persaud can be reached by E-mail at ypersaud@demrum.com.

 

LAST SURVIVING INDENTURED LABORER IN GUYANA

 

At age 104, Kowsilla Ghutri holds the distinction of being the second oldest Guyanese (the oldest being 111 years old) and possibly the last surviving indentured laborer in Guyana .  She lives with her youngest daughter, Sukhia, and her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren at Good Hope Housing Scheme on the East Coast of Demerara in Guyana .

 

Ma, as she is known to everyone, was born on April 20, 1903 somewhere in Uttar Pradesh and landed in British Guiana on October 10, 1912 with her father named dhonra, her mother and her brother on board the SS Matla Jahaj.  She remembers nothing of India , but does remember her voyage to British Guiana particularly the sound of the ocean and the rocking of the steam ship "Matla Jahaj". She remembers her father telling them that a better life was in store for them in the land where "sugar ah chale".  Upon arrival in British Guiana , the family was "bounded" to Cove & John Sugar plantation and soon the dream turned to a nightmare of exploitation and deprivation.

 

"Ma" has a good appetite, loves dhal and rice, and feeds herself without assistance.  She still sings those songs they used to sing in the sugar and rice fields of Cove & John a long time ago, and proudly displays her wedding tattoo. She was married at the fairly early age of nine. Ma has lost her vision and much of her hearing, but has retained her sense of humor.  She wanted to know if the interviewer was married !!.

 

Ma's life speaks of a resilience, will and fortitude to adapt, survive and succeed against all odds which she did.

 

Interview by Rishi Singh, President of CHS--JCCSS Association

 

INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY TO BE CELEBRATED IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

 

On May 30th 1845, the Fath Al Razak docked in the Port of Spain harbour in Trinidad and Tobago with 225 adult passengers on board. The passengers were immigrants from India who had come to the British colony to work in the sugarcane plantations after the abolition of African slavery. They had spent 103 days on sea during the arduous and dangerous journey that spanned 14,000 miles (36,000 km). The immigrants were contracted for five to ten years to work in the sugarcane estates in a system that ended in 1917.

 

A total of 147,596 Indians came to Trinidad over a 70-year period. Although they were promised a free return passage back home, at least 75 percent of them stayed and settled in the New World colony. In many ways, they brought India to the Caribbean . They continued with their traditions of Hinduism and Islam, and eventually transformed Trinidad into a colorful cosmopolitan society with their introduction of new styles of dress, music, songs, dance, language, cuisine and customs.

 

Descendants of these Indian immigrants, who now comprise about half of the multi-ethnic society of the island (1.3 million), commemorate the arrival of their ancestors to these shores annually. The commemoration takes the form of prayers, speeches, songs, music, dances and plays in communal as well as public spaces. The spirit of the day is invoked at various beaches with the reenactment of the landing of the first boat-load of pioneers who gave birth to the Indian community in Trinidad . The historic day has been proclaimed a national holiday since 1994.

 

In most celebrations, replicas of the ship Fath Al Razak are constructed which holds the same sentimental value as the Mayflower has for Americans. At libraries, books and other reading materials are put on display. Schools engage children in art and research competitions, and in the re-construction of their respective family trees. Citizens are encouraged to collect and display old photographs and artifacts relevant to the history of Indians in the Caribbean . For the second year, the Indian Caribbean Museum at Waterloo will open its doors to the public with selected exhibits for the occasion. Its large collection includes old and antique items such as old musical instruments, agricultural objects, cooking utensils, pieces of clothing, old photographs and rare books. The Museum also houses an art gallery and a reference library

 

Community, national, regional and world heroes like V.S. Naipaul and Errol Sitahal. are honored. Sitahal is an actor who starred in the Hollywood films Tommy Boy (1995), A Little Princess (1995) and Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (2004). Naipaul is a writer won almost every major literary award in English in the world and is the only Trinidadian to win the distinguished Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001. Like Emancipation Day, which is also a public holiday every August 1st, participants re-commit themselves to traditional values and celebrate their respective cultural contributions to the multi-ethnic society.

 

The entire month of May has been deemed as Indian Heritage Month, but May 30th holds a special historical significance. On that day, participants gather to honor their ancestors who had crossed three oceans to travel halfway around the world to reach the Caribbean . They gather to pray for their souls and to seek guidance and blessings for the future. Scholars, teachers and elders share their knowledge of the past and increase public awareness on this important aspect of the nations history and heritage. Speakers and writers emphasize the common experience of Indians and Africans under colonial rule, and the links between indentureship and slavery. It is a day of remembrance as well as reflection, and a time for celebration of unity in diversity. Both Indian Arrival Day and Emancipation Day demonstrate the historical similarities rather than the differences of descendants of Indians and Africans in Trinidad and Tobago .

 

GOPIO TO HOST INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND BUSINESS SUMMIT ON DECEMBER 3-4, 2007 IN BELGIUM

 

An international Trade and Business Summit on EU-India Trade Relations and Beyond: Dynamics of Mergers and Acquisitions and the Role of Corporate Governance will be held in Brussels on 3-4 December 2007. The Europe India Chamber of Commerce in partnership with GOPIO-Belgium, ASSOCHAM and European Institute for Asian Studies, and in association with the Indian Embassy in Brussels is organizing the Summit . The inauguration of the Summit will take place in the Hotel Sheraton on 3 December and the business sessions will be held in the European Parliament on 4th December.

 

This is the third international event being organized by the EICC and sixth for GOPIO-Belgium. Its last years Conference in November 2005 was addressed, among others, by Indias Trade and Commerce Minister Mr. Kamal Nath, European Union Energy Commissioner Mr. Andris Piebgals Chairperson of the National Knowledge Commission Mr. Sam Pitroda, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Dr. Karan Singh.

 

What prompted the EICC and GOPIO to choose the theme of the Summit is based on India s emergence in the forefront of the global business and political landscape and the rise of India as one of the defining stories of this century. As companies in India restructure in the new economic environment, many are now spreading their wings and, encouraged by their governments, investing overseas. The eventual consequences of this trend will be felt in economies, companies and markets in the west but will also transform the corporate landscape in India . Mergers & Acquisitions have become the new hallmark of the Indian MNCs. It is therefore a good time to find out if India is also ready to give the same free space to European and other overseas business entities.

 

The Summit will address the issues connected with the political economy of the EU-India relations and look at how EU economic and political interests work in the EU countries; analyze the dynamics of merger and acquisition in the wake of landmark deals by the corporate India; evaluate the EU competition policies and development strategy in a theoretical context, with particular emphasis on trade and economic relations; examine the EU ability to portray its identity as an international actor to address the political and economic dimensions of the EU-India strategic partnership; and discuss the institutional, legal and policy framework of the EU-India co-operation.

 

The Summit , first of its kind being held in Europe will bring together more than 200 business leaders, representative of multinational corporations, European Parliamentarians, officials of the European Commission, representatives of various diplomatic Missions and also representatives of various Chambers of Commerce. For more registration and other, please visit EICC website: www.eicc.be or contact Sunil Prasad , Chair of the Summit on mail ID: sunil.prasad@coditel.net or info@eicc.be or on phone +3224692677 or +32472207338.

 

THE 93RD ANNIVERSARY OF KOMAGATA MARU SHIP ARRIVAL CELEBRATED IN CANADA

 

The 93rd anniversary of the arrival of Komagata Maru ship to the Canadian shores acquires a special significance. It coincides with the acquisition by Komagata Maru Heritage Foundation, after prolonged negotiations, the all-too-famous boat

 

Built in 1905, Sea Lion was the tug boat commissioned by the Canadian government and boarded by Immigration officers and police to force Komagata Maru and its 376 passengers out of Canadian waters. Faced with a barrage of coal and stones, and beaten back with sticks, the boat had to make a hasty retreat.

 

Sea Lion, since then, has gone through many transformations. Today it is like a luxury yacht and has been acquired at the cost of $752,000.00 by Komagata Maru Heritage Foundation, to be turned into a permanent memorial to preserve the history of the South Asian community in Canada .

 

The 93rd anniversary is also significant because it comes at a time when the diverse components of the South Asian people living in the Lower Mainland of Canada have been attempting to come together, as one collective voice, to claim the shared heritage of the Komagata Maru episode. "It does not matter which part of the world we come from, what language we speak, what religious faith we subscribe to, if our roots go back to the South Asian Sub-continent, Komagata Maru becomes an important milestone for our South Asian identity in Canada. We are all descendants of the sacrifices made by the Komagata Maru passengers, said Hari Sharma, president of SANSAD.

 

The celebration was held with a gathering of all South Asian societies at Bear Creak Park Pavilion in Surrey , British Columbia on May 23rd.

 

INDIAN EMPIRE MAGAZINE CONDUCTING OPINION POLL

 

India Empire, a monthly magazine published in New Delhi focusing on worldwide NRI-PIO community is conducting a poll about such issues as, which is the most known body in the world that is best serving the interests of the Indian Diaspora, or GOPIO's role in taking up, and dealing with issues related to Indians in Trinidad and Tobago and Fiji or about GOPIOs role as a proactive body recognizing the efforts of the Indian Diaspora. Then there is a question about shifting the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas towards the second half or end of December when more overseas Indians are present in India (as opposed to the second week of January)? Seven questions are listed on the magazine's website www.indiaempire.com and the response is asked in the form of check mark.

 

The magazine editor Sayantan Chakravarty intends to take the poll finding to the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. So, it is essential that the recipients of this email visit magazine website   www.indiaempire.com and respond to the email promptly.

 

INDIAN AMERICANS TAKE LEAD IN ORGANIZING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CONFERECNE

 

The Fourth Annual Conference of The Association of American for Civic Responsibility (AACR) on American Civic Engagement: Experiences was held on April 25, 2007 in Washington , DC . The Conference started with great gusto and the usual enthusiasm among the participants representing a wide spectrum of corporations, non-profit organizations, governmental agencies and civic leaders, community activists and media personnel.

The meeting was hosted by the Maxwell School of Syracuse University at Washington , DC and was chaired by Dr. Michael Schneider, Director of Washington International Relations Program. In his welcoming remarks Dr. Schneider emphasized the importance of such meetings where the stakeholders can openly discuss and formulate plans for doing the right thing for the Society.

 

Dr. Joy Cherian, the Founding President of AACR, in his opening remarks talked about the significance of global and domestic civic responsibility and why AACR was created. He briefly described the scope of AACR and the encouraging response he has received from the corporations, federal agencies non- profit institutions and individuals.

 

The Theme of the First Session of the Conference was Corporate Responsibility: Moving Beyond the Business Case. The moderator of the session, Mr. Chad Tragakis, Vice President, Hill & Knowlton, set the tone for the day by citing Sam Walton and what he said in his book Made in America about the moral basis of good corporate citizenship. He talked about the ethical imperatives and high level of engagement in doing business as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). During the presentation several corporations like J & J, Google, Whole Foods and HP figured as following these expectations.

 

There were two panelists for this session: Ms. Jennifer Woofter, President, Strategic Sustainability Consulting, and Ms. Jane Meier, Marketing Specialist/Community Liaison, Whole Foods Market. Jennifer distinguished between what the small/medium sized businesses can achieve versus the large corporations due to their limited resources. Jane briefed about the philosophy of her company as Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet. An extremely lively discussion followed where engagement on a moral basis was considered a better solution for doing the right thing.

 

Ms. Pavilina Majorosova of Hill & Knowlton moderated the Second session, titled Employee Engagement. The presenters were Ms. Nikki Daruwala, Director, American Rights at Work, Ms. Melody Holmberg of General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, and Mr. Adam Goozh, President & CEO, Create Hope. Nikki talked about respecting workers rights, collective bargaining, union representation, etc as the right things to do that need to be guided by ethics and integrity. Melody emphasized that there was a great need for improving employees moral and increasing communication with the employees. Adam opined that successful programs are the ones that match company needs with community needs and programs are not pushed upon employees.

 

During the discussion, Dr. Piyush Agrawal, National Coordinator of GOPIO-USA, raised the issue of whether good deeds equated with the right thing to do. Jack Otero of Coca Cola said that the Business of the business is business and not philanthropy. Adam gave example of Haliburtons image as a corporate citizen. Joe Melookaran of JMA, inc., Kansas, wanted to know how Union Vs. Non-Union workers fair in Nikkis model.

 

Topic of the Third Session was Values Matter: Emerging Business Policies and Practices for Building Trust and Goodwill. Moderator Dr. George Thomas, President of Bradenton Cardiology, Florida , moderated the session and introduced the Keynote Speaker Mr. Stephen Jordan, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, US Chamber of Commerce. Jordan started with the importance of Trustas a factor for corporate well being. Enron & WorldCom created a crisis resulting in Sarbanes-Oxley. He saw systemic problems with the attitude of general public towards businesses and the management of trust by the corporations. Piyush Agrawal raised the question that how the support of the US Chamber to the cause of illegal migrants is in compliance of the current Immigration Laws.

 

The Fourth & Final Session on Civic Engagement of American Citizens and Institutions Abroad was moderated by Dr, Michael Schneider and the presenters were Mr. Francis Skrobiszewski, Esq., Director, US-Polish Trade Council; Ms. Nancy Smith-Nissley, Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs, US State Department; Professor Terrance Guay, Smeal College of Business, Penn State University; and Dr. Paul Jhin, Director of Special Initiatives, US Peace Corps.

 

Dr. Schneider started with a premise that lower trust in any enterprise affects every issue domestically and internationally. Ms. Smith-Nissley talked about Global Civic Responsibility and cited USAID and Chevron as two award winner enterprises. According to her, the Foreign Policy Agenda of the State Department matches with its goal of global Civic/Social Responsibility. Francis gave a specific example of US-Polish Trade Council (USPTC) where Civic Engagement has successfully promoted Institutions abroad. Professor Guay explained how his work through NGOs has helped in influencing corporations in several developing countries. In some cases, NGOs work with business groups to achieve mutual goals through codes of conduct, particularly on labor and environmental issues.

 

Dr. Jhin praised the work of Peace Corps volunteers throughout the world. Their experience in developing countries has helped the State Department and USAID. They have established themselves in the countries they have served as reliable & trustworthy friends of the community.

Peace Corps mission is to Promote Peace and Friendship around the World. During the last 46 years about 187,000 volunteers have served the Peace Corps.

 

The General Discussion centered on the usefulness and timeliness of AACR and its Annual meetings. The deliberations have successfully generated enough interest in the Corporate world to actively solicit AACR support to assist them in expanding their Civic Social responsibility Programs.

 

Dr. Joy Cherian and Dr. Mike Schneider thanked the participants. The Meeting was followed by a Reception.

 

The Association of Americans for Civic Responsibility (AACR) was founded in 2001 with the mission of educating and encouraging individuals, institutions, organizations, and businesses to advance the commonweal (the public good) through acts of civic responsibility. The challenge, therefore, is to engage all peoples and groups from all sectors of life in the United States of America .

For more information, please contact Dr. Piyush Agrawal at (954) 389-4465, E-mail: sudhapca@aol.com.

 

GOPIO INTERNATIONAL AND CHAPTER NEWS

 

GOPIO HONORS MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ANIL GUPTA IN WASHINGTON , DC

 

Anil K. Gupta, Minister of Community Affairs, Embassy of India was hosted by the DC area community activist Dr. Suresh Gupta in recognition of his services. Several high officials of the Embassy of India including the Ambassador Ronendra Sen attended the get-together. Many community leaders were present.

 

Dr. Piyush C. Agrawal of Fort Lauderdale praised Mr. Anil Gupta for his commitment to reaching out to the PIOs & NRIs. In deference to his dedicated services, Piyush honored him with a Commemorative Silver Coin of the First Ever Diwali (2003) at The While House on behalf of The Association of Indians in America and with a plaque for his services to the Indian Diaspora on behalf of The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO).

 

Responding to his felicitation, Mr. Gupta not only THANKED the Indian Community in this Country for its support to his mission, but expressed his faith that the relationship built during his tenure would be mutually rewarding to the USA & India . Mr. Gupta was quite emphatic in giving credit to Ambassador Sen for his successful mission.

 

Ambassador Sen reciprocated the sentiments of Mr. Gupta by expressing his pleasure at the quality of his outstanding performance, a great reach out in the Community he has created, and the loyalty and devotion he has displayed to his mission at the Embassy.

 

GOPIO-CT FREE COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION SEMINARS CONTINUE

 

GOPIO-CT and Bayer Healthcare are offering a free community health education program "KNOWING YOUR HEART" on Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. This program will offer information on looking for warning signs, developing a therapeutic life style, tips on eating healthier and effectively participating in your treatment plan. It will also explore various options to prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The program will be held at the Stamford Marriott, Stamford, Connecticut and the speakers will be  Radhika Jasthi M.D., and Sangeeta Ahuja a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator. Reservation is required and healthy heart refreshments will be served.

 

For registration and information, contact Sangeeta Ahuja, President, GOPIO-CT, Tel: 203-329-9744, E-mail: sangeetaahuja@aol.com.

 

GOPIO INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE

 

On May 10, 2007, The White House celebrated Asian American Heritage Month and President Bush presented the Presidents Volunteer Service Awards.

The Ceremony was attended by several ethnic groups including Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Pakistanis, etc. From the Indian American community, Dr. Piyush C. Agrawal, GOPIOs US National Coordinator, Dr. Suresh C. Gupta, Dr. & Mrs. Sambhoo Banik, Commissioner & Mrs. Joseph Melookaran and Journalist Raghubir Goyal were among the 100 invitees.

 

The President addressed the guests welcoming them to the White House. He said, Fifteen years ago, my dad signed a law designating May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. This afternoon, I have the honor of continuing his tradition.

 

Americans of Asian Pacific descent are leaders in fields from education to business to government. They make our communities more vibrant -- and this afternoon, we honor the many contributions that are made to our great democracy.

The president also thanked Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, Norm Mineta former cabinet secretary, and members of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders who were present at the ceremony.

 

In the US , more than 15 million Americans trace their lineage to Asia or the Pacific Islands . They have impacted the American society in all aspects, be it art, music, business, education. They also give back to the society in creating new opportunities for others. Men and women of Asian Pacific descent volunteer their talents and time to help their neighbors in a lot of ways. The president honored six Americans of Asian Pacific heritage with America s highest honor for community service: the President's Volunteer Service Award.

 

GOPIO INTERNATIONAL INVITES COMMUNITY ACTIVIST TO JOIN ITS ONLINE FORUM ON 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

 

LAKSHMI MITTAL IS THE RICHEST IN EUROPE

 

For the third successive year, the Indian steel tycoon is top of a list of the super rich in Britain who have also trebled their wealth during Tony Blairs reign as prime minister. As the prime minister prepares to leave Downing Street , the one legacy he leaves behind is a nation that has become a haven for the international super-rich. The number of billionaires living in Britain has surged to 68, up from last years 54.

 

Mittals growing wealth has been attributed to his successful takeover of Arcelor. Mittal is also the richest among the 50 richest in Europe , while the Hinduja brothers are at number 25. Among the 50 richest in the world, Mukesh and Anil Ambani, with a wealth of 19.6 billion, come in at number five, followed by Mittal at number six. Predictably, the top two positions stayed with two familiar namesthe Walton family (Wal-Mart) topping with 42.6 billion, followed by Bill Gates with 28.7 billion.

 

Mittal, in fact, appears at number two among the years biggest risers and tops the list of the 20 fastest growing fortunes. The Hinduja brothers (6200m), at number four in the Top 10, also figure just below Mittal among the years biggest risers, followed by Lord Swraj Paul (1500m, placed at 36) at number seven in the list of 40.

 

Referring to the foreigners in the Top 10, Sunday Times Philip Beresford, the compiler of the list, said: Theres the cluster effect. Russians have followed Abramovich, Indians are following the Mittals and Swedes are following the Rausings.


 Of the ten riches Asian in U.K., nine are of Indian origin and one Pakistani arigin as follows: Lakshmi Mittal (19250m), Sri and Gopichand Hinduja ( 6200m), Lord Pual 1500m), Anil Agarwal (1420m), The Jatania Brothers ( 1100m), Anurag dikshit ( 920m), Tom Singh (668m), Sir Anwar Pervez ( 543m), Naresh Goyal (512m) and Gulu Lalwani (450m).

 

FOURTEEN INDIAN AMERICAN STUDENTS SELECTED AS PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS

 

Fourteen Indian Americans are among 141 outstanding high school seniors selected as the 2007 prestigious Presidential Scholars for demonstrating academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership and contribution to school and community. They will be honored in Washington DC from June 23 to 27.


Announcing the awards, US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said the scholars represent the great gift "we have in our nation's youth. Their academic achievement and their spirit of leadership and service will ensure their success in the 21st century knowledge economy.


"They exemplify the standard of excellence that we are striving for in all our schools across the United States , and their skills, energy and innovation will enable America to set a competitive pace in our changing world."


The 141 Presidential Scholars include one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico , and from US families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large and 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts. A 27-member Commission on Presidential Scholars appointed by President George W Bush selected the scholars based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

 

This years Indian American scholars are as follows: Prateek S. Bhinde, Westview High School, Beaverton, OR; Pranoti Hiremath, James A. Garfield High School, Seattle, WA; Chetan Narain, Madison High School, Madison, NJ ; Neil S. Nayak, Charter School of Wilmington, Hockessin, DE; Shaan B. Patel, Clark High School, Las Vegas, NV; Shalin S. Patel, L.V. Hightower High School, Sugarland, TX; Subha Perni, Detroit Country Day School, West Bloomfield, MI; Vivek R. Sant, Andover High School, Andover, MA; Jay K. Shah, Natrona County High School, Casper, WY; Reena B. Shah, John P. Steven High School, Edison, NJ ; Umang J. Shukla, Farragut High School, Knoxville, TN; Miel Sundararajan, Penn High School, Granger, IN; Arvav Tripathy, East Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill, NC; and Mahesh K. Vidula, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Naperville, IL.

 

The Washington DC program to honor the 2007 Presidential Scholar is hosted by the Presidential Scholars Association of which one of the coordinators is an Indian American Anand Parekh, a Presidential Scholar of 1994.

 

BRITISH INDIAN SA NJ EEV SHAH SUCCEEDS AS FIDELITY FUND MANAGER

 

Legendary investor Anthony Bolton, who helped turn the fortunes of Fidelity International, has passed the bastion of Britain 's largest money manager into the hands of an Indian origin fund manager, Sanjeev Shah. Fidelity has said that Shah, who has been with Fidelity since 1996, would take over the management of UK Special Situations Fund at the start of 2008, after co-managing the fund with Bolton through 2007.


Shah, 36, who currently runs Fidelity's Euro 3 billion European Aggressive Fund, would be the next manager of £3.2 billion Special Situations fund and the £400 million Fidelity Special Values investment Trust, both of which are currently run by Bolton. This would mark the passing on of the last fund managed by Bolton to Shah and the former is moving away from the job of investing client money. Analysts said that while no one could exactly replace Bolton , Shah was the best possible choice for the job.


Shah, who was born in London and studied at University of Cambridge and Insead, has managed a return of seven per cent for his European Aggressive Fund so far in 2007, which is nearly double the broader market indices. According to London-based fund tracking firm Financial Express, the statistical ratios achieved by Shah are remarkably similar to those achieved in the same period by Bolton with the Special Situations fund.

 

LORD SWRAJ PAUL DONATES HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO CARNEGIE MELLON UNIV.

 

NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has donated USD 500,000 to the Carnegie Mellon University in North America for developing an infant Lab Suite in memory of his daughter Ambika. The donation was made through the Ambika Paul Foundation. The objective of the Suite is to design interventions to help children with developmental disabilities such as autism and specific language impairment.


Carnegie professors David Rakison and Erik Thiessen are at the leading edge of research dedicated to understanding how infants think and learn. Research will focus on understanding how infants achieve cognitive and linguistic milestones.


Carnegie Mellon is a global research university recognized for its world-class arts and technology programs and its innovative leadership in education. A representative from the University said "The knowledge gained from research endeavors like these is critically important for designing interventions that can help children with developmental disabilities such as autism and Specific Language impairment".

The Ambika Paul Foundation promotes education, culture and health around the world and no more so than in India where projects include the development of a cultural Centre, a School of Manufacturing and Material Technology, a sports stadium and community health centre.

 

BRITISH INDIAN HARSHADBHAI PATEL ELECTED AS MAYOR OF LONDON BOROUGH BRENT

 

A non-resident Indian elected councilor in Brent for the third successive term since 1996 has been chosen mayor of the London borough, with a large Indian community.

 

"It is a great delight to become the mayor of Brent. This borough is unique in many respects: the diversity of its citizens, the variety of languages that are spoken and the host of religious festivals that are celebrated," said Harshadbhai B Patel after his election.

 

"Within Brent I am proud to say that there is real unity and the borough is a great example of how everyone can live together and prosper, both individually and as communities. With this in mind I am very much looking forward to my mayoral year ahead," the 43rd mayor of Brent told media persons.

 

Patel, took over the reigns of office from Bertha Joseph at a ceremony in Wembley.

 

BRITISH INDIAN HARJIT GILL INSTALLED AS GLOUSTER MAYOR

 

Harjit Gill was installed as mayor of Gloucester , making him the first Asian to hold the high office in Gloucester The first Asian mayor in Gloucester has been installed in office at a ceremony in the city. Gill, who represents Barton and Tredworth ward, who is still a keen hockey player, was born in India and came to England in 1978 to get married to Britain-born Jasminder. They have two children - son Gurkamal and daughter Amrit.

 

The postmaster and businessman was termed as a 'popular' councilor from Barton and Tredworth in the run up to the Gloucester council elections early May. He won a Labour party ticket at a time when the party did not do well in council elections.

 

Gill had created history in 2005 when he became the first-ever Asian to be an elected Sheriff in Britain . He had earlier served as mayor of Barton, an area of Gloucester city that has a unique historic system to elect its own mayor, for two years from 1999.

 

Gill said: "It's a big achievement for someone like me, born in India and coming to this country, to become a mayor for an historic city."

 

Gill comes from a family of champion hockey players and several years ago took the Gloucestershire Police hockey team to India to play a five-match tour.

 

The installation ceremony took place at the city council offices at Gloucester docks.

 

NEWS OF INTEREST TO NRIs/PIOs AROUND THE WORLD

 

UK TRIBUNAL BRINGS CHEEERS TO SKILLED INDIAN IMMIGRANTS

 

A ruling by a tribunal court, allowing an appeal by a highly skilled migrant from Kerala who faced deportation to India due to changes in immigration laws, has brought cheers to thousands of Indians in a similar situation here. Changes to the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP) in November 2006 made it virtually impossible for highly skilled migrants from India and other non-European Union countries who had entered Britain under the earlier criteria to qualify to stay in Britain .


The changes have since been the subject of considerable litigation and protest by those adversely affected. They have been supported by MPs across party lines and most recently, by the London mayor, Ken Livingstone. The case before the Hatton Cross Tribunal was brought by George Joseph from Kerala who holds a PhD in chemistry. He arrived in Britain under the earlier HSMP criteria after selling his property in India and leaving a career in Oman .


Joseph could not qualify to continue in Britain under the changed criteria announced in November 2006, and was slapped with a deportation notice to India . He challenged the notice and changes to the HSMP criteria under human rights laws.


Joseph said: "I and my family are very happy about the tribunal court outcome and we have got a sigh of relief with the court's decision and our relatives back home in India are also happy for us.


"We have undergone an extremely stressful period of being forced out from a country where in we have been asked to sign declarations to make it our main home and for which we have made innumerable sacrifices to make it our main home."


At the time of his entry in Britain , Joseph said 'guidance notes' given to him created 'legitimate expectation' that his stay in Britain would be extended provided he met the criteria that was in force before the changes were announced.


Judge Digney of the tribunal court ruled: "This case is in fact stronger than any 'legitimate expectation' cases as here the appellant changed his position to his detriment as a result of what he was told.


"There is no overriding public interest that demands here the treatment to which the appellant was subjected...I conclude that the decision of the respondent is therefore not in accordance with the law".


Amit Kapadia, coordinator of the campaign against the November 2006 changes, said: "The ruling clearly indicates that what the UK Home Office is doing is unfair and unreasonable.

"The decision has brought hope to HSMP holders who are in similar situation as that of Joseph. We are eagerly waiting for the Judicial Review which can bring relief to thousands of HSMP holders in UK ," Kapadia added.


Chris Randall, Chair of Immigration Law Practitioners Association said: "It shows the advantages for some of using the appeal structure, especially where they have family here. This was a human rights appeal where it was argued that the legitimate expectation of Highly Skilled migrants already in the system about extensions to their stay were breached, which offended the requirement that any decision interfering with family and private life must be in accordance with the law."

 

INDO-CANADIAN MUSEUM SET TO OPEN IN TORONTO

 

Indo-Canadians have now a reason to celebrate. A $25 million museum designed to showcase and preserve the heritage of Indo-Canadians is set to be opened shortly in Toronto . The 1,800 sq meter museum - to be inaugurated in July - will include exhibits on the contributions of Indian civilization to the world in areas of science, mathematics, medicine, art and language. It will also chronicle the history and the migration of the Indian Diaspora to Canada via Africa, the Caribbean and Fiji .

 

The aim is to educate the Canadian society, as well as enhance a sense of pride in Indo-Canadians in their heritage, said Naresh Roy Patel, a trustee of the complex. The message is one of pluralism - unity in diversity - which will have great importance for all Canadians," he said.

 

According to the latest Canadian census, there are 713,330 Indo-Canadians in the country or approximately 3 per cent of its total population. The Indo-Canadian population is mainly concentrated in southern Ontario , Lower Mainland, Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and Montreal .

 

The museum will be part of the Swaminarayan complex, which includes a Hindu temple and an auditorium. Construction of the museum, which began in April 2005, is based on Vedic engineering principles, without using steel or nails, said Naresh Roy Patel, a trustee of the complex. "It's being done using the same 10,000-year-old traditions, so it's not a replica, it's the real thing. These structures are built to survive for at least 1,000 years," Patel said.

 

Slabs of limestone, marble and teakwood were shipped to India where 1,500 sculptors and artisans worked on them and shipped back the finished slabs to Toronto to be assembled by 101 artisans, who were flown in from India .

 

The first batch of Indians migrated to Canada around the beginning of the 20th century. The pioneers were men, mostly Sikhs from Punjab . Initially, the immigrants faced widespread racism because the Canadians feared that the migrants would threaten their jobs. As a result, there were a series of racial riots that targeted the Sikh immigrants and other Asian groups.

 

In 1914, a steam liner Komagata Maru carrying 376 passengers from Punjab arrived in Vancouver . Most of the passengers were not allowed to land in Canada and were returned to India . This was one of the most notorious incidents in the history of exclusion laws in Canada designed to keep out immigrants of Asian origin.

 

According to Statistics Canada, since the late 1990s, roughly 25,000-30,000 Indians have been arriving each year in Canada .

 

US IMMIGRATION BILL PROPOSES 50,000 MORE H-1B VISAS EVERY YEAR

 

Four US lawmakers have introduced a Bill in the Senate proposing to increase the number of H-1B visas by 50,000 annually, raising hopes for Indian professionals seeking jobs in America .

 

Independent Senator from Connecticut Joseph Lieberman, along with Republican from Nebraska Chuck Hagel, introduced the Skilled Worker Immigration and Fairness Act of 2007 to ensure the US s innovative industries can hire the workers they need to fuel the countrys economic growth, and to better protect American workers.

 

The bill was co-sponsored by Senators Maria Cantwell, Democrat from the State of Washington , and George Voinovich, Republican from Ohio .

 

The Bill would increase the annual allotment of H-1B visas, which provide American employers with access to highly educated foreign professionals in specialty occupations those requiring at least a US bachelors degree or equivalent education and work experience. The current H-1B cap is 65,000 per year.

 

The Lieberman-Hagel Bill would increase the cap to 1.15 lakh in 2007 and would add a flexible adjustment mechanism that would enable the cap to rise as high as 180,000, depending on market conditions this ceiling would still be less than the 195,000 limit in 2001-2003.

 

Despite dramatic changes to the US economy in the past 17 years, the H-1B cap remains at its 1990 limit of 65,000 per year (an additional 20,000 visas are available for foreign nationals holding US graduate degrees). As a result, thousands of US high-tech jobs today remain unfilled, Senator Hagel said in a statement.

 

NEW US IMMIGRATION Bill Could Force H-1B Employers To Fund U.S. Scholarships

 

Tech employers complain that changes to the H-1B visa program proposed in the Senate's immigration reform bill will make the program too restrictive. But wait, there's more.

 

Another new amendment being proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), slated for Senate debate today, seeks to impose a new $8,500 surcharge on employers for each H-1B petition filed. The fee would be collected from employers for each new H-1B worker, H-1B visa renewal, or sponsorship of an H-1B non-immigrant applying for a green card, or permanent residency.

 

Currently, the U.S. charges a fee of $1,500 for each H-1B petition that gets earmarked to fund training and education programs for U.S. workers.

 

But the new fee being proposed by Sanders would be used to establish and fund a new National Science Foundation merit-based scholarship program for 65,000 American students per year. Under the proposal, qualified students pursuing associate, undergraduate, or graduate degrees in mathematics, engineering, computer science, nursing, or medicine could receive up to $15,000 per year toward their education.

 

A similar idea of raising H-1B fees to $5,000 to fund free tuition for American students pursuing tech-related degrees was proposed to lawmakers last fall by Kim Berry, president of the IT professional advocacy group Programmers Guild.

 

AMERICANS SUPPORT PROVISIONS OF THE NEW IMMIGRATION BILL

 

New York Times (May 25, 2007) reports that as opponents from the right and left challenge the immigration bill before Congress, there is broad support among Americans Democrats, Republicans and independents alike for the major provisions in the legislation, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

 

Taking a pragmatic view on a divisive issue, a large majority of Americans want to change the immigration laws to allow illegal immigrants to gain legal status and to create a new guest worker program to meet future labor demands, the poll found.

 

At the same time, Americans have mixed feelings about whether the recent wave of immigration has been beneficial to the country, the survey found, and they are sharply divided over how open the United States should be to future immigrants.

 

Half of Americans say they are ready to transform the process for selecting new immigrants as proposed in the bill, giving priority to job skills and education levels over family ties to the United States , which have been the foundation of the immigration system for four decades.

 

Point by point, large majorities expressed support for measures in the legislation that has been under debate since Monday in the Senate.

 

HIGHLY SKILLED IMMIGRANTS QUOTA IN AUSTRALIA INCREASED

 

Professionals from India would have better chance to migrate to Australia . Australia has increased quota for highly skilled immigrants by 5,000, increasing the total number to 102,500 for 2007-08.

 

Indians now are the third largest group of immigrants, behind the British and New Zealanders. Indians make up 10 per cent of new arrivals. While 5,000 places have been added to the skilled migration stream, the family stream will remain at 2006-07 levels of 50,000. Australia is facing labor shortages in the highly skilled job segment. The country is also experiencing its lowest unemployment in 30 years. In this context, increasing the number of migrants to the country has become essential.

 

NRIs AVAIL KUWAIT S AMNESTY SCHEME

 

Many Indians have approached the Indian embassy in Kuwait to avail the Kuwait Governments

amnesty scheme for persons who do not have valid visas or residencies for the Gulf nation. Under the two-month scheme that began on May 1, people who do not hold valid visas or residencies can regularize their stay in Kuwait after paying fine.

 

The scheme also allows those persons who do not hold valid visas to leave Kuwait without payment of penalty charges. Such persons will have the option of returning to Kuwait later on a proper visa. The scheme is open till June 30, said an official release issued in New Delhi . Since the scheme was introduced, more than 2,200 Indians have visited the Embassy to avail of the scheme, while 716 applications seeking emergency certificates were received from those desirous of leaving the Gulf nation.

 

UK PROVIDES PERMANENT RESIDENCE TO WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS

 

Like most countries, the UK welcomes wealthy individuals. If you have the necessary funds, it is

relatively simple to get a visa to go to the UK as an investor. The requirements are, one must have at

least 1 million pounds in your control to invest in the UK , of which at least 750,000 pounds must be

invested in unit trusts and private companies.

 

NRI DEPOSITS IN KERALA BANK GROW TO RS 89. 85 BILLION

 

NRI deposits in Kerala's State Bank of Travancore (SBT) have grown by 9.14 per cent to touch Rs.85.95 billion ($2 billion) in the last fiscal year.

 

According to SBTs Chairman and Managing Director K Sitaraman, total deposits have also grown from Rs.259.97 billion in 2005-06 to Rs.309.84 billion in 2006-07 and total business currently stood at Rs.560 billion. Net profit of the bank has grown from Rs.2.5 billion to Rs.3.2 billion, he said.

 

SBT, which has 704 branches including 572 in Kerala, is a major player in the NRI market and has rupee drawing arrangements with 20 exchange houses in the Middle East .

 

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), Ashook Ramsaran ( USA ) and Dr. Piyush C. Agrawal (USA), Dr. Kumar Mahabir (Trinidad & Tobago), Sunil Prasad ( Belgium ); Rishi Singh ( Guyana )

 

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