GOPIO is a community supported non-profit organization taking up issues of the Indian Diaspora and attempting to unifying the community in its common causes. Support GOPIO by becoming a Life Member or chapter member. Once can become Life Member online by visiting http://www.gopio.net/online_membership.html.

INDIAN-AMERICAN WINS MISS AMERICA 2014, BRUSHES OFF RACIST CRITICISM AFTER VICTORY

Nina Davuluri won Miss America in New Jersey on Sept. 15. The news was met with pride and congratulations from millions of fans on the Internet as well as shockingly mean-spirited racial backlash, and some thought-provoking comments on what it all means from commentators here and in India. An aspiring doctor, Davuluri plans to use the $50,000 prize money to fund her studies.

Davuluri is the first Indian American to hold the title, as well as the first Indian American to be crowned Miss New York. The elegant and self-possessed native of Syracuse, New York, is also brainy: she was on the Dean's List at the University of Michigan, where she earned a BS degree in brain behavior and cognitive science; was a winner of the Michigan Merit Award; and made it to the National Honor Society. 

Davuluri was born to Telugu parents from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, and as a youngster would visit India every other year, studying dance. She is being awarded at least $50,000 in scholarships, which she plans to use for medical school.

Now in stellar physical shape and a fan of healthy eating and exercise, Davuluri painfully battled obesity and bulimia when she was a teenager. In an interview with the Syracuse Post-Standard, she said she had lost 60 pounds to compete in the Miss New York pageant. 

"I'm so happy this organization has embraced diversity," 24-year-old Nina Davuluri said in her first press conference, moments after winning the crown in Atlantic City. "I'm thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America."

But within minutes of winning the title, Davuluri, whose talent routine was a Bollywood fusion dance, was the target of racist social media comments. She said that she would rise above attacks on social media.

TV Show Jon Stewart & Co. Smack Down Racist, Poorly-Spelled Miss America Backlash"

Jon Stewart was hoping the Miss America pageant would be a nice distraction from all the controversy brewing this week, but alas, twas not so. Stewart sighed as he took on the racist backlash to the first Indian-American Miss America, while correspondent Aasif Mandvi saw nothing but good news in the win.

Stewart acknowledged this was a small step for diversity in the Miss America pageant, a "beautiful mosaic of woman of size zero to nearly two." He reacted to some of the vicious tweets simply by pointing out the bad spelling, too fazed by the backlash to what should have been a nice story to waste any more time on the ramblings of the ignorant.

But when Mandvi came on, it was nothing but positive news. On all the negative Twitter reactions, he said, "It's Twitter! You've got 140 characters and 120 of them are racist for no apparent reason!" But he used the Miss America win to declare "Indians are taking over America!", saying the U.S. was so worked up about Mexicans they didn't see the real threat coming. He concluded, "You took this country away from the Indians, and now a different group of Indians is taking it back!"

See more of the show at:

http://americablog.com/2013/09/jon-stewarts-aasif-mandvi-indian-american-miss-america-controversy.html

GOPIO MEMBER SAM KANNAPPAN ELECTED AS SECRETARY TO SOUTHERN ZONE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS BOARD

The 92^nd Annual Meeting of National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) was held in San Antonio, Texas August 21^st to August 24^th, 2013. NCEES is the American National Professional Engineers (PE) Board coordinating fifty national P.E. Boards, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. Engineering organizations from Canada, Mexico, Japan and other countries work with NCEES.

Members of each state PE Board are appointed by their respective state governors. Three requirements to receive a license to practice engineering are Education, Examination and Experience. NCEES conducts examination for fundamental (FE) and Professional Examination (PE).  NCEES has four zones.  

Sockalingam Sam Kannappan, Chairman of Enforcement Committee, of Texas P.E. Board was elected Secretary and Treasurer of Southern Zone (SZ) on August 23^rd, 2013. SZ has eighteen boards. Election was held between the nominees of Texas and Louisiana Boards.

SOUTH AFRICAN PIO APPOINTED CEO OF A RENOWNED UNIVERSITY

Dr Bhavna Patel was appointed CEO of the famous medical institution, Groote Schuur, where the world's 1^st heart transplant was performed by Dr Chris Barnard in 1967, making world headlines.

Patel started at the hospital in 2005 as a medical manager, was Chief Operating Officer of the medical facility for two years before talking up her new position. Patel holds two masters degrees - one from Stellenbosch University in family medicine, and one in bioethics and health law from Wits University in Johannesburg.

Groote Schuur (Dutch 'big Bum) was established in 1938, is one SA's premier tertiary academic medical hospitals and internationally renowned as the training ground for some of South Africa's best doctors, surgeons and nurses. The hospital has about 150 specialists and 1,500 nurses. Under the earlier apartheid-rule only whites were allowed in the hospital.

WHITE HOUSE FELLOWSHIP AWARDED TO INDIAN-ORIGIN DOCTORS

Among White House fellows for the year 2013/2014 is Kapil Parakh, a Washington DC area cardiologist who is currently the director of heart failure at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and assistant professor in the departments of medicine, epidemiology, and health behavior & society.

In 1964 President Lyndon Johnson created the White House fellows program, aimed at giving exceptional young American men and women first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the federal government.

One of the more striking developments in recent years is the number of Indian-Americans, particularly physicians, who have been selected for the dozen or so White House fellowships awarded each year. Selected individuals typically spend a year working as a full-time, paid Fellow to senior White House staff - including the engaging the president himself - cabinet secretaries and other top-ranking government officials.

Dr Parakh's research focuses on understanding the increased mortality in patients with depression after a heart attack. He leads heart failure quality improvements in collaboration with the joint commission's center for transforming healthcare, using entrepreneurial techniques to cost-effectively improve outcomes, a search that should surely bring him to India's acclaimed Narayana Hrudayalaya and the brilliant Dr Devi Shetty.

Dr Parakh edged out two other Indian-Americans who were finalists for the 2013/2014 award: Shilpen Patel, associate professor of radiation oncology, University of Washington, and Jay Bhatt, geriatric medicine fellow, University of Michigan Health system.

INDIAN AMERICAN YALE PROFESSOR RECEIVES 2013 OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTING EDUCATOR AWARD

Shyam Sunder, Professor of Accounting, Economics, and Finance at Yale School of Management, has received the Outstanding Accounting Educator Award of the American Accounting Association (AAA).

The award recognizes sustained contributions to accounting education from scholarly endeavors in research and teaching over a sustained period of time through educational innovation, excellence in teaching, publications, research guidance to graduate students, and significant involvement in professional and academic societies and activities.

Sunder, an accounting theorist and experimental economist, is a pioneer in the fields of experimental finance and experimental macroeconomics. His current research includes the problem of structuring US and international accounting and auditing institutions to obtain a judicious and efficient balance between regulatory oversight and market competition. He is a past president of the American Accounting Association, and honorary research director of Great Lakes Institute of Management in Chennai, and a distinguished fellow of the Center for Study of Science and Technology Policy in Bengaluru.

INDIAN ORIGIN SCIENTIST CHOSEN FOR UN'S HIGHEST ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

Veerabhadran Ramanathan of Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California who proved how cutting emissions of black carbon or soot can significantly lessen the impact of climate change has been selected for the United Nation's top environmental award. The United Nations Environment Program's (UNEP) 2013 Champions of the Earth award is the UN's highest environmental award.

The prize is awarded annually to leaders from government, civil society and the private sector, whose actions have had a significant and positive impact on the environment.

UNEP study in 2011 of which Ramanathan acted as vice-chairman presented 16 actions to cut black carbon and methane emissions, which, if implemented, would save close to 2.5 million lives a year through reduced respiratory illnesses, avoid crop losses amounting to 32 million tonnes annually, and deliver near-term climate protection of about 0.5 degree C by 2050. Translating his research into action, he had started "Project Surya" in India to phase out inefficient cooking stoves.
 

INDIAN ORIGIN PIZZA TYCOON BECOMES A 'LORD' IN UK

Multi-millionaire Rumi Verjee who brought Domino's pizza chain to Britain was made a Lord - an honor given by the British monarch the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

Verjee is a highly successful entrepreneur and the proprietor and chairman of Thomas Goode & Co, based in London's Mayfair. He founded Domino's Pizza in the UK. A fourth generation Indian born in Uganda, much of the Verjee family's assets was seized by Idi Amin's regime.

Verjee studied Law at Downing College, University of Cambridge where he is now an Honorary Fellow and after the expulsion of the Asian population from Uganda, made UK his home.

THREE INDIAN-AMERICANS AMONG AMERICA'S 400 RICHEST

Three Indian-Americans figure among America's 400 richest people on the Forbes list. Topping the Indian-American list was Florida outsourcer Bharat Desai with a net worth of $2.2 billion in the 252nd position. He was followed by California software manufacturer Romesh Wadhwani with a net worth of 2.1 billion. California venture capitalist Vinod Khosla was ranked 352 with a net worth of $1.5 billion

Investor Warren Buffett, the second richest is the biggest dollar gainer this year at $58.5 billion, up $12.5 billion from last year. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was the second biggest gainer at $9.6 billion. He returns to the Top 20 (number 20) at $19 billion after dropping to 36th position last year.

The combined wealth of the Forbes' 2013 ranking of the richest people in America is $2 trillion, up from $1.7 trillion in 2012 and the highest ever, due in part to the strength of both the US stock and real estate markets.

OBAMA NOMINATES INDIAN-AMERICANS TO KEY POSITIONS

President Barack Obama nominated Indian-American attorney Manish Shah from Chicago to a key judiciary post in Illinois. Manish was nominated for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, along with several other important judiciary nominations.

An Assistant US Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois since 2001, New York-born Shah currently serves as Chief of the Criminal Division, having previously served as Chief of Criminal Appeals from 2011 to 2012.

Shah was also Deputy Chief of the Financial Crimes and Special Prosecutions Section from 2008 to 2011 and Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Section from 2007 to 2008.

Shah's parents emigrated from India and raised their two sons in West Hartford, Connecticut. Shah and his wife Joanna Grisinger, who teaches at Northwestern University, currently live in Chicago.

President Obama also nominated Puneet Talwar to the position of Assistant Secretary of State for political military affairs, a top diplomatic post. Talwar who currently serves as special assistant to the President and senior director for Iran, Iraq and the Gulf States on the White House National Security Staff for over four years is the second Indian-American to be nominated as the Assistant Secretary position in the state department. In July, Nisha Desai Biswal was nominated as the Assistant Secretary of state for South and Central Asia.

Talwar was a senior professional staff member on the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee from 2001-2009 and from 1997-1999, and chief advisor on the Middle East to then Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr., chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. He has a B.S. from Cornell University and an M.A. from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. 

Obama announced his intent to nominate Talwar to the top state department position along with nearly 30 senior administration positions.

SOUTH AFRICAN PIO RECEIVED THE GREEN GLOBE YOUTH4YOUTH (GGYA) AWARD

Matric (Grade 12) pupil Johara Naidoo received the GGYA Award at the Montecasino, Sandton recently.   She was selected due to her active participation in environmental issues, having been a member of Generation Earth (GE), a youth environmental organization. Johara was also appointed South African Water, Energy and Food Forum ambassador for 2013-4.

The GGYA is given to promising young change-makers who influence and carry the message to the youth.  "We are living in complex times - the world's resources are constantly under threat. We all have a responsibility of shaping, developing and managing the resources of the world", said one of the GE officials.

As much as Johara is passionate about the environment, she also loves dancing. She received her school honors recognition for academics, leadership and dance. Ms. Naidoo has set her sights on studying chemical engineering, focusing on green engineering.

INDIAN AMERICAN SCIENTIST PERFORMS WORLD'S 1^st HUMAN-TO-HUMAN BRAIN INTERFACE

Rajesh Rau, a PIO scientist at the University of Washington (UW) has performed the world's first ever non-invasive human-to-human brain interface, in which one researcher was able to send a brain signal via the internet to control the hand motions of a fellow researcher.

Following a demonstration of a brain-to-brain communications between two rats and a human to a rat at the Duke University, UW announced that researcher Rajesh Rao used Electroencephalography or EEG - routinely used to record brain activity non-invasively from the scalp - to play a computer game with his mind.

Andrea Stocco, another researcher at campus wore a magnetic stimulation coil where her right finger moved involuntarily to 'hit' fire button as part of the world's 1^st brain-to-brain interface - the thought that was originally transmitted by Rau.

PUNJAB FIRST TO LAUNCH INTERACTIVE WEBSITE FOR NRIs AND OFFERS SPECIAL PRIVILEGE CARDS

Punjab is to be the first state in India to introduce an interactive website that will be launched at May end and will address grievances and other issues pertaining to the Punjabi Diaspora living in many countries of the world.

Bikram Singh Majithia, NRI Affairs Minister presided over a meeting of the NRIs Department and directed its delegates to launch the website as per the decision taken during the January Non Resident Punjabis Sammelan. Minister Majithia also stressed the need to ensure prompt responses to requests from Punjabi NRIs and emphasized the need of the website to include the provision of live chat on the site.

He also suggested various other online facilities that are all conceived to join with NRIs for the progress of Punjab's glorious heritage, culture and progress.

The Punjab government has also decided to offer special privilege card to all NRIs of Punjabi origin, entitling them to discounts at different shops, malls, hotels, restaurants and jeweler shops. It can be used for reservation of NRI wards in educational institutions that offer a quota in admissions. The card holder will also get preferential treatment at various reputed hospitals, schools and commercial establishments. In government offices one can show the card and be given privilege treatment.

Over 50,000 NRIs are registered with the state.

The government has also set up an Investment Cell to encourage NRIs to invest in economic and social sectors by notifying a single-window committee for grant of approvals.

RESERVE BANK CHIEF RAGHURAM RAJAN TRIES TO WIN NRI DEPOSITS BY SUBSIDIZING BANKS

New Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan has opened the door wide to dollars from NRIs and foreign borrowings by banks, by subsidizing the cost of using these funds locally.

At present, banks do not go all out to raise non-resident deposits because to use them locally, they have to swap them into rupees. A swap enables a bank to get back the same quantity of dollars to repay when the deposit matures even if the rupee has depreciated since then. Typically FOREX swaps cost around 7%, which increases the cost of a dollar deposit equivalent to 12.73%. The RBI has offered to provide swaps at 3.5%, making them very attractive for banks.

The governor also reversed some of the capital controls, promised new bank licenses by January and hinted at reversing some liquidity tightening measures. The RBI partially reversed an earlier decision allowing companies to take over foreign businesses up to four times their net worth if funds came by way of external commercial borrowings.

DECLINE IN SOUTH INDIA FOR GULF JOBS

Improved job scenario and better pay in India has seen a rapid decline in the number of workers from South India leaving for employment to the Gulf since the last five years. According to the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs from 2008, when 88,389 workers qualified below matriculation left for the Gulf, the figure fell sharply to 21,129 in 2012.

The major decline was in 2009, when only 43,174 persons went abroad, which further went down to 15,571 in 2010. Though there was an increase in 2011 with 24,585, the following year it slipped to 21,129 persons.

Explaining the decline, D Jai Sankar from Protector of Emigrants (PoE) said, "The decline in number means that the job scenario is improving here for them, and they are satisfied with payments here. This could also mean people are not ready to go abroad for lesser pay and could land in a job of their choice here."

KERALA DIASPORA CAN REGISTER ONLINE FOR SURVEY

People from Kerala living outside India can get themselves registered online for a Diaspora survey. The NORKA (Non-resident Keralite Affairs Department) is the nodal agency entrusted to do the state-wide survey. The state government has allocated Rs.1.95 crore to NORKA for the survey. The survey will have no questions on the financial aspect of migrants, like remittances received and other such details.

Close to 2.5 million people from Kerala are living outside India, most of them in the Middle East. You can register by visiting the websites www.norkaroots.net or www.ecostat.kerala.gov.in for taking part in the survey.

SIX THOUSAND INDIANS IN REGULAR JOBS SINCE SAUDI AMNESTY

Nearly 6,000 Indian workers have secured full-time employment in Saudi Arabia since an amnesty was announced on April 6 which enabled workers staying illegally to regularize their residency. The Saudi government extended an amnesty for foreign workers to obtain legal status in the country till November 3.

Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Indian consul general in Jeddah, said the diplomatic mission helped 10,000 Indians to correct their status, either by transferring sponsorship, renewing residence permits or changing professions.

The consul general said 95 percent of the workers got hired in contracting and technological sectors, while around five percent were absorbed by engineering, accounting and hotel sectors.

INDIAN AMERICAN CREATES QUILT DEPICTING US FLAG

Dallas-based Dr Anis Ansari has created a unique quilt depicting the US national flag which has the signatures of governors of all 50 American states and former President George W Bush, making it the only Stars and Stripes of its kind.

"This Patriotic Flag Quilt came about as a medium to portray my feelings after the horrific incident of September 11, 2001. It was emotionally overwhelming to see that everyone in their own way was expressing their feelings of patriotism," he told PTI. 

Ansari embarked upon this unique project of collecting signatures of governors of all the 50 states of the US, beginning with Governor Rick Perry of Texas. 

A practicing physician in Dallas, Ansari, an eminent Indian American community member, is now planning to donate this quilt to the Pentagon.