Welcome: Americai V. Narayanan, Convention Chair, Chennai
Welcome: K N Gupta, President GOPIO of India
Welcome: Inder Singh, President, GOPIO International, USA
Greetings: Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman, GOPIO International, USA

Release of book MAURITIUS-AN UNFINISHED JOURNEY- Volume I byDr. Anand Muloo, Mauritius
Release of Publication: Asia Who's Who 2009 by Jasbir Sachar, UK
Release of book The Cosmic Detectiveby Dr. Mani Bhaumik, USA

Dr. Bhaumik's new book, The Cosmic Detectiveis packed with interesting facts and dazzling color photographs, the book is an ideal primer designed for popularizing cosmology to people of all ages and backgrounds, especially the young.  UNESCO shall distribute Dr. Bhaumik's book, The Cosmic Detective to the 300 VIPs and 400 selected global students at the opening ceremony of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (www.astronomy2009.org), on January 15, 2009 in Paris, France.
 
GOPIO Community Service Awards will be presented to:
·        Baroness Shreela Flather, House of Lords, UK
·        Ambassador Albert R. Ramdin, Suriname
·        Chandru Ghanshandas Advani, Yokohama, Japan
·        Upendra Chivukula, Deputy Speaker, NJ State Assembly, USA
·        Logie Naidoo, Deputy Mayorof Durban, South Africa
 
Vote of Thanks: Ashook Ramsaran, Secretary General, GOPIO Int'l
 
Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

Conference: Critical Issues of Interest and Concern to NRIs and PIOs
 
  8:30 am                      Registration
 
  9:00 am                      Conference Inauguration
 
 9:15 am                       Session I:
                                    NRI/PIO Parents Coping at Home and Abroad
Chair:   Sunny Kulathakal, GOPIO Vice President, Middle East Region
Panelists:
Judge Ajit Swaran Singh,New Zealand
Prof. Mohan Gautam, The Netherlands
Madhusudan B. Mehta, Pres, NRI Parents Association, gujarat
Anand Mulloo, Author, Mauritius
Umesh Chanadra, Publisher, Indian Times, Brisbane, Australia
 
10:45 am                      Tea Break
 
11:00 am                      Session II
                                    NRI/PIO Contributions to Homeland Projects
Chair: Americai V. Narayanan, Chairman, ICM Computer Consultants, Chennai

Panelists: 
Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Suriname
Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, Malaysia
Dr. Sanku Rao, President, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), USA
Dr. Surendra Kaushik, Professor of Finance, Pace University and Founder of Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women's College, Malsisar, Rajasthan
Prof Chandrashekhar Bhat, Center for the Study of Indian Diaspora, University of Hyderabad, India
 
 
12:30 pm                      Lunch
 
 2:00 pm                       Session III
                                   NRIs/PIOs - Business and Investment Challenges  

                                   and Opportunities in a

Global Financial Crisis 

                                   Scenario

Chair:   Lord Diljit Rana, House of the Lords, UK  
Panelists:
Upendra Chivukula, Deputy Speaker, New Jersey State Assembly, USA
Logie Naidoo, Deputy Mayor, Durban, South Africa - Changing Opportunities in Africa and S. Africa
Ambi Venkataramn, Luxumberg - Changing Scenario and Opportunities in European Union
Dr. Prabhu Kulkarni, Ireland - Opportunities and Challenges in the Energy Sector and Chemical Industry
Vijay K. Sinha, Financial and Investment Consultant, Raynham, MA, USA
 
  3:30 pm                      Tea Break
 
3:45 pm                        Session IV
                                    Current Economic and Non-Economic Issues Confronting  

                                    NRIs/PIOs

 
Chair:   T.S Krishnamurthy, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India
Panelists:
Dr. Piyush Agrawal,Vice President, GOPIO-North AmericaRegion, USA
Jay Banerjie, Re/Max Rouge River Realty Brokerage and Overseas Indian national Congress of Canada
Representative from Rakshak Foundation, California
 
5:00 pm                      Resolutions & Wrap-up
                        Chair Dr. Piyush Agarwal
 
Conference Sponsors
 
Dr. Mani Bhaumik is a physicist, internationally bestselling author, celebrated lecturer, entrepreneur, and a philanthropist. His early contributions to laser technology are exemplified in the development of the excimer laser at the Northrop Corporation Research and Technology Center in Los Angeles. His discovery found extensive use as the type of laser that made possible the immensely popular Lasik eye surgery, eliminating the need for glasses or contact lenses in many cases requiring vision correction. Dr. Bhaumik had the opportunity to live and labor with Mahatma Gandhi in his camp. He has a Ph.D in Physics from IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) and a Sloan Foundation Fellowship for his post doctoral work at UCLA. He has been elected by his scientific peers to be a fellow of both the American Physical Society and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
 
Hirco Group -Building Quality Through Excellence
Hirco Group is India's largest residential builder and leading developer of mixed-use townships for the country's increasingly affluent middle class. Hirco's master planned communities feature modern residences; world-class office parks for Indian and international companies; exciting retail and entertainment destinations; 5-star hotels and convention centres; recreational facilities; schools; hospitals; supermarkets; and restaurants and cafés - all set in an attractive, green environment and developed to the highest standards of global best practice. Hirco currently has 66.4 million square feet in development at our Hiranandani Palace Gardens mixed-use township projects in Chennai in southeast India and Panvel in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Visit: http://www.hirco.com/
 
For enquiries, contact - US Sales Office: 888-628-4080 Email - us.sales@hirco.com
 
Conference Registration
GOPIO Convention Registration Fee: Rs. 1,000. Waived for those who register prior to December 31, 2008. Prior registration is recommended as total registration will be limited to 150 delegates. Limited number of Jan. 6th banquets only registration available at Rs. 500 per person.
 
To register, send an E-mail to GOPIO Secretary General Ashook Ramsaran at ramsaran@aol.com or call him at 718-353-1900. Registration to attend conference proceedings and lunch on January 7th is FREE. Last minute, on site registration shall be available.
 
The conference in Chennai is coordinated by Conference Chair Americai V. NarayananTel: 91-98410-46342, e-mail: narayanan@icmindia.com and K.N. Gupta, GOPIO-India president K.N. Gupta, Tel: (91) 11-4164-2066/9811131588, e-mail: knguptas@hotmail.com.
 
Hotel Arrangements
GOPIO has negotiated with Trident Hotel, Chennai, a special rate starting at INR 7750 SGL / INR 8250 DBL + tax inclusive of breakfast and airport transfers by car.  When booking, mention code "GOPIO".
Hotel contact: Jaspreet Singh, Director of Sales, Tel. 91 44 2234 4747    D 91 44 2242 8500,  M 91 98843 01102    F 91 44 2234 4555,  Email - jaspreet.singh@tridenthotels.com  website: www.tridenthotels.com
 
For more information on GOPIO Convention 2009, please contact: GOPIO President Inder Singh in USA at 818-708-3885, E-mail: gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net or Munish Gupta, Chairman, GOPIO Media Council 098186-31588 or E-mail at munish@piotv.com or Convention 2009 Chair Americai V. Narayanan, Tel: 91-9841046342, e-mail: narayanan@icmindia.com
 
 
GOPIO AWARDEES 2009 - PROFILES
 
Amb. Albert Ramdin (Suriname)
 
Born in Suriname, Ramdin received his education in Paramaribo and in The Netherlands, at the University of Amsterdam and the Free University, where he studied geography of developing countries with a specialization in social and economic problems of smaller economies in Latin America and the Caribbean. In Suriname, Ramdin served as Senior Adviser to the Minister of Trade and Industry, where he was intensively involved in restructuring the ministry and implementing an industrial development program. On June 7, 2005 he was named Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS). Ramdin is active in several civic and community organizations including many social and cultural organizations with objectives to foster Indian heritage, language and religion.
 
Baroness Shreela Flather (UK)
 
Baroness Flather was born Shreela Rai in Lahore, India and is married to Gary Flather OBE QC. Baroness Flather was educated at University College London (LLB), and she went on to the Bench in 1971. In 1976 was elected the first ethnic minority woman councilor in the UK. She was the first ethnic minority Deputy Lieutenant for the Royal County of Berkshire in 1994 and voted Asian of the Year by Asian Who's Who in 1996.  She received an honorary doctorate from the Open University in 1994 and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Leeds University in 2008. During her 18 years in the House of Lords she has had three major amendments and taken a private member's bill through. She has also spoken on a variety of subjects and is office holder of several Parliamentary groups. Baroness Flather championed the construction of a magnificent memorial in London  at Hyde Park Corner to commemorate the contribution of nearly 5 million forgotten volunteers from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the Caribbean in the two World Wars.
 
Chandru Advani (Japan)
 
Chandru G. Advani has served as a pillar of the Indian community throughout his 55 years in Japan. He has led both grass-roots and policy level exchanges for the benefit of Indian community in Japan. He orchestrated the Yokohama-Mumbai sister city relationship in 1965, and has served as President of the Indian Merchant's Association of Yokohama, as  Joint Secretary of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and in many other roles critical to the India-Japan relationship. In 2005, he co-founded the Yokohama India Center,  and is a member of its Board of Directors. He was actively involved in the Japan India Friendship Year, 2007.  He is a recipient of the Key to the City of Yokohama and the Mumbai Medal of Appreciation, and in November 2008 he was awarded the Yokohama Culture Award, the first Indian to receive this distinction.

 

Photo clockwise from top left: Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Baroness Shreela Flather, Chandru Advani, Logie Naidoo and Upendra Chivukula

 
Upendra Chivukula (USA)
 
Upendra Chivukula is currently Deputy Speaker, New Jersey General Assembly and also a former Mayor of Franklin Township. As an Assemblyman, he serves as the Chairman of the Telecommunications and Utilities Committee in New Jersey, and Member of the Executive Committee at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). He authored the Diwali Month Resolution and legislation to create the Asian American Study Foundation to study various issues affecting the Asian American Community. He serves on many community organizations, such as Franklin Township Lions Club and working with various organizations, he raised funds to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina, Tsunami, Gujarat Earthquake and Floods and others. Chivukula is a Leadership New Jersey Fellow, Flemming Institute Fellow and is also Fannie Mae Fellow. He received leadership training at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and Darden School of Management, University of Virginia.
 
Loganathan Naidoo (South Africa)
 
Loganathan (Logie) Naidoo was born in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. He is presently an Executive Councillor and Deputy Mayor of eThekwini Municipality (formerly Durban Metropolitan Unicity), and Chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee. Vice-Chair of Executive Committee and served in this capacity from December 2000 to March 2006 and reelected for another term. He served as Executive Chair of North Local Council from 1996 to 2000. Membership to many organizations including Natal Indian Congress (Founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1894) and the African National Congress. Recipient of several commendations including Bronze Medal from the ANC underground,  Military Wing Umkhonto WeSizwe, where he served from 1979 to 1989. Logie's community activities include Durban Arts Association and Tongaat Child Welfare Society. He was a speaker at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas PBD 2008 in New Delhi. Logie received the International Friendship Award from the India Festival Committee 2005, for promoting Economic links with the Indian SubContinent.