Category Archives: NRI’s / PIO’s

INTERNATIONAL RECORD: LEADERS & LEADERSHIP : Record 130-plus Indian-Americans at Key Positions in Biden Administration

U.S. President Biden shattered the record of his predecessor Donald Trump, who had appointed more than 80 Indian-Americans

U.S. President Joe Biden has appointed more than 130 Indian-Americans to key positions in his administration so far, the best representation from the community that makes up around one per cent of the American population.

In doing so he has not only fulfilled his promise to the community that he had made as a presidential candidate in 2020, but also shattered the record of his predecessor Donald Trump, who had appointed more than 80 Indian-Americans and his previous boss Barack Obama, who had appointed over 60 Indian-Americans to key positions during his eight years of presidency.

More than 40 Indian-Americans has been elected at various state and federal levels including four in the U.S. House of Representatives. Not to miss the more than 20 Indian-Americans leading top U.S. companies.

While the first-ever presidential appointment was done during the time of Ronald Regan, this time Mr. Biden has appointed Indian-Americans to almost all departments and agencies of his administration.

“Indian-Americans have been imbued with the sense of seva (service) and this is reflected in their enthusiasm to pursue positions in public service instead of the private sector,” Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur, philanthropist and venture capitalist M. R. Rangaswami told PTI.

“The Biden administration has now appointed or nominated the largest group to date and needless to say we are proud of our people and their accomplishments for the United States,” Mr. Rangaswami said. Mr. Rangaswami is founder and head of Indiaspora, a U.S.-based global organization for Indian-origin leaders. Indiaspora keeps a track of Indian-origin leaders.

Mr. Biden, who has maintained a close relationship with the community since his Senator days, often jokes around about his Indian relationship. He made history in 2020 by selecting Indian-origin Kamala Harris as his running mate.

The list of Indian-Americans in the White House as compiled by Indiaspora reflects that there would be only a few meetings inside the White House or in Mr. Biden’s Oval Office that would not have an Indian-American presence.

His speech writer is Vinay Reddy, while his main advisor on COVID-19 is Dr. Ashish Jha, his advisor on climate policy is Sonia Aggarwal, special assistant on criminal justice is Chiraag Bains, Kiran Ahuja heads the Office of Personnel Management, Neera Tanden is his senior advisor, and Rahul Gupta is his drug czar.

Last week when India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Taranjit Singh Sandhu, hosted a reception at India House on the occasion of Independence Day, Indian-Americans from his administration were representing almost all major branches of the U.S. government.

Young Vedant Patel is now the Deputy Spokesperson at the Department of State, while Garima Verma is the Digital Director in the Office of the First Lady. Mr. Biden has also nominated several Indian-Americans to key ambassadorial positions.

According to the list prepared by Indiaspora, more than 40 Indian-Americans have been elected to various offices across the country. Four are in the House of Representatives — Dr. Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal. This includes four Mayors.

Led by Indian-Americans Sunder Pichai of Google and Satya Nadella of Microsoft, there are over two dozen Indian-Americans heading U.S. companies. Among others include Shantanu Narayen of Adobe, Vivek Lall of General Atomics, Punit Renjen of Deloitte, Raj Subramaniam of FedEx.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INDEPENDENCE DAY OF INDIA: 75 YEARS : Today August 15th, 2022 :India @75: 100 events that shaped India

As Independent India marks 75 years, take a tour through 100 events that mark flashpoints and turning points, wars won and battles lost, new beginnings and realised ambitions.

How does one tell the story of a nation? How does one capture a billion tales that are, eventually, one? As Independent India marks 75 years, take a tour through 100 events that mark flashpoints and turning points, wars won and battles lost, new beginnings and realised ambitions — from the creation of a Constitution to the rise of political stalwarts, from pitched battles on the cricket field to dreams captured on celluloid, from events that challenged us to responses that elevated us. We, the people of India, have a lot to remember, and a lot to celebrate…

1. India gains Independence (1947)

2. Partition rocks the new nation (1947)

3. Kashmir accedes to India (1947)

4. Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated (1948)

5. India gets a Constitution (1950)

6. Ever Onward with the first Asian Games (1951)

7. The first IIT comes up in Kharagpur (1951)

8. The Bharatiya Jana Sangh is founded (1951)

9. India votes for the first time (1951)

10. Pather Panchali is released (1955)

11. The States Reorganization Act is passed (1955)

12. Kerala gets the first elected communist government in the world (1957)

13. The Dalai Lama seeks asylum (1959)

14. ISI is declared an institute of national importance (1960)

15. Mughal-e-Azam is released (1960)

16. Milkha Singh flies, but comes fourth (1960)

17. The First Non Aligned Summit is held (1961)

18. Goa is finally free, and part of India (1961)

19. China shocks India (1962)

20. Jawaharlal Nehru dies (1964)

21. The anti-Hindi agitation breaks (1965)

22. The Second India-Pakistan War (1965)

23. The arrival of Indira Gandhi (1966)

24: The Congress starts to weaken (1967)

25. The Green Revolution starts (1967)

26. The Naxalbari movement emerges (1967)

27. Ravi Shankar wins a Grammy (1968)

28. The West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar (1971)

29. The West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all (1971)

30. Bangladesh is born (1971)

31. The basic structure doctrine is articulated (1973)

32. The tree-hugging movement begins – in India (1973)

33. Indian enterprise gets its flagbearer (1973)

34. The angry young man emerges (1973)

35. Amul is born (1973)

36. India goes nuclear: Pokhran 1 and 2 (1974)

37. JP launches total revolution (1974)

38. India reaches for the stars (1973)

39. Indian democracy’s darkest moment (1975)

40. Sholay releases on Independence Day (1975)

41. The retrograde 42nd amendment is passed (1976)

42. India gets its first non-Congress government (1977)

43. Prakash Padukone wins the All-England championship (1980)

44. Sanjay Gandhi dies in an air crash (1980)

45. Asiad, and in colour (1982)

46. India win the cricket world cup (1983)

47. Everyman’s wheels, the Maruti 800 is launched (1983)

48. An Indian goes where no Indian had gone before (1984)

49. India gets its first soap, Hum Log (1983)

50. Usha soars (1984)

51. Indira Gandhi is assassinated (1984)

52. December 2, 1984 India experienced its worst ever industrial accident, Union Carbide plant in Bhopal

53. One step forward, two steps back with Shah Bano (1985)

54. The Assam Accord is signed (1985)

55. A (big) smoking gun (1986)Bofors

56. A judgement reaffirms the power of the floor-test (1989)The Bommai Judgement

57. Boy wonder Sachin Tendulkar makes his debut (1989)

58. The home minister’s daughter is kidnapped (1989)

59. Mandal redefines Indian politics (1989)

61. India opens up (1991)

62. Star TV launches (1991)

63. The Big Bull and a big scam (1992)

64. A rape results in some reforms (1992)

65. The Babri Masjid falls (1992)

66. Infosys IPO heralds the equity culture (1993)

67. Bombay witnesses bomb blasts, but they also take down the underworld (1993)

68. Mayawati becomes India’s first Dalit CM (1995)

69. Internet on Independence Day (1995)

70. DDLJ (1995)

71. The BJP’s first government (1996)

72. Arundhati Roy wins the Booker (1997)

73. Amartya Sen wins the Nobel (1998)

74. The Kargil War (1999)

75. IC814 hijack (1999)

76. Tata buys Tetley (2000)

77. The rest begins with Clinton’s India visit (2000)

78. The Match fixing scandal (2000)

79. India’s population touches a billion (2000)

80. The seat of democracy comes under attack (2001)

81. Gujarat is wracked by riots (2002)

82. Delhi gets a world-class metro (2002)

83. The Congress springs a surprise (2004)

84. Rights and entitlements in focus with RTI and MGNREGA (2005)

85. Cricket goes pop with IPL (2007)

86. India wins first individual gold at Olympics (2008)

87. Terror ravages Mumbai (2008)

88. One India; One ID (2009)

89. The movement against corruption (2011)

90. The nation weeps for Nirbhaya (2012)

91. Modi! Modi! Modi! (2014)

92. The activist as politician (2015)Arvind Kejriwal

93. Money is for nothing (2016)Demonetisation

94. One country, one tax (2017)

95. The court legalizes consensual gay sex (2018)

96. Another terror strike and a muscular response (2019)Pulwama

97. Jammu & Kashmir is completely integrated with India (2019)

98. The Ram temple becomes a reality (2019)

99. China flexes its muscles, but India holds its own (2020)

100. Neeraj Chopra’s javelin soars (2021)

source/content : hindustantimes.com (headline and captions edited)

GLOBAL: EDUCATION, ACADEMIA: University of California – UC Merced, names Dr. Rakesh Goel, the New Dean for the School of Engineering

After a nationwide search, Rakesh Goel was selected as UC Merced’s next dean of the School of Engineering.

Goel is a seasoned academic leader who currently serves as executive associate dean in the College of Engineering at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly).

Before he arrived at Cal Poly, Goel was an assistant professor of Civil Engineering at Syracuse University and worked at the Earthquake Engineering Research Center at UC Berkeley as an assistant research engineer. He has industry experience both in India and the U.S. in civil and structural engineering. He is a registered civil engineer in the State of California and is a certified safety assessment program worker for the California Office of Emergency Services.

Goel is a national and international leader in the discipline of earthquake analysis and design structures. His work has been adapted by seismic codes and guidelines, such as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) ASCE 7, FEMA-356, California Building Code and ASCE 61. He has authored/co-authored more than 150 publications. He has been awarded the Amman Fellowship, the Huber Research Prize and the Norman Medal by the American Society of Civil Engineers, among many other recognitions.

He is a fellow of the ASCE and the Structural Engineering Institute, where he has chaired three prominent committees and served on the editorial board for the Journal of Structural Engineering and Earthquake Spectra.

Goel earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in structural engineering from UC Berkeley.

He succeeds Mark Matsumoto, who has served as the school’s dean since 2015. Goel is expected to join the campus in the fall.

source/content: news.ucmereced.edu (headline edited)

INDIA GLOBAL: ARTS & CULTURE, MUSIC: United Colours of ‘Berklee Indian Ensemble’, Boston

Shuruaat, the Boston-based multi-cultural collective’s debut album, tracks its decade-long journey across genres.

“Are you jet-lagged?” asks Annette Philip. “Not at all. How can I be when I am in this musically charged environment,” replies Shreya Ghoshal. “Actually I see myself in these youngsters and wish I had the opportunity to be at such a place. It’s so much fun and an open and inclusive space to learn music. You are all blessed,” she smiles, looking at the students attending the residency that she conducted at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2017.

The singer is now part of the Berklee Indian Ensemble’s debut album  Shuruaat, which marks the music collective’s first decade together.

‘Sundari Pennae’, one of the tracks in the album, was originally sung by Shreya for composer D. Imman for the Tamil film  Oru Oorla Rendu Raja. Presented in a grunge-inspired version, the song, recorded during her residency, fuses progressive rock, konnakol and jazz over intricate Indian classical rhythms. “Till date, it is the most collaboratively re-arranged cover that the ensemble has produced,” says Annette, the first Indian musician to be appointed as a faculty at Berklee, and the founder of the ensemble.

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What started out as a class in 2011 is today among the well-known global acts to emerge from Boston that organically transitioned into a 11-member professional band in 2021. It hosts productions, headlines international music festivals, and creates YouTube content. Their success on YouTube can be traced to their interpretation of A.R. Rahman’s ‘Jiya Jale’ (from  Dil Se). The ensemble’s version became viral, garnering over 50 million views. It led to a sold-out concert of new arrangements of Rahman’s music, featuring 109 Berklee musicians onstage at Boston Symphony Hall. This also paved the way for the ensemble to work with some of the biggest names in South Asian music.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: WALES, U.K: Deputy Minister Dawn Bowden Appoints Ashok Ahir as New President and Andrew Evans as Vice President of the National Library of Wales

The Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden has announced the appointment of a new President and Vice President for the National Library of Wales.

Ashok Ahir has been appointed as the new President. Mr Ahir has been Interim President of the National Library since September 2021.

Andrew Evans has been appointed the new Vice President. Mr Evans is a consultant specialising in fundraising and business development for start-ups, charities and not-for-profits, particularly in the cultural sector.

The Library’s President is accountable to the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Arts and Sports for the library’s performance and for the delivery of strategic priorities

source: gov.wales (headline edited)

WORLD RECORDS: Arts & Media: Laiba Abdul Basit an NRI Qatar-based Indian Student is the Youngest Female Person in the World to Publish a Book Series Certified by Guinness World Book of Records

A Qatar-based 11-year-old student Laiba Abdul Basit has won the Guinness World Records as the youngest female person to publish a book series. 

Laiba, hailing from the southern Indian state of Kerala, has accomplished this feat after  her second book was published on August 29, 2021, while she was 10 years and 164 days old. 

Laiba Abdul Basit surpassed the record of Ritaj Hussain Alhazmi of Saudi Arabia, who penned three novels before the age of 12 years 295 days. 

Laiba published a three-book series called “Order of the Galaxy”, a fantasy story related to children’s fiction. The first book in this series titled “The War for The Stolen Boy” was published by Amazon and later by Lulu Online. The second book “The Snowflake of Life” was published by the Rome-based Tawasul International, while India-based Lipi Publications brought out the last book in the series, “The Book of Legends”. The second edition of her first and second books was also published by Lipi Publications.

A sixth grade student at the Olive International School, Doha, Laiba has been showing interest in reading and writing since the very young age. She started to write small stories and phrases on pieces of papers and used glue on walls of her house. 

source/content: thepeninsulaqatar.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: BUSINESS & ECONOMY / MEDIA : Santosh Shukla Appointed as CEO of ‘British Organization World Book of Records’

He will also carry out business activities of iudex International Quality Certification and focus on business expansion in Asian countries.New Delhi Senior advocate of the Supreme Court of India, Shri Santosh Shukla has become the new Chief Executive Officer CEO of the British Organization World Book of Records.

 At the helm of Shri Shukla, the organization has made its reached 25 countries in the world with a strong global network. Shri Shukla hails from deep-rooted Indian culture and heritage and is of Indian origin.

Being a Cyber law expert and an author of technical books, he is also Director-General of the South Asian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SACCI), President and CEO of International Quality Certification, President of Alma World, and holds the post of Chief Editor of Alma TodayAlma TimesWBR News and other leading organizations.

source/content: devidiscourse.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL RECORDS: MIDDLE EAST, UAE : ARTS, CULTURE & PAGEANTS: Karnataka’s Dechamma Poonacha Wins Mrs. Fitness Queen at Mrs. UAE International at the Radisson Red, Dubai

Dechamma Poonacha(Dechamma A.P) has won the Mrs Fitness Queen Title at Mrs UAE International by ‘Being Muskaan’, a leading UAE based brand launched by Meena Asrani, focused towards women empowerment.

The contest was held on June 26th at Radisson Red, Dubai Silicon Oasis and was open to all nationalities residing in UAE.

Mrs. Dechamma is currently a home maker. She is a former student of Rotary English Medium School Moodbidri and also was the student of the first batch. 

She further continued her high school an PU education at Jain highschool and PU college Moodbidri.

She pursued her graduation at Sri Bhuvanendra College Karkala where she won Miss. Bhuvanendra in 1997 and Miss. Jaycee Kulyadi queen, Karlala in 1998.

She was born in Coorg but was raised in Moodbidri.

source/content: english.varthabharati.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL RECORDS: INDIA RECORDS: HOTELS & RESTAURANTS: MasterChef Australia’s Season 10 Winner, Sashi Cheliah, Gears up to Launch his First Restaurant in India – ‘Pandan Club’ in Chennai

Sashi was the winner of MasterChef Australia Season 10. This will be his first restaurant in India, in T Nagar, serving Peranakan cuisine and lemongrass cocktails.

Police officer turned MasterChef contestant turned chef turned restaurateur Sashi Cheliah seems apologetic about his requirements for his first restaurant in India. “The thing is, we need professional chefs for this project,” he says, over filter coffee at the Leela Palace lobby, glittering with chandeliers and fragrant with vases of marigolds.

In Chennai with World On A Plate, Sashi is relaxing after cooking seven-course degustation menus, two nights in a row, for completely sold-out dinners at The Leela Palace.

Then, true to form, the Singapore-born, Adelaide-based chef headed straight from the five-star kitchen to Chennai’s popular Erode Amman Mess for his own dinner. “It was fantastic,” he says, “When it comes to flavour there are so many great places to eat in this city.”

With roots in Tamil Nadu, including grandparents who came from Madurai, he has chosen to launch his restaurant, Pandan Club, in Chennai.

A post on his Instagram profile, which has 1,29,000 followers, announcing openings for kitchen personnel resulted in a storm of resumes: many from fans and amateur cooks.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL RECORDS: ECONOMICS : International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) MD names Dr. Krishna Srinivasan as Director to Head the Asia-Pacific Department (APD)

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), announced today her intention to appoint Krishna Srinivasan as Director of the Asia and Pacific Department (APD).

Mr. Srinivasan’s appointment as APD Director becomes effective on June 22, 2022. He will succeed Changyong Rhee, whose retirement from the Fund was announced on March 23, 2022.

Mr. Srinivasan, an Indian national, has more than 27 years of Fund experience, starting in the Economist Program in 1994.

He is currently a Deputy Director in APD, where he oversees the department’s surveillance work on a number of large and systemically important countries such as China and Korea, and smaller states in the Pacific such as Fiji and Vanuatu. He also oversees APD’s work on key ASEAN countries, namely Malaysia and Singapore, as well-advanced economies, including Australia and New Zealand. During the Global Financial Crisis, while in the Research Department (RES), Mr. Srinivasan led the Fund’s work on the G20 including the preparation of analytical notes for the meetings of the G20 Ministers and Leaders.

source/content: imf.org (headline edited)