Category Archives: World Opinion

Sable becomes 1st Indian man to win Asian Games 3000m steeplechase title, Toor defends shot put gold

Avinash Sable, the 29-year-old national record holder, earned India its first gold medal in athletics, completing the race in 8:19.50 seconds.

Avinash Sable became the first Indian man to win the gold medal in 3000m steeplechase at the Asian Games while shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor defended his title with an amazing final throw to beat back the challenge from his Saudi Arabian rival here on Sunday.

Sable, the 29-year-old national record holder, earned India its first gold medal in athletics, completing the race in 8:19.50 seconds.

Sable rewrote the previous Asian Games record of 8:22.79 held in the name of Iran’s Hossein Keyhani set at the 2018 Jakarta Games.

Sudha Singh had won a gold in women’s 3000m steeplechase in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.

Toor, the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medallist, came up with a mighty throw of 20.36 metres on his sixth and last attempt to overhaul his Saudi rival Mohamed Daouda Tolo’s distance of 20.18 metres.

Toor, however, could not break his own Asian Games record of 20.75m set in 2018 Jakarta.

But the 28-year-old’s final throw was way too good for his Saudi rival to overhaul in his final attempt.

Earlier, the toast of the nation in the last edition, Indian heptathlete Swapna Barman’s one “last shot” at glory at the Asian Games turned into a nightmare as she struggled with injuries to virtually go out of medal reckoning after the javelin throw event.

The defending champion, who boasts of a personal best of 52.55m in javelin throw, managed a throw of just 45.13 in the penultimate event of the gruelling two-day competition.

Javelin throw was one of the two events Swapna had won in 2018 en route to becoming the first Indian heptathlete to win an Asian Games gold.

Overall, Swapna was ranked fourth with 4840 points, 11 points behind her nearest rival Jingyi Liu of China ahead of the 800m race, which is the last segment of the seven-event competition.

The other Indian in the fray, Nandini Agasara notched a personal best of 39.

88m in javelin throw that took her overall ranking to fifth place.

Earlier in the day, Swapna Barman leapt 5.71m in the long jump, while Nandini Agasara had a season-best 5.94m jump.

With her career ravaged by a spinal injury, the six-toed Indian athlete had contemplated retirement last year.

But she took one last shot at glory and came to Hanghzou in her title defence bid.

This year she won the Inter-State meet and also bagged a silver medal in the build-up to the Asian Games.

She also avoided surgery so as to ensure that she does not miss her training despite a bad back.

“But her body condition could not cope up and she failed to get a good start,” her coach Subhash Sarkar told PTI.

“She was expecting a good result in high jump but a fourth place finish shattered her and she couldn’t recover from there,” he added.

Swapna had a jump of 1.70m, which was nowhere close to her personal best of 1.87.

“The poor start has affected her morale and it showed in today’s javelin throw event. It’s as good as over,” Sarkar said of Swapna’s prospects this time.

Earlier, India’s Amlan Borgohain finished at the third position after clocking 21.08 seconds in the men’s 200m heats and advanced to the semifinal.

The first three athletes in each heat make the cut for the semi-finals.

The top four times from all the heats who have not made the cut will also advance to the semifinals.

The sprinter from Assam, currently the country’s fastest, holds both the men’s 100m and 200m national records.

However, Jyothi Yarraji failed to make the cut for the women’s 200m final.

The Indian had a timing of 23.78s.

Yarraji, however, is in contention for a medal in women’s 100m hurdles.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: SPORT / TENNIS: India’s Leander Paes is the First Asian Man Nominated as a Player to the International Tennis Hall of Fame

Leander Paes, the owner of 18 Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles or mixed doubles, is the first Asian man to be nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category.

Paes, who is from India, was one of six player candidates announced Tuesday for the Class of 2024, along with returning nominees Cara Black, Ana Ivanovic, Carlos Moya, Daniel Nestor and Flavia Pennetta.

Li Na, a Chinese woman who won two Grand Slam singles titles, became the first Asian player in the shrine based in Newport, Rhode Island, when she was inducted in 2019.

“After three decades of passion for our sport and playing for 1.3-plus billion Indians in the Olympics and Davis Cup, I am thrilled that my hard work has been recognized,” Paes said.

Paes won career Grand Slams in both men’s doubles and mixed doubles and reached the No. 1 doubles ranking. His eight men’s doubles major championships — earned with four different partners — were spread out this way: three apiece at the French Open and U.S. Open, and one apiece at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

His mixed doubles Slam trophies came alongside various partners, including Martina Navratilova, Martina Hingis and Black.

Black, Ivanovic, Moya, Nestor and Pennetta all fell short of the required 75% of the vote in past balloting from the official voting group — which includes media, historians, Hall of Famers and industry experts — and bonus percentage points awarded based on a fan vote. Nominees can remain in contention for three years.

This year’s online fan voting for the player category runs from Wednesday to Oct. 9.

The Hall’s Class of 2023 members — wheelchair star Esther Vergeer and quad division pioneer Rick Draney — were enshrined in July.

Credit : Associated Press (AP) | Photo Credit : (AP)

source/credit: newdelhitimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: INDIAN MEDICAL EDUCATION RECOGNITION: Indian Medical Graduates can now Practise Abroad. Medical Colleges to become World Federation for Medical Education (WEME) Accredited.

All 706 existing medical colleges in India will become WFME-accredited. Medical colleges that will be set up over the next 10 years will also receive WFME accreditation.

Medical graduates from India will now be able to practise and pursue post-graduate studies abroad as the National Medical Commission, India’s top regulatory body for medical education and professionals, said it has received the coveted World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) Recognition Status for 10 years.

“The National Medical Commission (NMC) has achieved the remarkable feat of being granted the coveted World Federation for Medical Education Recognition Status for a remarkable tenure of 10 years,” the Union health ministry said in a statement.

All 706 existing medical colleges in India will become WFME-accredited. Medical colleges that will be set up over the next 10 years will also receive WFME accreditation. Medical graduates from India can now practice or pursue post-graduation in countries like the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the health ministry statement said. 

“With NMC being WFME accredited, all the Indian medical students will become eligible to apply for the Education Commission on Foreign Medical Education (ECFMG) and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The recognition will further enhance the quality and standards of medical education in India by aligning them with the global best practices and benchmarks,” the ministry said. It will also facilitate academic collaborations and exchange, the statement said.  

“WFME’s recognition underscores that the quality of medical education in India adheres to global standards. This accolade empowers our students with the opportunity to pursue their careers anywhere in the world,” Dr Yogender Malik, member of the Ethics and Medical Registration Board and head of media at NMC, said.

The WFME is a global organisation dedicated to enhancing the quality of medical education worldwide. Its accreditation programme plays a pivotal role in ensuring that medical institutes meet and uphold the highest international standards of education and training.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SPORS / SWIMMING: Aryan Singh Dadiala, 21-year old Matches World Record, becomes Fastest Swimmer to cross Sea of Galilee 

Aryan Singh Dadiala began his swim at 5:18 am on Friday and finished the swim at 11:33 am, equaling an existing world record of the fastest male swimmer to swim the Sea of Galilee in his very first attempt. 

21 year-old Indian swimmer Aryan Singh Dadiala made history on Friday by matching the existing world record for the fastest male swimmer to swim the Sea of Galilee. 

PTI reported that despite extreme weather conditions, the 21 year old swimmer braved the challenging waters of the Sea of Galilee. Interestingly, the Sea of Galilee is the second lowest water body in the world, approximately 214 meters below sea level.

He began his swim at 5:18 am on Friday and finished the swim at 11:33 am, equaling an existing world record of the fastest male swimmer to swim the Sea of Galilee in his very first attempt. 

The event was observed and certified by Galilee Marathon Swimming Association, Israel, and flagged off by Indian diplomat Pawan K. Pal, who leads the public diplomacy division at the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv.

After the swim, while speaking to reporters, Dadiala shared that he took up the challenge to “strengthen India and Israel’s relationship.” 

The 21 year old was accompanied by his family, his Coach, Rahul Chiplunkar, his Guide Subodh Sule, and crew Pavitra Poilkar.

Dadiala’s father, Surjeet Dadiala, told news agency PTI that the 21 year old swimmer had to face extreme weather during his swim.

“Aryan faced many weather-related and physical challenges during his swim, such as heavy winds and fatigue but was firm and focused on his swimming,” he told PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)

source/content: businesstoday.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: 22 countries DEFENCE CONCLAVE: India to Host 2-day Conclave of Indo-Pacific Army Chiefs, September 26-27

Fifteen Army chiefs and delegations from 22 countries will attend the event to be held in Delhi on September 26 and 27. The US Army is co-hosting the conference.

The Indian Army will host a two-day conference of Army chiefs of the Indo-Pacific nations next week with an aim to evolve a common strategy to ensure peace, prosperity and stability against the backdrop of growing global concerns over China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.

Fifteen Army chiefs and delegations from 22 countries will attend the event to be held in Delhi on September 26 and 27, officials said. The US Army is co-hosting the conference.

The Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs’ Conclave (IPACC) will deliberate on the role of military diplomacy in mitigating various crises, ways to enhance collaboration among the armed forces of the region and boosting interoperability. An exhibition of India’s indigenously developed weapons, military systems and platforms is also being organised on the sidelines of the event.

Alongside the 13th edition of the IPACC, the Indian Army is also hosting the 47th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) and the Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum (SELF).

Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen M V Suchindra Kumar said the event will provide a unique opportunity to build common perspectives towards a shared vision and that it will help strengthen friendships through the formidable and indelible “soldierly bond.”

The IPACC, instituted as a biennial event in 1999, is attended by Army chiefs of countries of the Indo-Pacific region, to discuss issues of mutual interest.

“The current edition of this conclave is very special, as it will witness participation of full spectrum of military ranks, from Army chiefs to non-commissioned Officers from 22 nationalities, and their spouses,” Lt Gen Kumar told reporters.

“Fifteen Army chiefs and delegations from 22 countries will attend this event in Delhi. I take this opportunity to thank the US Army, especially US Army Pacific, who are our co-hosts,” he said.

The Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS), held annually, is one of the largest conferences for the land forces in the region which is organised annually by US Army Pacific, along with a co-host country.

In his remarks, the Vice Chief of Army Staff also underlined the importance of land forces to ensure the vision of a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific that he asserted must be based on a rules-based international order.

“The Indian Army’s involvement in the Indo-Pacific mirrors this thought. As we delve into the region’s intricacies and our role within its development, the paramount importance of peace, security, and stability cannot be overlooked,” he said.

“Since Independence, the Indian armed Forces, particularly the Indian Army, have made significant contributions in promoting peace and stability in the region,” he said.

Lt Gen Kumar said the Indian Army’s commitment is not limited to security efforts alone but extends to humanitarian endeavours and relief efforts during natural disasters also.

The theme of the conclave is ‘Together for Peace: Sustaining Peace and Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region’.

“In the IPACC roundtable, the chiefs of Indo-Pacific Armies will address the issues of the role of military diplomacy in mitigating crises, enhancing military collaboration and interoperability through training and the need for self-reliance by modern armies,” Lt Gen Kumar said.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Manoj Pande will have bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event.

“This gathering serves as a testament to the pivotal role this region holds in the global landscape, both economically and strategically,” the Vice Chief of Army Staff said.

“As we deliberate on the multifaceted challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, we are reminded that the Indo-Pacific is not just a geographical expanse, but a stage where nations unite to shape the narrative of our shared future,” he said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: ASIA : TITLE WIN: Siraj storm blows away the Sri Lankans, India Sprints to Title, lifts the ‘Super 11 – Asia Cup 2023’ Trophy

Riding on the speedster’s six-wicket haul, including four in an over, Rohit’s men shoot out the hosts for a paltry 50 runs, with only two batters getting into double digit; Gill and Kishan complete the formalities in just 6.1 overs.

The bright and sunny afternoon turned overcast 10 minutes before the scheduled start. Once the Asia Cup final finally got going 40 minutes late, a capacity crowd at the R. Premadasa Stadium had one eye on the sky, with a thunderstorm predicted to hit the Sri Lankan capital, on September 17.

While the dark clouds stayed away, the Siraj-storm struck Sri Lanka so hard that it literally blew the home team away. Riding on Mohammed Siraj’s sensational opening burst, India bundled out Sri Lanka for 50 in just 89 minutes.

It took India just 37 balls to overhaul the lowest team total in the Asia Cup’s four-decade history to seal an emphatic win and lift the trophy in style.

Minutes before the toss, when captain Rohit Sharma had a close look at the surface, sensing its dryness, he pointed to the dressing room with three spinners. It meant Washington Sundar, having been added to the squad in place of injured Axar Patel, was included in the XI.

But Washington virtually had no role to play in the game with India’s three pacers spoiling a Lankan band. The papare band hardly had a reason to cheer for the home team, with India’s pacers coming to the party right away.

Mohammed Siraj’s day out
Siraj’s five wickets off 16 deliveries is the joint quickest along with Chaminda Vaas’ effort for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh (2003)

He is the first Indian to scalp four wickets in an over in ODIs

Siraj is the second-fastest bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets (1002 balls) behind Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis (847 deliveries)

His six for 21 is the fourth-best bowling figures by an Indian (man), and 31st overall, in ODIs

6/4 Stuart Binny (vs Bangladesh, 2014)

6/12 Anil Kumble (vs West Indies, 1993)

6/19 Jasprit Bumrah (vs England, 2022)

Jasprit Bumrah struck off the third ball, thanks to K.L. Rahul stretching to his left to accept an edge off Kusal Peera’s willow. Siraj started off with a maiden to Kusal Mendis but the Hyderabad hurricane was unstoppable in his second over.

The fourth over saw Siraj sealing the fate of the game by picking four wickets. The pacer landed the ball in the perfect channel, and bowled perfect outswingers at will. He also jagged the ball occasionally to leave Sri Lanka batters dumbfounded.

Pathum Nissanka (caught by a lunging Ravindra Jadeja at point), Sadeera Samarawickrama (beaten on inside-edge to be adjudged lbw), Charith Asalanka (caught at covers by Ishan Kishan) and Dhanajaya de Silva (caught behind off an outswinger) all fell prey to Siraj’s masterclass.

List of records that tumbled
Records tumbled as India prevailed over hosts Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the final of the Asia Cup to lift the title after a gap of five years. Here is a look at the records that were scripted during the match.

Sri Lanka registered its lowest ODI score against India after the fall of its fifth wicket (12 for 5).

At 12 for 6, Lanka recorded the lowest ODI score at the fall of the sixth wicket by an ICC full-member nation.

India grabbed six wickets in the opening ten overs of the contest, which is the most for the side in the format till date.

Sri Lanka’s total score of 50 in this fixture is the lowest versus India in the format. Also, it is the lowest in any ODI final to date.

It was only the second time in the competition’s ODI history that the pacers held all ten wickets in a clash. The other instance also happened in this edition when Pakistan seamers achieved the feat against India in a washed out group match.

Sri Lanka has became the full-member Asian side to be dismissed in the fewest overs of an ODI (15.2).

India has become the only team to win an ODI final by ten wickets on two occasions, with the other being against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 1998 (197 for 0).

It is also the biggest ODI win for the Indians in terms of balls to spare (263), besides also being the biggest in an ODI final.

It is the briefest ODI involving India, with only 129 deliveries being bowled. — PTI

De Silva, despite saving a hat-trick with a flick off the fifth ball, perished off the next. Siraj returned in the next over to straighten up captain Dasun Shanaka to uproot his off-stump to complete his maiden ODI five-wicket haul in just 16 balls.

At 12 for six, the writing was on the wall. In his extended spell of seven over, Siraj added Kusal Mendis’ wicket, with the batter missing a wild heave to be bowled. Hardik Pandya then wound up the tail even before the spinners came into any real action. That Kuldeep Yadav could bowl a solitary over and only two Sri Lanka batters reached double-digit scores underlined India’s pace pack’s domination.

Rohit preferred to let Ishan Kishan have a hit in the middle along with in-form Shubman Gill. And the duo hardly dropped guard, with Kishan tapping the first ball of the seventh over to long-off for a single to complete the formalities just 27 minutes into the innings.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka Innings: Pathum Nissanka c Ravindra Jadeja b Siraj 2 Kusal Perera c Rahul b Bumrah 0 Kusal Mendis b Siraj 17 Sadeera Samarawickrama lbw b Siraj 0 Charith Asalanka c Ishan Kishan b Siraj 0 Dhananjaya de Silva c Rahul b Siraj 4 Dasun Shanaka b Siraj 0 Dunith Wellalage c Rahul b Hardik Pandya 8 Dushan Hemantha not out 13 Pramod Madushan c Kohli b Hardik Pandya 1 Matheesha Pathirana c Ishan Kishan b Hardik Pandya 0 Extras: (LB-2, W-3) 5

Total: (10 wkts, 15.2 Overs) 50

Fall of Wickets: 1-1, 2-8, 3-8, 4-8, 5-12, 6-12, 7-33, 8-40, 9-50, 10-50.

Indian bowling: Jasprit Bumrah 5-1-23-1, Mohammed Siraj 7-1-21-6, Hardik Pandya 2.2-0-3-3, Kuldeep Yadav 1-0-1-0.

India Innings: Ishan Kishan not out 23 Shubman Gill not out 27 Extras: (LB-1) 1

Total: (0 wkts, 6.1 Overs) 51

Sri Lanka bowling: Pramod Madushan 2-0-21-0, Matheesha Pathirana 2-0-21-0, Dunith Wellalage 2-0-7-0, Charith Asalanka 0.1-0-1-0.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: AMAZING INNOVATION IN AI: Indian engineering student builds AI model for real-time ASL sign language translation into English words

An Indian engineering student has developed an innovative AI model that can translate American Sign Language (ASL) into English words.

An Indian engineering student has developed an innovative AI model that can translate American Sign Language (ASL) into English words.

The model can recognize and translate six fundamental ASL signs like ‘Hello’, ‘I Love You’, ‘Thank You’, ‘Please’, ‘Yes’, and ‘No’.

The AI model, developed by Priyanjali Gupta, a student of Vellore Institute of Technology, was built using TensorFlow Object Detection API, utilizing transfer learning with the ssd_mobilenet model.

Gupta captured ASL gestures through a webcam that formed the basis for her AI model. In response to inquiries, Gupta acknowledged the complexity of building a dedicated deep learning model for sign detection. 

As part of a comment on a LinkedIn post, Gupta stated “You are absolutely right there’s a long long way to go to make a perfect model which can be implemented in real life. Hopefully this happens in our lifetime”.

Gupta’s AI model helps people communicate across barriers, providing a more accessible way to connect with the world. In her GitHub post, she has shared her project and code.

source/comments: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL RECORDS: WORLD RECORD FOR AN INDIAN ARTIST: Amrita Sher-Gil’s ‘The Story Teller’ sets Record for Highest Price of Rs.61.8 crore, Achieved by an Indian Artist on September 16th, 2023 by-passing the Previous Record held by S H Raza’s ‘Gestation’ of Rs. 51.7 crore

Amrita Sher-Gil “sought inspiration in Pahari paintings” to paint The Story Teller.

Painted during an important period in her oeuvre, Amrita Sher-Gil’s 1937 canvas The Story Teller sold for a whopping Rs 61.8 crore ($7.44 million) on September 16, setting a world record for the highest price achieved by an Indian artist.

The iconic work led Saffronart’s Evening Sale: Modern Art, which featured more than 70 artworks from prominent artists, including significant works by modern masters V S Gaitonde and S H Raza, and early works by Tyeb Mehta, M F Husain, F N Souza, and Akbar Padamsee.

Before this sale, the most expensive Indian artwork sold at an auction was S H Raza’s Gestation, which had fetched ₹51.75 crore.

Describing the significance of the Sher-Gil artwork, a note released by Saffronart before the auction had pointed out it was executed “during an important formative period in the artist’s oeuvre that saw her European and Indian influences merge into a unique artistic language”.

In one of the “few works that she painted en plein air”, the release added, “The dominant subjects are women—who feature in many of her works—depicted as close-knit figures, crafting an inherent intimacy within the canvas. The work is an example of the artist’s most honest and expressive compositions, one that Sher-Gil herself was especially fond of as evidenced by the numerous mentions of this work in her letters.”

A note on The Story Teller on the Saffronart website quotes art connoisseur Karl Khandalavala suggesting that “it sought inspiration in Pahari paintings”. “The cows, the women folk, and the setting, though all far removed in technique from those of Basohli miniature, are pregnant with its lyricism and vivid colour,” states Khandalavala.

Born in 1913 in Budapest to an Indian Sikh aristocrat father and Hungarian-Jewish opera singer mother, Sher-Gil was eight when she moved to Shimla. Though she was already painting, her uncle Ervin Baktay encouraged her to develop her own vocabulary and pursue formal training.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL & NATIONAL: INFORMATION TECHNOLGY: Infosys Only Indian Firm in TIME Magazine’s World’s Best 100 Companies list

The list, curated by TIME and Statista, is dominated by global Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet and Meta Platforms which were the top four companies on the list.

IT major Infosys is the only Indian company featured in TIME Magazine’s top 100 ‘World’s Best Companies 2023’ list, dominated by Big Tech.

The Bengaluru-based professional services firm has been ranked 64th spot in the top 100 list.

“Infosys has been featured in TIME World’s Best Companies 2023 list. We are among the top 3 global professional services firms and the only brand from India in the Top 100 global rankings,” the company said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The list, curated by TIME and Statista, is dominated by global Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and Meta Platforms which were the top four companies on the list.

Other top companies in the coveted list are Accenture, Pfizer, American Express, BMW Group, Dell Technologies, Louis Vuitton, Delta Air Lines, Starbucks, Volkswagen Group, General Motors, Ford and others.

The list is based on a formula of revenue growth, employee-satisfaction surveys, and rigorous environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG, or sustainability) data. Big Tech had a tough year, laying off tens of thousands of workers since January.

But the world’s biggest tech companies are also the ones doing best for investors, employees, and the planet.

“Microsoft, for example, the top company in the global rankings, made $72 billion in its most recent fiscal year, a 63 per cent increase from 2020, while also reducing overall emissions by 0.5 per cent,” said TIME.

Accenture, based in Dublin, had the highest ESG ranking of any company on the list.

“The rankings show just who dominates the world economic order, with fast-moving tech and business-services companies unseating the manufacturers and consumer-goods companies that once drove the global economy,” the magazine said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam joins growing list of Indian-origin global leaders

Shanmugaratnam, 66, was declared the winner of the September 1 election after he received 70.4 per cent of the votes polled in the predominantly Chinese and economically prosperous country.

With Tharman Shanmugaratnam taking oath as Singapore’s ninth president on Thursday, he joins a long list of Indian-origin leaders who are dominating politics at important world capitals.

Shanmugaratnam, 66, was declared the winner of the September 1 election after he received 70.4 per cent of the votes polled in the predominantly Chinese and economically prosperous country.

His victory signifies the rising influence of Indians across the globe.

In the US, the growing influence of the Indian-American community can be seen in the success of Kamala Harris, who became the first woman and the first coloured Vice President of the country.

She was a senator for California from 2017 to 2021.

Harris, a Democrat, also served as the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017.

She was born to Indian and Jamaican parents in California.

In the crucial midterm elections in November, a record five Indian-American lawmakers from the ruling Democrat Party — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, Ami Bera and Shri Thanedar — were elected to the US House of Representatives.

Harmeet Dhillon, a prominent politician in California, recently contested the election for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee (RNC).

Indian-origin leaders like Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy have launched their bid for the White House in 2024.

Rishi Sunak became Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister last year.

He is the youngest British prime minister in 210 years.

He is also Britain’s first Hindu Prime Minister.

Goan-origin Suella Braverman is serving as his Home Secretary.

Claire Coutinho is the second Goan-origin minister after Braverman in the Sunak Cabinet.

She recently got a big promotion as his new Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary.

Under Sunak’s predecessor, Boris Johnson’s Cabinet, Priti Patel was the Home Secretary.

Alok Sharma was the International Development Secretary in the Johnson Cabinet.

Ireland’s Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Leo Eric Varadkar is also of Indian origin.

Varadkar is the third child and only son of Ashok and Miriam Varadkar.

His father, a doctor, was born in Mumbai and moved to the United Kingdom in the 1960s.

Antonio Costa has been the Prime Minister of Portugal since 2015.

He is half Indian and half Portuguese.

Anita Anand is the first Hindu to become a federal minister in Canada.

Anand assumed the role of President of the Treasury Board on July 26, 2023, as part of a major cabinet shuffle.

Anand’s parents were Indians.

Her father was from Tamil Nadu and her mother was from Punjab.

Apart from Anand, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Cabinet has two more Indian-origin members– Harjit Sajjan and Kamal Khera.

Priyanca Radhakrishnan is the first person of Indian origin to become a Minister in New Zealand.

Born in Chennai to Malayali parents, she is currently the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.

Christine Carla Kangaloo, the president-elect of Trinidad and Tobago, was born into an Indo-Trinidadian family.

Pritam Singh, an Indian-origin lawyer, and author, has been serving as Leader of the Opposition in Singapore since 2020.

Devanand “Dave” Sharma became the first person of Indian origin to become a Member of the Australian Parliament in 2019.

Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the President of Guyana, was born into a Muslim Indo-Guyanese family in Leonora.

Pravind Jugnauth has been serving as the prime minister of Mauritius since January 2017.

He was born into a Hindu Yaduvanshi family in 1961.

His great-grandfather migrated to Mauritius from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in the 1870s.

Prithvirajsing Roopun, the president of Mauritius since 2019, was born in an Indian Arya Samaj Hindu family.

Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi has been the president of Suriname since 2020.

Santokhi was born in 1959 into an Indo-Surinamese Hindu family in Lelydorp.

Wavel Ramkalawan has been serving as the president of Seychelles since October 2020.

His grandfather was from Bihar.

According to the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List, more than 200 leaders of Indian heritage have ascended to the highest echelons of public service in 15 countries across the globe, with over 60 of them holding Cabinet positions.

With more than 32 million people of Indian origin (PIOs) globally, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Indians are the largest community population in the world.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)