Author: Bhakti Narayanan

The CA vs. Hate program’s inaugural report, released on May 22, highlighted that in California, anti-Hindu incidents ranked as the second most common religion-related hate crime reported to a state-sponsored hotline over the past year. Administered by the California Civil Rights Department, the hotline, with support from organizations advocating for minority groups, received 1,020 hate crime reports. Of these, 36.9% targeted Jews, 14.6% Muslims, and 23.3% Hindus. The data, while shedding light on concerning trends, is limited in its representation of all hate acts in the state, caution officials. Despite being a new initiative, CA vs. Hate has offered Hindu…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 10 years of leadership, has significantly altered India’s global image and established himself as a prominent global leader, according to an eminent Indian-American community leader. Dr. Bindukumar Kansupada, a cardiologist from Philadelphia, stated in an interview with PTI that Modi has been instrumental in changing how Indians are perceived worldwide. Dr. Kansupada believes that Modi is reviving Indian pride, culture, and ancient knowledge such as yoga, mindfulness, and Ayurveda. Dr. Kansupada attended the two-day annual summit Desis Decides of Indian-American Impact, where Vice President Kamala Harris also spoke. An alumnus of IIT, he serves…

Australia’s diverse culture owes a debt to the Girmitiyas – indentured laborers who left their homelands during colonial times for better prospects. Despite facing exploitation, they shaped Australia’s social, economic, and cultural fabric. The term “Girmitiya” stems from “Girmitya,” the agreement these individuals signed under the indenture system. From the 19th to 20th century, thousands from the Indian subcontinent, especially Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Fiji, were recruited for work in Australian sugarcane plantations and other industries. Their journey was marked by extreme hardship and exploitation, enduring appalling conditions at sea and harsh plantation labor upon arrival. Yet, they…

During the first four phases of the 2024 general elections, voter turnout significantly increased compared to the 2019 elections. According to data from the Election Commission, 451 million voters participated in 2024, compared to 426 million in 2019, reflecting an increase of 25 million voters. A domestic brokerage firm, SBI Research, analyzed this data, excluding postal and army ballots, and found an overall increase of 19 million voters. Within this increase, female voters rose by 9.36 million, while male voters increased by 8.47 million, highlighting the growing importance of women in Indian politics. This translates to approximately 110 female voters…

Four companies founded by Indian Americans have been featured on CNBC’s 12th annual Disruptor 50 list, showcasing the significant impact of artificial intelligence in various sectors. The companies—Zum, Tala, AlphaSense, and Glean—highlight the diverse areas of innovation led by Indian American entrepreneurs, from cybersecurity to agriculture. According to CNBC, AI is a dominant theme on the Disruptor 50 list, with around two-thirds of the companies emphasizing AI as crucial to their operations. For the first time, a company, OpenAI, has retained the top position on the list. Zum, ranked 31st, is transforming the $50 billion student transportation industry to be…

Voters in 49 constituencies across 6 states and 2 Union Territories are casting their ballots, determining the political futures of numerous prominent leaders, including Union Ministers and party heads such as Smriti Irani, Rahul Gandhi, Chirag Paswan, and Omar Abdullah. Here are the highlights of the Lok Sabha Election Phase 5 Voting: – Voting took place in various seats across Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. – This phase marks the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra and Ladakh, with an average turnout of 56.7% recorded by 5 pm. – Simultaneously,…

Now streaming on Netflix, “Heeramandi” has received widespread acclaim and generated a substantial audience reaction. Celebrated director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has fulfilled his longstanding dream with the release of “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar,” marking his first venture into the OTT realm. Reflecting on his journey, Bhansali recounted a childhood visit to a film studio that sparked his passion for storytelling. Bhansali shared his thoughts on the long journey to creating “Heeramandi,” revealing that he had wanted to make it 18 years ago. However, other projects kept taking precedence. He explained that after each film, he would reconsider “Heeramandi” but often…

Governor Walz has chosen Veena Iyer, who serves as the executive director at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM), to be one of the two new judges for the Second Judicial District covering Ramsey County. She will remain at ILCM for a few weeks to ensure a smooth transition before assuming her judicial duties. Iyer conveyed a blend of emotions, acknowledging the bittersweet nature of her transition. While she expressed fondness for the unique community at ILCM, highlighting its resilience, creativity, empathy, and compassion, she also expressed gratitude for the opportunity presented by Governor Walz. As the child of…

Kartik Aaryan has unveiled the poster for his upcoming film “Chandu Champion.” It showcases Kartik in a powerful, gritty pose, depicting his impressive physical transformation for the role. The movie draws inspiration from the life of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist. In a playful incident on Tuesday, Kartik’s pet Katori inadvertently delayed the poster reveal, leading to a humorous Instagram video. Despite the mishap, Kartik shared his excitement for the film, labeling it as the most challenging project of his career. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and Kabir Khan, “Chandu Champion” is eagerly anticipated, promising an enthralling narrative on…

India has advised the US against adopting a narrow perspective on its recent port agreement with Iran, a plea made in response to US warnings regarding dealings with Tehran. The agreement, inked on Monday, entails a decade-long collaboration between India and Iran to enhance the strategically vital Chabahar port. While the US cautioned nations about the risks associated with business ventures involving Iran, India has endorsed the pact, emphasizing its potential regional benefits. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar addressed concerns about Washington’s stance, stressing the importance of broadening perspectives to recognize the mutual advantages of the agreement. He highlighted past acknowledgments…