The US Senate has officially confirmed Sunil Harjani, an Indian American federal Magistrate Judge from Joliet and a graduate of Northwestern University, as a federal district court judge for the Northern District of Illinois based in Chicago. Sunil Harjani’s confirmation, with a 53-46 Senate vote, marks a historic moment as he becomes the first South Asian American to hold the position of a US district judge in the Northern District of Illinois. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois expressed satisfaction with his confirmation, highlighting his impeccable qualifications and extensive courtroom experience, notably serving as a Magistrate Judge since…
Author: Deepika chandrasekar
Deepika chandrasekar
Deepika is on her way to becoming an influential figure in the world as a young writer with a big voice and a big heart. Deepika has always possessed the highly sought-after attribute of empathy. She attended the University of Madras and graduated with a BA and MA in English. She has her mother and daughter living with her in Chennai, while she is a single parent.
Jhaanvi Ganesh, a Rutgers University student, highlighted the marginalization faced by Hindu students in academic environments during a Congressional briefing on Hinduphobia arranged by HinduACTion. Studying public health, Ganesh serves as the Northeast Regional Coordinator of Hindu Yuva, a prominent student organization present in over 75 universities nationwide. She raised concerns regarding Hindu phobia or anti-Hindu sentiments, often overlooked on college campuses. Ganesh elaborated on how these sentiments encompass a spectrum of attitudes and actions, from subtle biases to overt discrimination targeting individuals identifying as Hindu or practicing Hinduism. Sharing personal encounters, Ganesh expressed feeling misunderstood, marginalized, and vilified based…
Each year, on the eve of the budget presentation, the central government typically releases an Economic Survey. However, due to the impending elections, the traditional economic survey was deferred from its usual date of January 31. Instead, the government issued a comprehensive report titled ‘Indian Economy–A Review,’ outlining India’s progress over the past decade. Prepared by the office of the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran, this report also offers insights into the economic outlook for the forthcoming years. In this summary, we highlight the key insights from the report. Overview of the Indian Economy (1950-2014) Initially, from 1950…
Congressman Ro Khanna, a prominent figure in the Indian-American community, emphasized the robust nature of the bilateral ties between India and the United States, attributing significant strides to the Biden administration’s efforts. In an interview with PTI, Khanna underscored the multifaceted strength of the relationship, particularly highlighting areas such as defense, economics, cooperation in AI, and alternative energy. Khanna acknowledged India’s substantial progress over the past decade, citing its remarkable economic development and ambitious endeavors. Despite acknowledging challenges such as income inequality and the imperative of maintaining a vibrant, pluralistic society, Khanna expressed admiration for India’s aspirational drive. Regarding the…
Binaifer Nowrojee, a human rights attorney, has been appointed as the president of the Open Society Foundations, a philanthropic organization endowed by billionaire George Soros. Nowrojee, born in Kenya, currently serves as the foundation’s vice president of programs and will assume her new role in June, succeeding the current president, Mark Malloch-Brown. Soros expressed his vision for a truly global Open Society Foundations, emphasizing the significance of Nowrojee’s appointment in realizing this aspiration. Nowrojee herself acknowledged the immense responsibility of leading the world’s largest funder of human rights during a challenging time for justice and compassion globally. Alex Soros, chairman…
RadiantGraph, a San Francisco-based healthcare platform, has named Dr. Geeta Nayyar as its inaugural chief medical officer. Previously, Nayyar held similar positions at Salesforce and AT&T, alongside other executive roles. She currently sits on the board of the American Telemedicine Association and advises the American Medical Association. Nayyar is known for advocating a human-centered approach to innovation, particularly in leveraging advancements in artificial intelligence for improved health and business outcomes. She is also a noted public speaker and author of the bestselling book, ‘Dead Wrong: Diagnosing and Treating Healthcare’s Misinformation Illness.’ In her statement regarding the new appointment, Nayyar emphasized…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the identities of the four astronauts chosen for India’s maiden human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan, expected to launch in 2024-25. The selected Indian Air Force pilots underwent training at Russia’s Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. During his visit to Kerala, PM Modi presented ‘astronaut wings’ to the designated astronauts at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, commending India’s strides in space technology, which he believes are nurturing scientific curiosity among the youth. The Gaganyaan initiative aims to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capabilities by sending a crew of three members on a three-day mission to a 400 km orbit…
Over the past ten years, India’s drone sector has witnessed substantial expansion, particularly following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ankit Mehta, the CEO of IdeaForge, a prominent Indian drone manufacturer, underscored this development while introducing their products to the competitive US market. Positioned as the fifth-largest globally in the civil and defense dual-use segment, IdeaForge strategically enters the American drone market, capitalizing on concerns surrounding Chinese-manufactured drones. In an interview with PTI Videos, Ankit Mehta attributed the industry’s progress to a conducive environment fostered by the Indian government over the past decade. He highlighted a notable acceleration in growth…
During the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated projects valued at US$ 144.8 million (Rs. 1,200 crore). He commended the significant role of the renowned Amul brand, operated by GCMMF, in Ahmedabad, praising it as a symbol of trust, development, and empowerment for farmers. Modi urged Amul to pursue global leadership in the dairy market, given its status as the 8th largest dairy company, assuring full government support. Highlighting Gujarat’s crucial role in cooperative milk production and its impact on India’s economy, he cited initiatives like Direct Benefit Transfer, injecting…
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has unveiled its annual selection of Sloan Research Fellows for 2024, featuring 10 early-career Indian American researchers. Chosen from a wide array of prestigious institutions across the US and Canada, these individuals represent the epitome of scientific excellence. Each fellow receives a $75,000 grant over two years to support their research efforts, continuing a tradition that has been in place since 1955. Among the distinguished Indian American recipients are Priyanka Raina from Stanford University and Arvind Satyanarayan from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the field of Computer Science, alongside Dipti Nayak from the…