Author: Malavika Subramanyan

India has formally requested the reinstatement of its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) status under the US program, a privilege revoked in 2019 by the Trump administration. During the India-US Trade Policy Forum, co-chaired by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Goyal emphasized India’s interest in GSP restoration. Ambassador Tai acknowledged this could be considered based on US Congress-defined eligibility criteria. India, the leading GSP beneficiary in 2017, exported $5.7 billion duty-free goods to the US, covering 1,900 products like engineering goods and chemicals. The ministers highlighted the significant role of professionals, students, investors, and business…

Preesha Chakraborty, a nine-year-old Indian-American student from California, secured a place on the ‘world’s brightest students’ list by Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth (JH-CTY). Among 16,000 students from 90 countries taking the JH-CTY test in Summer 2023 as a Grade 3 student at Warm Spring Elementary in Fremont, Preesha excelled in verbal and quantitative sections, reaching the 99th percentile of advanced Grade 5 performances and earning Grand Honors. This achievement qualifies her for over 250 JH-CTY courses, covering subjects like mathematics, computer programming, chemistry, physics, reading, and writing. At six, Preesha obtained a lifetime membership in the Mensa Foundation,…

On the second day of the 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, Chief Minister Mr. Bhupendra Patel reiterated Gujarat’s steadfast commitment to becoming a prominent hub for the semiconductor industry, a vision initiated in 2022. Established by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi in 2003, the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit has evolved into a flagship event for significant announcements and strategic initiatives. Addressing the audience, Chief Minister Mr. Bhupendra Patel emphasized the growing importance of technology in India, particularly in the semiconductor and electronic sectors. He highlighted Gujarat’s proactive embrace of advanced technologies like AI, shaping everyday life and…

Indian American strategy and transformation consultant Praveen Madan has taken on the role of CEO and publisher at Berrett-Koehler Publishers (BK), succeeding the retired David Marshall. Madan expressed gratitude for the opportunity and outlined his vision for a new publishing model, emphasizing BK’s commitment to being author-friendly and mission-driven. With a background in strategy consulting, Madan successfully led the turnaround of Kepler’s Books since 2012, implementing innovative strategies like adopting a nonprofit model, community financing, and raising wages. His success at Kepler’s has influenced other bookstores across the United States. BK’s founder, Steve Piersanti, praised Madan’s unique blend of outsider…

Manish Prabhat, currently the Ambassador of India to Uzbekistan, is set to become the next Ambassador of India to Denmark, according to an announcement from the Ministry of External Affairs. The ministry issued a statement revealing Prabhat’s upcoming role transition, anticipating his swift assumption of duties. Before his current position, Prabhat held the influential post of heading the Eurasia Division at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. With a rich diplomatic career, he has served in various Indian Missions abroad, including Moscow, Yerevan, Washington DC, Milan, and Paris, since joining the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1996. Prabhat’s…

UnitedLex, headquartered in New York, has appointed Rajitha Yelamanchali Boer as its Chief Client Officer. In her new role, Boer will concentrate on global client growth and retention, particularly in Europe and the Asia Pacific. Her focus extends to enhancing the client experience across all business lines, according to the company’s press statement. James Schellhase, UnitedLex’s CEO, emphasized Boer’s decades of experience, emphasizing a tailored approach to strategic client solutions. Boer’s expertise in eDiscovery, IP, and legal managed services is expected to bolster UnitedLex’s enterprise sales and account management. Rajitha Boer, expressing alignment with UnitedLex’s culture of innovation, highlighted the…

President Joe Biden has unveiled his intention to nominate Sunil R. Harjani, an Indian American judge, for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. This nomination is part of Biden’s commitment to ensuring diversity in the nation’s courts, reflecting a broad range of personal and professional backgrounds. Harjani, currently a United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Illinois since 2019, brings significant experience to the role. The announcement, including Harjani and five other nominees, aligns with Biden’s pledge to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution. This marks the 44th round of nominees…

In a significant achievement, young Indian shooters Varun Tomar and Esha Singh secured two Olympic quota places for India on Monday by clinching gold medals in the men’s and women’s 10m Air Pistol events at the Asian Qualifiers. This success elevated India’s total number of shooters heading to Paris to 15, equaling the highest-ever tally achieved during the Tokyo Games. The duo’s exceptional performance showcased their prowess on the international stage. Varun Tomar, at 20 years old, demonstrated his skills in the men’s event, scoring 239.6 in the final to claim the top position. Arjun Cheema secured the silver medal…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially confirmed the successful arrival of Aditya-L1, India’s inaugural solar observatory. Launched on September 2, 2023, by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, the spacecraft has now reached the Halo orbit at Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1. Aditya-L1 is equipped with seven distinct payloads designed to observe the Sun’s photosphere, chromosphere, and corona using electromagnetic and particle detectors. Positioned strategically at L1, where the gravitational pull of the Sun and Earth is equal, Aditya-L1 is set to provide essential scientific data on coronal heating, mass ejections, and the dynamics of space weather. The mission’s objectives include studying…

Professor Anjana Devi, an alumna of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, has assumed the role of director at the Institute for Materials Chemistry (IMC) within the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) in Dresden, Germany. Additionally, she has been appointed as the chair of Materials Chemistry at the Technical University of Dresden. In her new position, Professor Devi is tasked with establishing a competence center for atomic layer deposition through the ASPIRE2D project at IFW Dresden. This initiative aims to advance the processing of 2D functional materials on an atomic scale for future technologies. Professor…