Must Read News

Mysuru’s Chidananda Naik wins Cannes La Cinef first prize

At the 77th Cannes Film Festival, India made a significant impact with Chidananda S. Naik’s film “Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know…” winning the top prize in the La Cinef section. Naik, originally a doctor from Mysuru who transitioned to filmmaking, created this award-winning film during his year-long course at the Film and Television Institute of India’s television wing in Pune. The winning films will be shown at the Cinéma du Panthéon on June 3 and at the MK2 Quai de Seine on June 4. The Cannes Festival provides grants ..... Read More

Falguni Pandya receives Women of Excellence Award

The Essex County Democratic Committee of West Orange, New Jersey, recently honored Indian-American activist Falguni Pandya with the “Women of Excellence Award.” At the Wilshire Grand Hotel, Pandya received the award alongside Susan Vezza and Khalifah Shabazz, presented by Jacqueline Jones, the wife of Leroy Jones, Jr., chair of the New Jersey and Essex County Democratic Party. Among the attendees were Rosy Bagolie, a former member of the Livingston Township Council, and Mikie Sherrill, a congresswoman, along with current council mem ..... Read More

Modi hailed as global leader, changing India’s image: Indian-American

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 att ..... Read More

US scientist to psephologist Yogendra Yadav foresees BJP’s win

Psephologist-turned-politician Yogendra Yadav is the latest poll analyst, following American expert Ian Bremmer and political scientist Prashant Kishor, to forecast a victory for the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Yadav, however, anticipates that the BJP will not be able to replicate its 2019 success when it won 303 seats. He predicts the party will secure around 240-260 seats, with their NDA allies winning approximately 35-45 seats. Yadav also expects the Congress party to improve its performance, increasing its tally from 52 seats in ..... Read More

Jaya Badiga appointed Sacramento County judge

Indian-American attorney Jaya Badiga, recognized as a certified family law specialist, has been appointed as a Judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court in California, USA. Selected as one of the court’s three new judges, Badiga fills the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Robert S. Lapham, following an appointment by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Previously, Badiga served as a Commissioner at the Sacramento County Superior Court from 2022. Born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, she is the daughter of Badiga Ramakrishna, an indu ..... Read More

GINN 1008 Editorial

As India embarks on another monumental electoral journey, the air is thick with anticipation and speculation. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears poised for another victory, a testament to Modi’s enduring popularity and the vision he embodies. Contrastingly, the Congress party and other opposition factions seem to be grappling with a lack of coherent strategy and vision for the nation’s future, leaving them at a distinct disadvantage in the electoral arena. Since assuming office ..... Read More

Govt building custom AI for India, US$ 240.2M allocated

The government is strategizing its approach to artificial intelligence (AI) by crafting a unique foundational model tailored to suit the specific needs of Indian entities, including businesses, innovators, educators, and scholars. This ambitious endeavor is set to kick off with an initial investment of US$ 240.2 million (Rs. 2,000 crore) post the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It aims to position India among the ranks of countries like China and the US, which have already initiated similar ventures. Spearheading this initiative is the IndiaAI Innova ..... Read More

Indian official starts UN role in disaster risk reduction

Kamal Kishore commenced his tenure as the Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction under UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on May 20, marking a significant development in global disaster preparedness efforts. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) formally announced Kishore’s appointment, succeeding Mami Mizutori of Japan. This transition was officially declared by Guterres on March 27, highlighting Kishore’s role as Assistant Secretary-General and Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reducti ..... Read More

Anima Patil-Sabale dreams of becoming an astronaut

Anima Patil-Sabale’s fascination with space exploration, ignited by books on the Apollo-era space program during her childhood in India, led her to dream of becoming an astronaut. Despite initially aiming to pursue a career as a fighter pilot, she redirected her path due to the Indian Air Force’s restrictions on female combat roles until 2015. Opting for degrees in physics and computer applications, she embarked on a journey that saw her transition from a software engineer in Mumbai to a software consultant in San Jose, California, ..... Read More

Forgotten Footprints: Unveiling the Girmitiyas’ Legacy in Australia

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 suga ..... Read More

Smartphones: India’s 4th largest export, 42% growth

Smartphones have risen to become India’s fourth-largest export category, achieving a 42% growth to reach US$ 15.6 billion in the fiscal year 2024. This advancement signifies a one-rank climb in the hierarchy of India’s top exported commodities compared to the previous year. Notably, it was from April 2022 that India began separately tracking smartphone exports. Traditionally, the country’s export portfolio has been heavily dominated by petroleum products, but now smartphones have taken a prominent place. Government data reveal ..... Read More

India’s talent is a key resource for Dell, says Michael Dell

Michael Dell, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Dell Technologies, acknowledges the vast talent pool in India and its crucial contribution as a major resource for the company. Speaking at the Dell Technologies World event in Las Vegas, Dell highlighted India’s swift economic advancement and dedication to innovation, especially in developing sovereign AI that reflects the nation’s languages and culture. He showcased Dell Technologies’ progress in AI, including the launch of an AI factory and enterprise AI tools, emphasizing the ..... Read More

Shrinivas R. Kulkarni Wins Shaw Prize 2024 in Astronomy

Indian American professor Shrinivas R. Kulkarni has been honored with the 2024 Shaw Prize in Astronomy for his significant contributions to the study of millisecond pulsars, gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, and other variable or transient astronomical phenomena. Kulkarni, who holds the George Ellery Hale Professorship of Astronomy and Planetary Science at the California Institute of Technology, was recognized alongside three other laureates by the Shaw Prize Foundation in Hong Kong on May 21. The astronomy selection committee commended Kulkarni fo ..... Read More

30 Indian Americans among 2024 US Presidential Scholars

On May 9, US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the names of the 161 high school seniors selected for the 60th anniversary of the US Presidential Scholars. He highlighted that these students represent the pinnacle of academic excellence in the nation’s schools and embody hope for a promising future for the country. Celebrating their achievements on behalf of President Biden, Cardona encouraged these scholars to continue striving for greatness, support others, and embrace leadership opportunities. The White House Commission on Presi ..... Read More

Who Is Ashwin Ramaswami? Gen Z Indian-American Wins in Georgia

Ashwin Ramaswami, the first Gen Z Indian-American to run for a US state legislature, has secured the Democratic primary in Georgia. He will compete against Republican Senator Shawn Still, who was indicted along with Donald Trump for being a fake elector in 2020, in the upcoming November elections. Ramaswami highlighted the significance of this contest, calling it “the most flippable State Senate seat in Georgia.” At 23, he is not only the first Gen Z State Senator in Georgia but also the only one in the state legislature with deg ..... Read More

Nikesh Arora: 2nd highest-paid US CEO in 2023, says WSJ

Nikesh Arora, an India-born CEO of Palo Alto Networks, has been ranked second on The Wall Street Journal’s list of highest-paid US chief executives for 2023. His compensation package, predominantly equity-based, amounted to $151.43 million last year, placing him just behind Hock Tan of Broadcom, who earned $162 million. Palo Alto Networks announced that for the first three quarters of its fiscal 2024 year, it generated almost $5.84 billion in revenue and nearly $2.22 billion in net income. Arora’s ascent to prominence began at the A ..... Read More

General Elections 2024: Women voters key in Indian politics, report

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, hi ..... Read More

In June 2024, an eight-lane Delhi-Mumbai highway will open.

Photo Courtesy : https://x.com/nitin_gadkari By next month, an eight-lane expressway project will shorten the distance between two of the busiest cities in the world. The Indian Government announced the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in 2018, laid the foundation stone in 2019, and expects the final sections to open in June 2024. In February 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first section, running from Sohna to Dausa. With eight lanes and the potential to expand to 12 lanes to accommodate increased traffic, the expressway will be the l ..... Read More

Jaishankar: COVID validated ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasized that India must prepare for a challenging global environment in the near future, a lesson underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking at an open discussion on Viksit Bharat @2047, organized by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) in New Delhi, Jaishankar highlighted the necessity for India to develop capabilities to meet basic requirements domestically, especially given the ongoing major global conflicts. Jaishankar pointed out that India’s growth trajectory might vary depending ..... Read More

Obstructive sleep apnea in REM linked to memory decline

Researchers have estimated that nearly 936 million adults worldwide are affected by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), characterized by interruptions in breathing during sleep, leading to disrupted sleep patterns. Previous studies have associated OSA with an increased risk of various neurological conditions, such as cognitive decline, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. A recent study conducted by the University of California, Irvine, delved into the impact of sleep apnea severity during the rapid eye movement (RE ..... Read More

Krish Pai wins $50K second Regeneron Young Scientist Award

Krish Pai, a 17-year-old Indian American from Del Mar, California, won the second Regeneron Young Scientist Award, receiving $50,000 at the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the largest pre-college science and engineering competition globally. He was honored for his machine-learning research aimed at identifying microbial genetic sequences capable of biodegrading plastic. On May 17, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and the Society for Science announced his win. Pai developed a software named Microby, which scans micr ..... Read More

Love & War: Bhansali excited for Alia, Ranbir, Vicky’s chemistry

Sanjay Leela Bhansali stands out as one of the most illustrious filmmakers in the Indian film industry, renowned for his distinctive style marked by grandeur, epic narratives, impeccable costumes, and unwavering cinematography. Bhansali’s unique touch and artistic vision set him apart from other Indian directors. Following his successful OTT debut with “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar,” Bhansali is gearing up to release his next Bollywood romantic drama, “Love & War,” featuring Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, and ..... Read More

Surname doesn’t matter in today’s India: PM Modi on startups

In response to Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal’s comments about his father’s doubts about his success as an entrepreneur due to their modest background, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that in India, hard work matters more than one’s family name. Modi praised Goyal’s journey and highlighted that his story inspires many young people to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Modi reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering a supportive environment for startups in a message on X, sharing a video posted by ..... Read More

Four Indian American-founded firms on CNBC Disruptor 50 List

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 compan ..... Read More

India breakthrough: 80m tuned in within 7 days

The Daily Express arrived in India with a mission: to provide on-the-ground reporting of the world’s largest election. In a launch video at the Taj St James’s, Assistant Editor Sam Stevenson explained that his goal was to experience India’s vibrant democracy firsthand and to enhance British media’s coverage of it. In Delhi, Stevenson aimed to counter negative stereotypes and misconceptions about India prevalent in the UK and the West. He also sought to understand and evaluate the narratives suggesting that democracy in India is unde ..... Read More