Must Read News

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit: Legacy of Political Eminence

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was a woman of remarkable talents, born into one of India’s most prominent political families. Despite the considerable advantages her lineage afforded her, there were inevitable challenges associated with such prominence. Her familial ties, particularly being the sister of Jawaharlal Nehru and the daughter of Motilal Nehru, may have hindered her political ambitions, as evidenced by her potential presidency bid in 1977. Originally named Swarup Kumari Nehru, she embraced the name Vijaya Lakshmi upon her marriage to Ranjit ..... Read More

Smt. Patil: India’s First Female President and Social Advocate

Smt. Patil took office as the 12th President of India on July 25, 2007, making history as the first woman to hold the position. Before her presidency, she served as the Governor of Rajasthan from November 8, 2004, to June 21, 2007. On December 19, 1934, she was born in Nadgaon village, Jalgaon District, Maharashtra. She attended RR Vidyalaya, Jalgaon, and earned a Master’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Mooljee Jetha College, Jalgaon. She further pursued a Bachelor of Laws degree from Government Law College, Bombay (Mumbai). Bes ..... Read More

Women pivotal in Mission Divyastra’s triumph

Emphasizing the growing participation of women in the scientific field, a significant number of female scientists played crucial roles in the achievements of Mission Divyastra, led by Programme Director Sheena Rani. Among them, senior scientist Sheena Rani has notably contributed to previous successful missile tests. Dr. Shankari S, serving as the programme project director, also made significant contributions to the mission’s triumph, as per defense officials. A considerable cohort of female scientists dedicated their expertise to developing ..... Read More

Sunil Harjani confirmed as federal judge in Illinois

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, ..... Read More

Aisha Desai: Points of Light Winner for Ramadan Lights UK

A London resident, Aisha Desai, received Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Points of Light award for her Ramadan Lights UK initiative, an effort to create light installations to mark Ramadan. Inspired by the festive Christmas lights of central London from her childhood, Desai aimed to offer a similar experience to Muslim communities nationwide. The award acknowledges individual volunteers who actively contribute to their communities and serve as inspirations to others. During the pandemic, Desai initiated a crowdfunding campaign to illuminate her n ..... Read More

Modi highly popular, set to be PM again: US Congressman

In a recent interview, US Congressman Rich McCormick, a Republican from Georgia, expressed strong confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s potential for re-election in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, highlighting his extensive popularity and progressive governance. Reflecting on his recent interactions with PM Modi and other congressmen during a lunch meeting, Congressman McCormick emphasized the broad bipartisan support for Modi’s leadership, stating firmly, “He is going to be prime minister again.” McCormick commended PM Modi’s forward ..... Read More

India’s Economic Triumph Defies Sceptics

India’s recent economic performance showcases its resilience and dynamism, with a remarkable 8.4% GDP growth in the October-December quarter of 2023-24, the highest in six quarters. This positions India as the fastest-growing major economy globally, surpassing economic giants like China, the US, and the UK. The upward revision of the GDP growth estimate for the full fiscal year to 7.6% from 7.3% underscores a robust recovery from the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This achievement rebuffs pessimistic forecasts of India’s economic d ..... Read More

Hindu and African American Leaders in Georgia Honor Black History

    A unique, first of its kind event at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, brought together luminaries from the Georgia state legislature and the Atlanta Hindu and Indian American communities for an evening focused on Building Bridges and Connecting Communities. Organized by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), the event highlighted the definitive role of the civil rights movement in the U.S, the paths it opened in the years to come for the Hindu and Indian American communities, and the road ahead. Catch v ..... Read More

Tanishq, India’s largest jewelry retailer, opened locations in Houston and Frisco

India’s largest jewelry retailer Tanishq opened two new retail outlets in Houston and Frisco, Texas to expand into the US market. These openings follow the brand’s January flagship shop opening in Iselin, New Jersey. Texas has the second-largest Indian American population in the country, and Tanishq is meeting them in these new places. Texas has about 450,000 Indian Americans, most of whom live in Houston and Dallas-Fort-Worth (30 miles from the new Frisco location). Tanishq has been available on e-commerce in the US for nearly two ..... Read More

Swayam Bagaria: Harvard Divinity’s Hindu Studies Professor

Indian American scholar Swayam Bagaria has been appointed as Assistant Professor of Hindu Studies at Harvard Divinity School, succeeding Christopher Rossi, who retired. Bagaria, formerly a Postdoctoral Fellow in Hindu Studies at HDS since 2022, previously held a similar position at the University of Virginia. He earned his PhD in anthropology from Johns Hopkins University in 2020. HDS Dean Marla F. Frederick expressed excitement about Bagaria’s appointment, praising his scholarly and teaching abilities. Bagaria’s expertise lies in the psychos ..... Read More

Sanjay Chowbey named CEO at Kennametal

Kennametal, an industrial manufacturing company based in Pennsylvania, has announced the promotion of Sanjay Chowbey, an Indian American executive, as its new president and CEO, effective June 1. Chowbey, currently holding dual roles as vice president and president of the metal-cutting segment, will take over from Christopher Rossi upon his retirement. The decision to appoint Chowbey received unanimous approval from Kennametal’s board of directors, according to a statement released by the company. William M. Lambert, the chairman of the board, ..... Read More

Ash Didwania named Workzone’s new CEO by Big Band and Workzone

Big Band Software is a holding company for B2B SaaS software. Today, it announced its second purchase since it began in 2023. Big Band Software has completed the acquisition of Workzone, a top project management platform that businesses, colleges, and hospitals use to manage large amounts of important work. Users ranked Workzone as the best project management product on Capterra (Gartner). The company is known for mixing cutting-edge technology with personalized customer service to help businesses reach their strategic and tactical goals. Work ..... Read More

Mayor Ravi Bhalla seeks a seat in Congress

Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla, known for his advocacy in climate resilience and civil rights, has declared his candidacy for Congress, promising to uphold his Sikh heritage while focusing on environmental, healthcare, and reproductive rights concerns. A native of New Jersey, Mayor Bhalla has called Hoboken home for over two decades. Prior to serving two terms as Mayor, he spent eight years on the city council and worked as a civil rights lawyer. During a recent gathering at residences in Crownsville, MD, Mayor Bhalla shared his personal journe ..... Read More

Jhaanvi Ganesh addresses HinduACTion briefing

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 ..... Read More

India’s CAA mirrors the US Lautenberg Amendment

India has recently enacted the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a measure that had been in the making for over four years. This legislation offers amnesty and an accelerated pathway to citizenship for specific refugees who had escaped religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan prior to December 31, 2014. Importantly, the CAA does not modify the rights of Indian citizens nor does it impose any religious criteria for general immigration. Contrary to some misconceptions, it does not bar Muslims from immigrating to India. Suha ..... Read More

Ashish Kathuria: Life Sciences Industry Leader

Life Sciences Voice has recognized Ashish Kathuria, an Indian American executive, with the prestigious Top Industry Leaders award for 2023. This acknowledgment underscores Kathuria’s significant contributions to the life sciences sector and his forward-thinking initiatives that have propelled innovation within the industry. Bringing to bear 25 years of expertise, Kathuria currently spearheads the business unit at Axtria, a distinguished provider of cloud software and data analytics solutions tailored to the life sciences domain. Through his le ..... Read More

Reshma Saujani Receives 2024 Power of Radiance Awards

Reshma Saujani receiving Clé de Peau Beauté’s Power of Radiance Awards 2024 The luxury skin care and makeup brand Cle? de Peau Beaute? is thrilled to reveal that Reshma Saujani, from New York, U.S.A., is the winner of the Power of Radiance Awards 2024.These awards honor women who are active in their towns and fight for girls’ education, especially in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields.Because she wants to give girls more power in computer science, Reshma Saujani started Girls Who Code, an international non-profit tryi ..... Read More

Arunima: From Tragedy to Triumph on the World’s Highest Peaks

In 2011, Arunima Sinha, a national-level volleyball player, faced a harrowing ordeal when she was pushed from a moving train by assailants demanding her gold chain. This resulted in the loss of her left leg, which had to be amputated below the knee. Despite this traumatic incident, Sinha persevered and eventually made history by becoming the first female amputee to conquer Mount Everest, earning her the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2015. Sinha recounts the horrific experience of being attacked on the train, where she fought off multiple ass ..... Read More

Indian Americans fund Orlando medical school inauguration

The Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM) recently opened its doors in Orlando, Florida, driven by the vision of Indian American co-founders Dr. Kiran Patel and Dr. Pallavi Patel. Their aim is to address the shortage of physicians and residency programs in Central Florida. OCOM’s curriculum entails two years of on-campus didactic training, followed by two years of clinical rotations at affiliated hospital systems across Florida. The college has forged partnerships with over 26 hospitals and healthcare systems, including the Kiran Pate ..... Read More

Rani Lakshmibai: Iconic Queen, Anti-British Hero

Rani Lakshmibai, also known as Jhansi ki Rani, emerged as a prominent figure in the Rebellion of 1857, symbolizing the Indian struggle against British rule. Celebrated as a national icon, her birth anniversary on November 19 is commemorated as Martyr’s Day in Jhansi, honoring those who sacrificed their lives in the rebellion. Born in 1828 as Manikarnika Tambe in Varanasi, Rani Lakshmibai was raised by her father, who encouraged her unconventional upbringing, nurturing her skills in horsemanship, archery, and self-defense. In 1842, she married ..... Read More

Deep Indian Kitchen Launches Kati Street Wraps, An Indian Street Cart Experience

  Deep Indian Kitchen, the restaurant-quality, frozen Indian food brand recently named one of America’s fastest-growing emerging brands1, is thrilled to announce the national launch of its first frozen, handheld product line Kati Street Wraps. The brand’s latest innovation brings the flavor, texture, and crunch of an Indian street food experience to homes across America in a grab-and-go format with only 2 minutes of microwave prep – no street cart needed. Deep Indian Kitchen’s Kati Street Wraps are sold individually and ..... Read More

Gopinath: An Economist Making Waves on the Global Stage

Photo Credit: IMF In a groundbreaking move, Indian-American economist Gita Gopinath was appointed as the Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), heralding a new era of leadership in the realm of global economics. Her appointment was met with widespread acclaim, with IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde lauding Gopinath as “one of the world’s outstanding economists with impeccable academic credentials, a proven track record of intellectual leadership, and extensive international experience.” Here are eight key insights int ..... Read More

India’s Economic Odyssey: Past, Present, and Future Unveiled

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 summ ..... Read More

Achyuta Rajaram wins Regeneron STS top prize

Indian American high school senior Achyuta Rajaram claimed the top spot and a $250,000 cash prize in the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) competition, which is currently in its 83rd year and regarded as America’s oldest and most esteemed science and math contest for high school seniors. Rajaram, a student at Phillips Exeter Academy, earned the prestigious award for his development of an automated method to identify the components of a computer model involved in decision-making processes. This innovation enhances understanding of how algor ..... Read More

16-year-old Indian-American pioneers AI healthcare apps

A 16-year-old high school student hailing from Palo Alto, California, has garnered widespread acclaim for leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to develop applications aimed at advancing healthcare solutions. Adrit Rao, currently serving as a research intern at Stanford University, has engineered AutoABI, an iOS application designed to detect peripheral arterial disease (PAD) by analyzing arterial sounds in the ankles. Clinical trials are underway, alongside a patent application, to further validate its efficacy. This Indian American prodig ..... Read More