Must Read News

Indian Americans Win Gates Cambridge Scholarship

Sadhana Lolla and Ishan Kalburge have earned the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship, providing them the opportunity to pursue graduate studies at the esteemed Cambridge University in the UK. Founded in 2000 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the scholarship initiative provides full-cost postgraduate scholarships to outstanding individuals from nations outside the UK. Its goal is to foster a worldwide community of future leaders committed to improving others’ welfare. Lolla, a computer science major with minors in mathematics and li ..... Read More

India backs 22 countries’ WTO membership bids: Piyush Goyal

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal disclosed that 22 additional nations have submitted applications for membership in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and India, as a leader of the Global South, pledges support to them. Speaking at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference, he assured ANI that India will consider their requests sympathetically. His statement coincided with Comoros and Timor-Leste’s formal accession to the WTO on February 26, a development championed by Prime Minister Modi. Goyal expressed satisfaction with their in ..... Read More

India: 800M+ internet users; OTT services dominate tech use

According to the Internet in India Report 2023 by IAMAI and Kantar, India has amassed an impressive internet user base exceeding 800 million, with 86% utilizing over-the-top (OTT) audio and video services, indicating the predominant use of technology in the country. Despite daily internet usage surpassing 90%, the growth rate of the user base has decelerated, reaching 55% of the population in 2023, with rural India contributing 53%. Communication and social media emerge as the second and third most popular services, boasting 621 million and 575 ..... Read More

India and UAE Lead as Prime Startup Hubs

digital composite of hands using notebook with graphics An academic study released recently challenges the common perception that Western economies, particularly those in Europe and North America, are the most conducive environments for starting businesses. Instead, the study conducted by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) reveals that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has maintained its position as the top destination for entrepreneurship for the third consecutive year, followed closely by India in second place. Surprisingly, countries li ..... Read More

Smriti Kirubanandan: Accenture’s New Managing Director

Smriti Kirubanandan, an Indian American public health executive, has assumed the position of managing director within Accenture’s healthcare division. Her appointment was announced via LinkedIn, where Kirubanandan expressed her enthusiasm for joining a leadership team that prioritizes kindness, inclusivity, and advocates for equity and unity. Emphasizing the crucial role individuals play as “value creators, architects of change, and genuine guardians of the healthcare galaxy” during these challenging times, she conveyed her gratitude and exci ..... Read More

Minita Sanghvi wins Democratic nod for NY’s 44th senate

Indian American Minita Sanghvi clinched the Democratic nomination for New York’s 44th State Senate district, boosted by key endorsements from the Saratoga County Democratic Committee and Schenectady County Democratic Committee. Saratoga County Democratic Committee Chairwoman Martha Devaney hailed Sanghvi as a dedicated advocate and problem solver, citing her diverse background as a parent, educator, and public servant as evidence of her ability to deliver bipartisan results. Devaney expressed confidence in Sanghvi’s leadership qualities, deemi ..... Read More

Biden appoints Nimish Patel to trade advisory

President Joe Biden plans to nominate Nimish Patel, an Indian American attorney, as a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, which advises the United States Trade Representative. The Committee, consisting of up to 45 members, provides counsel on trade, investment, and development issues, representing various sectors. Patel, currently chairing the Corporate and Securities Department at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, LLP, brings extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financing, and corporate ..... Read More

Indian American Professor’s Job Reinstated

Dr. Johnson Varkey, a Texas-based Indian American biology professor, has been reinstated to his position a year after being terminated for teaching fundamental human biology and reproduction concepts to his students. St. Philip’s College in San Antonio, where he taught, discharged him for instructing that sex is determined by X and Y chromosomes, aligning with his scientific study. The college, known as a historically Black and Hispanic-serving institution, faced legal action from First Liberty Institute, which advocated for Varkey’s case. Aft ..... Read More

Raisina Dialogue: Key insights from the conference

The ninth edition of the Raisina Dialogue took place from February 21 to Friday in New Delhi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the conference. Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined the inauguration session as the chief guest. Originating as an annual conference focusing on geopolitics and geoeconomics, the Raisina Dialogue aimed to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues. Attended by individuals from political, business, media, and civil society backgrounds, the event was structured as a multi-stakeholder, cr ..... Read More

PM Modi reveals Gaganyaan’s four-member crew

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 ..... Read More

Boeing Appoints Uma Amuluru as HR Chief

Boeing has announced the promotion of Uma Amuluru, an Indian American, as its chief human resources officer and executive vice president for human resources, effective April 1. She will succeed Michael D’Ambrose and report directly to the company’s president and CEO David Calhoun. In her new role, Amuluru will oversee Boeing’s strategic human resources functions, including talent planning, global talent acquisition, learning and development, compensation and benefits, employee and labor relations, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Calho ..... Read More

MUST READ BOOKS – FEB 2024

Fighting Retreat: Churchill and India by Walter Reid Winston Churchill was closely connected with India from 1896, when he landed in Bombay with his regiment, until 1947, when independence was finally achieved. No other British statesman had such a long association with the sub-continent–or interfered in its politics so consistently and harmfully. Churchill strove to sabotage any moves towards independence, crippling the Government of India Act over five years of dogged opposition to its passage in the 1930s. As Prime Minister during the Sec ..... Read More

Did Raj from the Big Bang Theory ever get his green card

“Raj is his name and stars are his game”. Many of you might recognize Dr. Rajesh “Raj” Koothrappali as a fictional character from the popular show The Big Bang Theory. I decided to use a fun and creative way to explain what immigration options might have been available for this extraordinary astrophysicist. His hypothetical immigration story is not all that uncommon, and the show makes many references to immigration from India. “Raj was born in New Delhi, India in 1981. At the young age of 5, he “discovered” a celestial object which later tur ..... Read More

What is the political future of Vivek Ramaswamy?

From a successful entrepreneur to a vocal critic of woke capitalism, Vivek Ramaswamy has been making waves in both the business and political landscape. His sharp insights, coupled with his keen sense of social issues, have set him apart as a rising star within the Republican Party. Now, many are speculating about his potential role within the political sphere, with options ranging from a VP pick by Trump to a Senate or House run, a cabinet position, or even a bid for the Ohio Governor’s seat. Ramaswamy’s Entrepreneurial Journey to Politics V ..... Read More

American India Foundation’s Impactful Initiatives Spotlighted

The American India Foundation Trust (AIFT) recently completed its 23rd annual India Mission Trip, offering a comprehensive overview of its impactful initiatives. The delegation, comprising 25 AIF board members, supporters, donors from India and the US, and industry leaders focusing on the US-India corridor, embarked on a week-long expedition across Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana. Their objective was to gain insight into the diverse challenges faced by tribal and rural communities, including climate change, migration, and gend ..... Read More

Salil Parekh, Arvind Krishna appointed to USISPF Board

Salil Parekh, the CEO and Managing Director of Infosys, and Arvind Krishna, the CEO of IBM, have recently joined the Board of Directors of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), a dedicated institution aimed at strengthening ties between the two nations. Parekh, renowned for his expertise in the IT services industry, brings valuable experience from his tenure at Infosys, which includes involvement in business turnarounds and acquisitions. Expressing his delight, Parekh emphasized the deepening bilateral ties between India and the U ..... Read More

PM Modi launches India’s top textile event with 5F approach

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Bharat Tex 2024, India’s largest global textile event, with a focus on his 5F mantra and a commitment to support the textile industry’s growth. Addressing the event, PM Modi stressed the importance of his 5F vision—Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign—in advancing the sector’s role in job creation and India’s development. Highlighting the textiles sector’s significance in addressing key government priorities like employment, agricultural support, youth empowerment, and women’s empowerment, PM ..... Read More

Indian drone firm IdeaForge ventures into the US market

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, ..... Read More

Nimish Patel joins Trade Policy Advisory Committee

United States President Joe Biden has appointed Nimish Patel to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. Patel, who currently chairs the Corporate and Securities Department at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, LLP, boasts a diverse career spanning artificial intelligence, life sciences, technology, e-commerce, new media, and entertainment sectors. Additionally, Patel offers advisory services to both private and publicly traded companies, aiding in governance and regulatory compliance. With prior experience as a CPA and senior audit ..... Read More

Indian-American Engineer Honored With Texas’ Top Award

Ashok Veeraraghavan, a computer engineer and professor of Indian descent, has received the esteemed Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in engineering, a leading academic recognition in Texas. The Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science, and Technology (TAMEST) grants this award to promising researchers in the state. Veeraraghavan, a professor at Rice University’s George R. Brown School of Engineering, was selected for his groundbreaking imaging technology aimed at revealing the invisible. This accolade is bestowed annually upon outstandin ..... Read More

Indian American artist awarded $30,000 grant

The BIG We Foundation (BWF), a cultural intermediary, has granted funds to an Indian American artist based in Texas for a project deeply rooted in South Asian culture. Rakhee Jain received the grant for her project, ‘Beyond the Sari,’ as part of BWF’s SheStories program, which supports women storytellers from diverse backgrounds with a vision for societal change. Jain’s project aims to collect and share intergenerational stories of South Asian women who migrated to Texas between the 1960s and 1980s, capturing their lived experiences. Chosen ..... Read More

Connecticut exhibit honors South Asian American identity

The University of Connecticut’s Asian and Asian American Studies Institute (AAASI) collaborated with the Indian Cultural Center (ICC) to host the second annual student-curated exhibit at the Historical Society Museum Lobby in partnership with the Greenwich Historical Society. The exhibit, named ‘My Story Our Future: Voices of South Asian American Youth in Connecticut,’ displayed personal family oral histories and artifacts. Greenwich High School sophomore Mihir Shah shared, “My grandparents sacrificed a lot in India to ensure my father’s bette ..... Read More

Yoga for Stress

Yoga has been practiced for nearly 5000 years mainly in India but in last few decades it has gained popularity throughout the world as people have discovered the many health benefits of yoga. Yoga which is derived from the word “Yoke” means to bring together the mind, body and spirit. Since the practice of yoga affects both the body and the mind it helps one both physically and mentally. It helps achieve peacefulness of the body and the mind, helping one relax completely. We can easily see the physical benefits from yoga but its practice can al ..... Read More

1893: Year of the Yogi: a film on Swami Vivekananda’s arrival in America that introduced yoga and Indian spirituality

Talking about a film on Swami Vivekananda on his birthday would be not only most appropriate but also symbolic and impactful. Swami ji’s birthday, which falls on January 12, is celebrated as National Youth Day in India, reflecting his enduring influence on the youth and his teachings on strength, vigor, and spirituality. In 1893, Vivekananda, an Indian spiritual guru, attended a conference hosted by the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago and gave a historical speech. His opening words, “Sisters and Brothers of America,” won him a stand ..... Read More

I’m sorry! By Dr. Namitha Raju

We have grown up in a culture where respecting elders for their wisdom and maturity seems paramount and it’s an expectation firmly established in our subconscious. This established hierarchy can make apologizing or repairing a rupture with our kids difficult. Moreover, for most parents who did not receive apologies from their parents, it’s unclear why and how to make amends. Most conscious parents do apologize if they realize that they are at fault. That’s a great practice to repair a rupture. It shows kids that there is nothing wrong with apo ..... Read More