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India ranks second in foreign inflows after the US in 2023

In 2023, India became a significant recipient of global liquidity, with around US$15 billion flowing into Indian equities from global mutual funds, as reported by Elara Capital. The report highlighted the substantial foreign inflows, positioning India alongside the United States and Japan as primary beneficiaries, while Europe witnessed outflows. Data indicated that the US, India, Japan, and Hong Kong secured the top spots for the largest recipients of global funds in 2023, with China, Brazil, and Mexico following. Until September 2023, mid-ca ..... Read More

Nearly 100 Million Indians Crossing $10k Income by 2027

As per a Goldman Sachs report, the count of “affluent” Indians, individuals earning $10,000 or more annually, has surged 12 times faster than the overall population in the last four years, with an expected count of 100 million by 2027. This growing affluent class is significantly impacting consumption in areas like leisure, jewelry, out-of-home food, healthcare, and premium brands, with mid-teen growth anticipated in the medium term. The report highlights the outpacing growth of the affluent segment within the working-age population, contributi ..... Read More

Shyam Batra throws his hat into the 2024 London Mayoral race

Shyam Batra, a 62-year-old Indian-origin property entrepreneur, has joined the London mayoral race scheduled for May 2, 2024. He is committed to addressing issues stemming from a defunct police system and endeavors to restore London to its rightful place. Acknowledging the anticipated challenges, Batra expresses determination to create a safe and thriving London with the crucial support of its residents. He sees himself not merely as a political candidate but as someone who wishes to fix London and give people a voice. A key focus for Batra is ..... Read More

16 Indian Americans named NAI Fellows for contributions to innovation

The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has announced its 2023 Class of Fellows, which includes 16 Indian American inventors among the 162 academic inventors selected. Being elected as an Academy Fellow is considered the highest professional distinction exclusively for inventors. The honorees will receive their medals at the NAI 13th Annual Meeting on June 18, 2024, in Raleigh, North Carolina, where a senior official of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will present the awards. This year’s class emphasizes diversity, with un ..... Read More

Nikki Haley takes third place in Iowa Caucus 2024

In the initial race of the 2024 presidential election, Nikki Haley, a Republican, secured the third position in the Iowa Caucus on January 15, trailing behind former president Donald Trump, who garnered over 51 percent of the vote. Despite sub-zero temperatures, voters turned out in Iowa to cast their votes, making it a crucial event shaping the trajectory of the presidential primaries. Traditionally, Iowa serves as a pivotal indicator of primary outcomes. Haley claimed 19 percent of the vote, with DeSantis slightly ahead by fewer than 1,500 ..... Read More

Indian American-led company secures more than $26 million from the EPA

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is allocating more than $26 million to Z?m as part of the Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition. This funding is instrumental in Z?m’s mission to transition its school bus fleet to 100% electric vehicles, aligning with President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Additionally, the grant will support the expansion of Z?m’s AI-driven technology platform, crucial in the company’s broader goal to decarbonize the school bus industry and address climate change. Founded by Ritu Narayan, an immigran ..... Read More

Yogi Adityanath Introduces ‘Divya Ayodhya’ App: Explore Tourism Features

In preparation for the upcoming Ram Temple consecration ceremony, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated ‘Divya Ayodhya,’ a mobile app dedicated to tourism, aimed at enhancing the navigation experience for devotees and tourists exploring Ayodhya. This comprehensive platform caters to diverse needs, including itinerary planning, uncovering hidden gems, and immersing visitors in Ayodhya’s cultural tapestry. Detailed descriptions and timetables accompany information on key landmarks, temples, monasteries, and historical sites. T ..... Read More

PM Modi releases PM-JANMAN’s first installment to one million beneficiaries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi disbursed the initial installment to one million beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) through Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) via video conferencing. Over the last two months, 7500 camps in 100+ districts facilitated essential document creation, ensuring Adhar cards, birth certificates, and bank accounts for citizens to avail themselves of central government schemes. Various ministries have approved schemes amounting to $56.63 million, including durable housin ..... Read More

India requests the US to reinstate GSP status, enabling duty-free exports

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 t ..... Read More

India poised to be the top lentil producer in 2023-24, as per official statement

India is on track to claim the top spot as the leading global producer of lentils in the 2023-24 crop year, with an expected surge in production to about 1.6 million tonnes, as indicated by Consumer Affairs Secretary Mr. Rohit Kumar Singh. The government’s goal of achieving self-sufficiency in pulses by December 2027 is in progress, yet a dependence on imports is foreseen for some time. The projected lentil production for 2023-24 represents a substantial increase since 2017-18, propelled by a noteworthy rise in Minimum Support Price (MSP) and f ..... Read More

Science & Tech department teams up with ISRO to study river migration

The State Science and Technology and Biotechnology department have collaborated with ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) to conduct a comprehensive study on factors influencing river migration. This initiative, funded by the department, involves a two-year project in partnership with the Regional Remote Sensing Centre–East. The study gains significance following tragic incidents in October 2022 and 2023, involving flash floods in Jalpaiguri’s Malbazar and a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Sikkim’s Chungthang, causing significant los ..... Read More

Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy withdraws from White House race, pledges support to Trump

Vivek Ramaswamy, a wealthy former biotech executive, concluded his White House bid and threw his support behind Donald Trump after gaining attention but falling short in the Iowa Republican Party’s first nominating contest. Born in Ohio to immigrant parents from southern India, the 38-year-old became a surprise candidate in the 2024 Republican race, aligning himself staunchly with Trump. Despite securing attention for his youth, financial resources, and assertive campaigning, Trump criticized him before the Iowa caucus, damaging Ramaswamy’s sta ..... Read More

Nine-year-old Indian-American Preesha recognized among Johns Hopkins’ brightest students

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 ..... Read More

Ayodhya achieves a world record with installation of the longest solar light line

The Ayodhya administration is undertaking a groundbreaking effort to install the world’s longest solar light line ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony. Initially spanning from Guptar Ghat to Jhunki Ghat, the project is now extending further to Nayaghat, connecting previously segmented ghats seamlessly. In preparation for the Lord Ram Pran Pratishtha ceremony, the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is set to launch a massive cleanliness campaign in Ayodhya from Makar Sankranti. Following this, a statewide cleanl ..... Read More

PM Modi to undertake an 11-day fast preceding the pran-pratishtha ceremony of Ayodhya Ram Temple

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday that he will embark on a special 11-day ‘anushthan’ (ritual) starting today until January 22, coinciding with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla’s new idol in Ayodhya’s Ram Temple. Expressing gratitude for witnessing this “historic” and “auspicious” event, PM Modi highlighted the importance of representing all Indians during the consecration. Scheduled for January 22, the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the new idol of Ram Lalla in the upcoming Ram Temple will be performed by PM Modi himself. ..... Read More

Gujarat, led by CM Bhupendra Patel, aims semiconductor hub at Vibrant Gujarat 2024

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, particul ..... Read More

Indian banking’s revival key to India’s triumph, as per RBI Governor

Reserve Bank of India Governor, Mr. Shaktikanta Das, commended the substantial recovery of the Indian banking and financial sector following the Covid pandemic. Speaking at the Mint BFSI Summit in Mumbai, he highlighted the pivotal role played by the Indian banking system in the country’s recent economic achievements. Emphasizing its resilience, Mr. Das stated that the system is now well-prepared to actively contribute to India’s growth story in the upcoming years. Preserving the trust built over time in the banking and financial sector was und ..... Read More

India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, is on the brink of retirement

India’s ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, is approaching the conclusion of his tenure in Washington DC, with retirement scheduled by the end of January. With a career spanning over 35 years in government, Sandhu assumed the role of ambassador in DC in 2020. Beginning his diplomatic journey in 1988, he served as Third Secretary (political) in the Soviet Union (Russia) and later as Second Secretary of the Indian Mission in the Soviet Union until 1992. Post the Soviet Union’s dissolution, Sandhu played a crucial role in open ..... Read More

Laxman Narasimhan’s inaugural return to India as Starbucks CEO

Laxman Narasimhan, the Indian American CEO of Starbucks, recently undertook his first homecoming trip to India since assuming leadership. This two-city visit held special significance as Narasimhan spent his formative years in Pune and worked in Mumbai before his international career, adding a personal touch to the journey. In collaboration with Tata Starbucks Private Limited, Starbucks presently manages 390 stores in 54 cities across India, boasting a workforce of nearly 4,300 partners. The ambitious plan is to open an additional 1,000 stores ..... Read More

Praveen Madan appointed as CEO and publisher for Berrett-Koehler

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 fin ..... Read More

Is Nikki Haley on the brink of facing significant challenges?

Nikki Haley, the Republican Presidential candidate, exhibited a strong presence in the Jan. 10 debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, securing the second position in various polls. However, pundits, including her former rival Chris Christie, predict a challenge against former President Donald Trump as the primaries commence. Christie withdrew from the campaign just before the debate, leaving Haley to face Florida Governor Ron DeSantis alone. Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, unable to meet the 10 percent threshold in three separat ..... Read More

India, UAE aim for $100B trade: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal

During the 10th edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Piyush Goyal, addressed the ‘UAE India Business Summit.’ He outlined the ambitious goal of elevating bilateral trade between India and the UAE to US$ 100 billion. Mr. Goyal underscored the extensive collaboration opportunities, spanning areas like space exploration, security, education, and climate action. Commending the India-UAE partnership, Mr. Goyal highlighted the significant trade growth facilitated by the India- ..... Read More

Ayodhya Ram Mandir: UP Schools Close, Liquor Shops Shut on Jan 22

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the closure of educational institutions on January 22 for the Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, declaring it a holiday. He also announced the closure of liquor shops on this day, considering the event as a “national festival.” The state government, under CM Yogi’s leadership, is preparing for a smooth transportation experience for devotees during the ceremony. Taxi and tourist bus reservations will be arranged as needed, with instructions for safe driving, uniform wearing, and cleanline ..... Read More

Manish Prabhat appointed as India’s Ambassador to Denmark

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 ..... Read More

Dr. Sharad Bhaskaran leads historic U.S. moon landing after 50 years

NASA has initiated its first mission of 2024 under the CLPS initiative, sending five payloads to the Moon on Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander. Dr. Sharad Bhaskaran, originally from India and the Mission Director, leads the engineering team at Astrobotic Technology Inc. in Pittsburgh. Following Israel’s 2019 mission, this endeavor achieves major milestones, including the first U.S. lunar landing in over five decades and the inaugural flight of ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket. Formerly associated with Lockheed Martin, Bhaskaran brings 25 years of exper ..... Read More