Bobby Jindal quit as Louisiana governor January 14, 2016 15:45
Indian-American Bobby Jindal quitted office as Louisiana governor. He resigns from the post during his second four-year term. Bel Edwards, who is the lonely Democratic governor in the Deep South, took over his place. Mr. Jindal (44) said during an interview, that, he did not submit an application for the elected post and from now onwards he has decided to work with America Next, a think-tank he added. Jindal is the First Indian-American who holds the top position in the country. He was appointed 2 times for the governor post, first time, he elected as the governor of Louisiana in 2008. Earlier last year, Jindal announced himself as a contestant for the 2016 US presidential elections, but suddenly he took out his name a few months back saying, "This is not my time." According to the survey, Jindal’s failed to achieve people’s support and his campaign kept polling even less than one percent, while, in beginning he has seen like a rising star in the Republican party. He graduated from A Brown University, also he awarded by Rhodes scholarship. Nandini
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Indra Nooyi becomes Yale’s largest alumni donor January 14, 2016 10:10
The India born, the chair and chief executive of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi named as the highest alumni donor to the Yale university. She made the donation of an undisclosed amount to the Yale university. Ms. Nooyi graduated from Yale university in 1980. She , credited her experience at the school for "forever" altering "the course of my life" and said her gift "pales in comparison with the gift that Yale gave me the fundamental understanding that leadership requires an expansive worldview and a deep appreciation of the many points of intersection between business and society." She said in a statement that, "Business issues are never just business issues, and my most ardent hope is that this endowment will teach future generations of leaders that the most successful companies of tomorrow will do more than make money," she said in a statement. They will make a difference and create shareholder value by improving the quality of life in every market in which they operate,” she added. Peter Salovey, president of the Yale University, said, that, Nooyi's "sense of purpose, deep engagement with civic life, and the pursuit of excellence exemplify the kind of leadership in service to society that we hope all Yale graduates will achieve. The world needs skillful, purposeful, and dedicated leaders in every field and every sector, and Indra's name is synonymous with those core values of the university," he added. Ms. Nooyi, who is a member of the boards of US-China Business Council, the US-India Business Council and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Tsinghua University. Nooyi is one of the world’s most famous and powerful business women. Earlier, she was a member of the Yale Corporation. She also served as the member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Nooyi was also appointed by the US president, Barak Obama for the US-India CEO Forum. Nandini
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Indian Banks hike interest rates for foreign currency non-resident Indian deposits. January 05, 2016 16:43
Indian Bank, Public sector lender, has revised its interest rates upwards for NRIs with an immediate effect. The move from the public sector lender means to hike interest rates for foreign currency non-resident Indian deposits. The interest rate has been fixed at 1.88% for Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Banking) deposits in dollar terms, compared to existing 1.70% for one year deposits and above but less than two years. The revised interest rate is 2.16% from existing 2% for deposits of two years and above but less than three years, according to a Chennai-based bank. For deposits of three years and above but less than four years, the interest rate has been revised to 2.93% from the current 2.76%. The hike in interest rates was 3.12% from the current 2.95% for deposits of four years and above but less than five years. The interest rates have been fixed at 3.25% for of up to five years, compared to existing 3.09%. -Sumana
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Wanted NRI held in Portugal December 29, 2015 19:30
An appeal court in southern Portugal decided the custody of an NRI named, Paramjeet Singh, who is wanted by the Delhi Police for committing serious offenses including homicide and bomb attacks. Singh's Portuguese lawyer Manuel Luis Ferreira told AFP, "The judge decided to wait for a formal extradition request from the Indian authorities." The NRI was arrested when he was staying along with his wife and four children, in a hotel in the Algarve region of the southern Portugal. All children are aged under 11 years. Indian media reports that, Paramjeet Singh is an assertive Sikh activist. He was indulged in the two, 2010 bomb attacks in the northwest India and the killing of the Rulda Singh, the head of the Hindu nationalist movement Rashtriya Sikh Sangat. He is in the wanted lists of Delhi Police for both the offenses. According to the Lawyer of Singh, he will be in the Beja prison till at least January 4 during his police custody. Earlier, Paramjeet Singh has lived in the Britain, in political asylum since 2004, he added. - Nandini
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Son of an arrested NRI journalist seeks help from Ottawa December 05, 2015 20:20
The son of arrested Punjabi Canadian Journalist is seeking help from Ottawa to make sure his father is safe, after India TV showed a video where he claim that, he has been ill- treated in jail. Baltej Pannu, an NRI Radio Reporter from Canada has been arrested last week by Patiala police on charges of rape and fraud and threat on a complaint of a woman who claimed that, she has been duped into a sexual relationship under false charade. The woman said in an interview with thestar.com, that she was deceived by Pannu, who has promised to marry her and insisted to have sex. “Things are really very difficult, these allegations are true and I don’t want to explain everything,” the woman said over the phone from Patiala, said authorities. Actually, two years before, Indias’s Supreme court has ruled that consented sex as rape if the marriage is wrongly promised. “Any consent given under a misconception of fact, would not be considered as valid consent,” the court wrote in a May 2013 decision, “and thus, such a physical relationship would (be) tantamount to committing rape.” Pannu’s son, Jasdeep (23) said that, “It’s totally politically motivated. Everybody knows he was speaking against the government,”. The journalists in Canada are tremendously supporting him and demanding him to set free. Supports claim that, Pannu has been wrongfully arrested for reporting on government corruption and the racket of the drug trade in Punjab. Videos are posted by an Indian TV station, showing Pannu claiming on the question of a journalist that he has been harassed and humiliated in prison. The Canadian government is aware about the arrest of a Canadian citizen on charges of rape in the state of Punjab. Consular authorities are contacting with the local authorities. Officials are trying to assemble more information about the case, spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said in an emailed statement to thestar.com According to his son, Pannu has been sent to judicial custody till December 13. - Nandini
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Hindu gods as superheroes December 04, 2015 19:33
Have you ever imagined Gods and Goddess as superheroes? Sanjay Patel, an Indian American citizen made a short animated film that represents Hindu Gods as superheroes. The film is named ‘Sanjay’s Super Team’. “I told John Lasseter that every morning, my dad would pray to his gods and his shrine, and I would pray to my gods, and my shrine, which was the TV and the cartoon superheroes that I worshipped,” said by Patel to Wall Street Journal. The film is inspired by the director’s own childhood when he felt clashed with his family traditions. In the writer’s view, “it is a story of a little boy who rejects his culture, but during all of his childhood, how daily he and his father sat side by side performing meditation or puja. He said, my dad would pray to his god while I would worship my god that were the TV and cartoon characters. I was very nervous and worried about to make such a film, but since I got approval for the project from US studios, I felt it is possible to do it.” The Writer, director, said, “I am not at all religious even I have been in India hardly for two months, but I would love to come back with my parents. It seems like a dream to travel to our origin and connect with them. I am just curious about existential things and always wanted to turn them into a story. Indian Vedas and its mythology seem to be amazing to me. Besides this, as more as I read about Indian culture, tradition, Vedas found loving in all such stories, it also helped me to understand my parents view and how those matters to them.” Patel joined the Pixer Animation Studios in 1996 and animated many animation films like ‘’A Bug’s Life’’, “Ratatouille”, “Cars” and “Toy Story 3”. ‘Sanjay’s Super Team’ is now nominated amongst the 10 best animation films and is on the way to the voting process for the 88th Oscar Award. -Nandini
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Indian Family In Northern Ireland Faces Racial Attack November 30, 2015 14:56
According to media reports, an Indian family faced racial attack in Northern Ireland as their car that was in the premises of their house was completely destroyed in a fire on Friday morning. Subi Philip was forced to run with her two children, aged eight and ten, from their house in Antrim county. Her husband Philip has gone to India for the funeral of his father. The attack was being treated by the police as hate crime.Police officer John Allen said, "We believe the attack was motivated by racial hatred," "Any attack on property is unacceptable, however, I totally condemn the racial hate crime element of this attack, which makes it particularly repugnant," Allen added. Subi Philip, a cardiac nurse, said her family was left in “distraught” due to the attack. A noise outside their house alerted them. She told BBC, "I heard a bang and saw a big fire. When I came downstairs, I started screaming,""My girls did not know why I was screaming and they were screaming too. I got panicked," she added. The noise made her neighbors to come to help and asked her to come out. Due to the fear that they were the arsonists, she refused to leave house."I was scared. I was not sure if they were there to attack me and my girls or not," she said. The local Indian community members gathered at the house in her support.-Sumana
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Memorial plaque unveiled in Australia for Indian techie November 26, 2015 18:19
According to media reports, the family of an Indian IT consultant unveiled a plaque in honor of her. She was stabbed to death in Australia's Sydney city in 2015. ABC reported that the memorial was unveiled at Parramatta Park. It was the same one where Prabha Arun Kumar, 41, was stabbed to death on 7 March 2015. Her family, including her husband, parents, daughter and brother walked on the same path that she walked on the night she was killed. All of them were present at the unveiling.At the time of attack, the lady was on phone with Arun Kumar, her husband, who lives in Bangalore, India. She also told her husband about a suspicious-looking man, who was following her before she began to plead not to harm her. "I think I've been stabbed," she told her husband as she collapsed. Later CCTV footage of the incident was released by Police later. Till now, no arrest was made in connection with the murder.-Sumana
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Indian-origin student wins presidential scholarship in US November 21, 2015 15:13
An Indian-origin student studying in a US college, named Aashrit Abhinav Sundar, has won a presidential scholarship for outstanding academic merit as well as exceptional commitment to culinary arts field.Aashrit won the award from the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts in Chicago. According to a news report, the scholarship was awarded after a final interview with Emily Williams Knight, the president of the college.Knight said, "Throughout his life, Aashrit has demonstrated a passion for the hospitality and culinary industry and a drive to build a remarkable career in the field of baking and pastry,""Having completed his hospitality management degree in India, Aashrit now wants to take his love for baking and pastry and attend one of the best programmes in the US," she added. In October 2015, Sundar started classes at the institution and pursuing an "Associate of Applied Science in Baking and Pastry". The 50% of the total program’s cost will be covered by the scholarship. "Aashrit is confident, driven, and passionate about his field of study. It is clear that he is a leader and he is an example of the type of student that will thrive and lead the industry in the future," Knight noted. US Presidential Scholars ProgramThe US Presidential Scholars Program is designed by the department of education to recognize the academic achievements of notable US citizens graduating high school and is considered in the US as "one of the nation's highest honours for high school students". The presidential scholarship in Kendell College, founded in 1934, is awarded to one international student each academic term, provided the student demonstrates superior academic achievement besides passion in the area of their study.-Sumana
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AAP leaders look towards NRI Punjabi diaspora in view of 2017 polls November 17, 2015 17:48
Recently, Bihar polls ended and now the focus is being shifted on to 2017 Punjab assembly polls. Keeping the 2017 Punjab assembly polls in mind, delegation of AAP leaders flew to Canada to encourage the NRI Punjabi diaspora. The leaders look forward to woo the Punjabi diaspora settled in the North American country and strengthen the voter base of the Party in the state besides attracting overseas donation.Top AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Ashutosh with other State leaders have began to hold dialogues with the natives of Punjab. It is the second visit of Singh to Canada in 2015.Ashutosh said over phone,"The trip is meant for interaction and engagement with those who belong to Punjab." A party leader was quoted by TOI as saying that, "Canada is to the people of Punjab what Delhi and Mumbai are to Biharis and UPiites. A lot of migrant population from the state is settled in Canada and therefore, households in each village will have someone or the other working in Canada." "The Indians working in Canada not only hold economic power because of the money they send back, but can also influence voters. More importantly, they are also a major source of fund for the party," the AAP leader said. Major contributions of the overseas donations received by the AAP are from the US and Canada. Even during the Lok Sabha polls, it was sought by the part to reach and interact with Punjab natives in Canada.According to the AAP leader, "During such visits, we canvas support for the party and such delegations also help spread party's tentacles. In fact all the parties do this." -Sumana
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Grassley-Durbin Reform Bill To Block Guest Workers From India November 16, 2015 11:41
A bipartisan legislation, the Grassley-Durbin reform bill, was introduced by two US Senators targeting the reformation of the controversial H1-B and L-1 visa programs. Since the program was introduced in 1991, more than a million professional guest workers have come to the US and eventually became permanent US residents and citizens.Senators Chuck Grassley (Republican) and Dirk Durbin (Democrat) are two foremost critics of the programs, who argue that the original purpose of the guest worker visas were consistently being violated and abused. They both have introduced a bill to ensure a higher check and roadblocks on companies, which according to them have played games to grab American jobs using wage arbitrage. The Grassley-Durbin bill will not allow companies to hire H-1B employees more than 50 people and if over 50% of their employees hold H-1B and L-1visas. The bill permits the department of labour to review, investigate, and audit compliance of the employer with the requirements of the program, besides penalizing fraudulent or abusive conduct. Also, the Bill requires the production of extensive statistical data regarding H-1B and L-1programs, including data related to wages, worker education, gender, and place of employment.In a statement upon introducing the bill, Senator Grassley said, "The H-1B visa programme was never meant to replace qualified American workers, but it was instead intended as a means to fill gaps in highly specialised areas of employment that cannot be filled by Americans. The abuse of the system is real, and media reports are validating what we have argued against for years, including the fact that Americans are training their replacements."Durbin said, "For years, foreign outsourcing companies have used loopholes in the laws to displace qualified American workers and facilitate the Altoutsourcing of American jobs. The H-1B and L-1Visa Reform Act would end these abuses and protect American and foreign workers from exploitation." However, the Grassley-Durbin reform bill will enable continued stay of foreign students and passage in the US by the prioritization of the annual allocation of H-1B visas. This is for the first time that the new system would ensure Bright students educated in the US would be preferred for a H-1B visa.-Sumana
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UK Student Visa Issue Raised By PM Modi With Cameron November 13, 2015 12:49
Concern was expressed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his British counterpart David Cameron over the decline in the number of students from India moving to study in the UK due to the problems or issues they encounter while applying for visas. Ministry of external affairs spokesperson said, "The Prime Minister raised the issue [of student visas] very strongly. The Prime Minister said that Indian student numbers in the UK has fallen by 50 per cent in the last three years,""He urged that Indian students are among the best and the brightest in the world and it would be a win-win partnership for both sides. Indians needing a quality education and the UK benefiting from the expertise that Indian students bring," the spokesperson said. "The Prime Minister said we are right now in a situation where countries are actually wooing Indian students because India has the biggest education market today. There's a burgeoning middle class, there is an aspirational upper class that wants to educate its kids abroad and it's an opportunity to tap into what has become a big economic market." Referring to the response from Cameron on the issue, the spokesperson said: "There was a lot of understanding and appreciation. This is a matter for continued discussion. I don't think we can close the chapter on this."As per the Higher Education Funding Council for England report, the deep steep in the fall of students moving to the UK from India is observed from the figures. The number fell from 18,535 in 2010-11 to 10,235 in 2012-13.Earlier, the universities have warned about the negative impact from the drive of Conservatives to reduce net immigration. They said that the recruitment of international students is being hammered and called for the removal of students from net migration.The major factor that is putting Indian students off from choosing UK, is the removal of post-study work visa route that enabled the students to work for a period of two years after completing the course. Indian students are selecting destinations like the US and Australia.-Sumana
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