PERIODICAL INDEX Letters to the Editor...... A2 People...... A3 Immigration ...... A25 Business ...... A20 Community...... A27 Magazine ...... M1 Sports...... A26 www.rediff.com (Nasdaq: REDF) Pages: 36+20=56 Friday, July 5, 2013 Vol. XLIII No.44 $1 International Weekly Newspaper Chicago/Dallas Los Angeles NY/NJ/CT New York India Abroad Person of the Year Awards, honoring the community's best for 10 years

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THE EDITORIAL TEAM NEW YORK George Joseph spoke to our new New Abroad do not indicate that OCI card indicate that Diaspora Indians do not Aziz Haniffa, Editor Arthur J Pais, Editor, Features York Consul General Dnyaneshwar holders are not against renewal. want OCI renewal. Indian organiza- Suman Guha Mozumder, Associate Managing Editor Mulay on several subjects of impor- Articles and questions at meetings with tions in the United States are banding George Joseph, P Rajendran, Deputy Managing Editors Paresh Gandhi, Chief Photographer tance to the community (India Abroad, Indian authorities published so far also together to pursue consulates, the Ritu Jha, Special Correspondent June 21). Thanks for the effort. embassy and the Indian home min- Parimal Mehta, System Manager Production: Dharmesh Chotalia, Production Supervisor. However, I take issue with one istry to change the rules so that the Harish Kathrani question he asked. OCI card will be an independent David Richter, Production Controller, Editorial Regarding the renewal of the document and that there will not be CONTACT EDITORIAL Call: 212-929-1727 Overseas Citizenship of India card, any need to have that U stamp on Fax: 212-727-9730 he asked about the need to again the US passport, thus relieving the E-mail: [email protected] produce all the documents given at holders having to renew the OCI. MUMBAI the time of issuance along with Additionally, statements made by Vaihayasi Pande Daniel, Editorial Director, Features Dominic Xavier, Creative Head additional documents. Joseph said, Indian authorities indicate that the Uttam Ghosh, Joint Creative Head ‘Nobody is against renewal but we stamping on the US passport is Sumit Bhattacharya, Associate Managing Editor Monali Sarkar, News Editor are upset at about making the something to ensure security. But Sanjay Sawant, Satish Bodas, Creative Directors process complicated.’ they do not explain what that securi- Rukmani Sah-Mehta, Assistant Editor Shailaja Nand Mishra, Senior Production Coordinator I wonder how Joseph came to the ty issue is when the US already has conclusion that we Diaspora Indians standalone Green Card. THE BUSINESS TEAM DISPLAY ADVERTISING are not against renewal. Letters to Hari N Agrawal CONTACT THE DISPLAY ADVERTISING TEAM the editor published so far in India PARESH GANDHI By e-mail Toll free: 1-866-702-1950 Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay Fax: 212-627-9503 E-mail:[email protected] Geeta Singh Sales Executive with Perkins to set up Voice and Vision, state there has its language, its food Jitender Sharma Associate Sales Manager A fine role model a training program in India for teach- and even clothing. An item in India Abroad prompted ers of visually and hearing impaired America has a higher literacy rate, CLASSIFIEDS WANT TO INSERT A CLASSIFIED/MATRIMONIAL AD? me to write this letter. The piece, head- children. To date, Voice and Vision has and the people live with discipline and Call: 1-800-822-3532 lined ‘True Focus’ (Magazine, June 21), trained over 500 teachers all over clean, advanced technology, relying on Fax: 212-691-0873 E-mail: [email protected] profiles Kartik Sawhney, a visually India. hard work and honesty more than Shahnaz Sheikh Classified Manager impaired Delhi student, heading for My point is that children with India does. Sujatha Jilla Classified Assistant Manager Jim Gallentine Classified Representative Stanford University on a full scholar- impairments have only one hope for a American parents do not differentiate ship to pursue a five-year engineering better future: Education. Millions of between their sons and daughters. CIRCULATION CONTACT THE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT program after having been rejected by disabled children without access to They give equal freedom and rights to Call: 212-645-2369 the Indian Institute of Technology. education live in neglect and poverty. both of them. Indian parents tend to be Fax: 212-627-9503 E-mail: [email protected] In the interview, Kartik talks about Only education can restore their self- biased more towards their sons than Subscription toll free number: 1-877-INDIA-ABROAD (1-877-463-4222) Anjali S Maniam Associate Vice President, Marketing & Special Events the challenges and hurdles he had to esteem and ability to fight social stig- their daughters — whether they live in Balagopal Rajagopal, Database Administrator face along the way. Undoubtedly, visu- mas and discrimination attached with India or abroad. Suresh Babu ally impaired children — just like chil- disability. However, the efforts of IAEF Americans do not spend much money THE INDIA BUSINESS TEAM dren with other types of impairments and other charitable organizations ded- on weddings and other social cere- Nikita Pai, Deputy Chief Manager. Call: 91-22-24449144, extension 320 — face tremendous odds so their suc- icated to remedy the situation remain monies — not even the rich. Indians REDIFF.COM EDITORIAL TEAM cess rate is exceptionally low. Public contingent upon the public support for spend exorbitant sums on weddings, Saisuresh Sivaswamy, Senior Editorial Director. Sheela Bhatt, Senior Editorial Director, News schools often do not have properly this cause. with the poor even borrowing money to Ivan Crasto, Editorial Director, Sports trained teachers as well as tools — Thank you, India Abroad, for high- fulfill their social obligations. Shobha Warrier, Associate Editorial Director Prithviraj Hegde, Editor, News, Nandita Malik, Editor, Business Braille printers, audio books, Job lighting a role model for children with Americans save their money so that Savera R Someshwar, Archana Masih, Syed Firdaus Ashraf, Managing Editors Access With Speech and similar soft- disabilities who need inspiration from they can see the world. Indian save Rajesh Karkera, Joint Creative Head A Ganesh Nadar, Indrani Roy Mitra, Seema Pant, Ronjita Kulkarni, Swarupa Dutt, ware — to meet the special needs of success stories like Kartik’s. money to show the world that they Associate Managing Editors visually impaired children. Charitable Prem Kumar have big houses, spend a lot on wed- Prasanna D Zore, Vikash Nanjappa, Deputy Managing Editors Rupali S Nimkar, Senior Assistant Managing Editor schools trying to provide basic educa- Executive Director, Indian American dings and other luxuries. Onkar Singh, Sanaya Dalal, Assistant Managing Editors N V Reuben, Senior Art Director tion to these children face even greater Education Foundation Given all these handicaps its people Uday Kuckian, Art Director challenges for want of resources. PO Box 4305, Seattle, WA 98194 have to deal with, is it a wonder that Puja Banta, Chief Features Editor Vipin Vijayan, Sanchari Bhattacharya, Chief News Editors With this in mind, in 2001, a grass- India cannot do as well as America? Harish Kotian, Deputy Sports Editor roots nonprofit organization, Indian Tejinder Dhillon Patcy Nair, Bikash Mohapatra, Chief Features Editors Unfair to blame Abhishek Mande, Senior Associate Editor American Education Foundation, By e-mail Rajorshi Sanyal, Deputy News Editor decided to commit its resources exclu- India Gauri Ghadi, Senior Assistant Editor Sonil Dedhia, Principal Correspondent sively to support charitable schools and Is it fair to criticize India on the vari- Mahipal Soni, Director, Operations (Editorial) organizations — including the National ety of issues it is blamed for? Scam alert: In New Aslam Hunani, Joint Director, Operations (Editorial) Ashish Narsale, Associate Director, Operations (Editorial) Association of the Blind — in India for There is big difference between York too Rajesh Alva, Manager, Operations (Editorial) children with disabilities. America and India. The two main dif- Regarding Anil Sarkar’s letter about Manisha Deshpande, Senior Visuals Coordinator Anant Salvi, Visuals Coordinator To address the chronic shortage of ferences are population and land area. someone trying to extract money by trained teachers of special education, India has four times the population of claiming they are from the Internal India Abroad Publications, Inc A subsidiary of Rediff.com India Ltd. the IAEF sponsored teachers from America and has around one-fourth of Revenue Service (India Abroad, June

Ajit Balakrishnan India to undergo a 10-month training its land area. 21), a similar incident happened to me. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer program at Perkins School for the The majority of the people speak one June 13, someone called me from

EDITORIAL & CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS Blind in Boston. Realizing that the language, English, in America while (734)8478658 and asked for money in 42 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10004 process was slow and prohibitively there are about 15 ‘official’ languages in the same manner Mr Sarkar described. MAIN OFFICE: Call: 646-432-6000 expensive to train a large number of India. People speak a different lan- M M Maheshwari Fax: 212-627-9503 teachers, in 2006 the IAEF partnered guage every 300 miles in India. Every New York Web site: http://ia.rediff.com/index.html A3 Who you gonna call? Filibuster!

PEOPLE

India Abroad July 5, 2013

ast week belonged to the Democratic Texas Senator in pink tennis shoes, and Wendy Davis’s fan club included desis across the United States. As the

L GUNJESH DESAI Senator kept going, filibustering the Senate Bill 5 — or SB Ami Bera Kamala Harris Wendy Davis 5, which would have effectively banned abortions after the 20th week of a pregnancy and shut 37 of the state’s 42 stands with TX women. Tweet your support to The issue was clearly close to Timmaraju, who was abortion clinics — Ami Bera, the only serving Indian- @WendyDavisTexas! @PPActionCA.’ Bera’s chief of staff, raised in Texas: ‘Remembering conversation I once had American Congressman and newly minted India Abroad Hyderabad-born Mini Timmaraju, was way more active with the late Senator Mario Gallegos,’ she wrote. ‘He said Person of the Year 2012, tweeted: ‘RT to on the social networking site than her boss. She tweeted to stop the extremists we needed to “fill the gallery”.’ Also #StandUpForWomen. Fought #WarOnWomen bill today the previous day: ‘Apologies in advance but tomorrow I showing support for Senator Davis was journalist-turned- that robs women of their abortion rights at 20 weeks.’ am sure I will be speaking with a Texas accent ALL DAY writer Sonia Faleiro, who tweeted: ‘A hundred men can’t California Attorney General Kamala Harris declared: ‘CA Y’ALL. #standwithwendy’ stand down one strong women. #istandwithwendy’. In Dosas they trust awahar Chirimar and Sam Subramaniam love their Dosa, and they want the world to see what they see in the famed South JIndian dish. For more than a year now, the two former invest- ment bankers — who have together managed about $1.5 billion in assets and have more than 20 years of experience each in investing and managing firms, including restaurants — ‘have been experi- menting and trying to redesign the Dosa to make it more appealing to the Western palate,’ reports The Economic Times. Chirimar, a University of Pennsylvania alumnus who has worked with Citi and Lehman Brothers in the United States, told the news- paper, ‘For Americans, our (Indian) food is too heavy and spicy. As a result, most Indian restaurants here are frequented by those coming from the subcontinent. An American usually does not go to these restaurants more than once a week or month.’ Keeping this in mind, they say, they recreated the Dosa as a wrap (Masala Dosa, anyone?) — ‘a quick-service format that is healthy and can be eaten daily.’ ‘We have created multiple Dosa batters,’ Chirimar was quoted as saying. ‘In addition to the traditional Dosa batter of lentil and rice, we are running a focus group to check three other kinds. There is one with Dal and whole wheat, one with Dal and oats, and a third with Dal and black rice.’ Chirimar and Subramaniam, in association with Chennai-based restaurateur M Mahadevan, plan to launch the first outlet of Soho Tiffin in New York this Diwali. CREDIT: STATE DEPARTMENT PHOTOGRAPH DEPARTMENT STATE CREDIT: Neha Juneja showcases her low-cost thermoelectric modules to Secretary of State John Kerry

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s America — well assumed had real- most of it, one ized — having met Ahopes — cele- his partner Larry on brates the landmark two visits to India — judgment on gay mar- till he proposed the riage, Manil Suri writes hand of his closest about his coming out friend’s daughter in experience with his marriage. Despite parents, and of India’s Suri explaining that reaction to homosexu- he was in a relation- ality, in the recent issue ship with Larry for of Granta magazine. 12 years, he says his The essay, headlined father ‘looked puz- ‘How to be Gay and zled, but also expec- Indian’, narrates the tant, as if still wait- mathematician-writer’s ing to hear whether experience with his I was interested in mother, a psychology pursuing the mar- postgraduate, who told riage proposition or

him ‘At twelve… I not’. Suri points to DOMINIC XAVIER might soon be attract- the difference in his ed to boys — a normal COMMONS CREATIVE JOSÉ VILLARRUBIA/WIKIMEDIA parents’ reactions istorian William Dalrymple has too hard to conform to Washington nar- part of growing up, and writes: found himself at the receiving end rative’), even as Indian journalist Ashok and just a phase, according to Freud.’ ‘What remains to be seen, though, is Hof a fair deal of criticism. The rea- Malik pulled no punches, describing the Suri then goes on to explain his moth- which of my parents the country will son is his essay, ‘A Deadly Triangle: essay as ‘an act of spectacular buffoonery’. er’s transformation from being accepting emulate in its evolution. Will India take Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India’, written Washington-based journalist Seema of his sexuality in private to finally after my father, to carry on in outward for The Brookings Institute, a major Sirohi wrote a full-length —not to men- approving of it in public. He writes of his affability as before, not revealing whether Washington, DC, think tank. Dalrymple tion stinging — piece on Firstpost.com: returning to Mumbai on a short vacation it has truly embraced the new visibility, suggests that at the heart of the current ‘(Dalrymple’s) theory fits right into when his mother, who ‘seemed to take my decided to ignore it, or struggles for rec- war in Afghanistan is the hostility Washington’s most popular narrative revelation rather well’, asked him not to onciliation? Or will there be convulsions between India and Pakistan. Needless to about South Asia — India-Pakistan rival- reveal his preferences before anyone else along the way, emotional peaks and val- say, Indian-Americans including ry is the root of all evil. It is regularly pro- — especially his father, ‘who didn’t have leys like the ones displayed by my mother, Sadanand Dhume, Sunanda Vashisht and moted by US analysts and officials. It the benefit of her psychology education.’ before the country can ease its way to a Dhruva Jaishankar were among the first ends with the fond hope that if only India Even as his mother would yo-yo place of acceptance? Either way, I suspect to have tweeted their disagreement with would resolve the Kashmir problem as between acceptance and rejection, it the end result will be similar — as it Dalrymple’s narrative. Vashisht seemed the Pakistanis fervently want things would be a while before Suri would have almost invariably does in India, accom- rather polite (‘Just read William would settle down.’ May we suggest ‘The Conversation’ with his father, who he modation will win the day.’ Dalrymple’s essay for Brookings. One Charlie Wilson’s War for you, Mr word: Horrified. Good old Will has tried Dalrymple? Rocking with Rushdie wo weeks ago, Twitter gawkeratti — pardon the mixed digital metaphors — were treated Tto a rather fascinating conversation between drummer, DJ, music journalist and record produc- er Ahmir Khalib Thompson and Salman Rushdie. Thompson, best known as Questlove, the skin- beater in the Grammy-winning band — and Late Night with Jimmy Falon house band — The Roots, wrote: ‘At a Madonna party w/ @StevenMandel....but somehow he & I are more mindblown that @SalmanRushdie is here.’ The Booker-winning writer responded right back: ‘@questlove @stevenmandel thank you! Wish you’d said hello. Big fan of the Roots.’ A clearly awestruck Questlove tweeted ‘!!!!!! Had no idea you knew we/i existed!’ Rushdie’s reply: ‘:) I’m not totally ignorant you know. I even wrote a novel about rock&roll once. Anyway, hello.’ For those of you who like such trivia, Rushdie featured in U2’s music video The Ground Beneath Her Feet (based on the novel of the same title), but his tryst with the music industry goes back to the late ‘70s, when he wrote The Best Dreams Begin with B, sung by George Chandler of the British funk band Olympic Runners. Questlove. Inset, Salman Rushdie LUCAS JACKSON/REUTERS India Abroad July 5, 2013 US SPECIAL/MARRIAGE EQUALITY A5 ‘Just as it should be’ Elation sweeps through the lesbian and gay community after the Supreme Court ruling. Aziz Haniffa reports

ome of the most high profile Indian-American gays and lesbians hailed the Supreme Court’s decision last Sweek that found the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. The Supreme Court also declined to rule off Proposition 8, leaving the legal status of same-sex marriages in California unclear, although it’s only expected to be tempo- rary with Attorney General Kamala Devi Harris — an ardent supporter of the LGBT community — vowing to make such marriages legal. “The Supreme Court’s ruling was an important step for- ward for our country and for the world.” Parag V Mehta, a communications specialist at the Department of Labor, told India Abroad. “Just as our democracy has been the template for others, I hope that we will now see progress on gay rights in countries like India.” Mehta, 36, was on then President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team (India Abroad, November 28, 2008), and is a former director, external communications, for the Democratic National Committee. Samina Singh and Ashley Bell at their wedding Worcester, Massachusetts-born, Temple, Texas-raised Mehta added: “So, I guess I can now look forward to being nagged by my uncles and aunties with ‘So, beta, when are you getting married?’ just like my straight brothers and sis- ters. Isn’t equality wonderful?” The ruling also means, he pointed out, “that gay and les- bian couples will now be able to access more than 1,100 federal rights that were previously denied to us. One of those rights is for those of us with non-citizen spouses to be treated equally under US immigration law. As someone who is in a committed relationship with an Indian citizen, this is vital for me. It means that I can build a life with the man I love. We can be a family, not just in each other’s eyes, but also in the eyes of the law. And that is just as it should be.” Mehta’s partner, Dr Vaibhav Jain, told India Abroad, “As an immigrant of Indian origin in a same-sex relationship with an Indian American, the ruling against DOMA means greater security and respect for me, for us.” Jain, a global health fellow with the World Health Organization who is doing his master’s in public health at George Washington University, added, “The future looks so much brighter today.” Shamina Singh, a vice president at MasterCard Worldwide, told India Abroad, “The United States Professor J P Singh and Chuck Johnson at their wedding Parag Mehta and Vaibhav Jain Supreme Court decisions to allow and recognize marriage equally — regardless of gender — has brought us all a huge step forward in realizing the dream of my parents and all relationship is now recognized and protected by the feder- Johnson “have been together for almost 18 years now and who come here to live with dignity and without fear.” al government, in addition to our home state of New York. come from Shimla Hills and Mississippi respectively. We Singh, the first executive director of the White House We celebrate that this ruling extends protections to 30 per- are married in the District of Columbia and we are now Initiative on Asian and Pacific American Islanders (Clinton cent of American same-sex couples living in equality states. ecstatic to see the legal and legislative hurdles fall to the administration), said, “When Ashley (Bell) and I had our We will continue to work for those couples in our home wayside slowly but surely.” marriage ceremony six years ago in a beautiful cherry blos- states in the south and across the US, so that they too may Professor Singh, the editor of Stanford’s Emerging som field surrounded by our friends and families, we cele- have civil recognition of their relationships in the near Frontiers in the Global Economy, added, “Sadly, though, we brated a relationship built on love, trust and faith. When future. We live openly so that the younger generation can both also know we have our work cut out for us when we we went to city hall and signed papers in front of the clerk, see that two people can thrive in a loving relationship and return home to Himachal Pradesh or to Mississippi where we were grateful to a state that recognized our union. enjoy support from their community, families, religion, and most people remain orthodox, and often openly bigoted, on When the decision to strike DOMA came down, we now by the United States government. We try to be the the issue or same relationships and marriage.” rejoiced that we live in a country that affords us the same change we wish to see in the world.” Mississippi born and raised Johnson is vice president of rights and protections as any other married couple.” Professor J P Singh, who teaches global affairs and cul- policy at the Aluminum Association in Washington, DC. “As Americans and taxpayers,” Bell told India Abroad, tural studies at George Mason University in Fairfax, “We met in 1995 in Oxford, Mississippi, when I was “we are thrilled to have the security of knowing that our Virginia, told India Abroad that he and his partner Chuck teaching there,” Singh said. A6 US SPECIAL/MARRIAGE EQUALITY India Abroad July 5, 2013

A rose is placed on a sign as people celebrate the Supreme Court ruling, in West Hollywood, California, June 26.

Supreme Court ruling a ‘bad decision.’ He said he will veto a same-sex marriage bill if passed in the state legislature. The New York Times pointed out a scenario, explaining the situation in states that do not recognize same-sex mar- riage. Consider two women living at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, who travel to Maine to get married. When they get back to the base, the military will recognize their marriage, affording them benefits that would go to any married couple, like health care and a housing allowance. But once they exit Keesler’s gates, they will find their marriage license means nothing to the state of Mississippi, where same-sex couples cannot adopt children and employers can fire someone who is gay. “All of us at the are incredibly excited that the Supreme Court struck down DOMA,” said Sarah Joseph Kurien of the South Asian Lesbian and Gay Association of New York City. Citing a court decision in New York that halted the deportation of a same-sex partner, she said, “While we’re heartened by news that some immigration judges have already halted deportations thanks to this decision, we’re definitely keeping a close watch on the consequences of the decision on immigration reform.” Kalra noted, “Democrats will no longer need to push for an amendment to the immigration reform bill. Secretary Janet Napolitano stated that the Department of Homeland Security will ‘implement the decision so that all married couples will be treated equally and fairly in the administra- tion of our immigration laws’. We still do not know how

KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/GETTY IMAGES soon that will happen, but hope that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services will soon make an announce- ment regarding this. One thing is clear — the USCIS will no longer have a legal basis to ban same-sex married cou- Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Rhode Island and ples from seeking immigration benefits.” Washington from August 1. And also in California. Does this mean US citizens and lawful permanent resi- New Jersey, which has a large desi population, does not dents can now sponsor their foreign national spouses for a ‘Same-sex recognize same-sex marriage. Its Republican Governor Green Card or a visa? “Let us wait for procedures being married Chris Christie, a potential presidential candidate, called the established,” Kalra said. couples may be eligible to apply for Green Cards’

GEORGE JOSEPH

he end of the Defense of Marriage Act will open the immigration benefits gates for same-sex couples, Tattorneys pointed out. Even if such couples are not entitled to benefits in states that do not allow same-sex marriage, they can avail immigration benefits. “Immigration laws are federal,” explained attorney Akanksha Kalra, “which means that in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA, same-sex married couples may be eligible to apply for Green Cards. This important decision will play a major role in immigration reform.” Currently, same-sex marriage is legal only in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and the District of Columbia. With the Supreme Court ver- dict striking down DOMA, it will become legal in India Abroad July 5, 2013 A7 A8 US SPECIAL/MARRIAGE EQUALITY India Abroad July 5, 2013

me of my grandfather, who spent four years in prison for his contri- butions to Gandhi’s independence Celebrations in California, movement. He instilled in me the importance of standing up to injustice and the understanding that progress is always incremen- tal… The fight is far from over, and despite legalese if elected to Congress, I will work with the growing number of repre- sentatives who believe in equal rights to implement strong anti- discrimination statutes and to enact legislation to protect LGBTQ individuals from bullying and hate crimes.’ Raj Bhattar, director, LGBT Campus Resource Center, University of California-Los Angeles, told India Abroad, “As a South Asian person, marriage has always been an important mile- stone in our culture. And as a gay man I am happy that now I can get married and know that the federal government will recognize my love, relationship and family.” The ruling, Pratheepan ‘Deep’ Gulasekaram, associate professor, Santa Clara University School of Law, told India Abroad, “does not mean states must allow same-sex marriage. So, in order to take advantage of federal benefits for married couples, same-sex part- ners would still have to be in a state that will legally recognize their marriage.” Sunil R Kulkarni, senior coun- sel, University of California, also pointed out that the ruling “says nothing about whether states must recognize gay marriage.”

In the Proposition 8 case (Hollingsworth versus Perry), Kulkarni explained, two same-sex couples filed a suit against Proposition 8 in the federal court Celebrations in San Francisco. in San Francisco. The California RITU JHA government officials who would normally have defended the law in he State of California must now “Now I can get married in August,” court declined to do so. So the proponents recognize the right of same-sex said Monica D of Trikone, a San of Proposition 8 — the people who had Tcouples to legally marry, Francisco Bay Area nonprofit for LGBT placed it on the ballot in the first place — California Attorney general Kamala people of South Asian descent, told stepped in to defend the law, and the Harris said after last week’s Supreme India Abroad. She called it “a historic California Supreme Court — in response to Court ruling on Proposition 8. She decision” that will benefit the communi- a request by the lower court — ruled that asked the Ninth Circuit Court of ty. Trends have been shifting and atti- they could do so under state law. Appeals to lift its stay and allow same- tudes have changed toward support for At the trial court level, the same-sex cou- sex marriages in California. same-sex marriages, she declared. ples won, with the court holding that California Governor Jerry Brown “We also recognize,” she added, “that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. The echoed her, saying, ‘In light of the deci- marriage equality is only a small piece of US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit sion, I have directed the California our community’s broader efforts to also agreed on the merits that Proposition 8 Department of Public Health to advise reach equality. We will continue to seek was unconstitutional. the state’s counties that they must begin justice.” “The Supreme Court held by a 5-4 vote — issuing marriage licenses to same-sex Ro Khanna, Congressional candidate with Chief Justice Roberts writing the couples in California as soon as the from California’s 17th district, said he majority opinion — that the proponents do Ninth Circuit confirms the stay is lifted.’ was ‘ecstatic about the Supreme Court’s not have the legal right to defend the law in Meanwhile, LGBT groups across decision in striking down both court because those proponents had suf- California were on tenterhooks before Proposition 8 and DOMA, and I join fered no personal harm,” Kulkarni said. “As the ruling. California’s large and diverse LGBTQ a result, the decision by the Ninth Circuit “I could not sleep,” Manoj Kumar, community in celebrating this momen- was vacated, and has no legal effect, and president of Satrang, an LGBTIQQ tous victory for civil rights. It is fitting the Supreme Court sent the case back to (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, that this decision comes during Pride the Ninth Circuit with instructions for it to Queer and Questioning) community in Month, a time when we rejoice in the dismiss the case.” Southern California, told India Abroad. strides that have been made thus far to That means the trial court opinion “We are so excited, it was a long struggle MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS ensure the equal treatment of all stands, which means California can recog- and we faced so many huddles.” California Attorney General Kamala Harris. Americans. Moments like this remind nize gay marriages if it chooses. India Abroad July 5, 2013 A9 At the top of our class and at your service

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* Based upon 2010 annual premiums reported by SNL Financial. ** Based on a 2008 internal State Farm Claims department national study. *** Not available in all States. State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL A10 NEWS SPECIAL/KERRY IN INDIA India Abroad July 5, 2013 Kerry and India’s Afghan War

M K BHADRAKUMAR

he visit by Secretary of State John Kerry to Delhi last week Tbrought into focus the diver- gences that appeared lately regard- ing the Afghan situation against the backdrop of America’s peace talks in Doha with the Taliban. On the eve of Kerry’s arrival, Delhi took the unusual step of making it clear that apropos the differences that cropped up between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Obama administration regarding the Doha talks, its sympathy lies with Kabul. To be sure, India expounds the imperative need of an inclusive Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process and takes it very seriously that the ‘red line’ that the interna- tional community prescribed as the basis for any reconciliation with the Taliban should not be fudged — namely, the Taliban ending their longstanding ties with the Al Qaeda, bidding farewell to arms and respecting the Afghan constitu- tion and, of course, jettisoning their past practices of human rights abuse. Delhi is far from certain that the Taliban are anywhere near bidding farewell to arms and morphing into a political platform willing to share power. Nor does Delhi share the enthusiasm voiced by senior United States officials that there is a gen- uine shift in the Pakistani policy. Woven into all this is the deep con- cern that India’s national security JACQUELYN MARTIN/REUTERS interests might be jeopardized if the Secretary of State John Kerry, right, with Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, June 24. US strikes a deal with the Taliban in self-interest that might overlook Delhi’s concerns. In the event, Indian External Affairs Minister Salman will take place not with the United States but with the High Plainly put, Kerry suggested that ‘whatever India can do Khurshid stressed after the talks with Kerry June 24 that Peace Council of Afghanistan.’ in its relationship with President Karzai’ should be con- Delhi is determined to be ‘on the same page’ with the US Kerry affirmed categorically that the ‘conditions’ are not fined to persuading him to vacate the presidential palace and is willing to accept that the Doha talks are essentially going to change — ‘and if it is required to change, there peacefully by holding a credible election in April that has an ‘experiment’ in the search for ‘sustainable peace’ in obviously won’t be an agreement.’ But then, he also intro- the ‘five qualities’ of transparency, freedom, fairness, acces- Afghanistan. duced an element of ambiguity by saying, ‘But it is better to sibility and accountability. Equally, Khurshid signaled that Delhi accepts the assur- explore the possibilities of having a peaceful resolution and This will come as a bitter pill for the Indian pundits who ance given by Kerry that if and when the Doha talks pro- inclusion in a political process if it is possible. Ultimately, fancy a larger-than-life role for Delhi in the Afghan ceed — and he conspicuously stressed the ‘if’ — the US ‘will that will be decided by the Afghan people through this endgame. What emerges from Kerry’s talks in Delhi is that ensure that none of the concerns of India are overlooked or negotiation or it will be decided at the ballot box in 2014 while the US will do what is realistically possible to pay undermined.’ without the Taliban… So, we (US) hope is that this (Doha heed to India’s legitimate security concerns, it will not be Indeed, Khurshid added the caveat that ‘time will tell’ process) could provide an avenue for the reduction in vio- held hostage by Delhi from pursuing the chosen path lead- how the shared objective of India and the US in stabilizing lence. But there is certainly a course that we are committed ing to Doha in league with the ‘core players’ — as a top US Afghanistan and bringing about durable peace can be real- to, if it does not.’ official recently identified — namely, Afghanistan, Qatar ized. He also indicated that Delhi conveyed to Kerry its What does it all add up to? Conceivably, Washington will and Pakistan. apprehensions. not foist the ‘red lines’ as a precondition for the Doha talks It is a ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ offer from Kerry, which Delhi All in all, Khurshid hinted at a willing suspension of dis- but thinks it good enough if they emerge as an outcome of can ill afford to reject. Indeed, Indian Prime Minister belief in the best spirit of the US-India ‘defining partner- the talks. Second, the US is not going to be deterred from Manmohan Singh is due to visit Washington in September. ship.’ the Doha talks but is willing to keep India in the loop. It will be his last official trip to the US, and this is not the Kerry on his part offered to ‘consult very closely with Third and most important, the US sees only a limited time to allow a clutch of divergences over the Afghan India and with others in the region’ and that the US special political role for India in the Afghan transition as such, endgame to spoil the party. representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan would visit restricted to rendering ‘technical assistance’ to Kabul to Besides, Delhi would know that the Obama administra- Delhi ‘in order to brief officials directly.’ Significantly, he hold the presidential election due in coming April so that tion has embarked on the Doha track with deliberation added that the talks with the Taliban will take place only the election becomes ‘accessible, accountable, transparent, and will not be deflected from this path, as time is run- ‘under certain conditions. Thus far those conditions have free and fair.’ Kerry hastily clarified, ‘Obviously, India is not ning out for the drawdown of the North Atlantic Treaty not yet been met. So, there is no negotiation at this point. going to interfere’ in the forthcoming election leading to a If the conditions are met, then there is a negotiation that political transition in Afghanistan. Page A12 India Abroad July 5, 2013 NEWS SPECIAL/KERRY IN INDIA A11 The new US-India paradigm

The push-back by Hillary Clinton was no longer available to keep the proponents of the thesis away that somehow it was India’s problem that Pakistan misbehaves in Afghanistan or misbehaves at all

K C SINGH Kerry also maintained that the red lines ecretary of State John Kerry’s laid in the past about Taliban accepting the India trip was for the fourth Afghan constitution, delinking from Al SUnited States-India Strategic Qaeda and promising not to allow its soil Dialogue. Being his first after assum- being used to export terror would not be ing office, and almost five months into compromised. his term, he really was here to pick up These are easy commitments to give, the threads from where Hillary knowing the character of the Afghans who Clinton, one of the most India sympa- are capable of subterfuge to circumvent thetic of the holders of that position, them, observing them only in form. had left them. For instance, the epicenter of terrorism is Kerry, perceived as friendly not only in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to the Pakistanis but perhaps even of Pakistan and no longer in Afghanistan. more so with the Pakistani army chief The Taliban can keep their links across the General Ashfaq Kayani, arrived need- border and deny them to the world. ing to dispel that impression. Some Similarly, the Al Qaeda genie is no longer US analysts maintain that Kerry, real- run from a corporate headquarters in Af- izing that having already been a losing Pak region. It is an idea that has spread presidential candidate and thus per- globally through the cyber world and get- haps with no shot at the high office ting replanted in diverse regions in North again, wants to use the office to craft his legacy by tackling the long brewing Israel-Palestine dispute, as indeed the Page A12 out of control crisis in Syria. JACQUELYN MARTIN/REUTERS He also has to ensure an orderly exit Secretary of State John Kerry with Indian Prime Minister of US and International Security Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, June 24. Assistance Force troops from Afghanistan. The evening before the talks, June 23, Holbrooke having failed at the start of the Kerry delivered an address to the think Obama presidency. tank and journalist community at New The push-back by Hillary Clinton was no Delhi’s Habitat Centre. After humoring the longer available to keep the proponents of audience with ‘the special energy of this the thesis away that somehow it was India’s city’ and even attempting a Hindi phrase ek problem that Pakistan misbehaves in or ek gyaran (one and one add to 11) he got Afghanistan or misbehaves at all. This is a down to defining his priorities. He saw US- dangerous line and hopefully was resound- India relations tethered to three futures: ingly countered in the dialogue. The obse- Planet’s health, economic growth and secu- quious and fawning behavior of Indian rity. External Minister Salman Khursheed was To take the last first, he placed the securi- hardly reassuring in this regard. ty issue in the regional context. To stabilize Further confirming the Kerry slant was Afghanistan the New Silk Route needs to that the killing of jawans returning from be built, that is, Afghanistan connecting leave in Srinagar June 24, and within min- South Asia with Central Asia. utes of the Kerry-Khursheed joint press He saw a ‘new dynamic’ in Pakistan fol- conference, elicited neither condemnation lowing Nawaz Sharif’s electoral triumph nor condolences from Kerry — neither then and his advice was for India and Pakistan nor later. This tone-deafness on Pakistan- to invest in each other. There was not a sponsored terror was related to an anxiety word about Pakistan’s terror network, the to keep Islamabad in good humor to facili- recent dole by the PML-N to the outfit of tate the Afghanistan end-game. Hafiz Saeed or the procrastination in That leads to the Afghanistan and bringing the perpetrators of 26/11 to jus- Taliban issue. Kerry came to India from tice. Qatar, where the manner of opening of the The only concession he had made was by Taliban office defied all sense. delinking his swinging through Pakistan How could the Taliban be allowed to after his India visit on his way back to the begin from where they left off in 2001, as Gulf. an entity representing a parallel govern- The real game began to emerge when ment when there is a duly elected govern- Strobe Talbot-led Brookings had William ment in Kabul? The sharp reaction in Delhi Dalrymple write a piece on the and an even sharper one in Kabul at least Afghanistan-Pakistan-India dynamic, bor- made the Taliban pull their flag down. But rowing from his account of the same region the problem is not resolved. Kerry’s assur- in his book The Return of the King, a tale of ance was not heard from his mouth but the rise and death of Shah Shuja in the from that of Khursheed — that Indian con- mid-19th century. The three were being cerns would not be ‘overlooked or under- hyphenated again, the earlier attempt by mined.’ COURTESY: THE STATE DEPARTMENT A12 NEWS SPECIAL/KERRY IN INDIA India Abroad July 5, 2013 Kerry and India’s Afghan War

Page A10

Organization troops in Afghanistan and the conclu- sion of the status of forces agreement concerning the establishment of nine American military bases, which is a crucial template of America’s ‘rebalancing’ in Asia. At any rate, India’s capacity to influence the reconcil- iation process with the Taliban is very limited. At best it can only appeal to America’s goodwill. Paradoxically, India’s trump card in Afghanistan has been its won- derful equation with Karzai, but then, America’s prin- cipal objective in the coming 10-month period is to ensure that the Afghan leader relinquishes his job and walks into the sunset so that a fresh start is possible in Kabul. As for the erstwhile Northern Alliance groups, they no longer eat out of Indian hands and have deal- ings with other benefactors, including the US and Pakistan. The fundamental contradiction in the Indian policy is that Delhi views the stabilization of Afghanistan as a paradigm of regional security and stability, whereas for the US it is a necessary phase for the advancement of its ‘rebalancing’ strategy in the southwest Asian region bordering China, Russia and Iran. Clearly, if Washington has a fighting chance to make a success of the Doha process, it will be thanks to the helping hand of the Pakistani military. Kerry broke protocol and held two one-on-one meetings with the Pakistani army chief Ashfaq Kayani, which only opened the door leading to the path to Doha. Besides, Pakistani military’s full cooperation is an absolute pre- DANISH ISMAIL/REUTERS requisite for the US at this point to ferry the war equipment out of Afghanistan through the transit routes An Indian soldier runs for cover at the scene of a gun battle in Srinagar, June 24. The killing of Indian army troopers June 24 elicited connecting Karachi port. Nor has the US any option but to neither condemnation nor condolences from Kerry tap into Pakistani transit routes for supplying its nine mil- itary bases in Afghanistan on a long-term basis. India, on the contrary, regards the Pakistani military as extremist groups and he clean forgot to condemn the ter- past three years. Islamabad would be pleased that the US part of the problem. Indeed, Kerry did some exceptionally rorist strike in Jammu & Kashmir killing eight Indian treats Pakistan on par with India. brilliant tight-rope walking by persuading the Indian offi- troops June 24. cials to come to terms with the Doha talks. But he never Washington now proposes to resume its Strategic Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar once said an unkind word about Pakistan’s links with Dialogue with Pakistan, which has been suspended for the is a former Indian diplomat. The new US-India paradigm Page A11 as their CO2 emissions were below their culture; economic cooperation; interna- This Indian government is really in the level in the base year of 1997, due to shale tional security; health; space and higher sunset phase of its existence, with elections gas replacing coal for power generation, education. Clearly there is much that India even possible before time. Indian Prime Africa, Syria etc. slowing economy, etc. can gain from this engagement. The trou- Minister Manmohan Singh, it is learned, Lastly, once Taliban captures control over Thus we should expect climate change to ble is the pace of this engagement, which when given the choice to either attend per- Southern Afghanistan, the constitution can become another emerging issue of pressure the bureaucracies on the two sides are now haps his last United Nations General be slowly strangled. If India could have its on India and China, the latter adapting dragging. That is why a top down direction Assembly session in September, a time constitution’s spirit subverted in the 1975 more urgently than India. is important, as was shown by President when the US does not accept bilateral vis- declaration of Emergency, what chance Last was the unmentionable issue — George W Bush’s intervention to get the its, or make a trip to US later in October, does that of Afghanistan stand? They will China. At the Habitat Center, Kerry alluded civil nuclear deal finalized. has opted for the latter. This indicates the simply declare it as not Sharia compliant. to India’s Look East policy and India and Despite Khursheed’s bending backwards priority he attaches to resuscitating a rela- Kerry’s evangelism on climate change the US joining hands, but quickly adding calisthenics, the relationship is today drift- tionship he has invested much in. was surprising, as it is US that has tradi- that not as a threat to anyone else. He ing, with the US demanding a bigger share He may just find that a second term tionally undermined the Kyoto protocol of called it a ‘strong, smart future.’ of Indian defense, retail and financial mar- Obama with a secretary of state on a differ- 1997 that lays down the emission limits for Then he added that India was a key part kets, while being insensitive in areas of ent agenda may have little appetite for the developed nations. The US signed that of America’s ‘rebalancing’ in Asia. These interest to India like immigration law, accommodating Indian concerns while protocol but has doggedly refused to ratify were subtle hints that China remained rel- begun to be tightened by the US. waving their demands repeatedly. Perhaps, it. Kerry linked the Uttarakhand disaster evant to the US engagement of India, but it Indian applications to join the technology the prime minister would be better advised and the US tornados to global warming. was being handled with subtlety in view of control regimes are also stuck, despite the to go to UN and deliver his farewell speech Was this Al Gore dressed as Kerry or were the recent ‘shirt-sleeves’ Sino-US summit. US chairing the Nuclear Suppliers Group — to an audience that will politely clap. we getting the message wrong? There are eight fact sheets issued, review- over the last year. Was this in reaction to Some research revealed that actually in ing progress in diverse areas of engage- the tough nuclear liability law passed by Ambassador K C Singh is a former Indian 2012 the US has become Kyoto compliant ment. These are: Science and technology; India’s Parliament? diplomat. India Abroad July 5, 2013 SPECIAL/RAJAT GUPTA IMPACT A13 Justice and the Indian-American way t would be natural to expect that a book spices and ivory with Sri Lanka, Raj’s sub-titled ‘The Rise of The Indian- Is focusing on Rajat Gupta and Raj Rajaratnam native land. I American Elite’ would focus on the suc- the best way to chronicle the Likewise, Raghavan’s book tells a cogent cess of Indian immigrants in the United story about the thread that entangled Rajat States. Instead, The Billionaire’s Apprentice South Asian-American Diaspora’s rise? Gupta in the Galleon debacle. The tale’s dwells for the most part on the fall from origins can be traced to the momentous grace of two uber-successful South Asians, month of September 2008 that saw the a hedge-fund tycoon and the éminence grise demise of Lehman Brothers, and eventual- of corporate America. And it paints a tan- ly led to the global financial crisis which gled but mostly unflattering picture of their almost put the world economy into a Indian-American friends, family and col- depression. Even mighty Goldman Sachs, leagues, many of whom were also involved the bluest of blue chip investment banks, in what the government has claimed was was looking to Warren Buffett for a lifeline illegal information sharing and trading. after being buffeted by the chaos in finan- Anita Raghavan’s well-researched book cial markets. Goldman was keen to have paints a fascinating word portrait of the life the Sage of Omaha, whose right-hand man stories of Raj Rajaratnam and Rajat Gupta, happened to also be an Indian American and how they reached the pinnacle of suc- named Ajit Jain, give a vote of confidence cess on Wall Street and corporate America by committing a significant amount of cap- before being accused and eventually con- ital to the firm. victed for insider trading. The book masterfully portrays the drama One of the most engrossing threads in the of how the Apprentice makes a fateful call book is how it traces the origins of the to the Billionaire at 3:54 pm Eastern time, downfall of the two titans to a routine a minute after hanging up on a critical report by the Swiss bank UBS. In 2006, board meeting call when Buffett’s invest- almost four years before the grand finale, ment became known to members, and 6 UBS volunteered information to the gov- minutes before the market close. The order ernment about cherry-picking violations at to ‘buy Goldman Sachs’ was barked out a small-time hedge fund called Sedna, run with urgency on the trading desk at by a heady 35-year-old money manager 3:56:44 pm. A similar sequence of events named Rajarengan ‘Rengan’ Rajaratnam. transpired October 23 following a Rengan had worked at SAC Capital Goldman Sachs Board meeting where Advisors before being fired from the firm, members were told that the firm was going after which he founded Sedna. SAC earlier to post an unprecedented loss. Cue a call 23 seconds later to the Billionaire, who not only sold the stock but told an associate that he had inside information from some- one on the Goldman Sachs board. In the end, the book brings it all together with a sensitive and human portrayal of events at court, pitting former friends, col- leagues and partners against each other, RAM and former close family friends watching as KELKAR two of the most powerful men in the US undergo a devastating public trial ending in conviction. Raghavan does not give any benefit of this year agreed to pay securities regulators doubt to Rajat’s version of the story, that more than $600 million to resolve a civil these calls were unrelated to insider infor- lawsuit in the largest-ever settlement of an mation and were not atypical for an insider trading action, but more on that extremely busy executive used to catching later. up on pending items and returning calls Going through instant messages sent by between meetings. And the book concludes Sedna’s traders, the examiners found a with a dramatic but unnecessary — and series of odd messages — which came to be arguably cruel — flourish in tying the story- known as the ‘birdie trades’. They suspect- line back to a family secret going back to ed these trades were based on information the 1930s. or tips that a birdie, or insider, was giving Raghavan states in the acknowledge- out illegally. Soon the trail led to Raj, when ments section that her agent realized early messages like ‘are you going to hold the on that ‘… the Galleon case was the perfect AMD?’ from Rengan received a response way to tell the story that I had been from Raj: ‘y thru the 13th’. wrestling with for years: the rise and matu- The 13th was a Sunday, and the decision ration of the South Asian diaspora in the to hold the stock till a day when no news is United States.’ Later, she adds: ‘… I had expected was a red flag. In the event, Dell been struggling to find an engaging way to announced that it was going to use AMD’s write about the South Asian diaspora in the chips in its desktop computers and United States. The Galleon arrests provid- Rengan’s funds made $2.8 million on an ed the perfect vehicle … it was a tale of the options bet. early migration of Indians to the United The Sedna case led investigators to Raj States, their breathtakingly swift rise and Rajaratnam, and the die was cast for a heady success in America, and last but series of events that were to eventually lead most important, the emergence of a second to the downfall of the mighty Galleon Fund — named after the ships that traded in Rajat Gupta Page A16 PARESH GANDHI A14 US NEWS India Abroad July 5, 2013

Ami Bera co-authors Congressman Ami Bera at the India Abroad Person of the Year Awards in legislation to address New York last week physician shortage

AZIZ HANIFFA idency requirement under the Immigration and Naturalization Act Section 212(e). nited States Representative Dr Under the Conrad 30 program, these Amerish ‘Ami’ Bera (Democrat, doctors can stay in the country if they agree U California) last week introduced to practice in an underserved area for three bipartisan legislation with US years. The 30 refers to the number of doc- Representative Mark Meadows tors allowed per state to participate in the (Republican, North Carolina) that will program. Bera and Medows’s legislation allow international doctors to remain in the aims to increase the number of visas US longer than their visas initially permit- allowed per state, remove the program’s ted, if they agree to practice in underserved expiration date, improve its functioning, areas. and allow it to expand its scope. There will be a shortage of 63,000 doc- Originally introduced in the US Senate by tors by 2015 and more than 130,000 by Senators Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, 2025 in the US, the Association of Minnesota) and Heidi Heitkamp American Medical Colleges projects. Bera, (Democrat, North Dakota), the measure is the India Abroad Person of the Year 2012 also included in the current comprehensive for Political Achievement and the only immigration reform package. Whether this Indian-American physician to be elected to legislation will make any headway is an the House of Representatives, said the leg- open question. US Representative Zoe islation the Conrad State 30 and Physician Lofgren (Democrat, California), has been Access Act will help address that shortage. introducing this legislation for the past ‘As a doctor myself, I know this legislation three years, but hasn’t been able to get to is going to help deal with an immense need first base due to a lack of co-sponsors. for more doctors in this country,’ he said. Lofgren was keeping a promise she had ‘This bill is simply commonsense and I will made to the American Association of work to make sure it’s part of any compre- Physicians of Indian Origin — to try to hensive immigration reform bill intro- make permanent the Conrad 30 Waiver duced in the House.’ Program for visiting physicians who have Meadows echoed similar sentiments, say- been life-savers in rural areas. ing, ‘As we look for real immigration solu- Lofgren’s bill was titled ‘Doctors for tions, this legislation is a positive step in Under-Served Areas in America Act’, to reforming the visa process. I am pleased to make the Conrad J-1 visa program perma- join my colleague, Representative Bera, in nent beyond its deadline of September 30, this bipartisan effort to ensure talented doc- 2012. tors have the opportunity to serve in areas of Last month, Bera had told India our nation where they are needed most.’ Abroad: “First off, as a physician, I have a Under current law, most international deep sense of responsibility to my patients PARESH GANDHI physicians who are trained in the US on J- — young and old — and making sure that cians and surgeons in this country, so it’s a That we have physician leaders at all lev- 1 visas must return to their home country as we go for health-care reform, we don’t large community. So, certainly I talk to els — academic, in the private sector — for two years after their residency ends lose sight that this is about taking care of that community as well. It’s a community and it’s a chance to continue to elevate and before they can apply for a new visa or a our patients. As an Indian-American that’s made great strides in America and give back to America as Indian-American Green Card. This is the two-year home res- physician, we are 8 percent of all physi- it’s an opportunity for us to give back. physicians.”

Work force experts predict that the US will face a AAPI worked with Bera shortage of 62,900 physicians in 2015 and that that will increase to 130,000 across all specialties he American Association of Physicians of by 2025. To ensure an adequate number of physi- Indian Origin worked closely with cians are available to meet the future needs of the T Congressman Dr Ami Bera on legislation US population, the cap on GME slots must be to alleviate the shortage of doctors in the US, Dr lifted, and adequate GME funding is necessary.” Jayesh Shah, AAPI president, told India Abroad. How many Indian doctors would he like to see “AAPI has been fighting to introduce this bill added on to the residency rolls? since the last five years,” said Shah, 44, the “It is about providing access to care to much youngest president in AAPI’s 31-year history. needed rural and urban community where there “The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 capped the is shortage of physicians,” Shah said. “We hope number of resident physicians each teaching that at least 5,000 to 7,000 Indian doctors who hospital could claim for reimbursement under are US citizens and who are ready to be utilized Medicare. And, since Medicare does not reim- can be hired, because these trained doctors can be burse teaching hospitals for training residents used to alleviate the shortage of physicians. We beyond the capped number of GME (Graduate are advocating for at least 15 percent increase in Medical Education) slots, core GME training Dr Jayesh Shah, second from left, with AAPI executive body members in New York GME seats, which will come to 15,000 residency programs have experienced minimum growth. during the India Day Parade in 2012 positions.” India Abroad July 5, 2013 US NEWS A15 Step forward, but flawed: Advocacy groups on immigration reform bill AZIZ HANIFFA tion bill contains numerous provisions that will improve the lives of immigrants here he National Coalition of South Asian today and those coming in the future, Organizations, a network of South thanks to the work of champions in the T Asian community advocacy organiza- Senate and the growing power of the immi- tions that is coordinated by South Asian grant rights movement.’ Americans Leading Together, has said the Meanwhile, leaders from the National comprehensive immigration reform bill, Council of Asian Pacific Americans, a coali- passed by the United States Senate last tion of 30 national Asian Pacific American week by a vote of 68-32 is ‘step forward’ but organizations, which is chaired by Deepa ‘deeply flawed.’ Iyer, executive director, SAALT, also echoed ‘We know that our community members the concerns. struggle with the broken immigration sys- ‘As this bill moves to the House,’ the tem on a daily basis,’ the NCSAO said in a NCAPA said, ‘we urge legislators to keep statement. ‘While we are heartened by the principles around family unification, momentum around immigration reform, employment opportunities for all workers we remain concerned by several of the pro- and due process protections.’ visions included in the Senate legislation, as Manar Waheed, policy director, SAALT, well as with its many significant gaps and said the organization ‘calls upon elected omissions. As the debate progresses in the leaders to ensure that the immigration House of Representatives and immigration reform package includes protections issues continue to gain attention on the against profiling based on race, ethnicity, national stage, we will continue to advocate SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGES national origin and religion.’ Protestors demonstrate calling for immigration reform, in front of the Illinois GOP headquarters Obama acknowledged: ‘The bipartisan around an immigration reform package in Chicago, June 27. that treats all immigrants with dignity.’ bill that passed today was a compromise. By The Senate legislation, the NCSAO said, ‘has numerous The bill, it said, ‘also fails to create a meaningful prohibi- definition, nobody got everything they wanted. Not flaws. Of particular concern is the inclusion of the tion on profiling, as it does not ban profiling based on Democrats. Not Republicans. Not me. But the Senate bill is Corker-Hoeven Amendment (Leahy Amendment 1183), national origin and religion — only race and ethnicity — consistent with the key principles for commonsense reform which heightens border and interior enforcement with and at the same time, creates a large border and national that I – and many others – have repeatedly laid out.’ increased militarization, mandatory implementation of security loophole. It also requires additional screening for He warned, obviously referring to conservative E-verify, and further limits benefits for some immigrants. individuals on the pathway to citizenship based on where Republicans who have been vehemently opposed to offer- Moreover, the Senate bill limits family-based immigra- they are from — country or region — which essentially ing up a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immi- tion options for US citizens to petition for their siblings mandates the ineffective profiling that our community grants, that ‘now is the time when opponents will try their and adult married children over the age of 30, and creates members have been enduring, especially since September hardest to pull this bipartisan effort apart so they can stop needless barriers in the pathway to citizenship for undoc- 11 (9/11).’ commonsense reform from becoming a reality. We cannot umented immigrants.’ It acknowledged: ‘We recognize that the Senate immigra- let that happen.’ Both sides claim victory in race and admissions case

GEORGE JOSEPH confident that the lower court will uphold The case was filed by Abigail Fisher, a US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, but the policy upon its review of the case. Here white student, who said she was rejected by dissenting judges urged the Supreme Court upporters and opponents of affirma- at SAALT, we eagerly awaited the Supreme the UT-Austin while less-qualified minori- to review it. tive action in college admission Court’s ruling, as we had joined an amicus ties were admitted, violating her constitu- The justices did not rule on the constitu- S claimed victory in the Supreme Court brief filed by the Asian American Center for tional rights. She later graduated from tionality of the UT admissions policy, or on decision in the Fisher versus University of Advancing Justice in the Fisher case last Louisiana State University. whether the university had violated Fisher’s Texas at Austin case. year in support of the UT-Austin admis- The UT-Austin will admit all Texas stu- rights. Instead, they told the US 5th Circuit “We are delighted that the Supreme sions policy.” dents who finish in the top 10 percent of Court of Appeals to take another look at the Court seems to agree with both key points In the issue that had divided the Asian- their high school classes. That accounts for case and decide whether the Austin cam- that 80-20 has advocated,” said S B Woo, American community, the Obama adminis- about 75 percent of its freshman class. For pus still needed to give a preference to founder of 80-20, an Asian-American tration had sided with those who support the remaining seats applicants are ranked some minority applicants. advocacy group that filed an amicus curiea race as a factor for college admission. by grades, test scores and other factors, ‘If a nonracial approach could work to (friend of the court) brief seeking race-neu- 80-20 and its supporting organizations including leadership qualities, work experi- bring about diversity, then the university tral admission policy in colleges. oppose affirmative action, because many ence, and race. may not consider race,’ Justice Anthony M. “Nevertheless, given that the case is Asian students with top marks are not get- This UT-Austin policy was formed to Kennedy said. referred back to the Court of ting admission in top universities due to comply with the Supreme Court’s 2003 University of Texas President Bill Powers Appeals, no final conclusion should be race consideration. Grutter versus Bollinger decision, which said the verdict changes nothing. drawn except one — we are better off today The other group noted that only some held that race can be one of many factors “Despite common misperceptions to the than a year ago.” Asians will benefit from race-neutral policy considered to attain campus diversity. contrary,” Iyer said, “South Asians support Indian-American community organiza- and that many Asians from countries like Fischer challenged that decision. and benefit from holistic race-conscious tions that supported 80-20 included the Vietnam are educationally and financially Her attorneys argued that the top-10 admission policies like the one implemented National Federation of Indian Americans, backward. They need affirmative action to approach already has increased the univer- by the University of Texas. South Asian stu- and the Global Organization of People of get in to better colleges. sity’s diversity and that the race-conscious dents, along with all other students, enjoy a Indian Origin. Dr Ved P Chaudhury of 80-20 noted ear- approach was unnecessary. The university richer learning environment when they are “We are heartened,” said Deepa Iyer, lier: “To receive equal consideration by elite contended that its number of Hispanic and immersed in a diverse educational setting.” executive director, South Asian Americans colleges, Asian Americans must outper- African American students was too low to Woo said, “We are also for diversity. Leading Together, “by the Supreme Court’s form Whites by 140 points, Hispanics by be representative of a state that would soon However, diversity should be achieved decision to uphold precedent regarding 280 points, Blacks by 450 points in SAT have no majority race. without discriminating against Asian- holistic race-conscious policies and are (total points 1600).” The UT-Austin policy was upheld by the American college applicants.” A16 US NEWS India Abroad July 5, 2013 Some say India delaying visa because parents were born in Pakistan RITU JHA pidity.” He came to the United States from India in 1982 obtain American passport without becoming a citizen?” and became an American citizen in 1998. “Each visa application is dealt with on a case to case ndian Americans whose parents were born in undivid- “I have been to India several times without any problem,” basis,” Dr K J Srinivasa, Consulate General of India, San ed India (now Pakistan) are finding it hard to obtain he said. “The problem started when I applied for visa again Francisco, told India Abroad, “based on the merits of the I Indian visas, says Satnam Singh Chahal, president, after it expired in March this year. I fear they want to make application and documents submitted as per the guidelines North American Punjabi Association. me Pakistani, but again I say I am an Indian. I have men- of the government of India.” Chahal cited the case of Daljit Singh, 56, of Salem City, tioned to the consulate that I do not have Pakistani pass- Daljit Singh said he had met India’s consul general in San Oregon, who said he has been waiting to get his visa port or ID card.” Francisco “and shared my problem, but until now I have approved for the past four months. Daljit’s parents were Grewal told India Abroad that he visited India 15 to 20 not seen any result. I cannot drive all the way to San born in what is now Pakistan. Another case Chahal cites is times and never faced any problem, until his passport Francisco, it’s a 10-hour drive.” of Kartar Singh Grewal, 77, of Bakersfield, California, who expired. “Now suddenly they are asking me to present my The OCI scheme, notified under Section 7A of India’s has apparently been waiting for a visa for 11 months. American citizenship certificate, which I have lost while Citizenship Act, 1995, envisages that Persons of Indian ori- “I was born in Punjab, India, and I am an Indian,” Daljit moving from Michigan,” Grewal said. “I have submitted my gin from all countries are eligible for OCI status, except told India Abroad. “So, I do not understand why they are American passport but they do not believe I am an those holding citizenship of Bangladesh and Pakistan or asking me to submit Pakistani passport. This is just a stu- American citizen. This is just harassment. Can a person who held the citizenship of either of these two countries.

)American way. Raghavan often generalizes and conflates the actions and behavior of a Justice and the Indian-American way few individuals that she may have come across or met with the Indian-American Page A13 community at large. To say that a ‘… new wave of Indians, stepping off of Boeing 747s generation of Indians who would ignore in the 1980s … considered themselves the blind loyalties their fathers held to kin superior’ because they had a ‘… sense of and country and serve as a model of assim- belonging and an identity’ hits too close to ilated Indians in America.’ home. I am one of those who attended col- Readers may judge for themselves if the lege and stayed in the same dormitory in Galleon story and the downfall of Raj and India as one of the book’s protagonists, Rajat are the best way to tell the story of the stepped off a Boeing 747 in the 1980s, and rise and maturation of the South Asian eventually went to Wharton just a few years Diaspora, and whether and how ignoring after Raj Rajaratnam. The references to a ‘blind loyalties’ to kin and country leads to ‘wide social chasm’ at Wharton between becoming a model of assimilation. Indians from India and Indian Americans The book puts a harsh spotlight on 12 have no foundation in the reality that I Indian Americans and two Sri Lankans out experienced. of a total of 130-plus people charged with As for the insider trading case itself, SAC, insider trading by the Securities and managed by the iconic hedge-fund manag- Exchange Commission over the past two- er Steve Cohen, paid more than $600 mil- three years. That’s just about 10 percent of lion to the government, compared to $156 those charged, which is not too far out of million in combined criminal and civil proportion from the percentage of Indian penalties paid by Raj Rajaratnam and the Americans in senior positions on Wall $100 million paid by Ivan Boesky in the Street and in Silicon Valley. 1980s trading scandals. Clearly, Indian In other words, the Indian-American Americans are not the only ones being con- community is no better or worse than most victed for insider trading nor are they the other nationalities in having its share of best at it; or worst, depending on your per- transgressors. spective! Meanwhile, as the book itself points out, The book is a must-read as a sad but grip- 70 percent of Indian Americans have bach- ping story of the downfall of a man about elor’s degrees compared to a national aver- whom the presiding judge said: ‘The court age of 28 percent, and a can say without exaggeration that it has median annual household Preet Bharara never encountered a defendant whose prior income that is twice the history suggests such an extraordinary national average and 33 PARESH GANDHI devotion, not only to humanity writ large, percent higher than Asian thropic and business rea- of New York, occupies an office that was but also to individual human beings in Americans in general. sons are the who’s who of graced by none other than former New their times of need.’ Yet, it also will feel like The book also mentions corporate America, and York mayor Rudy Giuliani. Rajat Gupta a case of schadenfreude in seeing the but pays little attention to their ability to succeed gets three times the number of mentions in mighty fail and fall, with a title like The dozens of Indian without breaking the law the book as compared to Bharara. Billionaire’s Apprentice and weighty phras- Americans who lead is never a focus of this Likewise, Sanjay Wadhwa, assistant es like ‘Twice Blessed’ to parallel the ‘Twice respectable and law-abid- book. regional director of the New York office of Born’ name for the Brahmin caste (Dvija). ing lives and have succeed- Even more interestingly, the SEC and deputy chief of the Market One can only wish Raghavan had chosen ed in reaching the highest two of the most powerful Abuse Unit, has a lead role in the Galleon to shine a spotlight on the law-abiding role leadership positions in ‘good guys’ on the govern- saga. models and success stories of Indian academia and industry as ment side, who pursued If Raj and Rajat played leading roles in Americans whose names are sprinkled members of a model immi- and prosecuted the the fall of the Galleon hedge fund, then throughout the book, rather than just grant community. Many of Galleon case, were Indian Preet and Sanjay were the good guys who focusing on the Billionaire and the putative the Indian Americans that Americans. Preet showed that many members of the South Apprentice. Raj Rajaratnam interacts Bharara, the US attorney Asian community were also leading the with regularly for philan- for the Southern District charge for truth, justice and the (Indian- Ram Kelkar lives in Chicago. Did Modi give a nod for Ishrat Joe Biden to visit India Deep Space Network,’ a US state depart- A Jahan’s encounter? United States Secretary of State John ment announcement said June 26. 17 India's Central Bureau of Investigation is Kerry, who was on a three-day India visit, looking to question Gujarat Chief Minister announced at a joint press conference with Furor over Britain’s proposed Narendra Modi and former state home his Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid visa rules minister Amit Shah in connection with the that US Vice President Joe Biden would A controversy erupted last week over Ishrat Jahan encounter case. CBI sources travel to India later this month. This will Britain’s plans to introduce a hefty cash told India Abroad that they were trying to be Biden’s first visit to India after he bond - £3,000 or $4635.2 - per visitor investigate if Modi and Shah were aware assumed office in 2008. from six nations including India in a THE WEEK of the alleged 'encounter' in June 2004 in crackdown on immigration abuse. The advance. NASA, ISRO to partner in India’s Confederation of Indian Industry called The investigators alleged that a fake alert Mars mission the proposed rules ‘highly discriminatory THAT WAS had been sounded by the Intelligence The United States will support India in and very unfortunate.’ Britain’s home office Bureau and passed on to the Gujarat India Abroad its much-awaited $75 million Mars clarified that the proposed bond would police who in turn carried out the July 5, 2013 Orbiter Mission slated for lift off from only apply to ‘high risk individuals’ who encounter. Orissa’s Sriharikota in October-November are ‘most liable to stay back’ after the Ishrat, a college student, was killed June 2013. expiry of their visa. It refused to divulge 15, 2004 along with three others by the ‘Nasa is providing the deep space naviga- the profile of the typical ‘high risk individ Ahmedabad police, who alleged they were tion and tracking support to this mission Lashkar-e-Tayiba operatives. during the non-visible period of the Indian Page A18

Uttarakhand: Leaders Volunteers wait to unload wood from a truck to be used for squabble, soldiers save mass cremation at Kedarnath June 26. A controversy broke out after a newspaper report gave huge Incessant rain held up the mass funeral for at least two days, credit to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for leading a raising concern about a threat of disease from decomposing team that ‘managed’ the evacuation of 15,000 people during bodies and poor sanitation. his two-night stay in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand. The Gujarat government, when contacted by India Abroad, refused to con- firm or deny the exact figures of pilgrims helped by the Modi government. India’s Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said he had asked the Uttarakhand government not to allow any VIP to land in the flood ravaged areas in the state to pre-empt any disturbance to relief work. Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi flew into Uttarakhand the day before to survey the rescue and relief operations. Meanwhile, despite rains and inclement weather, troopers carried out heroic rescue efforts, and an army doctor walked 10 miles to help two pregnant ladies deliver babies. Pilots flew people out of the higher reaches in some of the world’s most difficult areas to fly in. Indian army launches Web site for flood affected The Indian Army has launched a Web site, suryahopes.in, to provide updates on the whereabouts of people stranded in Uttarakhand. The site also provides information about the location of people, helpline numbers, lists of those rescued and their cur- DANISH SIDDIQUI/REUTERS rent location. Rescue helicopter crashes, 20 killed Five air force personnel, six men from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and nine from the National Disaster Response Force on board an Indian air force helicopter ferrying rescue personnel from the temple town of Kedarnath were feared killed when the aircraft crashed June 25. Reporter sacked over flood video A television journalist, who reported on the Uttarakhand floods while sitting on the shoulders of a survivor, was sacked June 26, according to the news channel he worked for. The reporter had been widely criticized after the video appeared online.

LLendend a hel paing helping hand hand All contributions to help flood victims may be made by check or draft in the name of the ‘Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund’ and sent to the Prime Minister’s Office, South Block, New Delhi 110011. Online contributions can also be made through the PMO Web site www.pmindia.nic.in. Nationalized banks will not charge any commission on preparation of drafts favouring the PMNRF. Contributions to the PMNRF have been notified for 100% deduction from taxable income under section 80(G) of the REUTERS Income Tax Act. Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel search for flood victims in a damaged house in Uttarkashi June 26 A18 THE WEEK THAT WAS India Abroad July 5, 2013

Page A17 deteriorate with the water level of Jiadhol River, a tributary of ual.’ Under the proposed rules, there will Brahmaputra, rising alarmingly follow- Kashmir: Terror attack kills 8 soldiers also be a limit to the number of such ing heavy rainfall in neighboring bonds issued to those applying for a visa Arunachal Pradesh. before VIP visit from India and not a blanket order for all Meanwhile, at least 10 villages of those visiting the UK after November. The Odisha’s Kalahandi district were Eight Indian army soldiers were killed and 11 others wounded, three of them crit- pilot scheme will operate in India, marooned in floodwaters due to heavy ically, in a terrorist strike on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road in Jammu and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nigeria rains at the catchment areas of Indravati Kashmir, June 24. The same day, terrorists also struck at Barzalla, a posh uptown and Ghana. River. locality on the airport road, lobbing a grenade and opening fire at the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force convoy, injuring an officer. The twin attacks come a Mamata dares Maoists to kill New Delhi gang rape: Juvenile day before Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia her claims innocence Gandhi arrived in the state for a two-day visit to review progress of development West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata The juvenile accused in the December projects and commission the Qazigund-Banihal Railway Tunnel, billed to be India’s Banerjee dared Maoists to touch her, say- 16 gang rape and murder of the 23-year- longest, connecting Jammu with the Kashmir valley. ing they couldn’t scare her with guns. old paramedic denied all charges against ‘When I was planning to visit him June 27, claiming that he was not a Junglemahal, I was told that Maoists were participant in the crime. planning to kill me there,’ she said. ‘I chal- Pleading innocence before the Juvenile lenge them to touch me if they have the Justice Board he refuted the charge guts. Tell me when they want to kill me sheet, which accused him of being the the place and time and I will be there. ‘most brutal’ among the six accused. They can’t scare me with guns. I have He claimed he had been ‘falsely impli- fought the guns of Communist Party of cated’ in the case. India-Marxist in the last 34 years.’ 10 killed in Thane building Modi’s next mission: Save collapse Indians from Saudi crisis Barely a week after 10 people were Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi killed in a building collapse in central has started preparing to rescue Indians Mumbai, another building in adjoining who are expected to be deported from Thane district’s Mumbra area collapsed, Saudi Arabia as it goes ahead with its new killing at least 10 people and injuring 14, job law, Nitaqat. The new law, which will June 21. come into effect July 3, makes it mandato- ry for local companies to hire one Saudi British Sikh girl’s organs traced national for every 10 migrant workers. in Punjab Sources told India Abroad that the Parents of a British Sikh girl who died Gujarat government has contacted Rajiv suddenly while on holiday in India have Mehrishi, secretary in the Overseas Indian moved a step closer to getting answers Affairs ministry, and preparations are in about her mysterious death. full swing to meet the emergency. Birmingham-born Gurkiren Kaur Loyal fell ill on a family holiday in Floods hit Assam Punjab in April and was being treated for Twenty five villages in Assam’s flood- dehydration at a clinic in Khanna when prone Dhemaji district were inundated she died. June 27. The eight-year-old’s parents claim her Civic authorities said the situation could organs were removed during a post- UMAR GANIE

mortem to cover up the cause of death. the charge. Their local councilor, Narinder Kaur One person was killed and four others Kooner, who has been spearheading a were injured when an inebriated Khan campaign for the return of these organs allegedly ran into a group of people sleep- for a post-mortem in the United ing on the pavement September 28, 2002. Kingdom, has now received an e-mail confirming that the organs are at the Jiah Khan suicide: No breather Department of Medical Education and for Sooraj Pancholi Research in Chandigarh. Aspiring actor Sooraj Pancholi’s judicial custody was extended to July 11. His bail Mayor makes official trip a plea had been rejected by a court — family holiday which said there was prima facie evidence Pune Mayor Vaishali Bankar was left that he had mentally abused Jiah — last red-faced when the opposition party in week. the city municipal corporation asked her for details of an official trip to South Manipal student’s gang rape: Korea, in which her husband and son Two arrested accompanied her posing as representa- Two of the three people who gang-raped tives of a non-governmental organiza- a student of Manipal University in tion. Karnataka were arrested June 26. The third person is still absconding. The auto Hit-aand-rrun case back to hound rickshaw used to abduct the student has PIB Salman Khan also been recovered. A court in Mumbai held June 24 that a The Karnataka Police questioned over India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, right, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, case of culpable homicide not amounting 5,000 auto drivers, to nab the culprits. center, and federal railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge undertake the inaugural ride on the train to murder under the Indian Penal Code The student from Kerala was returning from Banihal in Jammu to Qazigund in Kashmir. Congress party president Sonia Gandhi is at the had been made out against Bollywood to her hostel when unidentified persons back with school children. Singh and Gandhi inaugurated the train service June 26. The rail link, which includes the longest rail actor Salman Khan in a 2002 hit-and- kidnapped her from the Manipal tunnel in India, has been constructed at a cost of $300 million. run case. The court rejected his appeal University campus and gang-raped her challenging a magistrate’s order invoking last week. MAGAZINE India Abroad July 5, 2013

The International Weekly Newspaper

India Abroad Person of the Year Awards 2012 OUR PRIDE honors community's best

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At this milestone and in a year of countless accom- United States Congressman Ami plishments, India Abroad for the first time chose two Bera, winner of the India Abroad icons as the India Abroad Person of the Year. Person of the Year for Political US Congressman Dr Amerish ‘Ami’ Bera, only the Achievement 2012, left, with USAID Administrator Raj Shah, winner of the third Indian American to be elected to the United India Abroad Person of the Year for States Congress, was honoured as the India Public Service 2012. Abroad Person of the Year for Political Achievement 2012. USAID Administrator Dr Rajiv ‘Raj’ Shah, the highest-ranking Indian American in the Obama administration, was honored as the India Abroad Person of the Year for Public Service 2012. Dr Shah, who was also trained as a physician, made just as big a mark by turning USAID on its Our head. He hit the ground running with the massive earthquake in Haiti in 2010, and has kept up the grueling pace since then, breathing new life into the organization. Pride Inspired to a life of public service after visiting slums in Mumbai as a child, he In a year of countless emerged, in the words of then accomplishments,India US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, as the ‘transformational Abroad for the first time leader’ that USAID had been waiting for. chooses two icons as the Dr Bera and Dr Shah capped a cel- ebration that saw 13 awards being pre- India Abroad Person of the sented in an unprecedented eight cate- gories. Year.Monali Sarkar reports The award ceremony — hosted by Columbia University’s first Chief Digital Officer Sree Sreenivasan, who will soon ith two Indian-American gover- take over as the Metropolitan Museum nors, and an Indian-American of Art’s first CDO, for the ninth time in 10 Congressman in the House of years — began with a unique spin. Representatives now, the year 2002 The other big Sri Srinivasan of the com- — when Swati Dandekar made his- munity — the former principal deputy toryW by getting elected to the Iowa House of solicitor general who has now become the Representatives — seems like a distant achieve- first circuit court judge of South Asian ment. descent in history — surprised and charmed But for those who recall that time, it was a turn- the crowd by opening the show as his name- ing point in the community’s discourse in the sake. United States of America. India Abroad Publisher and Rediff.com It drove home like nothing else could that Indian Founder, Chairman and CEO Ajit Americans had indeed made a vibrant space for Balakrishnan then welcomed the guests, noting themselves in their adopted home. the remarkable coming of age of the Indian- It was a turning point that India Abroad — as the American community. oldest Indian-American newspaper that had then “On this 10th anniversary as we felicitate been reaching out to the largest part of the com- Indian-American achievement, I want to make a munity for over three decades — acknowledged by special mention of the people who are the rea- honoring Dandekar as the inaugural India sons behind such great successes — and without Abroad Person of the Year. whom so much of this glory would not be what it Within a year, the community would make is. These people are the parents, men and women enormous leaps, and India Abroad, ever the com- who came to settle down here, built lives in a new munity’s voice, would go on to institutionalize the country against great odds, making way for their India Abroad Person of the Year as an annual children to achieve great things. award. “As we honor our award winners tonight, we June 21 night, at The Pierre, the Taj-owned honor also all those parents who have been the wind hotel in New York City, the awards celebrated a decade of extraordinary achievements. M3 PARESH GANDHI

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behind the wings. Many such parents are here in this room tonight.” The awardees were a fascinating mix of the pioneers and generation next. Dr Romesh Wadhwani’s self-made empire and heart-warming largesse, Dr Natwar Gandhi’s trail-blazing ways, Dr Sambhu N Banik’s unparalleled activism encompassed all facets — economical, gov- ernmental, social, academic and cultural — of the budding immigrant experience they were a part of. For seeing the community into a new era, and still leading the way, they were honored for a lifetime of selfless contributions. Dr Wadhwani, the self-made billionaire founder of the Symphony Technology Group who is donating 80 percent of his PARESH GANDHI wealth to charitable causes via his Winners of the India Abroad Person of the Year Awards 2012. Wadhwani Foundation and The Giving Pledge; and Dr Gandhi, who brought the India Award. Temple of Wisconsin, her work as filmmak- the Future Award 2012 was economist District of Columbia back from the brink of Dr Bouton was honored in the same cate- er and interfaith activist came full circle. extraordinaire Raj Chetty, who is just 33. financial ruin as its chief financial officer, gory for rooting for India, regardless of the Valarie became the face and voice of a ris- In 2012, the Harvard professor, whose were awarded the India Abroad Lifetime climate in Washington, DC. ing generation of Sikh Americans who findings had been quoted by President Achievement Award 2012. Sharing the roster with them were the stepped up to tell the community’s stories to Barack Obama, received a MacArthur Dr Banik, who still suffers because he put torchbearers of this legacy. a nation that needed to hear them. ‘Genius’ Fellowship for ‘illuminating the the mental health of the victims of the Valarie Kaur, whose grandfather first In the strength of her conviction and the key policy issues of our time.’ Bhopal Gas Tragedy before his safety and arrived in the United States 100 years ago ability to herald change, she had much in He then became the youngest-ever recipi- the community’s go-to person for all events, this year, was the winner of the India common with the winner of the India ent of the John Bates Clark Medal since political, social or cultural, was accorded Abroad Gopal Raju Award for Community Publisher’s Special Award for Excellence 1947. the India Abroad Award for Lifetime Service 2012. 2012, Amrit Singh. Called the Baby Nobel, the medal is given Service to the Community 2012. The senior legal officer for National by the American Economic Association to While Dr Wadhwani, Dr Gandhi and Dr Security and Counterterrorism, Open the best American economist underage 40. Banik were forging new roads in the US, Society Justice Initiative, has emerged as the Many previous winners of the Clark Medal there was another pioneer who was doing voice of the silenced with her groundbreak- have gone on to win the Nobel Prize. Watch ing work in the field of human rights law. India Abroad honored Deepika Kurup, the same, but in the country they had left India Abroad Publisher behind. AJIT Her report, Globalizing Torture: CIA Nithin Tumma, Rahul Nagvekar and Secret Torture and Extraordinary Snigdha Nandipati, all of whom became the Marshall Bouton first went to India as a BALAKRISHNAN’s 22 year old, not knowing that it would be speech on ishare. Rendition, published by the Open Society community’s rising young stars in 2012 the beginning of two life-long love affairs rediff.com Justice Initiative, received widespread with their wins. — one with his wife Barbara, who had attention in the international media for its While Deepika was adjudged America’s grown up there, and one with the country http://ishare.rediff.com/video/entertainment/the- close look at the global torture network. Top Young Scientist for her cost-effective itself. india-abroad-publisher-speaks/8719643 It shook the world with the disclosure of water purification system and made it to In the years that followed — through the names of 54 countries that were party the White House Science Fair, Nithin won being special assistant to the US ambassa- to this, and it spoke to the impact of her the Intel Science Talent Search for unlock- dor to India, helming the Asia Society and work that the fact that she is Prime ing potential pathways to breast cancer then the Chicago Council on Global Affairs As a Sikh girl in the US, she had grown up Minister Manmohan Singh’s youngest child treatment. Rahul scooped up a National — Dr Bouton emerged as one of India’s with questions of identity and learned how became only a footnote. Geographic Bee win and Snigdha became steadiest and most vocal supporters in US to address most of them. But then 9/11 hap- As a newspaper, India Abroad, which the fifth consecutive Indian American policy circles. pened. From the other, the community sud- Rediff.com has owned since April 2001, Spelling Bee champ. He also emerged as a worthy successor of denly became the enemy for the ignorant, speaks to Indian Americans across genera- The winners of the India Abroad Special Susanne and Lloyd Rudolph — Susanne igniting in Valarie the determination to tions; the India Abroad Person of the Year Award for Achievement 2012, they proved was his professor at Harvard — and win- change this. Awards do likewise. that the desi domination would remain in ners of last year’s India Abroad Friend of In 2012, with the shootout at the Sikh The winner of the India Abroad Face of safe hands.

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ust like every other awardee this evening, I am humbled to be here. And this is not my award; this is our award because none of us achieves anything in our lives by ourselves. JAnd, as so many others have said tonight, my story starts from my parents. They came here in 1958 to build a better life for them- selves, and it is on those shoulders, of those who came before us, that we move forward. So, I have not accomplished anything in my life by myself; it’s been a collective (effort) — those folks that invest in you, those individuals that say, ‘You know what, go for it. Give it a shot.’ Half of the awardees tonight haven’t even finished high school yet; it is amazing where we are today as a community. Some of you have heard me say this in the past — and I get asked by the press this question more frequently than any other question — ‘Do you think it was harder for you to get elected because you are an Indian American?’ PARESH GANDHI And I give the same answer: I am only United States Congressman Ami Bera, the India Abroad Person of the Year for Political Achievement, receives his here because I am Indian American, trophy from Preet Bharara, the US Attorney and last year's India Abroad Person of the Year, left. On the right, making his first appearance in New York after being sworn in as a judge, Sri Srinivasan. because of the values that I was raised with, because of those values of family, of hard work, of getting your education, of sacrific- ing for the next generation, of sacrificing to make sure your children have a better chance for a better future. ‘Let’s take it to the But those aren’t Indian-American values, those are American values, those are values that are core to our country. So, tonight I want to applaud my mom and dad who are in the audience here — you took that next level.Let’s see an chance — and my wife Janine and my daughter Sydra. Because we are only as good as all of us together. Now I also get asked, ‘Dr Bera…’ and I’ll Indian-American President’ say doctor because doctors have a 70 per- cent approval rating right now. Congress? Not so much. (I get asked) ‘Dr Bera, what do you want Ami Bera,India Abroad Person of the Year for your legacy to be?’ Political Achievement 2012 Watch And my legacy is not in front of me. I have AMI BERA’s the privilege of standing here, opening the speech on ishare. door, but my legacy is in that next genera- rediff.com tion and what comes behind us. I’d like to days… let’s take it to the next level. So, let’s offer as a community. be here five years from now, 10 years from see an Indian-American President. I want to thank all of you… this is an now and see five Indian-American con- When you look at the talent in these accomplishment of a community. And I am http://ishare.rediff.com/video/entertainment/ gressmen and congresswomen. I’d like to be high school kids, (you know) something excited to see where that next generation ami-bera-india-abroad-person-of-the-year- here celebrating our first Indian-American special is about to happen in the near takes it. 2012/8717043 senator. And you know what, one of these future. So, it is exciting. We have a lot to Thank you.

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t’s been a wonderful and inspiring evening. As we close the evening out, I was thinking about Preet’s (Bharara, winner of the India Abroad Person of the Year 2011 and the US attorney for the Southern IDistrict of New York) video comments (his acceptance speech last year) about his own family — I had a chance to meet his parents today — and the goals they set for him. Preet, our goals were awfully similar. I don’t practice medicine any more. The real doctor in our family is my sister Ami, who is here, and who I thank. I never entered a Spelling Bee, and today rely on asking my special assistants to spell very basic words in the hopes that they won’t share that with other people. But my wife Shivam was a Spelling Bee champion as a middle school PARESH GANDHI kid, so we take that with us. USAID Administrator Raj Shah, the India Abroad Person of the Year for Public Service, explains how his organization is committed to end some But in terms of the India Abroad honor, that is something of the world's most intractable problems, as last year's India Abroad Person of the Year Preet Bharara, left, and Judge Sri Srinivasan, the first I am very, very proud of and very, very touched that this Indian-American federal judge, listen intently. community of friends and family would come together and recognize the work and service we have pursued together in this manner. So it is really very, very meaningful. Just so you all really appreciate what this means in my own household — I grew up in suburban Detroit — and ‘I am proud of everything when I left and went to college at the University of Michigan and immediately became a more worldly, better educated young kid. So, my first trip home I said, ‘Dad, I have an idea. How this community has built’ about we get our primary news from say The New York Times and then rely on India Abroad as a more supple- mental thing.’ Raj Shah, India Abroad Person of the Year for Public Service 2012 I got him a subscription to The New York Times — of course on his own credit card at the time — and sure well, we are partners and best friends and rely upon each or 2035. enough, when I came back for Thanksgiving I remember other a lot and I certainly wouldn’t get anything done with- You heard President Obama in the State of the Union the subscription to The New York Times was out of the door out her friendship and support. commit our nation to ending dollar a day extreme pover- and the India Abroads were piled up on the coffee table, as *** ty within two decades. they had been my entire life, as our family’s primary news SAID is an amazing institution. It’s a chance every We are leading a global effort to achieve that and we are source. day to walk in through the door and work with actually on the path to be successful. What that means is That, by the way, is a testament to Aziz Haniffa and his Uabout 9,600 other professionals who show up dedi- we have to take risks and we have to do things differently, writing over many decades. cated and committed to serving the world’s most vulnerable things that we are excited to take on. But this is an award that really does have real meaning for people. It is a very exciting time to be in the field that I am in. us. And at a time when it is easy to say that our politics are And I was just thinking to myself that if I were leaving I want to thank, in particular, my mom and dad who are too tough to do things together, we have a very simple and if Sajjan were still awake and we were talking about here this evening, my aunt and uncle who have also come. I point of view. We believe that if we can bring together the what we learned this evening… what I learned is that so mentioned my sister Amy, but also my brother and sister- energy and insight of an entrepreneur and philanthropist many people have so much passion and so much capacity in-laws — Sunny, Satyam and like Romesh Wadhwani, brilliant to unlock that passion and that energy to do really impor- Chris — thank you all for being scientists like Deepika Kurup, tant and inspiring things. And whether your passion is here and putting up with me. passionate advocates like Valarie spelling or science, politics or advocacy, business or civil I particularly want to thank my Watch Kaur, and so many others — some rights, when we actually see the expression of that energy son Sajan, who is 7 years old and if RAJ SHAH’s of whom you have heard tonight, in a ceremony like tonight, I think each and every one of he is still awake it is either he is speech on ishare. but so many others you haven’t us leaves deeply inspired and deeply, deeply recommitted. inspired or terrified by the exam- rediff.com heard from — that we still can So, thank you for allowing me to be a part of this. Thank ple that has been set this evening inspire ourselves to do big things. you for sharing each and every story and insight. of the people who have achieved Today we are leading the effort I am so proud of everything this community has built extraordinary things at an incredi- to end preventable child death, over years and generations. If we continue to contribute bly young age. http://ishare.rediff.com/video/entertainment/ which I think will be one of the to this great nation, we will not only make this country And, of course, my wife Shivam, raj-shah-ami-bera-india-abroad-person-of-the- greatest successes in human his- better, stronger and more capable, but we will have a year/8717152 who for those of you who know us tory and will be achieved by 2030 whole lot of fun along the way.

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M6 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 Awesomeness Clockwise, Amrit Singh, senior legal officer for national security and counterterrorism at the Open Society Foundation, walks up to receive the India Abroad Publisher’s Special Award for Excellence.

US Congressman Ami Bera has a word with Sajan Mallick Shah, 7, as parents Raj Shah and Shivam Mallick Shah look on.

United States Representative Joe Crowley’s comment amuses host Sree Srinivasan and the guests, including US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara, Neera Tanden and Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji.

MOHAMMED JAFFER-SNAPSINDIA

GUNJESH DESAI PARESH GANDHI

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M7 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 ‘How much prouder would we feel if we accepted leadership responsibility for becoming philanthropists?’

Romesh Wadhwani,India Abroad Award for Lifetime Achievement 2012

fter listening to ing back to society through phi- some of the lanthropy. And in that sense my awards that the definition of philanthropy is not younger genera- about just giving to family, of tion of Indian course we do that; not about giv- AmericansA just got this ing to temples, of course we do seems like a singularly unde- that; not about giving to our own served honor. immediate community, of course As we were sitting at our we do that; it’s about trusting and table, I was just wondering giving to people who you don’t what are these kids going to know, to communities you may become! They are going to have no particular reason to trust. be superstars. On that scale, And it’s not just about giving we are pretty average. money. It’s about giving ideas; it’s So, you look at this room about giving effort; it’s about pro- and it is pretty clear that the viding leadership. Indian-American communi- And in this too, I think the ty has arrived. How do we Indian-American community has know that? more that it can do. Most Hollywood-made TV So, we should absolutely feel shows and movies now — proud of what we have achieved. from The Big Bang Theory to But how much prouder would we The Great Gatsby — have at feel if we accepted leadership least one token lead Indian. responsibility, each of us in our I can tell you that at the own way, for becoming philan- most important meetings thropists? that go on at Google and Thank you. Facebook and other really up-and-coming and success- Dr Romesh Wadhwani, the billionaire philanthropist who was honored with the India Abroad ful IT companies... The most Award for Lifetime Achievement, left, with Manjeev Singh Puri, India's Deputy Permanent common words used in the Representative to the UN, right, Raj Gupta, second from right, and M R Rangaswami. meetings are ‘theek hai,’ and ‘chalo chalo.’ PARESH GANDHI Another example, the political communi- We have given much to the US, but we right to change policy, to influence policy — ty — Joe (Crowley, New York Congressman have also received much from the US. both domestic policy in the US and policy who was in the audience) please forgive me So, we have created jobs, we have been between the US and our country of origin, Watch — when it is looking for funding is now great value adders in the jobs, we have been in our case that’s India. ROMESH beating a path to the doors of the Indian great contributors to government and soci- I feel that the Indian community, which WADHWANI’s American community, something that they ety, but on the flipside we have received so has come such a long way in so many other speech on ishare. did not do 10 years ago. much from the US, and we have so much to aspects, could do more in terms of shaping rediff.com So, we have much to be proud of as thank the United States for. policy, both for the benefit of the US and for Indian Americans, and certainly the The Indian-American community, the benefit of India. http://ishare.rediff.com/video/news-and- extraordinary distinguished audience in because of all this, is both maturing and Similarly, when an immigrant community politics/romesh-wadhwani-winner-india-abroad- this room clearly reflects how far we have affluent. And when an immigrant commu- has achieved affluence, as we clearly have, award-for-lifetime-achievement-2012/8726203 come as a community. nity becomes mature, it has earned the we have to take back the obligation of giv-

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PARESH GANDHI

PARESH GANDHI PARESH Deepika Kurup, winner of the Clockwise from left, Rahul Nagvekar, last year's winner of the National Geographic Spelling Bee, and America's Young Scientist title, the India Abroad Award for Special Achievement, second from right, with India’s Deputy Consul General center, with two earlier in New York Dr Devyani Khobargade, right, Sufi Wines's Sam Bhatia, second from left, and Arvind Awardees, astrophysicist Mahankali, this year's Spelling Bee champ. Priyamvada Natarajan, winner of the second Face of the Future Award, left, and Neera Tanden, winner of the India Abroad Publisher's Award for Special Excellence last year.

PARESH GANDHI PARESH Nithin Tumma, who won the Intel Snigdha Nandipatti, the Spelling Bee champion 2012, and winner of the India Abroad Award Science Talent Search last year for Special Achievement, second from left, with lawyer Vanita Gupta, winner of the first India and winner of the India Abroad Abroad Publisher's Special Award for Excellence, second from right, journalist Daljit Dhaliwal, Award for Special Achievement, left, with author Suketu Mehta. right, and State Farm's Linda Ward. GANDHI PARESH

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M9 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 ‘For the many children from Kairakudi to Singapore to New York’ Raj Chetty,India Abroad Face of the Future Award 2012

Raj Chetty and his wife Sundari. COURTESY : RAJ CHETTY

Economist Arvind Panagariya, the Jagdish Bhagwati Professor at Columbia University, presents the India Abroad Face of the Future Award to Professor Raj Chetty, who has won both a MacArthur 'Genius' Fellowship and the Bates Clark Medal in the same year. Also in the picture, India Abroad's distin- guished Editor, Features, Arthur J Pais, right, and India Tourism's Sujata Thakur. PARESH GANDHI t is such an honor to receive this award Each of us has pursued a different mean- of you know, given limited money, families Kairakudi to Singapore to New York — we and participate in this great celebra- ingful path with its own unique joys and in India typically choose to invest in one recognize you as well and we are working to tion of the Indian community’s suc- achievements. But the challenges we face in child’s education. Thanks to that invest- help you realize your unbounded potential. Icesses in America. our lives are extremely different. One of us ment and her ambition and hard work, my Thank you. I am especially happy to be here with my works at a temple in Singapore to support mother became the first woman doctor in wife Sundari, my parents, and other long- his family in India and cannot be with his the Chettiar community in South India. time friends all of whom have contributed kids at they are growing up; one has to And my father came from a small village to so greatly to my life and my success. wake up at 4 am every morning to commute become a professor at Columbia. Like many Indian families, my parents two hours to a difficult job of manual labor I am certain that I would not be here were came from large families, and I have many to support his family; and one, sadly, is no it not for the hard work my parents and Watch cousins. Many of us are named after my longer with us today. many others in this room who overcame RAJ CHETTY’s grandfather, Natarajan, who worked for The story that you just heard turns out to difficult circumstances and build one of the speech on ishare. India’s freedom alongside Mahatma be about Boston Raj, but it could just as most successful communities in the US rediff.com Gandhi and many others. My cousins and I well have been about New York Raj, or today. These achievements —which are all have similar good looks and personali- Karaikudi Raj, or Singapore Raj. The rea- often not publicly recognized — are what I ties, and so our family distinguished us son it turned out this way is that my grand- think this evening really celebrates. based on where we lived: Singapore Raj, parents chose to invest their scarce So, for the people in this room, I would http://ishare.rediff.com/video/news-and-politics/raj- New York Raj, Kairaikudi Raj, and Boston resources in the education of my own par- like to recognize and thank you for all you chetty-india-abroad-face-of-the-future-award- Raj. ents among their various children. As many have done. And for the many children from 2012/8727422

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Astrophysicist Yale Professor Priyamvada Natarajan, winner of the second Face of the Future Award, left, with her parents Lalitha and Venkatesa Natrajan.

Right, Sonny Mehta, arguably the most influential publisher in the world, with Booker Prize winner Kiran Desai. PARESH GANDHI

Neera Tanden makes a point to Preet Bharara. Also in the picture, from right, Vanita Gupta, Judge Sri Below, Oscar winner Srinivasan, India Abroad Publisher Ajit Meghan Mylan. Behind Balakrishnan, Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji her can be seen DJ and US Congressman Joe Crowley (partly seen). Rekha and Soniya Munshi. VAIHAYASI PANDE DANIEL

Sree Sreenivasan, who has hosted the India Abroad Person of the Year event for nine of its ten years, in a candid moment. Sree will take over as the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s first Chief Digital Officer in August PARESH GANDHI

GUNJESH DESAI Guests at the venue. In the foreground can be seen Major Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, who received a standing ovation when he went up on stage to present an Award, and his lovely wife Chinar

PARESH GANDHI AwesomenessAwesomenessThe community’s biggest achievers come together GUNJESH DESAI

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR SPONSOR INDIA M11 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012

Astrophysicist Yale Professor Priyamvada Natarajan, winner of the second Face of the Future Award, left, with her parents Lalitha and Venkatesa Natrajan.

Right, Sonny Mehta, arguably the most influential publisher in the world, with Booker Prize winner Kiran Desai. PARESH GANDHI

Neera Tanden makes a point to Preet Bharara. Also in the picture, from right, Vanita Gupta, Judge Sri Below, Oscar winner Srinivasan, India Abroad Publisher Ajit Meghan Mylan. Behind Balakrishnan, Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji her can be seen DJ and US Congressman Joe Crowley (partly seen). Rekha and Soniya Munshi. VAIHAYASI PANDE DANIEL

Sree Sreenivasan, who has hosted the India Abroad Person of the Year event for nine of its ten years, in a candid moment. Sree will take over as the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s first Chief Digital Officer in August PARESH GANDHI

GUNJESH DESAI Guests at the venue. In the foreground can be seen Major Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, who received a standing ovation when he went up on stage to present an Award, and his lovely wife Chinar

PARESH GANDHI AwesomenessAwesomenessThe community’s biggest achievers come together GUNJESH DESAI

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From left, Veenu Narang with her mother-in-law, husband Desh Sudha Sondhi Bharara, Vinit Bharara, founder, wag.com and diapers.com, brother- in-law Preet Bharara, and father-in-law Dr Jagdish Bharara

GUNJESH DESAI

GUNJESH DESAI

From left, Dr Devesh Kapur, director, Center for Advanced Studies of India, University of Pennsylvania; Alex Bouton, software tester and hip hop artist and Dr Marshall Bouton's younger son; Am Saniorn, his wife and fashion specialist; Dr Marshall Bouton; Bim Nanda Bissell of the FabIndia group; Lekha and Ambassador T P Sreenivasan; and Arvind Panagariya, the Jagdish Bhagwati Professor at Columbia University.

Sunil Wadhwani, chairman iGate, right, gives a standing ovation to his brother Romesh Wadhwani. GUNJESH DESAI

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M13 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 ‘For millions of immigrants like me,America is still a bring greetings to you from Washington (DC) and its distinguished mayor, Mayor Vincent Gray. As you all know, Washington is a lovely city. It is the only city in the world where sound travels faster than light, and promised land’ where we combine southern efficiency with northern charm.I Let me begin by thanking India Abroad for this Lifetime Natwar Gandhi,India Abroad Award for Lifetime Achievement 2012 Achievement Award. I have been a long-time read- er and admirer of India Abroad, which is by far the best ethnic news weekly in the country. And, as a long-time Washingtonian, let me also suggest that Aziz Haniffa’s reporting from the nation’s capital is the best in the business and ranks favorably with any mainstream newspaper, TV or radio. Let me say how flattering it is to be honored along with today’s awardees. As many of you know, the District was in dire financial shape during the mid-90s with some $500-million deficit in our saving account. Our bonds were rated junk. Our finances were in a big mess then, and we were a joke on Wall Street. But today it is different. The District enjoys a healthy $1.5 billion in fund balance, with AAA-rated bonds. The District is presently in a far better financial condition than most major American cities. Great credit for the District’s financial renais- sance goes, of course, to the enlightened leadership of its elected leaders. We in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer also played a significant role in this transformation. As the head of that office for the last 13 years, it is tempting for me to take the credit, but I know better. I will take this award, of course, but the credit goes to a team of highly dedicated and tal- ented staff, some of them are here — Angell Jacobs, David Tseng, David Umansky, and Marcy Edwards. Also, present are my dear niece Jignasa Mehta and my dear friend of last 50 years, Navin Jarecha, without whose helping hand nothing of this would PARESH GANDHI have been possible. He brought me to America. Thank you, Navinbhai. Natwar Gandhi, who was honored with the India Abroad Award for Lifetime Achievement, second from left, with legendary actress and Above all, I am grateful to Panna Naik, who is here. chef Madhur Jaffrey, who won the same award two years earlier, right, Panna is a distinguished Indian poet who has encouraged Hiroko Hatanaka, second from right, and India Abroad Editor, News, me, inspired me, and who is now my dearest life compan- Aziz Haniffa, whose superb journalism several Awardees praised that Watch ion. Thank you Panna, for all that you do for me. evening. NATWAR GANDHI’s Finally, I take this opportunity to thank this great country speech on ishare. and its generous people that open their hearts and doors for rediff.com immigrants like me and let them pursue their dreams and remake their lives. http://ishare.rediff.com/video/news-and-politics/natwar-gandhi- Only in America can a first generation Asian immigrant winner-india-abroad-award-for-lifetime-achievement-2012/8726188 become Chief Financial Officer of the Nation’s Capital. I am grateful for that. For millions of immigrants like me, America is still a promised land.

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M14 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012

more interesting than me. Needless to say, I came home empty handed. So, I went from there. ‘President Obama told me I found the first lab that would take me and I was fortunate enough to find research advisors along the way who truly that I was very fortunate to mentored me. The next few years were great — from science competitions to publishing be part of a culture that research papers, proposing projects, and just immersing myself in something that I loved to do. It all culminated with the Intel Science Talent Search at the tail end of my values education’ ‘I am really senior year. As for right now, I just finished up my freshman year at Harvard, and that was Deepika Kurup, irst and foremost, I would like to express my grat- excited to amazing. itude to India Abroad for honoring me with this I have been testing out some new India Abroad Fprestigious award. grounds — this summer I am working with I have been interested in STEM, science, technology, see what lies a few friends out in California on a startup Special Award for engineering and math, from a very early age. It was called Pave. It’s posed a whole new set of actually an Indian abroad, my father, who initially got challenges and rewards, and I am really Achievement me interested in STEM-related activities. He would ahead’ excited to see what lies ahead. 2012 always relate stories about his dad, i.e., my late grandfa- ther, who instilled the excitement of science and engi- neering into him. So you can see how this enthusiasm and interest in science is Nithin Tumma,India passed down through generations. This I believe is something that many Indians Abroad Special Award abroad can relate to. for Achievement 2012 We Indians abroad are successful because we inculcate our passion of learning and hard work into future generations. In fact, irst, I would like to thank India when I met President Obama this past Abroad for this amazing opportunity summer, he told me that I was very fortu- Fand tonight’s distinguished guests for nate to be part of a culture that values edu- coming over. I am very honored to be here cation. tonight speaking to all of you. My project that won me the title of I have to start by taking the time thank- ‘America’s Top Young Scientist’ actually ing everyone who has helped me get to sprouted from my summer visits to India. where I am. So thanks to my parents, who My family and I visit India almost every have kept me focused and humble, my year. The sight of people, especially chil- mentors, who have never given up on me, dren, standing in long lines, just to fill their and my teachers, who have always believed buckets of water always troubled me, in me. because here in the US, I could just turn on So, a little bit about my journey. It all the faucet and get clean, potable water. started in 9th grade. Like most kids my age, I found that this was not only a problem I was looking for some extra-curricular in India, but also affected people globally so activities, and science fair seemed natural. I focused my research on finding a solution. My project was pretty rough, but my dis- VAIHAYASI PANDE DANIEL I really believe that it was because of my trict was pretty void of competition that Nithin Tumma, who won the Intel Science Talent Search last year and winner of the India Abroad Award for Indian origin and the fact that I was year, and I was lucky to make it through. Special Achievement, left, with mathematician Princeton Professor Manjul Bhargava, the first winner of the exposed to two very different cultures, My partner and I were invited to partici- India Abroad Face of the Future Award, and Deepika Kurup, winner of the America’s Top Young Scientist India and America, that I was able to use pate in the 2009 International Science and title. my experiences to try and make a differ- Engineering Fair and at the time I had no ence. idea what to expect. That year, the compe- As I continue my research in water, I gain tition was in Reno, Nevada — not the best inspiration from a great Indian, the late Sir of locations, but I got to miss a week of Watch Watch M Viswesaraya, a notable Indian engineer, school so I wasn’t complaining. NITHIN TUMMA’s DEEPIKA KURUP’s statesman and the Diwan of Mysore whom That week was one of the most humbling speech on ishare. speech on ishare. I consider as one of the greatest water experiences that I have ever been a part of. rediff.com rediff.com geniuses. I met 14 year olds who built a robot that Once again I would like to thank India could solve a Rubix cube in 2 minutes and Abroad and the awards committee for this a senior who had done the equivalent of a important recognition. I would also like to PhD in quantum mechanics. Everywhere I http://ishare.rediff.com/video/entertainment/ http://ishare.rediff.com/video/entertainment/dee thank my parents and my little sister Anjali turned there were people smarter than me, nithin-tumma-india-abroad-special-award-for- pika-kurup/8726181 for all of their help and support. achievement/8717240 more focused than me, and to be honest, Thank you all.

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M15 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 ‘To reach God is to serve your fellow human beings’

Sambhu Banik,India Abroad Award for Lifetime Service to the Community 2012

et me begin by expressing my deepest and heartfelt gratitude to the editors of LIndia Abroad for selecting me to receive this prestigious Award. My special thanks to Ajit Balakrishnan, publisher, India Abroad, Nikhil Lakshman, editor-in-chief, and to Aziz Haniffa, Washington bureau chief and editor for his constant friendship and support over the past three decades. I am greatly indebted to India Abroad for my over 40 years of involvement in com- PARESH GANDHI munity services from the time Gopal Raju Without the strong support of India solidly stood by me over the years, sacrific- Dr Sambhu N Banik, who was bestowed the India started publishing India Abroad in 1971. Abroad, I could not have been the commu- ing many pleasures of life so that I can Abroad Award for Lifetime Service to the Over the years, Aziz’s reporting of my nity activist I have been over these years remain involved in community activities Community, center, with oncologist Dr D Nori, left, activities has been the catalyst that has and I accept this award on behalf of the and my two daughters Sharmila and Kakali and Dr Rajan Natarajan, deputy secretary of state, Maryland. spurred me on for continued community entire community. Banik. involvement. I humbly acknowledge the immortal I want to take this opportunity to thank When I went to Bhopal to provide much words of Swami Vivekananda, which pro- Congresswoman Connie Morella, delegate needed mental health-related services to vided fuel to my community services over Aruna Miller, renowned Indologist Dr Bhopal Gas victims, India Abroad reporting the years, ‘To reach God is to serve your fel- Kenneth Robbins for their highly laudatory Watch of my services and findings generated low human beings and your community.’ comments on me as well as Pravasi SAMBHU financial and other contributions from Before I conclude I want to express my Bharatiya Samman honorees Dr Joy BANIK’s around the country to Bhopal Gas Victims sincere appreciation to the Indian- Cherian and Dr Thomas Abraham for their speech on ishare. and my findings were included in the US American icon Padma Shri Sri Rajan kind words about me. rediff.com Congressional Record and resulted in me Devadas. Once again my profuse thanks to India receiving the District of Columbia Mayoral Also I want to thank advisor to the Prime Abroad for this award, which I will always Award for Humanitarian and Community Minister of India and Padma Bhusan treasure because once you are honored and http://ishare.rediff.com/video/entertainment/ Services, Maharishi Award as well as Swadesh Chatterjee for his encouragement. recognized by India Abroad, you know that sambhu-banik/8726105 Mother Teresa Awards, among others. I want to thank my wife Promila who has you made a difference in the lives of others.

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M16 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 ‘The emphasis of academic competitions is learning,not winning’ ‘I hope I can also Rahul Nagvekar, be an inspiration India Abroad Special Award for Achievement 2012

am honored to receive this recognition from India Abroad, the premiere publica- to others’ Ition of the Indo-American community. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people who were crucial to my suc- cess: my parents, without whom my preparation for the competition would have been impossible, and my teachers and friends, who provided me with an incredible amount Snigdha Nandipati, of support and encouragement as I prepared for and participated in the National India Abroad Special Award for Achievement 2012 Geographic Bee. The National Geographic Society deserves acknowledgement, not only for organiz- ing the Bee as a way to promote geographic aware- would like to thank of all India Abroad for having me here ness, but also for all the scientific and exploration today. I have heard much about India Abroad, its annual work they have done and continue to do. It is fair Ihonorees, and its publications and I can definitely say it’s a to say that the Society’s research has made the wonderful honor to be chosen to receive this award. world more aware of itself. I had a love for words ever since I was little, and with the help Just as important is the fact that, through its of my parents, I was able to harness my interest into a goal for me maps and magazines, National Geographic has to achieve. made geography more accessible to the general Studying for Spelling Bee, and even winning, has shaped me as public. And that is critical because the world — or a person. I have acquired so many skills and traits that will no as people say, the global world — is becoming a doubt be useful to me later in life. I have learned to manage my place where few of us can afford to live in isolation, time wisely, to speak comfortably in front of others, and especial- and where everyone needs to know at least a little ly to keep persevering. bit about places, people, cultures, and ideas that I had some hard times during the course of my study, but my are foreign to them. family encouraged me to keep going, and I was able to push While I am receiving this recognition for my myself forward. I am very grateful to my family, my friends, and accomplishment in the National Geographic Bee, it my community for supporting me and helping me achieve my is important to note that the emphasis of academ- goals. ic competitions is learning, not winning. Now that the Spelling Bee is over for me I am exploring new As many as 5 million students across America paths of interest. participate each year in the Geography Bee, and I would like to go into medicine when I am older and possibly the vast majority of them, regardless of how suc- become a neuroscientist. I am confident that the lessons I have cessful they are in the competition, end up know- learned from the Spelling Bee will guide me to become a better ing a lot more about our world than they did before and more successful person in the future. they took part in the Bee. And I think that all of Today, there are some very noteworthy people here that have those contestants deserve recognition for becom- made wonderful achievements and represented the Indian- ing more informed and aware global citizens. American community strongly in their respective fields. Each one Thank you. of them inspires me to continue to pursue my interests and Watch Watch achieve my goals. SNIGDHA NANDIPATI’s RAHUL NAGVEKAR’s I hope that, like- speech on ishare. speech on ishare. wise, I can also rediff.com rediff.com be an inspiration to others to pur- sue their inter- ests as well. http://ishare.rediff.com/video/news-and- Snigdha Nandipati won the Rahul Nagvekar was the http://ishare.rediff.com/video/entertainment/rahul- politics/snighdha-nandipati-india-abroad-award-for- Scripps Howard National winner of the 2012 nagvekar-the-india-abroad-special-award-for-achieve- special-achievement-2012/8727399 Spelling Bee in 2012 National Geographic Bee ment-2012/8719681 PARESH GANDHI PARESH GANDHI

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M17 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 ‘Civil rights organizations are critical to the survival

Amrit Singh,India of democracy’ Abroad Publisher’s Special Award for Excellence 2012

t is an enormous honor to be here freezing water, held in a cage, today, to receive this award, and I feel among a range of others. an enormous sense of pride at When I first met this per- belonging to the South Asian com- son, I spent a lot of time with munity that has produced so many him debriefing what he had luminaries,I many of them who are in this gone through, what his expe- room, and so many human rights advo- riences were. When I first cates, people who stand up for the rights of met him he came across as others, who may not have the means to someone very warm, very stand up for those rights themselves. friendly, just an incredibly I am very lucky that in my line of work I nice person. As you spent have come across civil rights activists, more time with him, you real- lawyers and human rights defenders ized how much pain this man around the world who put their lives at risk was in and how his torture everyday to stand for the rights of others, to had really broken him. He defend them, to speak up for them when was unable to sleep, he was they may not have the capacity to speak up unable to eat. If you sat down for themselves. with him to try and talk to It is absolutely essential that civil society him, he had to get up he organizations be recognized, and I am very couldn’t stay in a confined happy to see that India Abroad is recogniz- place for very long, he had to ing people who work in NGOs and who get up and abruptly leave a work on civil rights and human right issues. conversation. He had night- That is wonderful, because civil rights mares at night; he suffered organizations are critical to the survival of from severe post-traumatic democracy, not only for the survival of jus- syndromes as a result of his tice, but also for the survival of democracy. torture. And then finally, I would just like to say Despite all of that, what he that any lawyer knows this and any good wanted most was to just human rights advocate knows this as well PARESH GANDHI restore his life to some basic that ultimately all of this work is not about India Abroad Publisher and Rediff.com Founder, Chairman and CEO Ajit Balakrishnan presents the India Abroad Publisher's level of normalcy. All he Special Award for Excellence to crusading lawyer Amrit Singh, whose expose of the CIA's rendition and torture methods wanted was a home, a family stunned the world. and a job. He wanted to just get on with his life. I found him, like many of the clients Watch the lawyer or the human rights advocate, ple who were the victims of torture by the that we have the privilege of serving, just an AMRIT SINGH’s it’s about our clients. United States government. But one person incredibly inspiring person. speech on ishare. I have had again the privilege of learning was particularly important for me. I won’t I thank you for this award, but this is ulti- rediff.com from many of my clients, many of who suf- mention his name to protect his privacy, but mately for those people who have the fered an enormous amount of torture and he was a man who was secretly detained in resilience to go through these experiences abuse and still had the resilience to speak US custody for four years. He was an inno- and survive them and speak up so that http://ishare.rediff.com/video/news-and- up, to seek a remedy or just have the where- cent man, who was tortured in various pris- these things don’t happen again; those are politics/amrit-singh-winner-india-abroad- withal to just want to get on with their lives. ons in Afghanistan — stripped naked, hung the people who ultimately deserve our publisher-s-special-award-for-excellence- There are a number of people that I rep- from the ceiling in the strappado position, recognition and respect. 2012/8726235 resented in immigration detention, or peo- subjected to stress positions, doused with Thank you very much.

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M18 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 Awesomeness

Anti-clockwise, Guests observe a moment’s silence to remember victims of the Oak Creek gurdwara shooting in Wisconsin and all victims of gun-related violence.

Ashok Kondabolu, rapper and singer known by his stage name Dapwell, left, with Aparna Wilder, outreach coordinator, Center for Advanced Study of India, University of Pennsylvania; and stand up comic Hari Kondabolu.

Singer Falu with her husband Dr Gaurav Shah.

GUNJESH DESAI

GUNJESH DESAI GUNJESH DESAI

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M19 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 ‘The only forward is to stand up for other communities’

Valarie Kaur,India Abroad Gopal Raju Award for Community Service 2012

hank you so much for this cannot for our own selves, our own tremendous honor. It is families, our own tribes that we must impossible for me to accept live for others. this award as an individual; We have come a long way in these I must share this with my 100 years. We have been tested time friendsT and team mates who have and time again, especially since fought by my side, with my family who September 11. We have a long way to have supported me every step of the go, but I have learnt that the only for- way, my brother Sanjiv, my friend Deep ward is to stand up for other communi- is here, my uncle Jas, my mother and ties, for the ways that they have stood father-in-law Tonse and Vidya, and my up for us. husband Sharad — for the last 10 years The only way forward is to abolish we have made films side by side, using racism, and sexism, and homophobia, story telling for social change, I share in our own homes, in our own families. this with you. The only way forward is to encourage But I also share with a rising genera- our young people, our young men and tion of South Asian Americans who are our young women to pursue leader- committing their life to public service. ship, not just as doctors and lawyers Many of you are here tonight, you are and entrepreneurs and engineers and my brothers and sisters, who every day artists and lawmakers. Not just folks remind me that we cannot achieve who have powers, but those who use change alone. that power to serve others, to serve our I was especially reminded of this last community, to serve other communi- August when a white supremacist ties, to serve America. walked into a Sikh gurdwara in So, I want to tell you tonight that I Wisconsin. I was there to see the blood feel your love and support, and I am so on the ground of the prayer hall, there grateful. to see the bullet holes in the walls. At PARESH GANDHI In the Sikh tradition we have some- that moment even though I had been thing called Chardi Kala — this idea fighting for civil rights for our commu- that even in the face of darkness and nity, for others for a decade I could have PARESH GANDHI despair, even when we see the blood in lost hope, but it was by looking into the Documentary filmmaker-activist Valarie Kaur, second from left, winner of the India Abroad Award for Community the ground, we have faith, we have ever hearts of my peers and seeing their Service, with Major Kamaljit Kalsi, who won the India Abroad Award for Special Achievement last year, left, Neel lasting hope, we have high and rising courage it brought me back. Kashkari, who, it was revealed that evening, was exploring a run for Governor of California, right, and Vikram Kaul of spirits. So, tonight looking into your It was looking into the eyes of the American University of Antigua. eyes you have helped me fill with a Harpreet Saini, the 18-year-old young sense of Chardi Kala that will fuel my man who lost his mother in the mas- work a long time to come and for this I sacre. He in the midst of tremendous grief Latinos, Christians, Jews, Muslims, LGBT endured decades of discrimination; he am ever so grateful. and sorrow had the courage to face that sea Americans, people who reminded me that endured laws that prevented him from of cameras and tell his story. He took that our struggle, our journey in America is becoming a US citizen, and yet that he did- story to the halls of power last September. wound up with a larger movement for n’t know stop him from believing in the He became the first Sikh American in US human dignity and civil rights in the United American promise, that did not stop him Watch history to testify before the US Congress. States. from loving his neighbors. VALARIE KAUR’s He called for an end to violence not just This year my family is celebrating our When Japanese Americans were rounded speech on ishare. against Sikhs, but against all Americans, centennial year — 100 years in America. In up and sent to concentration camps during rediff.com and he wasn’t alone. 1913, my grandfather, clad in a turban and World War II, my grandfather was one of I remember looking around in that beard, sailed by steamship from Punjab to the few who looked after their farms. He Senate hearing room, you remember this California to farm the Central valley. My took his horse and buggy to visit them in Congressman (Joe) Crowley — it was filled father, my uncle was born on that land, I the concentration camps when no one else http://ishare.rediff.com/video/entertainment/ with people, and not just Sikhs and South was born on that land. would. My grandfather was just a farmer, valarie-kaur-the-india-abroad-gopal-raju-award-for- Asians, there was African Americans, I grew up with my grandfather stories. He but he thought me how to live — that we community-service-2012/8717767

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HOSPITALITY EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSOR INDIA M20 India Abroad July 2013 ABROAD PERSON OF THE YEAR 2012 ‘We continue to remind our sons that they have Indian aatmas’

Marshall Bouton, India Abroad Friend of India Award 2012

rection. This award has been billed as a friend of India Award, and I need you all to understand that to me India has been a friend. My wife is not here, but I will say it this way, apart from my wife and my family I have had one passion in my life and that has been India. It has meant a great deal to me intellectually, spiritually, but most of all, in the connections that I’ve made with a huge number of friends, of relationships that have kept me inspired and involved in India over so many decades. And I am proud to say that my wife was raised in India, my older son was conceived in India and my younger son, who is sitting there, was born in India. So, we continue to remind our two sons and daughters-in-law — we have one of our daughters-in-law here tonight — that they have Indian aatmas (souls). India has been at the center of not only my personal life, but of our family life. I have come to regard India as, among many other things, the greatest storytelling civilization in the history of human society. This is a tradition that thrives on storytelling. And today we see that in modern form in the contribu- PARESH GANDHI tions that Indian Americans and Indians, many in this Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, presents the India Abroad Friend of India Award to room, are making to telling stories about our globalizing Dr Marshall Bouton, as Ambassador T P Sreenivasan, right, and Vijay Dandapani, Chief Operating Officer, AppleCore Hotels and the India world through film, through literature and through jour- Abroad Person of the Year event's earliest supporter, applaud. nalism. And that’s why to me India Abroad’s sponsorship of these awards is so important — because hank you to India Abroad for, what is There was no way to understand, to know what what it represents is a storytelling, for me, a very special, a very personal was going on in India on a regular basis, and a journalistic tradition that has honor, one that has actually thrilled India Abroad filled that void for me and for Watch been historically important. me. many of us and continued to do that in increas- MARSHALL BOUTON’s That is so important today to the speech on ishare. TI remember India Abroad as my lifeline. ing measure over the years that followed. advancement of India’s democracy, rediff.com As a young American who had spent 3 or 4 So, I am enormously grateful not only for this because journalism brings to bear very formative years living in India in my very award, but for the enormous contribution honesty, integrity, and a true spirit early adulthood, when I came back to the India Abroad has made over now four decades of democratic participation in our United States, I was just thirsty for information to American understanding of India as well as governance. Those qualities will http://ishare.rediff.com/video/news-and- about India. At that time, Americans were by to connecting those of us who are really politics/marshall-bouton-india-abroad-friend-of-india- continue to carry India forward as and large uninterested. We wrote letters on involved with the country. award-2012/8727418 they have in the past. those aero forms some of you will remember. And in that regard I want to make one cor- Thank you again for this honor.

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BUSINESS discuss immigration India Abroad July 5, 2013 bill with Obama

AZIZ HANIFFA

ndian-American entrepreneurs Farooq Kathwari and Sunil Puri — both staunch supporters of President Barack Obama having contributed handsomely to his Ielection and re-election campaigns — were among a select group of nine leading business executives invited by Obama to discuss the comprehensive immigration reform legislation at the Roosevelt Room in the White House. The bill if enacted, would provide a pathway to citizen- ship to over 11 million illegal immigrants, including an estimated quarter of a million Indians currently in the US who are undocumented, according to civil rights and advocacy groups like South Asian Americans Leading Together. Obama told the group that it was imperative that the immigration bill comes to pass because it would be a major boost to the American economic recovery. Srinagar-born Kathwari is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Ethan Allen Interiors Inc, a Connecticut-based upscale furniture and design company with branches across the country. Mumbai-born Puri, who was an Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado in 2008, is the founder, president and owner of the First Rockford Group, a diver- sified real estate development firm based in Rockford, Illinois. “It was an honor as an Indian American to be offered a seat at the table as this is going to impact a quarter million Indian Americans, among the 11-plus million immigrants waiting to adjust status in the US,” Puri told India Abroad. “The meeting was closed to the press so I have to respect the confidentiality of what was said within the meeting. But, in general, I feel there is enough momentum from the many different constituencies ranging from big business to the nuns on the border that want to see this pass.” He acknowledged, “ The challenges will be in the House, and we are all working hard to make that happen.” Puri said he had concerns about the H1-B issues because the bill might create an unequal playing field for domestic and international companies. PARESH GANDHI Farooq Kathwari “But I’m hopeful that as the bill progresses, fairness will Sunil Puri prevail,” he added. “In general, while it was a very cordial and productive meeting, it is a long road before passage. Besides Kathwari and Puri, the other business leaders Puri, 53, who founded his company in 1984, has devel- I’m pleased that we will have a voice in helping make this a present at the meeting, included, Steve Case, founder and oped projects valued in excess of $800 million and The reality.” erstwhile chairman, American Online; Jason Berry, owner, Rockford Group develops retail, office, and warehouse He said, “ The myth and mystic of America has become so Blueberry Farms of Georgia and Berry Farms; Bricia projects. distant to people who look up to democracy all over the Lopez, co-owner, Guelaguetza Restaurante; Karen Lozano, He is a member of the White House Commission for world, and hopefully this will clear the path for all to be founder and chief technology officer, FibeRio Technology; Asian and Pacific Islanders and a friend of Obama’s from part of this incredible gem called America.” Dilawar Syed, chief executive officer, Yonja Media Group; his Chicago days when he was a state and later US Senator. The White House in a read-out of the meeting, said, the Alex Torrenegra, founder, VoiceBunny and WeHostels; and In an earlier interview, Puri had told India Abroad, President and business representatives discussed their Hamdi Ulukaya, CEO, founder and president, Chobani, the “Being from Illinois, I knew Barack Obama long before he shared belief that achieving immigration reform held Greek yogurt that is now the rage of all America. ran for the US Senate through mutual friends who are also meaningful economic promise for the United States, and Obama in his remarks said that the business leaders rec- state legislators. It became very obvious that Barack would would create a fair playing field for employers and workers ognized ‘the degree to which immigration is a contributor represent the sensitivities that many immigrant face, him- alike. to growth, a contributor to expansion, a creator of jobs, but self being the son of an immigrant father.” At the meeting, it said, the President said that immigra- they also recognize that the immigration system that we He said, “Having lived abroad as an expatriate, he was tion reform would be a boost to our economic recovery. currently have is broken.’ equally aware of the role America plays in the world, and The White House noted that the President observed that ‘We have a system in which we bring outstanding young how easily we can be misunderstood around the world. the business representatives participating in the meeting people from all across the world to educate them here, and Being myself married to an American woman, Jenine, I saw knew first-hand that the broken immigration system was unfortunately, too often, we send them right back so that in Barack what the future of my three children, Ashwin, bad for business, for workers and our economy. they can start companies or help to grow companies some- Chandan, and Anjali could be.” It said the President had also noted that some of the busi- where else instead of here,’ he said. Puri immigrated to the United States in 1979 to attend ness owners at the table were immigrants, and like the gen- Obama bemoaned, ‘We have a situation in which millions Rockford College, where he graduated in 1982 with a erations of immigrants that came before them, these busi- of individuals are in the shadow economy, oftentimes Bachelor of Science in accounting. He pursued further ness leaders came to this country to build a better life and exploited at lower wages, and that hurts those companies graduate work at Rockford College and London Business were now helping build a stronger economy by creating that are following the rules, because they end up being at a School and continues to pursue his advanced level educa- American jobs. disadvantage to some of these less scrupulous companies.’ tion at Harvard Business School. India Abroad July 5, 2013 BUSINESS A21

engages in theatrics and grand gestures, which have only a tangential bearing on the problem at hand, instead of tak- ing it head on. In 2008, there was much concern about mounting infra- Snafu on economy structure bottlenecks, including those of adequate energy. The government spent enormous effort and risked its sur- vival on the nuclear deal with the United States. The dysfunctional and ineffective nature of India’s economic The nuclear route to power generation may well be the solution in the long run. But as the prime minister’s eco- policy responses to the falling rupee nomic advisory council said in April, ‘the extent to which …delays in the issuance of clearances and lack of fuel for power plants were impacting the generation of incremental hile India gorged out on the cricket sleaze and the rise in the US interest rates, making investments in the US income in the current period was not fully appreciated.’ long political divorce goodbye dramas played out treasury bills more attractive than in the stumbling The creation of a single authority for their final clearance Won its 24x7 news channels last month, the econo- Eurozone or volatile emerging markets. The government and monitoring under the prime minister was announced my continued to do what it has been doing for some con- mentioned the fall in other Asian currencies as collateral earlier. It would have been a true reform, helping solve the siderable time now. evidence of this argument. problem. Since yet another task force will now tell us what It lurched from bad to worse. All the usual suspects — This is an extremely lame alibi. India has reached where we already know, it appears that the earlier measure maybe falling overall growth, anemic manufacturing, worrisome it is with a little help from the world surely, but has done stillborn inflation — were in play. In other words, the situation is nothing whatsoever to stop it from being so when it could. Again, for most of last year, the accumulated conse- normal, all f***ed up, or SNAFU, is the most appropriate Dr Raghuram Rajan, chief economic adviser to the quences of the unrealistically optimistic and retrogressive acronym to describe the Indian economy at present. It was Indian government and an extremely balanced, perceptive budgets of Pranab Mukherjee led to the notorious policy coined by the American marines to describe their plight in and eloquent economist, said pretty much the same in his paralysis. 1942. interview on a television news channel June 20. The tax demanded from Vodafone under a measure given This time, there is a new villain heading the rogue’s India’s finance minister P Chidambaram had said at the retroactive effect earned India much deserved opprobrium. gallery: the drastic fall in the value of the rupee. It had start of the rupee downslide that managing the economy The government did not swiftly undo that damage after traded between 53 and 55 to the United States dollar ever was not like a limited overs game of cricket. Corrective Mukherjee was kicked upstairs. Instead, it engaged in since the start of the calendar year. But since May, it measures needed time. token freeing of some petroleum products with only a small dropped alarmingly, finally hitting a reduction of the subsidy and a symbolic record low of Rs 60.72 June 26. The fall gesture of allowing foreign direct invest- since April is a whopping 10 percent. ment in multi-brand retail. Only now is That has immediately affected daily there some concrete action on settlement lives in India. The petrol price has gone with Vodafone. Whether that soothes up twice within the last month by Rs 2.70 international investors’ sentiments (5 cents) a liter or about four percent. remains to be seen. Makers of consumer electronics and Now when mounting external problems white goods, which usually have a fair threaten the economy, the government amount of imported components, are wants to push through the food security about to raise their prices. The rupee has bill, as insurance for re-election. This now depreciated beyond the band at the populist measure would strain gover- base of their calculations. nance considerably. Its resource require- Other imports would be more expensive ments would add to the already bloated as well. The flip side, that is the rupee- budgetary deficit. These consequences designated exports would become more would be grave for an economy battered attractive in dollar terms, is not entirely by CAD and could diminish further true. Exported goods and services also India’s steadily fading international use energy and some imported compo- appeal. nents, which are now more expensive. Before rolling the dice yet again, the That reduces the likely positive effect of UPA must consider here-and-now solu- cheaper rupee on exports. tions to economic problems, which do not The immediate cause for the weaker B MATHUR/REUTERS cost the earth nor cause political quakes. rupee is that the foreign currency inflow India's Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram holds the economic survey 2012-13 report February 27. For example, road transport became far into India continues to fall short of its less of a problem with the Golden outflow by a significant amount. Quadrilateral and the East-West North- This is the current account deficit. It is now $ 90 billion South link programs. a year, or five percent of India’s gross domestic product. The existing highways were four-laned and widened, Continued high imports of petroleum products and gold which was far cheaper and faster to do than building limit- are the two main contributory factors. This situation has ed access expressways. In the process, backward regions been there with us for some time now. What has changed is and hinterlands benefited from improved connectivity and the realization that government actions, comprising partial SHREEKANT access. Arguably, that contributed in no small measure to decontrol of petroleum product prices and increased the rapid and relatively inclusive growth of the 2003-2010 import duty on gold, have had precious little impact on the SAMBRANI period. CAD. Worried foreign institutional investors had pulled Recalling these achievements largely attributed to the out some $ 2.8 billion in three weeks prior to June 10, caus- National Democratic Alliance may be anathema to the ing the rapid fall of the rupee. UPA. The set of time-bound steps to rectify some major Some depreciation of the rupee — though not this sud- That sounds like a glib statement of the obvious, not problems such as fuel supply to power plants and facilitat- denly — was overdue, in view of the persistent inflation in capable of inspiring confidence in the international com- ing FDI, which have just been announced, would be exam- India for the last five years. The rupee will now most likely munity. It now sees India as an increasingly unattractive ples of such an approach. fluctuate around the current level a while longer, with pos- place to do business with, be it as a destination for invest- These actions, though at the proverbial eleventh hour, sibly quite wild intra-day swings. ment or a trading partner. This disillusionment, begun could save UPA’s second term from being a complete The Indian government would prefer the exchange rate toward the end of the first term of the United Progressive washout. As the government heads towards elections in to be around 55, but it will take some doing — read foreign Alliance government in 2008, and has been growing ever 2014, it would do well to remember former U S president investment, institutional or direct — to get there. The out- since. Bill Clinton’s famous summary of his winning campaign in look for that is not exactly bright. India blames the clear Although the falling international value of the rupee is a 1992: ‘It’s the economy, stupid!’ indications given by the US, including those by the pre- major cause for concern, this column is meant to highlight sumed to be out-going chief of the Federal Reserve Ben something even more serious: the dysfunctional and inef- Shreekant Sambrani taught at the Indian Institute of Bernanke, to the effect that the economic stimulus would fective nature of government economic policy responses. Management-Ahmedabad and helped set up the Institute begin to be withdrawn soon. That implies an imminent When faced with a critical situation, the government of Rural Management, Anand. A22 BUSINESS India Abroad July 5, 2013

from under gold, letting it slide. Since the busting of the technology bub- ble in 2000, gold had been shooting up because it had become a convenient darling of speculators. They premised that the printing of money to stimulate their economies in recession, the countries with strong currencies, such as the United States and the European Union, would cause infla- tion. While indeed these countries printed a lot of money, there has been rather no inflation. Most economies, including the European Union, India, and maybe, even China, and to some extent the US, still have enough capacity to produce and supply any increase in global demand for commodities. Hence, we have seen that the fear of increasing con- sumption and ensuing inflation are unfounded for the foreseen future. Further, the exponential rise in gold prices since the mid-2007 — the steepest in the history of gold prices since 1717 when Sir Isaac Newton, the then master of the UK Mint, set its price at £3.17s a troy ounce — had the gold mines around the world work overtime, and glutted the market with gold. It is for all the above reasons, combined with the economic slowdown in China and India — world’s biggest consumer of gold — assures that gold prices aren’t coming to their glory days of the last decade any time soon. Decline in gold price should be of little worry to an average American. A very small part of our lives is connected to the price of gold. Most Americans do not have their Individual Retirement Accounts or savings tied up in gold. However, had such a sudden decline SIVARAM V/REUTERS occurred in the US equities, such as those indexed by the Dow Jones, we would have A customer looks at gold bangles at a showroom in Kochi April 19. seen a very big impact on our lives. There would have been a collapse of stock prices, which would have a tremendous effect on our lives, and a definitively looming eco- nomic recession. Nevertheless, while a small number of investors in precious metal are negatively Tarnished yellow metal impacted, most Americans have just yawned over the news on gold price decline. Many other believe that what is happening Why gold prices will not rebound to their glory days any time soon to gold is in fact a correction that had been overdue for some time. It was waiting for a trigger that started in lmost a straight-line decline in gold prices in June, continue to be under pressure. The real estate cycle will be April 2013, setting gold on a path of steady long-term amounting to a slide of about 23 percent, has set the longer than the equities bull market and will, in fact, hurt decline. Ayellow metal back by three years. The decline, that gold even harder; that means for about 8-10 years. After a short respite, gold will assume its descent that will was expected, may be attributed to the disappearance or European issues are not helping gold prices either. Take, bring it down, looking at the history of gold prices, to about fast-vanishing factors that supported gold prices in the first for example, the case of Cyprus; under orders from the half of its current value; over the next few years, bringing it place. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, it had back to about $600 a troy ounce which is its long-term sta- Take, for example, gold as an investment hedge: Investors been forced to sell all of its 13.9 tons of gold held in its cen- ble price based on the price curve of the last 300 years. had parked their money in tral bank. The only shiny speck in gold comes from India, which is gold, in the form of While that may not be a again growing its gross domestic product at a rate some- exchange-traded funds or large amount to affect global what higher than its forecast by the world economists and gold stocks or the metal itself, A D gold prices for too long, its has a stock market that is expected to continue its move up. when neither bond market sale under the European Indians love gold and will jump in the market to acquire nor equities markets had AMAR Central Bank sets a precedent more of it. However, it is not going to be sufficient to save showed any promise. that will dictate behavior to gold prices from falling to $600. This will only decelerate While the bond market is follow for other European its decline to that level. slowly recovering, stocks have been coming back and are governments that are, or will be, in a similar financial dis- On a lighter vein, if you are planning the wedding of your expected to outperform all other investments. This shift to tress as Cyprus. If this would be Europe’s answer to the daughter or son, gold’s decline is definitely good news for equities has played into the decline of gold prices and will financial problems of its member states, then, gold’s prob- you. You will be able to give her/him more gold for the continue to do so. Equities are operating in a bull market lems are not going away and its prices aren’t going up in the budget you had set for it. and are expected to do the same for the next 3-5 years. This foreseen future. move is going to play on gold, pushing down its price fur- In essence, all factors that support higher gold prices A D Amar is a professor at Stillman School of Business, ther. have either faded or totally disappeared or are in the Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey. Real estate comeback is another reason why gold will process of doing so. It seems as if they have pulled the rug email: [email protected] India Abroad July 5, 2013 BUSINESS A23

even to states as far as Alaska. “Sometimes, developing a competitive edge puts your very limits to the test,” he said. Small business award for “Serving remote locations posed significant staffing chal- lenges, but the Alaskan enterprise promised long-term fis- cal stability and allowed greater flexibility to test new growth strategies during a time of transition.” Arora’s son, Sam, a Maryland state legislator and an erst- Maryland-based Arora Group while aide to then Senator Hillary Clinton, told India Abroad, “ Not only am I proud of him because he is an out- AZIZ HANIFFA Washington District Office, and two standing Maryland/DC area small business leader and other award winners named by SBA because his is one of my legislative constituents, but also r Sudhir Arora of The Arora district offices from around the because he’s my father.” Group based in Gaithersburg, country were scheduled to gather in After working in private practice and as an academic DMaryland, won the regional Washington, DC later this week to be physician, Arora launched the Arora Group in January small business award for 2013. honored at events associated with 1989. He quickly leveraged his personal experience and Coinciding with the National Small the National Small Business Week. expertise in delivering health-care services to the United Business Week, the Small Business Arora said that his group’s commit- States armed forces to win a series of government contracts Administration — an appendage of ment to investing time and resources in the DC area. the US Department of Commerce — of to mentor other small disadvantaged Within a decade, Arora had grown the company well Washington area district awarded the businesses was the hallmark of its beyond the Beltway and was providing health services at 17 Arora Group the 2013 8(a) Graduate philosophy and a key to its success. clinics in five northwestern states — including Alaska — of the Year award. He said that while maintaining its and radiology services for several facilities in the South. Each SBA district office awards the commitment to serving clients with Sharing best practices with others and believing that honor to one company that has bene- the responsiveness of a small busi- sharing best healthcare practices could help improve the fited from, exited, and thrived after its ness, “ the Arora Group has men- profession of radiology, Arora chronicled many of the les- participation in the 8(a) business tored a series of minority-owned dis- sons learned from improvement initiatives undertaken by development program, which is a set- advantaged businesses, leading those the Arora Group’s radiology services in a book he co- aside program that ensures a propor- protégés to win significant prime authored Total Quality in Radiology: A Guide to tion of federal contracts to minority- and sub-contracts and learn to navi- Implementation. run companies. gate the federal procurement sys- Written in 1994, the book remains in the top 100 best Arora founded the firm, which spe- tem.” sellers in the Radiologic & Ultrasound Technology catego- cializes in providing health-care Arora said, “Hard work is par for ry on Amazon. staffing to the armed forces, 25 years Dr Sudhir Arora the course in any small business, and Arora, who is a diagnostic radiologist by training with ago. It has now grown from a kitchen- all the more so because we have over 30 years of clinical and managerial health-care expe- table operation to a thriving minority-owned small busi- made it our mission to serve our men and women in uni- rience, was born and raised in Delhi and graduated from ness that the Healthcare Executive Exchange magazine form. They deserve no less.” Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal. labeled ‘one of the nation’s premiere professional health- What prompted him to start such a specialized business A diploma holder of the American Board of Radiology care service providers for the US government.’ over a quarter century ago when other Indian-American with certificate of added qualification in neuro-radiology, “They say that excellence isn’t like an honorary degree physicians were busy building up their individual practices, he has served as a senior consultant for the National that you get to keep for life. It is something you have to he said, “As a physician, I began wondering about the effect Institutes of Health, assistant professor of radiology for the work hard for everyday. That is part of our operating phi- of health maintenance organizations and insurance com- Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and as a losophy because our men and women in uniform deserve panies at a time when the public was losing confidence in staff neuro-radiologist for the National Naval Medical no less,” Arora told India Abroad. organized medicine.” Center in Bethesda, Maryland and Howard University Through partnerships and ventures, the firm has created He added, “ I wanted to focus on delivering care, and the Hospital in Washington, DC. nearly 2,800 jobs in 31 states and the District of Columbia. military health-care system provided that opportunity.” Arora’s wife Kamni, and son also work for the Arora Arora, the only Indian American named by the Arora explained the rationale for expanding his business Group, which is a family-run business.

including Ranbaxy, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Cadila Mukesh Ambani bets on 4G Healthcare, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Glenmark the week that was Pharmaceuticals and Lupin, were forced to recall some of broadband their key drugs from the US market. Reliance Industries Chariman Mukesh Ambani hopes his multi-billion dollar bet on cheap high-speed Uttrakhand tragedy: Real estate wireless broadband could change the way Indians use mobile devices. The data-focused services are expect- feels the pinch WalMart India head quits ed to rollout in New Delhi and Mumbai by the end of the Property markets in Uttarakhand and Himachal US retail major WalMart’s India president Raj Jain year. Pradesh, which have had a dream run in recent years, are has been replaced by Ramnik Narsey, currently senior set to face a downturn. The Uttarakhand calamity may vice-president, Walmart International. Jain’s removal bring the prices of residential units down at least 10 to 15 comes against the backdrop of investigations by Air India to cut percent. While the end-user market would not be impact- Walmart over corruption allegations in its operations international travel fares ed much, but people looking for second or retirement in India and foreign markets. International travel out of India is set to get cheaper homes in hill stations will think twice. with Air India offering lower fares on stopover flights to Meanwhile, the suspension of the Char Dham Yatra this stave off competition from Jet-Etihad on long-haul routes year and its cancellation the next will be a huge blow to to the Americas and Europe. Uttarakhand’s unorganized sector. This is the biggest On the India-US sector Air India operates 15 stopover annual event in the state’s calendar. In its roughly four- flights between Mumbai and Chicago, and Mumbai and month duration, there is a seasonal influx of people to the New York. It also operates 16 flights from New Delhi to higher reaches, comprising pilgrims (about 6-7,00,000, in Newark via Mumbai. 2012) and a commensurate numbers of laborers to offer them services. Merck wins injunction against Indian firm Indian drug makers face US heat MSD, a unit of US drugmaker Merck & Co, said it has Frequent drug recalls, warning letters and import alerts won an injunction against India’s Aprica Pharmaceuticals. from the United States in the recent past have turned into This will stop Aprica from launching generic versions of a major concern for the Indian pharmaceutical industry KRISHNENDU HALDER/REUTERS and investors. In the last one year, pharma companies, Raj Jain Page A24 A24 BUSINESS India Abroad July 5, 2013 Difference in tax rules for NRIs and PIO I have lived in the United States for the past ten years now. which are lying with me in physical form. Now I am a United I took up US citizenship a couple of years ago and have Kingdom citizen and have a OCI card. How do I sell those recently applied for Overseas Citizenship of India card. Are shares now? tax rules for OCIs like me the same as those that are appli- —- Sanjay Patel cable for non-resident Indians? Also, is the percentage of You will have to first get the shares dematerialized and tax paid by an Indian resident and OCI cardholder the then sell the same. To do this, you will have to approach any same? bank in India (it could also be the same one where you have —- P M Shaw your Non-Resident External / Non-Resident Ordinary As per the Indian law, there are two kinds of status — accounts, if any). The bank will then get what is known as NRI and Person of Indian Origin. An NRI is an Indian cit- the PINS permission for you to trade in the Indian stock izen who has not been in India for 182 days or more in the market. PINS is the system process put in place for NRIs / financial year. On the other hand, a PIO means an individ- PIOs who wish to transact in the Indian market. Under ual who at any time, held an Indian passport or either of A N SANDEEP PINS you can have only one NRE / NRO account linked to whose father or mother or grandfather or grandmother SHANBHAG SHANBHAG the Demat account which has to be used exclusively for the were citizens of India by virtue of the Constitution of India purposes of stock market transactions. All debits for share or the Citizenship Act, 1955. purchases and conversely all credits in respect of sale of OCI on the other hand, is a facility granted to PIOs for The net income from both these properties would be shares have to be routed through the designated account visa free travel etc. — its not an official residency status. To included under the head “Income From House Property” only. that extent, your question can be restated as whether the for tax purposes. The interest income on the mortgaged tax rules are the same for NRIs and PIOs? And the answer property would be first adjusted against the rent received to that is in the affirmative. Tax rules are the same; there from the same property. After such adjustment, if any bal- are minor differences so far as permissions in relation to ance remains, it may be adjusted against the rent received Readers who wish to ask A N Shanbhag a question can transactions in land and property etc. from the other property. Even after this adjustment, if there fill in the following details and mail the coupon to: The As regards your next question, note that Indian income is any left over, the same may be adjusted against other Business Editor, India Abroad, 42 Broadway, 18th Floor, (income generated in India) is largely taxed similarly in the income like interest or capital gain. Balance if any may be New York, NY 10004 hands of a Resident Indian, an NRI and a PIO alike. carried forward to year for a similar set-off. However, note Or fax it to 212-727 9730 However, the foreign income of an NRI or a PIO is tax-free that for carrying forward unabsorbed loss, return of in India, whereas it is taxable in the case of an Indian income has to be filed within the specified time limit for the Your question: Resident. same.

I have been an NRI since the last three years. I have a fixed I am an NRI living in Hong Kong. I had bought property deposit in Indian banks. My total income in India is less in India, which has of late appreciated significantly. I was than $1,683, which is the interest earned on the fixed looking to sell it anyway and as luck would have it, one of my deposit. Am I eligible to submit Form-15G certificate to the distant relatives here (in HK) has shown interest in pur- Name: said banks to avoid tax deducted at source? chasing it. Can we execute the sale here itself – if there are —- Khusrav Madan any taxes owed, I am more than willing to pay to the Indian Address: Note that as an NRI you cannot have resident fixed exchequer – my only objective being that since both of us are deposits. All your fixed deposits have to be either NRO here, it obviates the need to involve Indian bank accounts deposits or NRE deposits. Also the facility of providing etc. Form 15G is not available to NRIs. You may file a tax return —- Pat Mehra and claim the tax deducted as a refund. Any transaction involving property in India will have to be executed in India itself. The purchase and sale agree- I am an NRI and own two properties in India - one of ment will have to be registered in India for which you which is mortgage free and the other has a mortgage. Both would need to be in India – perhaps that can be avoided if A N Shanbhag is an investment consultant and author of In the these properties earn rent. Can I set off of interest expense both parties issue Power of Attorney to someone to act on Wonderland of Investment; How to Convert a Taxpayer into a paid on the mortgaged property from the rental income their behalf. However, the payments would necessarily Taxsaver; NRI Investment Guide. This article does not constitute received from mortgage free property? If so, what are the have to be routed through NRE or NRO accounts. tax or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisor before making limits or conditions, if any? any tax- or legally-related investment decisions. The authors may —- Pallav Sinha 10 years ago while in India I had purchased a few shares, be contacted at [email protected]

firm through a combination of stake sale would be disallowed deductions in respect were intended to make jewelry for export, the week that was by the founders and issue of share war- of expenditure, allowance or payment as it looks to rein in a record current rants and fresh shares. The transaction is made to a financial institution in that account deficit. part of a plan by Religare’s founders, bil- country. ‘Authorised dealers and banks are Page A23 lionaire brothers, Malvinder and Shivinder required to ensure that credit in any form Singh, to bring down their holding to 49 or name is not enabled for import of any two diabetes drugs in India. Global phar- percent so that they can qualify for a India’s current account form of gold,’ the bank said. maceutical firms have had a series of banking license in India. deficit at a record high patent disputes with Indian makers of India’s current account deficit hit a generic drugs and several recent Indian record high 4.8 percent of gross domestic Nano drives into rulings have gone against the international Government may product in the fiscal year that ended in Guinness World Records giants. MSD holds an Indian patent on blacklist tax havens March, fuelled by rising imports of oil and Tata Motors’ small car Nano entered the sitagliptin, a chemical compound sold The Indian government is considering gold, but was lower than an expected gap Guinness World Records for driving on under the Januvia and Janumet brands blacklisting foreign jurisdictions that are of 5 percent, giving a boost to the battered the longest journey, covering the whole of used to treat type-2 diabetes. not sharing information on money parked rupee. India. by Indians in their country despite a tax ‘The expedition was accomplished in information exchange agreement with 10 days (March 21-30) covering 6349 US bank to invest $51 India. RBI further tightens gold miles in a Tata Nano from million in Religare Blacklisted countries would find it diffi- import rules Kanyakumari in southern Tamil Nadu to India’s Religare Enterprises Ltd said US- cult to do business with residents of India. The Reserve Bank of India squeezed circumnavigate the country and return to based bank Customers Bancorp Inc will Besides a higher tax burden, Indian tax- gold buyers further June 27, ruling out any Bangalore,’ Ranjit Yadav, president, Tata invest $51 million in the financial services payers dealing with such jurisdictions credit transactions for imports unless they Motors said. India Abroad July 5, 2013 A25 Report: No immigrant flood at ERs

Low-income immigrant children are less likely of noncitizen workers are employed in the service than their United States-born citizen counterparts and construction industries, which have low rates to see a doctor even when they are insured. of insurance offering. Similarly, immigrant adults are less likely to use Even as debate continues over health-care cover- emergency rooms than low-income natives, age for immigrants, Ku and co-author Mariellen according to a new Migration Policy Institute Malloy Jewers suggest that in some respects immi- report that examines health care coverage and grant health-care coverage has improved in recent usage among immigrants and the US-born. years. A significant number of states have expand- The report, Health Care for Immigrant Families: ed coverage for legal permanent resident children Current Policies and Issues, finds that low-income and pregnant women as a result of a 2009 law immigrant children with private or public health- allowing states to eliminate a five-year waiting care insurance were significantly less likely to visit period instituted as part of a 1996 welfare reform a doctor’s office during 2010 than their native- law. The Affordable Care Act also expands born counterparts – 44 percent versus 69 percent Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants and offers for children with private coverage, and 62 percent them better opportunities to buy private health versus 71.5 percent for children with public cover- insurance under the law’s new health insurance age. Overall, whether insured or uninsured, 47 exchanges. percent of low-income immigrant children report- Coverage for unauthorized immigrants remains far ed visiting a doctor’s office during 2010 compared more controversial and has been a significant to 69 percent of US-born children. topic of discussion during the immigration reform Regarding adult health care usage, the report finds debates underway in the Senate and House, with a that immigrant adults had lower rates of doctor’s number of key lawmakers opposing access to office and even emergency room visits. Analysis of health insurance coverage for unauthorized immi- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data showed grants who would be legalized under comprehen- that 8 percent of low-income immigrant adults sive immigration reform legislation. overall reported an emergency room visit during Still, the authors find there are a variety of ways to 2010, compared to 13 percent of their native-born improve health access for needy immigrants, par- peers; for those who were uninsured, the rate was ticularly those admitted legally. Among the 6 percent for immigrants and 14 percent of the options: encouraging states to waive the bars on native-born. And for adults with public insurance Medicaid for legal immigrant children and preg- coverage, the rate was 17 percent for immigrants nant women in the country for less than five years, and 25 percent for their ‘US-born peers. and strengthening nonprofit community health ‘While it is commonly believed that immigrants centers that often serve as the safety net for the overwhelm emergency rooms, perhaps in part poor and uninsured. They also cite efforts to because so many are uninsured and have problems increase the use of interpreters and other language securing care in doctors’ offices, our analysis access services for those who lack English profi- shows that immigrants – even those who have ciency, saying access to care as well as the quality insurance – use emergency rooms more sparingly of health care received can improve as a result. than the native born,’ said report co-author The report is available at: Leighton Ku, who is director of the Center for www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/COI- Health Policy Research at George Washington HealthCare.pdf University. This report was produced as part of a research ini- Using 2011 Census Bureau Current Population tiative, supported with a grant from the The Law Firm of Survey data, the report finds that 44 percent of Foundation for Child Development, which seeks to Cyrus D. Mehta & Associates, PLLC noncitizen immigrants in the United States are offer an evidence-based appraisal of the policies uninsured, compared to 13 percent of native-born most important to promoting the health, well- Corporations rely on our expertise in US immigration law to find rapid solutions. Individuals from all over the world come to us to citizens. Among low-income households, the lack being, and academic success of young children of fulfill their dreams. of insurance coverage is more than twice as high immigrants and reflect broadly on the political cli- for noncitizen children with noncitizen parents mate for policy change. An earlier paper by the • Lawful Permanent Residency • H-1B Visas • Intracompany Transferee Visas compared to citizen children (38 percent versus 17 academic dean of the Harvard Graduate School of • J-1 Waivers • Entertainers • Family-Based Immigration • Asylum percent). And almost twice as many low-income Education focused on the policies and programs • Citizenship • Battered Spouse Waivers • Removal and Federal Court Litigation noncitizen adults are uninsured as their citizen that reduce developmental risks for children with www.cyrusmehta.com peers (62 percent compared to 35 percent). Their parents who are unauthorized. A forthcoming lower rates of coverage are due in part to low cov- report in the series will examine health outcomes 2 Wall Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10005 erage through their employers – about 40 percent for young children of immigrants. T: 212.425.0555 F: 212.425.3282 E: [email protected]

FREE PHONE CONSULTATION HH11BB11 ..c o m For Display Ads in INDIA ABROAD IMMIGRATION Law Offices of Ajay K. Arora, Esq. 1270 Broadway, Suite 510 Call Toll Free: 866.702.1950 New York, NY 10001 Tel: 212.268.3580 Fax: 212.268.3582 Email: [email protected] A26 SPORTS India Abroad July 5, 2013

India 129-7 (20) Rohit Sharma b Broad 9 (14) Shikhar Dhawan c Tredwell b Bopara 31 (24) Virat Kohli c Bopara b Anderson 43 (34) Dinesh Karthik c Morgan b Tredwell 6 (11) Suresh Raina c Cook b Bopara 1 (6) *M S Dhoni c Tredwell b Bopara 0 (4) Ravindra Jadeja not out 33 (25) Ravichandran Ashwin run out (Bell) 1 (1) Bhuvneshwar Kumar not out 1 (1) Ishant Sharma Umesh Yadav Extras: 4 byes:0 leg byes:0 no balls:0 w:4 Total: 129-7 (20) England: James Anderson 4-0-24-1, Stuart Broad 4-0-26-1, Tim Bresnan 4-0-34-0, James Tredwell 4-0-25-1, Ravi Bopara 4-1-20-3. England 124-8 (20) *Alastair Cook c Ashwin b Yadav 2 (9) Ian Bell st Dhoni b Jadeja 13 (16) Jonathan Trott st Dhoni b Ashwin 20 (17) Joe Root c I Sharma b Ashwin 7 (9) Eoin Morgan c Ashwin b I Sharma 33 (30) Ravi Bopara c Ashwin b I Sharma 30 (25) Jos Buttler b Jadeja 0 (1) Tim Bresnan run out (R Sharma) 2 (4) Stuart Broad not out 7 (5) James Tredwell not out 5 (4) James Anderson Extras: 5 byes :0 leg byes :1 no balls: 0 wides:4 Total: 124-8 (20) India: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-0-19-0, Umesh Yadav 2-0-10-1, Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-24-2, Ravichandran Ashwin 4-1-15-2, Ishant Sharma 4-0-36-2, Suresh Raina 3-0-19-0.

* captain

MICHAEL STEELE/GETTY IMAGES From left Dinesh Karthik, Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni celebrate India’s victory. Champions all the way India edge past England to win Champions Trophy

ndia clinched the ICC Champions Trophy with a nerve-wracking five- run victory over hosts England at Edgbaston, June 23. After frustrating showers reduced the contest to a T20 Shikhar Dhawan, who was awarded Player of GARETH COPLEY/GETTY IMAGES Iaffair, the visitors scored 129 for seven and Champions Trophy, hit an explosive 31 of 24 balls. then restricted England to 124 for eight. This was India's second Champions Trophy title having won the first one jointly with Ravindra Jadeja shone with the bat and ball, hitting a quick 33 not out in the closing overs Sri Lanka in 2002. before bagging two wickets for 24 runs. He was awarded the Man of the Match. MICHAEL STEELE/GETTY IMAGES A27 California Senate declares October as COMMUNITY India Abroad Hindu awareness month July 5, 2013

RITU JHA

he California Senate unanimously passed a resolution June 24 designating October 2013 as Hindu TAmerican awareness and appreciation month. The bill was authored by state Senate Majority Leader Ellen M Corbett. The senator, who represents the 10th state senate district, said in a statement that California is home to a thriving community of over 370,000 Hindu Americans who enrich ‘our state’s diversity and professional assets in fields as diverse as academia, science, technology, business, arts and literature.’ “It’s great to see that the contribution the Indian- American community is making is now being recognized at the highest levels of the state,” Ro Khanna, former deputy Ro Khanna speaks assistant secretary at the Department of Commerce in the at the event Obama administration, told India Abroad. He said the Indian-American community was contributing to the econ- omy by creating jobs in California through entrepreneur- ship and innovation. state and country stronger. I am a big believer in religious the entire country. It is the beginning of the great move- According to Khanna, about 105 people along with rep- pluralism and also that people of various faiths should have ment for Hindu Americans in California.” resentatives interfaith groups were present at the state a voice in public debate. I am a proud American and, like Kalra said the HAF helped draft the bill that would “rec- Capitol June 24. an American, I think all different faiths should be respect- ognize and acknowledge the significant contributions “I am very proud to see that the community believes in ed.” made by Californians of Hindu heritage to the state.” religious pluralism,” he said. “I am running from the 17th Samir Kalra, director and senior fellow for human rights, Starting October, the HAF will work with state officials, Congressional district and I am fortunate to have people of Hindu American Foundation, said, “This is the first time hosting educational activities and creating awareness strong faiths from different backgrounds that make our any resolution recognizing Hindus has ever been passed in about Hinduism in general. 35th annual school Ramayana held in Bay Area

RITU JHA grade 12. and musicians, who have contributed the rounding myself with very talented and “Our script developed initially from ideas music and songs that are at the heart of this dynamic people. So far, so good.” he Mount Madonna School in Mount by Babaji (Baba Hari Dass),” director endeavor,” said Kachuck, who has been Asked if it is easy to make students Madonna, California, held its 35th Sampad Martin Kachuck told India directing the show for the past 31 years. understand the epic and if they ask ques- Tannual performance of the Abroad, adding that over the years, teams “The Ramayana at our school is about hon- tions, Kachuck said many students enjoy Ramayana at San Jose’s Mexican Heritage of collaborators, contributors and students oring the endeavor and feeling vital within discussing everything from the philosophi- Theater, June 7, 8 and 9. have tweaked the contents. it. It is quite a journey. That being said, 31 cal to the mundane in the play. He The 3-hour English language play, open “We have also had the good fortune of years is a long time to be doing any produc- described one girl’s concern that in the play to public, featured a cast of some 202 stu- working with myriad talented songwriters tion. I try to fight complacency by sur- the kidnapped Sita is meek and unable to dent actors, ages 3 to 18, accompanied by a defend herself. choir and adult musicians. “I don’t feel Sita is a weak character,” he Leigh Ann Clifton, spokesperson for the said. “While held captive and tormented school, told India Abroad that the main daily, she must hold onto her faith and not idea is to reach out to people living in the succumb. (That’s) not so easy.” San Francisco Bay Area. She said 2,000 Sanika Lakka, 18, who played Sita, enjoys people attended this year, and that, for the it. first time, tickets were sold before the “I know that she has been played by so event. Last year, 1,800 people attended. many talented girls before me and so I was “We love the Ramayana because it is a very excited when I finally got to play her,” story of love, adventure, separation and an Lakka told India Abroad. “I know she is eventual joyous reunion, in an ancient alle- worshiped as a goddess because she is a gory of the battle of good and evil,” Clifton role model for women in India. She proved said. Bringing the Ramayana to life each herself to be a patient, loyal and deter- year is a labor of love, she said, with hun- mined woman. I think the most challeng- dreds of parents, volunteers, and faculty ing part is finding the variety of deep emo- and staff members contributing. She esti- tions that your character goes through and mated that about 100 cars were involved in portraying them to the audience. I view transporting the people, while trucks car- Sita as someone I strive to be like. She is ried the dismantled stage decoration. humble and honest and very determined. Mount Madonna is a private school and That is the type of woman I hope to grow offers class from kindergarten through A snapshot from the play into.” A28 COMMUNITY NEWS India Abroad July 5, 2013

Subramaniam, 13, from San Diego, felt this was an opportunity to learn about great personalities from the national and cultur- Dharma Bee celebrates al past. According to Sreevidya Radhakrishna, national coordinator of the Dharma Bee, ‘We wanted to provide an exciting avenue Vivekananda, Hinduism for children to learn about Swami Vivekananda and Shri Krishna. This enabled them to read stories and pursue a seva (service) activity in the local commu- nity.’

The honor roll Group 1 (KG-1st grade): 1st: Dhruti Kulkarni (California). 2nd: Abhiram Kapaganty (Georgia). 3rd: Haindavi Veldanda (California) Group 2 (2nd grade and 3rd grade): 1st: Nikitha Kota (Texas). 2nd: Balan Selva (New Jersey). 3rd: Shashwat Srivatsan (New Hampshire). Group 3 (4th to 5th grade): 1st: Anuj Kothari (California). 2nd: Medha A snapshot from the event. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is fourth from left. Boddu (California). 3rd: Bhavna Ravichandran (North Carolina). Group 4 (6th to 8th grades): 1st: A CORRESPONDENT project. The competition included a speech Shreya Venkatesh, 13, from Phoenix, Natasha Patel (Texas). 2nd: contest, a poster presentation, a written Arizona, said she enjoyed learning Hindu Harshavardhan Nalam (Illinois). 3rd: hruti Kulkarni of Arcadia, test and a team activity for each of the four culture and about Swami Vivekananda. Anshul Kale (California). California, who won the first prize in age groups. Another contestant, Suhas Dlevel 1 category at the Dharma Bee, said she participated to learn about Swami Vivekananda, so that she knew as much as tric feeling filling me throughout my trip, my blood rushing she did about Lord Krishna. purely with excitement. Of course, there was a slight hint of com- With help from her parents and elder ‘I had a light electric petitiveness in the air, but much greater than that, there was brother she worked her way through the friendliness. Everyone’s faces were decorated with smiles, and stories to answer questions, both written conversations blossomed at every corner. After a full day of and oral, and deliver speeches at the com- feeling filling me’ assessments, during which, I must admit, I was pretty nervous, I petition. sighed, enjoyed the newfound feeling of powerlessness; whatev- The contest was part of the Swami NATASHA PATEL er had to happen now, would happen regardless of what I Vivekananda-150th birth anniversary cele- thought, felt, or did.. More important than winning, I realized, brations, and marked the 120th anniver- he journey through the national level of Dharma Bee was a was where I had reached and what I had learnt in my efforts to sary of his famous speech at the World memorable one indeed. It was a wholesome process, giving reach Level 3. Now, I look back at the numerous quotes of Swami Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Tme so much to look back upon. Vivekananda, each with a meaning so deep, my fresh knowledge More than 130 children, shortlisted from Preparing for the final level of Dharma Bee included a little of Vedanta Societies and their teaching, of which my favorite was regional competitions, participated in the more reading about Swami Vivekananda, putting together a the idea of interfaith, and I know for sure that the opportunity to final round held in Chicago, June 15, organ- speech that looked deeper into one of his quotes, a visit to a explore this knowledge was much, much more than an award, or ized by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in Vedanta Society, and a poster presentation regarding the visit. any money prize. collaboration with the Hindu Temple of While accomplishing all these tasks, I made sure to retain my For any future participants, I cannot tell you enough how Greater Chicago. individuality, and add a little bit of who I am to everything. important it is to just enjoy the process. Don’t work yourself up, The first prize was $3,000, the second Regardless of this, I couldn’t have accomplished without the help don’t let this bring tension, but just learn as much as you can for $2,000, and the third $1,000. of friends and family. I credit my family for helping the purpose of learning, not for winning. Spend your At the prize distribution, me to understand the deeper meaning of some quotes time enjoying the lessons you learn, and appreciating Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard said the and teachings of Swami Vivekananda. I absolutely the opportunity to step out of your daily life and take Dharma Bee was not just a competition for could not have done this without my mother; she lift- a tour of another, rather than thinking about any children to win a prize but to take to their ed me back up when I was slacking off. I’d also like to result. Overall, I feel very lucky to have been able to hearts the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita thank our friends, who helped to connect us with a participate in a historic event such as this one, and and understand its message. local Vedanta Society, and those who supported me will carry its fruit forever and always. ‘By dovetailing the message of Lord and believed in me before even I believed in myself. Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita into whatev- Similar to Swami Vivekananda, my first impression Natasha Patel, from Texas, won first place in group 4 (6th to er we do, we are trying to do service in the of Chicago was that of admiration. I had a light elec- 8th grades). name of Sri Krishna, and thus spiritualize it,’ Gabbard said. Swami Ishatmananda of the Vedanta Society of Chicago said dharma meant ‘that which holds’ and that dharma or religion makes a man from a brute, and a god from a man. Dharma Bee, the first national contest of its kind in the United States, drew more than 3,000 children from around the coun- try. It tested the students’ knowledge about Vivekananda and other Hindu leaders in a Participants at the event written test, oral presentation and a team India Abroad July 5, 2013 A29

INDIAN NATIONAL OVERSEAS CONGRESS (I) USA Congratulates Our Seasoned & Experienced Leader George Abraham National Chairman & Our Young Dynamic Leader

Shudh Parkash Singh National President We Support Their New Assignments Sponsored by INDO American Business Council of INOC: Kanwal Sra, CPA Mohan Wanchoo Ravi Chopra Anand Nambiar President/Chair Vice Chair Vice President Vice President Edward Troy, Esq Dr. Kiranpreet Parmar Paul Saran Director Director Director

National Executive Committee: Chakot Radhakrishnan National Vice President, Mohinder Singh Vice President, Kanwal Sra Treasurer, Harbachan Singh Acting General Secretary, Sabina Ali Joint Treasurer, Phuman Singh, Kalathil Varughese, Juned Quazi, Ravi Chopra, Zach Thomas, Sawaran Singh, Prasad Kambhampaty, Karamjit Singh Chapter Heads: Dr. Dayan Naik, Mahesh Saladi, TJ Singh Gill, John Joseph, Lavika Bhagat Singh, Sushil Goyal, Zinda Singh, Gurwant S. Pannu, Esq Council Chairs: Kanwal Sra Chair, Anand Ahuja Esq, Malini Shah, Rajender Dichpally, Gunjan Rastogi, Harry Singh A30 COMMUNITY NEWS India Abroad July 5, 2013 Flood relief efforts get going in California

RITU JHA

he Uttarakhand Mandal of America, a San Francisco nonprofit, June 25 launched Operation TRebuild, an effort to help rehabilitate victims of the disaster in the Himalayan Indian state. “We are reaching out to seek help for the recent flood- ing in the Himalayan region,” Somit Joshi, a former UMA president, told India Abroad. The floods have claimed nearly 1,000 lives so far and the toll is expected to go up. “We have launched a $1 million fundraising (effort). The goal is to help 2,000 families get back on their feet,” Joshi said. “We will be helping families who have been impacted either by losing their breadwinner or by losing their business. We have to act quickly and raise the money and deploy it fast.” Joshi said that while heavy rains had affected the area, the landslides that followed were a resultant of bad management of the fragile ecology and the influx of tourists, including pilgrims, in Uttarakhand. He pointed out to Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir, where the flow of people is regulated according to weather condi- tions. Joshi said his group is taking help from Dr Kailash Joshi, co-founder and former president of The Indus Entrepreneurs, who in 2001 raised $4.5 million for earthquake relief in Gujarat. “My roots are in Uttarakhand, so my engagement with these efforts has the personal dimension,” Somit Joshi said. DANISH SIDDIQUI/REUTERS Funds donated will be tax deductible. $1,000 is A survivor pleads with a soldier to allow her mother to board an army helicopter during rescue operations at expected to be enough to rehabilitate two families. Badrinath, Uttarakhand, June 21.

supposed to be a part of Journey of the Heart and also a tribute to his father who died in 2007 and whose cremation Buddhist text celebrated on film Verma was not able to attend. When the documentary became six hours long, he cut out many segments, includ- RITU JHA Verma decided it was impossible to move forward without ing the one on Hindu cremations. He still plans to release himself getting involved in making the film — as editor and Journey of the Heart online in streaming format in 12 ourney of the Heart, a documentary on the Heart cameraman. episodes of 30 minutes each, making sure to include the Sutra, the work of 7th century Chinese monk “I spent a few months learning to edit as well as handle a segment on Hindu cremation. J Xuanzang, was screened at Embarcadero Center film camera,” said Verma, who is a movie buff. “With the The film includes interviews with the Dalai Lama, and Cinema in San Francisco, June 13. newly acquired skills I made the second shooting expedi- Buddhist scholars like Robert Thurman, author B Alan Xuanzang, who undertook a 10,000-mile and 16-year- tion to India in 2012 and completed the filming.” Wallace, monk Mattheiu Ricard, and Thupten Jinpa, the long journey to India to Vulture’s Peak in Rajgir, Bihar, His first documentary was on Hindu cremation. It was Dalai Lama’s translator. This film has been shot in India where the Heart Sutra is supposed to have and Nepal and covers major locations of been delivered. importance to Buddhism. The Heart Sutra is a dialog between two Verma said he had read about Xuanzang prominent figures in Buddhism: Arya in his primary school history books, but dis- Avalokiteshvara and Arya Shariputra. This covered Buddhism in the US. dialog is supposed to have happened in the “I reconnected with Hinduism through presence of Lord Buddha at a hilltop known Buddhism,” he said. “I call Buddhism an as Vulture’s Peak. actionable form of Hinduism. The Heart The film was made by Ravi Verma, an Sutra is considered as a collection of ulti- engineer and entrepreneur. Verma, an mate wisdom, and is supposed to have been Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur developed at Nalanda, a place in my home graduate and founder and chief executive state of Bihar.” officer, Telecommand Software and Services He said the film gave him new respect for in Sacramento, California, said his foray his home state. into filmmaking began when in 2010 Selja “When I first read the Heart Sutra, I loved Kumari, then India’s minister of tourism, it for its brevity and profoundness. I did not invited him to a Buddhist conclave. know that it was supposed to have been “We were having a brainstorming session delivered at Rajgrih. I discovered this fact on projects that we could undertake to while researching for the film,” Verma said, improve tourism to India,” Verma said. Back describing how visiting Vulture’s Peak in California, he came upon Xuanzang and became an emotional experience. the Heart Sutra. The chief guest at the San Francisco Making a film was not easy, even with a screening was Dr Paul Ekman, a professor team from Hollywood, he realized as he of psychology who is a global expert on went to India for the first round of filming. Ravi Verma , left, on the sets expression recognition. India Abroad July 5, 2013 A31 BUSINESS/SERVICES DIRECTORY NEW JERSEY ACCOUNTANTS/CPA ACCOUNTANTS/CPA AUTO INSURANCE DENTIST ACCOUNTANTS/CPA YourTaxAdvisor.com KANWAL K. KAPUR, CPA Missing Teeth? 25 Winthrop Dr. Woodbury, NY KALRA INSURANCE Dental Implants are the solution! 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JAT SIKH family seeks PROFESSIONAL match for US GUJARATI Leva Patel parents NORTH Indian Hindu parents DONUT SHOP IN NY Matrimonial handsome, clean shaven born, Ivy League educated, 5'8''/ 29, seeking Gujarati US born , invite correspondence for son, FOR SALE Bride Doctor/professional alliance in beautiful accomplished daughter raised, tall and beautiful doctor 32yr/5'10'', MBA, born & raised Ideal for Owner Operator. Great USA/Canada for US permanent working in NY. Affluent, professional, girl for a US born very in US. Exceptionally handsome, Location. Long Lease. Low highly educated, U.S. Punjabi ALLIANCE invited from resident PhD daughter, 45/5'6'', handsome surgeon son, sincere, fun loving, presently Rent. Call (732) 261-8970 for professionals in US/Canada, for family. extremely beautiful, very fair, tall, Email: [email protected] 33yrs/6’2”, in first year of Senior Manager in Fortune100. more info. US born, educated, beautiful & slim divorcee, tenured practice. Email: biodata w/recent Seeking beautiful, professional, charming Jat Sikh, working MD Management Professor in US WELL-ESTABLISHED photo: cultured girl with family values. High Volume Long daughter, 34/ 5'5". Business School. Looking for a Punjabi family invites [email protected] Prefer correspondence from girls Established Convenience Store Email bio/recent photo: happy and trustworthy correspondence from US in Dallas/ Fort Worth area. in Albany. High Lottery Commission. [email protected] companion. No bars. Please Hindu parents seek Please email family details & raised professionals for Current Owners for 20 yrs. send biodata & recent photo to: beautiful, slim, MD daughter, beautiful, slim, cultured, recent photograph: GUJARATI Patel parents invite Retiring -Moving. [email protected] finishing fellowship, 29/5'2''. professional match; for [email protected] correspondence for USA born Asking $335,000+ Inventory. Email biodata with recent v.handsome, sincere, Call Sitij (518) 364-4623 daughter, slim, beautiful, PARENTS invite correspondence KAYASTA parents seek groom, photo: [email protected] 35 years/5’71/2” tall, doctor. caring, Ivy-league educated 36-40 for their professional, [email protected] for an Ivy League, educated, Please email biodata and recent son, 36/6', MD Physician family oriented daughter. Email attorney, working and living in LARGE DELI / GROCERY/ photograph to: with specialization. Email biodata/ with recent photo to: SEEKING East coast match NYC, 36 yrs/6'4”/205lbs. Should MARKET FOR SALE! [email protected] biodata w/recent be attractive & never married. [email protected] for NI US raised/ educated Prime location in Fairfield photographs: Email Biodata w/recent photo: HINDU Sindhi parents of well- JD/MBA professional, Connecticut, in shopping center [email protected] educated, good-looking girl, KERALA Hindu girl, beautiful family oriented, [email protected] Gross income: $15,000 per week Long lease. greencard holder, permanent divorced after very brief daughter, 33/5’7”, working SINGLE EXECUTIVE, 51 (looks 40); MATCH for 31 years old boy, Asking price: $325,000 resident US, invite marriage, working as nurse, with major consulting firm in seeks attractive female under 40, for Doctor, 6 feet tall, handsome, Call owner: (347) 682-8351 correspondence; from well- very beautiful, born in NY, NYC. Email biodata photo: companionship. settled Hindu professionals, US born, starting 3rd year (212) 586-5551 30years old, settled in NY. [email protected] residency. Please send 35-45yrs.. Looking for match. Business Call (208) 406-1706 information along with recent Business / Bio/recent photo: Matrimonial photograph at: For Sale/Lease PARENTS invite [email protected] gobind137@ gmail.com Finance correspondence from suitable Groom INDIAN PARENTS seeking bride, MD/ professional for cultured, US MAHESHWARI, US born, Business RESTAURANT/BAR GUJARATI Hindu parents Med student/ Dentist for down- strong Indian values, for Sale. Cleveland OH. Fine born, beautiful daughter, seeking US born bride in to-earth, caring, vegetarian, Opportunities dining, seats over 140 people 39/5’2”, MBA Ivy League, top physician girl, 26/5'9'', Medical field for handsome US Gastroenterology fellow, US NEWS STAND: Famous NJ outlets with outdoor seating. Great executive California based with applying for residency 2013. born, 30/5’11”, eye doctor (OD). raised son, handsome, slim, mall, high profit/low rent, utilities, lottery, location Asking price $85,000. good family values. Email Preferably doctor. Email Email biodata with recent 28/5'3''. Kindly beverages, coffee, snacks, smoke, ice biodata w/ recent photo: biodata with recent photo photos: email biodata w/recent picture: creams. Call (732) 833-6333/ 888- Call Bali (814) 777-7161. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 3905. Continued on Page A33 Place your ad online www.indiaabroad.com/classifieds India Abroad July 5, 2013 A33

ELEC. CONTRACTOR Needs help in off tech support, Classifieds estimation, bidding projects, Tech purchasing, record Continued from Page A32 7-11 Store Nassau County keeping, off admin tasks. Exp N4 bus accessible. in Contracting business is plus. Real Estate F/T, P/T overnight shifts available. Must be in local NY. Email: Opportunities English & papers a must. [email protected] BELLEROSE CAPE Call for interview GARMENT IMPORTER 40x100 Needs TLC (516) 510-5557 from Central NJ seeks: HOLLIS HILLS A CONSTRUCTION Sr. Textile merchandiser/ Buildable Lot (Block 7823 Lot 6) Sales coordinator 86th Rd Bet 213 & 214 St COMPANY IN LIC, NY Service major US retailers Approx 6000 Sq ft $400s is looking for a Student/Junior Proficiency in MS Office Chimes Real Estate Civil Engineer. Construction Al (718) 939-5224 (Excel) is must. Attractive salary. related education preferred. 401K/Bonus. Email: Must have knowledge of [email protected] Motels For Sale Blueprints reading and be Fax (908) 226-0290 MOTEL SALE: fluent in English. INDIAN CHEF WANTED 54 Rooms, 6 Suites. Email resume to: In a upgrade Hotel in Cherry Hill, Manager Quarter, [email protected] NJ...Legal, proficient in American Brick Building. or fax to (718)707-9701. Very good condition and Indian Cooking, for large and good location. A Grade Mechanic weddings, banquets ..English visit: toccoainn.com & Auto Body speaking, capable of handling call (734) 354-1910 Repair Technicians large staff.. Need Indo-American Full service repair & restoration experience, with degree and facility. Experienced, references..Please send resume Restaurant tools & inspection license must. Immediate openings, to: Rajni Patel at : Sale/Lease 5 day work week. [email protected] INDIAN Restaurant for sale. Owner Fax: (631) 392-4891 financing. Low price. Good sale. Call [email protected] INDO CHINESE Rocky (443) 703-6603 RESTAURANT IN NJ ADMIN, INVENTORY Looking for complete staff, Store MANAGEMENT, SALES ETC. Entrie Chef, Rice Noodle, POSITION: Several openings in fast Appetizer Cooks, Waiters, Business Development RESTAURANT For Sale/Lease growing Company dealing Hostess for our new location. Associate OPERATORS/PARTNERS DRIVE through conv store in Suffock in Natural Stones Call (732) 543-4848 Benefits Consulting firm in Long Island, NY. We are offering a superb opportunity for hard working County 60K per month. Call (516) 343- located in LIC, NY 11101. entrepreneurial-minded passionate restaurant operators, Legal status reqd. LOOKING FOR Candidates from 6205 interested in a restaurant business to partner/invest in a Email: garry@ a Google, Yahoo, Bing & Pay NY, NJ, CT & PA may apply. restaurant franchise, operate, flourish and succeed. Employment indoamericanstone.com per Click Ad words Salary+ incentive comp. 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Must speak English. WANTED HELP by appt only. with computer & customer pay and bonus. Will provide in English. Willing to learn For deli/ grocery in (212) 564-0620 service skills. Good salary and beenfits. accommodation. Entry level. Queens to work cash Please send your resume: MANAGER with some experience STUDENTS WELCOMED Email your detailed resume to: Call (212) 957-9797 ext register/ lotto. Day/ night shift & [email protected] required, for small franchised motel in Call (212) 575-2345 [email protected] 104 Atlanta. Call Raj (404) 768-2789, or part-time. Call Paramesh (908) 647-0191 Leave detailed message FRANCHISE Motel in Minnesota email at: [email protected] NIGHT shift help wanted in Indian (516) 236-6129/ Fluency in English a must. needs Manager. Call (952) 212-1705. restaurent. Please call (646) 525-1462 (718) 883-1334 Continued on Page A34 Place your ad online www.indiaabroad.com/classifieds A34 India Abroad July 5, 2013 PHARMACEUTICAL: HOUSEHOLD child care live-in help Senior Research Scientist needed in New Orleans Louisiana. Call EDUCATION Classifieds (Transdermal R&D): Lead formulation (678) 596-4957 dvlpmts in transdermal matrix, buccal film, & hydrogel transdermal drug IOWA CITY, Iowa professional couple NY INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL CAREERS Continued from Page A33 delivery systems for generic & 505b2 seeks full-time live-in nanny for toddler. SCIENTIST III (AR&D): Supporting Call (305) 812-1101 or email: applics. Characterize physical NURSE AIDE $549 WANTED [email protected] analytical dvlpmt for oral Dosage properties, skin flux, critical raw material EKG TECHNICIAN $350 Young, honest, hardworking form pharmaceuticals. This individual attributes, & optimum processing LIGHT housekeeping, part-time, in PHLEBOTOMY TECHNICIAN $350 individuals as cashier cum leads & manages all analytical conditions that ensure robust Queens, flexible hours. PHARMACY TECHNICIAN $699 manufacture & product performance. stock clerks full-time for 24 hour Call (718) 971-4517 EKG & PHLEBOTOMY $550 Licensed by NYS Education Dept. dvlpmt, qualifications, validations for Responsible for successful formulation WE ACCEPT WORKFORCE VOUCHERS grocery store in Manhattan. LIVE-IN housekeeper needed. Mon- MEDICAL ASSISTANT $3500 Active Pharmaceuticals, Excipients, dvlpmt & ANDA batch manufacture, Minimum 1 year Fri. Call (302) 898-1755 or • Open 7 Days • Job Placement Assistance • Easy Paymnet Plan CMC sections of regulatory submission • National and State Exams on premises & dosage forms, testing, & release (516) 437-0194. experience & references a as well as Product Dvlpmt Reports. must. Call (917) 826-4090/ activities & in-process analytical Call: 718.565.9500 Provide guidance to ARD colleagues LIVE-IN nanny required in Exton, PA. 718.406.9290/718.565.9501 (347) 933-1758 testing services in support of for support of transdermal dvlpmt (2 hours from NY). Call (814) 308-0666 formulation dvlpmt dept using projects. Understand regulatory & IP or email [email protected] influences on generic transdermal WORK FOR WORLD modern analytical techniques like Hindi speaking Househelp needed Apartment/ VASANT VIHAR product dvlpmt. Provide training & North NJ: Cooking, cleaning, RENOWNED HPLC, UPLC, GC, Dissolution guidance to group members aimed at NEW DELHI’S childcare. Call (201) 314-7922. House To Rent SPIRITUAL apparatus, MS, FTIR, TLC, UV dvlpg tech. capabilities. Provide timely Most exclusive ORGANIZATION BASED Spectrophotometer. Writing standard responses to inquiries & ensure that NEED live-in female housekeeper who SPRINGFIELD, NJ speaks Hindi & English, for long term. Short Hills border. neighborhood. In New York. Must be operating procedures, test methods, objectives & goals of dept are met. Contribute to operational Attractive salary. Call Hardeep 1 & 2 BDRMS & TOWNHOMES 6000 sq ft excellent in communication validation protocols & reports. Assists improvements to increase efficiency, (516) 723-9056/ (201) 736-0530 ASK ABOUT MOVE IN skills & dedication toward Group Leader w/training, & cGMP compliance, & safety. Broad SPECIAL Ground basement, overseeing work of other scientists, knowl of transdermal, hydrogel, & Doctors Fitness center, parking. Independent healing the humanity. Jobs buccal drug delivery. Reqmts: Ph.D in Lofts/basements available. according to project needs, drives are available in customer Pharmaceutical or Chemical Sci, + 1 VERY PROFITABLE, Walk to NYC train. entrance home on 600 service, advances in analytical capabilities yr exp in transdermal formulation HIGH VOLUME SHORT HILLS CLUB VILLAGE sq yards plot. Can be for all analytical technology, qualifies dvlpmt. Knowl of matrix, hydrogel, & MEDICAL PRACTICE ON forestrealtyinc.com social media, writing, etc. buccal film formulation & process 973-379-4500 finished to your Full-time jobs available. & maintains analytical eqpmts. THE NORTH SIDE OF dvlpmt. Will accept Master's deg + 3 HOUSTON FOR SALE. QUEENS VILLAGE: 1Bedroom Dvlpmt & Optimization of new & yrs in lieu. Job Loc: Piscataway, NJ. specifications. Distress Email your resume to: Open to partnership with basement apartment for rent $450. existing analytical methods for Send resumes to: Amneal sale. HR@ organization or new doctor/ profit Single person. Near all. (516) 445-9358 qualification, Perform Analytical Pharmaceuticals LLC, 209 McLean ChamundaSwamiJi.com Blvd, Paterson, NJ 07504. Attn: HR share. Physician seller will WOODHAVEN BLVD: 2BR apt. Close Non negotiable Method validations. Assist Group Ref: # 12202 finance as well as provide to the train. Blue Ribbon School. Rs 20 crores. INDIAN RESTAURANT Madison, Leader w/guiding members of training and transitional period (917) 968-3156. Wisconsin. needs Tandoori chef, helper Analytical Group to meet deadlines of up to one year. Thirty years of Contact owner & waiter. Sunny (608) 630-0287. Household Apartment tied to Product dvlpmt schedules & history and over 90k active Alok: 9810118321 Help Wanted patients. Average yearly census LOOKING for a Secretary with to fulfill tech. & compliance reqmts. House To Share alok@ computer knowledge. Call (516) 488- of 45,000 patients. Two Expand analytical capabilities of LOOKING FOR A ELMHURST: For male, internet, near 1061 employed physicians, one nurse thegatewayhospitality.com analytical group. Eval, recommend, FULL-TIME LIVING NANNY subway, furnished. Call Singhal practitioner (NP), one physicians NEED office help. For insurance office. AND HOUSEKEEPER. (646) 344-9619 & implmt new analytical technologies assistant (PA) and support staff Commercial Must speak Hindi, Punjabi and have Should have the ability to computer skills a must. & instrumentation for testing. Provide will remain with practice. Medical House For Sale manage the household work Property-India Call (718) 426-1195 training & guidance to analytical office building/real estate along with spending time with optional. PLAINFIELD COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SECRETARY/ Administrative group members aimed at dvlpg tech. the kids one of 12 years and the 2 homes 5 miles from Edison and Serious inquiries only. 1) 1,20,000 sq ft Please email resume: capabilities. Provide timely responses other of 5 years. Should have Iselin. Customize while under Please email on National Highway [email protected] to internal & external inquiries. Stay very good cooking skills for renovation to your specifications. or Call (212) 575-9150 nwhealthcare@ 212 Mysore 1.5 KMS abreast of new dvlpmts in analytical Indian food and possess Precompletion $325,000.. between 5-6 PM gmail.com or Call (201) 889-1969 from Mysore palace. necessary work permit. The technologies. Contribute to call (832) 534-2289. Has 22 rooms, 3 restaurants. SECRETARY Wanted for Car requirement is for an Indian improvement in laboratory operations PLAINVIEW: Potential for multiplex, dealership in Astoria req computer & family of 4 residing in to increase efficiency & maintain NEW HOME (2013) food court and more rooms. fluent English. Long Island. Interested Services / For Mon-Sat. Tel (516) 581-5439 S.D.# 4 Colonial 4 Bedrooms, Price Rs. 8000.00 sq ft. GMP compliance. Reqmts: Master's candidates should call up at Email: [email protected] Miscellaneous 2.5 baths, CAC, patio, 2 car Website www: deg in Chemistry or rltd tech. field. 1(917) 951-9155 garage, fire place, full basement thevillagemysore.com TANDOOR & CURRY chef needed in Will accept Bachelor's deg in for an interview $779,000. Marcia Finkelstein, 2) RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY Wilson NC ASAP. Pay food Chemistry or rltd tech. field + 5 yrs REAL ESTATE accommodation provided. Call SEEKING EXPERIENCED Lynda Baker Realty in Mysore 45,500 sq ft on (919) 906-3230. exp in analytical chemistry in lieu. NANNY Room For Rent (516) 729-8550 prestigious Laltihmahal Job Loc: Brookhaven, NY. Send For 9 months old in LIC/Astoria, Palace Road. Price PHARMACIST (Part-time) for Queens. Mon-Fri 8:30am-6:30pm, ELMHURST, QUEENS: Room for Rs.4000.00 sq ft. pharmacy in Queens. Call (718) 426- resumes to: Amneal House/Flat flexible on weekends. rent, Flushing Line # 7 train. Call 1073. Fax resume: (718) 426-7910 Pharmaceuticals of NY LLC, 50 Contact: Anil Kumar Requirements: legal US resident, (347) 327-3910 Sale/Lease:India Horseblock Rd., Brookhaven, NY 011 9449853696 email: RESTAURANT HELP: Cook, Tandoori Hindi speaking, North Indian cooking ELMHURST: Wanted a lady to share VANI Vilasa Mohalla, Mysore, 1995 [email protected] Cook, Helper, Waiter. Call (716) 837- 11719. & mild house keeping. an apt. Room available.(718) 651- built, 1293 sq feet 0460/ (716) 830-6432. Attn:HR Ref: # 12132 Call (646) 831-5445. 9319. [email protected] Place your ad online www.indiaabroad.com/classifieds India Abroad July 5, 2013 A35

AMMA Restaurant and Banquet Hall New York, NY (4000 SQFT) July 11-13, 2013 in Rahway, NJ For Rent FREE PROGRAMS ARE OPEN TO ALL MEET MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI, RENOWNED HUMANITARIAN AND SPIRITUAL LEADER (Long Term Lease) Thursday, July 11 Saturday, July 13 11:00am - 5:00pm DEVI BHAVA PROGRAM FULLY EQUIPPED KITCHEN A celebration devoted to world peace Friday, July 12 Program begins at 7:00pm & SEATING AREA Morning, 10:00am Evening, 7:30pm onwards LOCATION $75,000 DEPOSIT (Firm!), Jacob Javits Center North Hall $6,000 RENT (Firm!) Saturday, July 13 11th Avenue between 39th and 40th Street Morning, 10:00am (entrance on 40th Street) New York, NY 10001

Call: (732) 762-5014 Visit www.ammany.org for more information or call (212) 714-5445

Numbered tokens for individual blessings are distributed one hour before programs begin. Tokens are limited by time constraints.

OM LOKAH SAMASTAH SUKHINO BHAVANTU MAY ALL BEINGS EVERYWHERE BE HAPPY OM LOKAH SAMASTAH SUKHINO BHAVANTU FRIDAY, July 5, 2013 INDIA ABROAD www.indiaabroad.rediff.com TOURS LIMITED - USA FIXED DATE DEPARTURE TOURS (Proud Winners of Best Tour Operator Award)

All inclusive luxury coach tours of the Call or Email for more info: East Coast, West Coast & Orlando Madhavi: 678.882.9811 • Private Airport Transfers [email protected] BBuulllleettiinn BBooaarrdd • Deluxe Hotel Accommodations Tours Limited also offers exciting Tours in • Indian Dinners • Sightseeing Tickets South America, Canada, Alaska, South To advertise in the Bulletin Board call toll free (800) 822-3532 • Guided City Tours • Luxury Coach Transfers Africa, and Dubai UAE. Please visit our • Experienced Indian Tour Escorts website www.Tourslimited.com ANNOUNCEMENTS HELP WANTED Profitable Business for Sale NIDAAN Medicare Pvt, Ltd. Q: ANY QUESTIONS ON ISLAM? AKBAR RESTAURANTS, BALTIMORE in the Caribbean Seek Medical Advice From Over A: WATCH: WWW.Peacetv.tv SEEK EXPERIENCED Established since 1995 printing business in the Dutch 4000 Doctors In India Using Your Phone. Caribbean for sale by owners as they are planning to retire. Visit: www.whyislam.org TANDOORI COOK LARGE CUSTOMER BASE, GREAT POTENTIAL TO GROW. WWW.NIDAAN.COM GOOD PAY Seller will assist buyers to have their resident status BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES to live and operate the business. Customer Care No. 011-91-141-4156667 & ACCOMMODATION. [email protected] Restaurant Consultant Available Details Contact email: VINAY (443) 722-8731 [email protected] ALL RESTAURANTS NEEDS A-Z Tel: +1 7215237134 Rasoi Consultant HELP WANTED 7-ELEVEN 18% Return (586) 419-3566 Need Two Counter Persons HELP WANTED Own Unit for $250,000 in for Day & night shift Rejuvenex Resort of Sarasota, FL BrowArt 23 Franchise Experienced Waiter Needed in central south New Jersey. Rejuvenation Media, LLC Opportunities Available Legal status required. Boston Area, Indian Restaurant. Steve Bedi, MD 727.686.3489 Low Start-Up Costs! Call (732) 456-4637 (508) 933-2533 [email protected] Erin Franks (773) 571-2667 www.browart23.com Well Known, Very Busy Getting Married? Having a Baby? Beautiful Cozy Indian Celebrating an Anniversary? Restaurant for Sale in Westchester LET EVERYONE KNOW! Owner is too busy, net $180,000/- serious buyers only contact (917) 520-7928 Place your ad under “ANNOUNCEMENTS” Gas Station & C-Store Chain in India Abroad’s Bulletin Board section in Color! Selling/Leasing Call (646) 432-6025 • Toll free (800) 822-3532 Multi-Branded Sunoco, Mobil & More. High Volume Locations w/Large C-Stores in NY. HELP WANTED HELP WANTED Financing Available by Owner Tandoori Cook, Waiter, Kitchen Helper Indian Restaurant / Florida Peter (315) 368-7591 Needed in Florida for Indian restaurant, Needs Dishwasher, Tandoori Cook SELLING SUPER 8 accommodation provided. Waiters & Appetizer cook. after 17yrs due to illness (813) 380-6192 or (813) 300-2585 Min 2yrs experience must. Excellent salary on Exit I-95 in South Carolina. Manager/Couple Find your (803) 447-9614 Central Florida Franchise Motel. Computer Literate. w/accommodation. Partnership available w/investment. Life Partner in our Gas Station (Sale) Fax: (386) 944-0074 Ray (407) 810-6234 Missouri w/property/lease [email protected] Matrimonial Pages PROPERTY WANTED-INDIA v.busy store Tandoori Chef, Kitchen Helper sales $50,000 - $55,000/M. for fine dining restaurant, Minnesota. Wanted: Chandigarh House Call: 646.432.6033/6026 Asking $550,000. Accommodation & good salary Can Pay in USA, No Brokers. [email protected] Manpreet (610) 810-7463 Call Paul (651) 431-0291 (303) 589-1690

Showroom by appointment only. ABSON INC. Tel: (732) 574.0101 • Fax: (732) 574.0071 Direct Importers of Corals, Jades, Pearls, Precious, Email: [email protected] • 216 St Georges Ave, Rahway, NJ 07065 Semi-Precious Stones & Ready-Made Jewelry. We Sell Natural Yellow Sapphire (Pukhraj). Visit ABSONINC.COM to buy a few selected items online.