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Once largely confined to spiritual use among Indians, Rudraksha seeds are now gaining popularity in Switzerland, with rising demand from both the diaspora and local Swiss, an official said. "It is a niche market now, set to be solidified by the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which comes into force from October 1," an official said. India and the four European nations bloc, EFTA (European Free Trade Association), signed the agreement on March 10, 2024. In 2024-25, India exported the commodity worth Rs 0.97 crore. "While Switzerland's Indian diaspora of over 27,000 people provides a foundational market for these seeds, the primary driver is a burgeoning wellness and mindfulness movement among the broader Swiss population," the official said. Swiss online retailers and yoga shops now market Rudraksha malas (prayer beads) not just as religious items, but as tools for a secular kind of spirituality. A Zurich-based online yoga store sells a simple Rudraksha
In a significant political stride for the Indian diaspora in the United States, Sanjay Singhal and Sukh Kaur, both Indian Americans, have won city council runoff elections in Texas, while Carol McCutcheon has been elected as Mayor of Sugar Land, a Houston suburb with a large Indian-origin population. In Sugar Land's District 2, Sanjay Singhal, a retired energy executive and graduate of IIT Delhi, secured a decisive victory over his nearest rival Nasir Hussain. According to unofficial results from Fort Bend County, Singhal received 2,346 votes to Hussain's 777. "This victory belongs to the residents of District 2," Singhal told supporters. "I am deeply grateful for the community's support and ready to serve with transparency and dedication." Singhal, who has lived in Sugar Land for over 30 years with his wife, their two sons and daughters-in-law, ran on a platform focused on public safety, infrastructure improvements, and accountable governance. In San Antonio, Sukh Kaur, a Sikh ...
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad exhorted members of the Indian community in France to make every effort to showcase Brand India as a beacon of peace that is fighting against the global curse of terrorism. Addressing a gathering of community leaders and prominent members of the Indian diaspora in Paris on Monday evening, the all-party delegation led by Prasad conveyed the message that the terrorist attack in Pahalgam last month was a deliberate attempt to undermine peace and development in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. India's response with Operation Sindoor was precise, targeted, proportionate and non-escalatory and targeted at Pakistan-backed terrorist camps. When I see the growth of India, I am very proud of all of you because you are the brand ambassadors (of the country), said Prasad. Please properly showcase Brand India, that we are for peace, we are for amity. But if innocent Indians are killed by terrorists, they will have to pay a cost. That is the winning Operation
As part of ongoing outreach efforts following the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, India, under Operation Brahma, extended its support to the Indian diaspora in Myanmar's Yangon region, delivering essentials.According to the Embassy of India in Myanmar, Ambassador of India to Myanmar Abhay Thakur handed over 15 tonnes of rice, cooking oil and food stuff to a community relief group there.Meanwhile, the Consulate General of India in Mandalay provided a genset, water purifier and cooking oil for the Ambika temple kitchen serving 4000 pax daily."Giving a helping hand to our diaspora. This week, Ambassador Abhay Thakur handed over 15 T rice, cooking oil & foodstuff to the community Relief Group in Yangon, and the Consulate General of India in Mandalay gave a genset, water purifier & cooking oil for Ambika temple kitchen serving 4000 pax daily," the Embassy of India in Myanmar stated on X.India has been actively engaged in the relief efforts following the ...
Investments by the Indian diaspora in GIFT City-based funds have crossed USD 7 billion, a top official from the International Financial Services Centres Authority said on Tuesday. Over USD 129 billion were remitted by the non-resident Indians (NRIs) and people of Indian origin to the homeland in 2024, and it is fair to assume that they have investments of similar quantum in the global markets, chairman of the financial regulator K Rajaraman said here. "...as of now, about 5,000 NRIs have invested about nearly a billion and a half... in various banking products. They have also invested close to USD 7 billion in the fund ecosystem," he said at an event organised by the Institute of Internal Auditors here. Dedicated facilities for attracting the diaspora money into the GIFT City in Gujarat were started in 2024. Rajaraman said the over 19 million-strong diaspora is a big catchment of funds, and explained the idea behind it. "The thought process is how do we create a platform which can