Page 3 - Indian American

Indo-American Chamber of Greater Houston celebrates 25 years of impact

The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in promoting bilateral trade between India and the United States, supporting small businesses, and driving economic growth. With profound honour, we celebrate a quarter-century of service, said Jagdip Ahluwalia, founding secretary and executive director, welcoming attendees at the Hilton Americas on Saturday. Reflecting on IACCGH's key milestones, he noted partnerships with corporate giants like Shell, BMC Software, and Wallis Bank, as well as impactful collaborations such as MD Anderson's work with Tata Cancer Centre and Mahindra Tractors' arrival in Harris County. The fund-raising gala, an annual event, held on Saturday, was attended by over 1,000 guests, the organisers said. The event brought together leaders from various sectors, including members, partners, elected officials, representatives from the Indian Consulate, the University of ...

US polls: Indian Americans to vote not on heritage basis, claims AsiansMAGA

Indian Americans are likely to vote in the US presidential elections based on what the candidates have done for them and not on the basis of their heritage or race, a newly formed body representing Asian communities has said, claiming that Republican candidate Donald Trump has a better track record than his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris, 59, is the first ever presidential candidate of Indian heritage on the top of a Democratic presidential ticket which has generated a lot of excitement among members of the Indian-American community in the US. They number about five million. Co-founder of Asians Make America Great Again (MAGA) Holly Ham told PTI, "I think Indian Americans really look, and not just heritage because someone is on the ticket, but what has that person done? Do they espouse the same values?" "What has Kamala Harris done for Indians and Asian Indians? What about education rights? She supported, I believe, Proposition 47 in California, and that was

Indian-American entrepreneur Arun Agarwal named VC of Texas economic body

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Dallas-based Indian American entrepreneur Arun Agarwal as the vice chairman of the Texas Economic Development Corporation's (TEDC) board of directors. A key public-private partnership with the Governor's Office of Economic Development and Tourism, TEDC is responsible for marketing Texas as the top US state for business, both domestically and globally, according to a statement from the Governor's office. It said that this appointment underscores Texas's commitment to diversity and highlights the growing influence of Indian American leaders in major economic roles. Agarwal's extensive experience in business, philanthropy, and international relations is expected to further elevate Texas's standing as a global economic powerhouse, the statement said. As the CEO of Nextt, Agarwal oversees a diverse portfolio that spans textiles, cotton trading, real estate, and sports management. He is also the chairman of the National Cricket League (NCL), USA,

Indian diaspora in US top contributors in politics, economic growth & tech

Influence of the Indian diaspora in the US extends from driving economic growth to enriching cultural diversity, contributing more than $300 billion annually in tax revenues to the federal treasury

Kamala Harris' birth certificate shared online after Trump questions race

US Presidential candidate Kamala Harris' ethnicity was questioned by Donald Trump, leading up to the polls on November 5

Harris 'has a lot of great options' for running mate: N Carolina governor

A day after confirming he wouldn't be a candidate for Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday at a public event that he's excited that Democrats have a lot of great options for her to choose from. Speaking in coastal Brunswick County with US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan to celebrate federal funding for land conservation, Cooper reiterated his Monday message by saying "this was not the right time for our state or for me to potentially be on a national ticket. Cooper, barred by term limits from seeking reelection this year, had been among roughly a dozen potential contenders that Harris' team was initially looking at for a vice presidential pick. He's been a surrogate for President Joe Biden's reelection bid and now for Harris. I am going to work every day to see that she is elected," Cooper told WECT-TV. I believe that she will win, and I look forward to this campaign because she has the right message and

Indian Americans make their mark on 1st day of the Republican Convention

From taking the floor to announce all-out support for Donald Trump to reciting Ardaas, Indian Americans attending in large numbers have made their mark on the first day of the high-profile Republican National Convention being held here, days after the party's presumptive presidential candidate survived an assassination bid. Amidst tight security, the four-day event kicked off on Monday here in the US state of Wisconsin, just two days after a gunman opened fire at a Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania, grazing his ear. Indian-American politician Abraham George, elected chairman of the Texas Republican Party in May, took to the floor to announce that all the delegates from his state were voting for Trump, the former president. Harmeet Dhillon, RNC National Committeewoman from California, recited Ardaas (an appeal to God) at the convention, which will officially nominate the 78-year-old former US president as the party's presidential candidate in the November 5 election. Usha Vance, ne

China experiencing dramatic economic slowdown: Indian-American Congressman

Observing that China is experiencing a dramatic slowdown in its economy, an influential Congressman on Wednesday said Beijing has two paths going forward -- continue with its aggression against its neighbours or reform its economy and reduce aggression. "Essentially, China is experiencing a dramatic slowdown in its economy to the point where it might be on the verge of deflation in certain sectors in the economy. Consumer confidence has vanished. You are looking at youth unemployment of upwards of 25 per cent in a country with a one-child policy for decades. That is a very, very bad statistic," Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi told PTI in an interview. "It has racked up tremendous debt, especially at the provincial and local level, and then people's net worth, which is mostly invested in real estate, has fallen significantly. So right now, Xi Jinping, the paramount leader, finds himself in a position where his populist is experiencing severe economic pain," he said. T

Small Indian-American community making grand contributions in US: Report

The Indian-American community, which has grown to five million in 2023, has broken through many barriers to become one of the most influential immigrant groups in the US now, a report said Thursday, observing that their story is about motivated immigrants and their children chasing the American dream. Indian Americans account for only 1.5 per cent of the US population, yet they continue to have an outsized and positive impact across different aspects of US society, said Indiaspora founder MR Rangaswami. The Indian American-driven innovation flows to the country's bottom line and is laying the groundwork for the next phase of economic growth, he said. The report Indiaspora Impact Report: Small Community, Big Contributions, conducted by Boston Consulting Group, is the first volume in a series to look at the impact of the Indian diaspora, with a special focus on public service, business, culture and innovation in the United States. Noting that the Indian diaspora's economic impact in

Indian-American Bruhat Soma from Florida wins Scripps National Spelling Bee

Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old Indian-American seventh-grade student from Florida, has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee after he spelt 29 words correctly in the tiebreaker, maintaining the dominance of the children from the small ethnic community in the prestigious competition. Bruhat emerged victorious in the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, earning more than USD 50,000 in cash and other prizes. This year's contest came down to a tiebreaker in which Bruhat spelt 29 words correctly in 90 seconds, beating Faizan Zaki, who managed to correctly spell 20 words in the lightning round. His championship word was abseil, which is defined as descent in mountaineering by means of a rope looped over a projection above. Bruhat went first in the tiebreaker, and after he got through 30 words, it appeared he would be impossible to beat. Faizan's pace was more uneven at the outset. He attempted 25 words but flubbed four of them. Bruhat Soma rules the word! The Champion of the 2024 Scri

Hindus not represented in USCIRF, says head of Indian diaspora body

Hindus, who constitute one percent of the American population and is the third largest religion of the world, has gone unpresented in the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, in the absence of which the USCIRF has been producing biased, unscientific and one-sided reports on India and Hindus, the head of a top Indian diaspora think-tank body said Friday. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Friday announced the appointment of three new members -- Maureen Ferguson, Vicky Hartzler, and Asif Mahmood and reappointments of Stephen Schneck and Eric Ueland to its commission. The term of the previous commissioners -- Abraham Cooper, David Curry, Frederick Davie, Mohamed Magid, Nury Turkel and Frank Wolf ended on May 14. Congratulations to the appointed member of the USCIRF. Leaders have missed a historic opportunity to appoint representation for diversity and the balance in the commission, representation of one of the largest faiths. One in every six

People of Indian origin feel very proud to be Indian, says FIIDS chief

Observing that there has been a paradigm shift in India's stature at the global stage and its all round development in the last 10 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the head of a Indian diaspora think-tank on Friday said the global Indian community right now feel very proud to be an Indian. Indian diaspora right now feels very proud to be an Indian and I think a lot of credit goes to the leadership of Prime Minister Modi in these last two terms. It really did a paradigm shift and infused confidence not just on Indian Americans but also people of Indian origin all over the world because they're now getting respected, Khanderao Kand, chief of Policy and Strategy at Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), told PTI Friday. India is not just strong, but India's position on various issues are really appreciated. India is making awesome progress on the climate side. India is developing its infrastructure. Indian diaspora when visiting India now from ..

Indian Americans should run for office at all levels: Raja Krishnamoorthi

It's time for Indian Americans to run for office at all levels and never miss to vote, influential Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi told community members gathered here from across the country. We have to vote. Will everyone here vote in that coming election? Because we can talk politics all day, but doing politics is what matters. Remember, politics is not just a noun, it's a verb. And we have to do politics this year. We have to vote, Krishnamoorthi told a room full of eminent Indian Americans who had gathered in the American Capital for the annual summit of Indian American Impact, a Democratic think-tank. Secondly, we have to work on political causes bigger than ourselves. We have to support our local mandirs. We have to support our local mosques. We have to support our local not-for-profits. I hope you do that and you give generously. But we also have to work on political issues bigger than ourselves, said the Indian American Congressman, who represents the suburb of Chicago in th

Modi is changing image of India, hailed as global leader: Indian-American

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in last 10 years of his rule has changed the image of India abroad and has emerged as a true global leader, an eminent Indian-American community leader has said. Modi Ji is changing the image of Indians not just in India but in the world. He is now considered a global leader... I do believe Modi is reviving Indian pride, Indian culture, and ancient Indian knowledge of yoga, mindfulness and Ayurveda, Dr Bindukumar Kansupada, an Indian-American cardiologist from Philadelphia, told PTI in an interview on Wednesday. Dr Kansupada was here to attend the two-day annual summit Desis Decides of Indian-American Impact, which on Wednesday was addressed by Vice President Kamala Harris. An IIT alumni, he is on the Board of Directors of WHEELS Global Foundation. What Mr. Modi has done, from my perspective, first in education, when I went to med school, there were only four medical schools in Mumbai. Now in India, we have more than 700 medical schools. Every district

None in opposition can match PM Modi's dynamism, says Indian American

Observing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only leader talking about the future of India in his election speeches, a prominent Indian American philanthropist said none in the opposition camp can match his dynamism. In an interview with PTI, Suresh V Shenoy said with India's economy making great strides, the country is all about opportunities. What I find in Indian elections is that Modi is the only guy who's talking about the future. He's talking about how to implement technology, said Shenoy, an IITian and a successful businessman. I'm not necessarily a Hindutva guy per se. I think that's a narrative that sort of makes political talk. But look at what India has accomplished from an economic standpoint in the last 10 years. It's incredible. They're now the fourth largest economy in the world, he said in response to a question. Yet there are 800 million underserved people in India who too have aspirations, he said. So, India will continue to be a cauldron of opportunity for

Indian Americans' number in offices not proportional to population: Harris

The number of Indian Americans in elected offices is not reflective of their growing population, US Vice President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday, urging the members of the minority ethnic community to run for elected offices increasingly. Harris, who is of both Indian and African heritage, was speaking at Desis Decide -- the annual summit of Indian American Impact, a democratic party think tank, that supports and funds Indian Americans running for elected offices across the country. Over the years, we've had so much more participation by Indian Americans in the electoral process running for office. But the numbers are still not reflective of the size of the growing population, Harris, the first-ever Indian American, African American, and a woman to be elected as the vice president of the US told a packed room of Indian Americans in the national capital. Currently, there are five elected Indian American members of the Congress -- Dr Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Pramila

Most Indian Americans back PM Modi's third term, says Diaspora leader

Majority of Indian Americans favour a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his government's policies are transforming India, an influential community leader has said. Indians are part of the deep economic growth of the United States and they've been working hard to contribute to the economic growth, Indian-American Democratic fundraiser Ajay Jain Bhaturia said, underling that when they see similar economic growth happening back in India, they feel very proud of it. I think the majority of Indian Americans want Prime Minister Modi to come back. It's a sense of pride for them that when India shines, they shine, Bhaturia told PTI in an interview. They feel proud that India is rising, India is growing. India has been growing at almost a much faster rate of economic growth, six to seven per cent. When I'm reading the statistics, it says that it'll overtake Japan by the end of this year to become the fourth largest economy. And maybe by 2027, India would be the third largest ...

GenZ Indian-American running for Georgia State Senate raises over $280K

Ashwin Ramaswami, the first Gen Z Indian-American running for a US State legislature, has raised over USD 280,000, which is considered to be a substantial figure at the state level. Ramaswami, 24, has outraised his incumbent opponent Shawn Still by 22 times in the latest filing period from Feb 1 to April 30. While Ramaswami raised over USD 146,000, his opponent raised only USD 6,400. The two are running for the State Senate in the District 48 of Georgia. According to the latest public campaign finance report, Ramaswami has raised a total of over USD 280,000 and has USD 208,000 cash on hand, his campaign said. Our latest reports are further evidence that our community values honesty and integrity in our leadership above all, said Ramaswami, a second-generation Indian-American who has built a career in software engineering, election security, and technology law and policy research. We've built a grassroots campaign with unprecedented momentum to ensure we elect a leader who will ser

Eminent Indian Americans commit $100 million for development of Amritsar

A group of eminent Indian-Americans have come together to announce a commitment of USD100 million for startups towards the socio-economic development of Amritsar, the first of its kind initiative for any Indian city by the diaspora. In collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), a group of eminent Indian-Americans and Indians living in the US had their first meeting in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC to announce the formation of Viksit Amritsar Initiative. The mega initiative, its founding members said, is inspired by former Indian envoy to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who after an illustrious diplomatic service, including the last four years in Washington DC, has returned to his home town with the mission of helping the city develop as one of the best in the world both in terms of economic and industrial growth but also as an attractive tourist destination from across the ...

Indian American indicted in a Ponzi scheme, victims asked to come forward

An Indian-American has been indicted by a grand jury in a Ponzi scheme with the FBI urging victims of the investment adviser in Texas to come forward. Siddharth Jawahar, 36, has been ordered imprisonment until sentencing by the court. The FBI on Wednesday said it is seeking potential Miami-area victims of Jawahar who has been accused of running a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. According to the indictment, from July 2016 through roughly December 2023, Jawahar took in more than USD 35 million from Swiftarc investors but spent about USD 10 million on investments in companies. Jawahar used the money from new investors to repay older investors and to fuel an extravagant lifestyle that included flights on private planes, stays at luxury hotels and expensive outings at lavish restaurants, the indictment says. In 2015, Jawahar began investing the majority of client funds in a single investment, Philip Morris Pakistan (PMP), the indictment says, and eventually, 99 per cent of client fund