Arab countries account for highest NRI deaths March 30, 2016 10:52
The Gulf countries account the highest Non-Resident Indian (NRI) deaths , a recent Post in TOI revealed. The highest 8307 NRI deaths happened in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between January 2013 to March 2016. A large number of Indian workers are attracted by the money offered at the construction sites in the Arab countries, but they often pay a heavy price for the money. Arab nations account for the highest number of deaths of Indian- origin people, working overseas. Report says that, the dangerous nature of jobs is not the only reason behind the deaths of Indian workers. The NRIs in the Arab countries continue to remain Indian citizens, while in the West countries , where over the years most NRIs become the local citizens. The Arab countries such as, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar are top the list of Arab nations, that account for the highest number of deaths of the Indian- origin workers. According to the report, 80 per cent of the overall worldwide deaths of Indian citizens happened in these five countries. The UAE accounts 2741 deaths of Indian workers in 2015, while 2674 workers died in the Saudi Arabia, during the last year. Nandini
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Gay marriage bureau for Indians! March 23, 2016 07:42
An NRI has established India's first portal, where gays can find their life partners in India. The customized marriage agency will help homosexuals to find the right match. Benhur Samson, who settled in the US, started the 'arrangedgaymarriage.com' after receiving numerous requests from gays regarding prospective life partners. He has been working in the medical tourism sector and helping gay couple in assisting with surrogacy for their children. PTI reported that, Samson said that, "In June when (US President Barack) Obama declared marriage equality rights. I realized that while so many heterosexuals were visiting India to get married, then why not do the same for homosexuals." The gay marriage bureau conducts background checks and counselling, said the NRI. Around 250 enquiries were received by the agency already from gays, mostly from India. The agency helped 29 couples to tie the knot, said Samson. He said that, "we have received enquiries from about 250 clients, mostly from India, of which one-fifth have enrolled, as not everybody can enroll because fee is USD 5,000. We promise them a year's time to set them up with the partner they are looking for." "We have been doing this since last eight years. I have been in international medical tourism and our clients would visit India to take their babies and will fall in love. We'd help them out and were already counselling them on their choice of couples. So we decided why not start a separate portal for them," he added. Nandini
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US workers file lawsuit on Disney, Cognizant and HCL over layoffs with H-1B visa holders January 28, 2016 05:47
Two former IT workers at Walt Disney World, situated in Orlando, had sued against the company along with two other global consulting companies, Cognizant and HCL for illegal termination and hiring H-1B visa workers to supplant them. Leo Perrero and Dena Moore have filed separate lawsuits in the federal court in Tampa and Florida, against Walt Disney, HCL and Cognizant. Both are among the other Disney tech employees who were fired off around a year back and had to train their replacement. The Workers claimed that, global consulting companies, Cognizant and HCL were responsible to hire H-1B visa holders to replace them. Leo Perrero, said to TOI in an interview that, "We were shattered. It was a humiliating experience." They claim in lawsuit that, the companies have been broken the US laws with the help of temporary H-1B visas to bring foreign workers. Perrero said that, "There was a lot of negativity in the air. They don't feel comfortable, we don't feel comfortable. There isn't a great deal of camaraderie." He completed his bachelor’s degree in information technology (IT) and have 15 more certifications in IT. According to the Walt Disney World, the lawsuit is "based on an unsustainable legal theory and are a wholesale misrepresentation of the facts". They denied any wrongdoing. The company hired over 1000 employees back into other positions and roles. They offered another position at similar pay to Dena Moore, with one of Blackwell's clients. Dena Moore said that, "Our complaint is not against the H1B programme itself, which is fine if it is executed within the rules. Our problem is with its misuse. Companies are lying and falsifying facts and documents." Nandini
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Ten lupus linked genes identified by Indian-American scientist led team January 27, 2016 10:08
Indian-American scientist led international team has identified 10 new genes linked up with lupus, the autoimmune disease. Lupus is a debilitating condition where the immune system of the body turns unbalanced and tries to attack its own tissues. Swapan Nath is a scientist with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF). He along with his colleagues carried out a study to analyze over 17,000 human DNA samples gathered from the blood from volunteers belonging to four countries including China, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan. Approximately 4,500 samples, have served as confirmed lupus cases, while the remaining served as healthy controls. According to Nath, "We know lupus has a strong genetic basis but in order to better treat the disease, we have to identify those genes." The analysis revealed that 10 distinct DNA sequence variants are linked to lupus, which affects nearly five million people globally as per the Lupus Foundation of America. Particularly, One gene known as GTF2I, showed high likelihood of developing the disease. OMRF's Autoimmune Disease Institute director Judith James said, "These findings mark a significant advance in our knowledge base for lupus genes," "For every gene we identify, it brings us closer to uncovering the trigger for this puzzling disease. It's good news for researchers and patients alike," he added. In a paper published in the journal Nature Genetics, Nath noted that, "Its genetic effect appears to be higher than previously known lupus genes discovered from Asians, and we surmise that it now may be the predominant gene involved in lupus." -Sumana
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Indian diaspora largest in world, UN report January 18, 2016 06:12
India is the country with largest diaspora population in world, according to a latest UN survey on international migrant trends. The report indicates that 16 million people of India re living all through the world, outside India, in 2015. The survey was carried out by the UN department of economic and social affairs (DESA). The survey revealed that the number of international migrants went to 244 million in 2015 on the whole in the world. This number reflects 41% increase compared to 2000. The number of international migrants means people lining in a country other than the birth country. According to the "Trends in International Migrant Stock", approximately 2/3 of international migrants live in Asia (75 million) or in Europe (76 million). UN under secretary general for economic and social affairs Wu Hongbo said, "The rise in the number of international migrants reflects the increasing importance of international migration, which has become an integral part of our economies and societies," "Well-managed migration brings important benefits to countries of origin and destination, as well as to migrants and their families," Hongbo added. India is followed by Mexico and Russia for having the largest diaspora in the world. Nearly 16 million Indians were living outside India in 2015, this indicated a growth from 6.7 million in 1990, according to the survey. Other countries with large Diasporas are Russia, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Ukraine. - Sumana
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Bobby Jindal quit as Louisiana governor January 14, 2016 10:15
Indian-American Bobby Jindal quitted office as Louisiana governor. He resigns from the post during his second four-year term. Bel Edwards, who is the lonely Democratic governor in the Deep South, took over his place. Mr. Jindal (44) said during an interview, that, he did not submit an application for the elected post and from now onwards he has decided to work with America Next, a think-tank he added. Jindal is the First Indian-American who holds the top position in the country. He was appointed 2 times for the governor post, first time, he elected as the governor of Louisiana in 2008. Earlier last year, Jindal announced himself as a contestant for the 2016 US presidential elections, but suddenly he took out his name a few months back saying, "This is not my time." According to the survey, Jindal’s failed to achieve people’s support and his campaign kept polling even less than one percent, while, in beginning he has seen like a rising star in the Republican party. He graduated from A Brown University, also he awarded by Rhodes scholarship. Nandini
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Indra Nooyi becomes Yale’s largest alumni donor January 14, 2016 04:40
The India born, the chair and chief executive of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi named as the highest alumni donor to the Yale university. She made the donation of an undisclosed amount to the Yale university. Ms. Nooyi graduated from Yale university in 1980. She , credited her experience at the school for "forever" altering "the course of my life" and said her gift "pales in comparison with the gift that Yale gave me the fundamental understanding that leadership requires an expansive worldview and a deep appreciation of the many points of intersection between business and society." She said in a statement that, "Business issues are never just business issues, and my most ardent hope is that this endowment will teach future generations of leaders that the most successful companies of tomorrow will do more than make money," she said in a statement. They will make a difference and create shareholder value by improving the quality of life in every market in which they operate,” she added. Peter Salovey, president of the Yale University, said, that, Nooyi's "sense of purpose, deep engagement with civic life, and the pursuit of excellence exemplify the kind of leadership in service to society that we hope all Yale graduates will achieve. The world needs skillful, purposeful, and dedicated leaders in every field and every sector, and Indra's name is synonymous with those core values of the university," he added. Ms. Nooyi, who is a member of the boards of US-China Business Council, the US-India Business Council and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Tsinghua University. Nooyi is one of the world’s most famous and powerful business women. Earlier, she was a member of the Yale Corporation. She also served as the member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Nooyi was also appointed by the US president, Barak Obama for the US-India CEO Forum. Nandini
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Indian Banks hike interest rates for foreign currency non-resident Indian deposits. January 05, 2016 11:13
Indian Bank, Public sector lender, has revised its interest rates upwards for NRIs with an immediate effect. The move from the public sector lender means to hike interest rates for foreign currency non-resident Indian deposits. The interest rate has been fixed at 1.88% for Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Banking) deposits in dollar terms, compared to existing 1.70% for one year deposits and above but less than two years. The revised interest rate is 2.16% from existing 2% for deposits of two years and above but less than three years, according to a Chennai-based bank. For deposits of three years and above but less than four years, the interest rate has been revised to 2.93% from the current 2.76%. The hike in interest rates was 3.12% from the current 2.95% for deposits of four years and above but less than five years. The interest rates have been fixed at 3.25% for of up to five years, compared to existing 3.09%. -Sumana
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Wanted NRI held in Portugal December 29, 2015 14:00
An appeal court in southern Portugal decided the custody of an NRI named, Paramjeet Singh, who is wanted by the Delhi Police for committing serious offenses including homicide and bomb attacks. Singh's Portuguese lawyer Manuel Luis Ferreira told AFP, "The judge decided to wait for a formal extradition request from the Indian authorities." The NRI was arrested when he was staying along with his wife and four children, in a hotel in the Algarve region of the southern Portugal. All children are aged under 11 years. Indian media reports that, Paramjeet Singh is an assertive Sikh activist. He was indulged in the two, 2010 bomb attacks in the northwest India and the killing of the Rulda Singh, the head of the Hindu nationalist movement Rashtriya Sikh Sangat. He is in the wanted lists of Delhi Police for both the offenses. According to the Lawyer of Singh, he will be in the Beja prison till at least January 4 during his police custody. Earlier, Paramjeet Singh has lived in the Britain, in political asylum since 2004, he added. - Nandini
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Son of an arrested NRI journalist seeks help from Ottawa December 05, 2015 14:50
The son of arrested Punjabi Canadian Journalist is seeking help from Ottawa to make sure his father is safe, after India TV showed a video where he claim that, he has been ill- treated in jail. Baltej Pannu, an NRI Radio Reporter from Canada has been arrested last week by Patiala police on charges of rape and fraud and threat on a complaint of a woman who claimed that, she has been duped into a sexual relationship under false charade. The woman said in an interview with thestar.com, that she was deceived by Pannu, who has promised to marry her and insisted to have sex. “Things are really very difficult, these allegations are true and I don’t want to explain everything,” the woman said over the phone from Patiala, said authorities. Actually, two years before, Indias’s Supreme court has ruled that consented sex as rape if the marriage is wrongly promised. “Any consent given under a misconception of fact, would not be considered as valid consent,” the court wrote in a May 2013 decision, “and thus, such a physical relationship would (be) tantamount to committing rape.” Pannu’s son, Jasdeep (23) said that, “It’s totally politically motivated. Everybody knows he was speaking against the government,”. The journalists in Canada are tremendously supporting him and demanding him to set free. Supports claim that, Pannu has been wrongfully arrested for reporting on government corruption and the racket of the drug trade in Punjab. Videos are posted by an Indian TV station, showing Pannu claiming on the question of a journalist that he has been harassed and humiliated in prison. The Canadian government is aware about the arrest of a Canadian citizen on charges of rape in the state of Punjab. Consular authorities are contacting with the local authorities. Officials are trying to assemble more information about the case, spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said in an emailed statement to thestar.com According to his son, Pannu has been sent to judicial custody till December 13. - Nandini
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Hindu gods as superheroes December 04, 2015 14:03
Have you ever imagined Gods and Goddess as superheroes? Sanjay Patel, an Indian American citizen made a short animated film that represents Hindu Gods as superheroes. The film is named ‘Sanjay’s Super Team’. “I told John Lasseter that every morning, my dad would pray to his gods and his shrine, and I would pray to my gods, and my shrine, which was the TV and the cartoon superheroes that I worshipped,” said by Patel to Wall Street Journal. The film is inspired by the director’s own childhood when he felt clashed with his family traditions. In the writer’s view, “it is a story of a little boy who rejects his culture, but during all of his childhood, how daily he and his father sat side by side performing meditation or puja. He said, my dad would pray to his god while I would worship my god that were the TV and cartoon characters. I was very nervous and worried about to make such a film, but since I got approval for the project from US studios, I felt it is possible to do it.” The Writer, director, said, “I am not at all religious even I have been in India hardly for two months, but I would love to come back with my parents. It seems like a dream to travel to our origin and connect with them. I am just curious about existential things and always wanted to turn them into a story. Indian Vedas and its mythology seem to be amazing to me. Besides this, as more as I read about Indian culture, tradition, Vedas found loving in all such stories, it also helped me to understand my parents view and how those matters to them.” Patel joined the Pixer Animation Studios in 1996 and animated many animation films like ‘’A Bug’s Life’’, “Ratatouille”, “Cars” and “Toy Story 3”. ‘Sanjay’s Super Team’ is now nominated amongst the 10 best animation films and is on the way to the voting process for the 88th Oscar Award. -Nandini
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Indian Family In Northern Ireland Faces Racial Attack November 30, 2015 09:26
According to media reports, an Indian family faced racial attack in Northern Ireland as their car that was in the premises of their house was completely destroyed in a fire on Friday morning. Subi Philip was forced to run with her two children, aged eight and ten, from their house in Antrim county. Her husband Philip has gone to India for the funeral of his father. The attack was being treated by the police as hate crime.Police officer John Allen said, "We believe the attack was motivated by racial hatred," "Any attack on property is unacceptable, however, I totally condemn the racial hate crime element of this attack, which makes it particularly repugnant," Allen added. Subi Philip, a cardiac nurse, said her family was left in “distraught” due to the attack. A noise outside their house alerted them. She told BBC, "I heard a bang and saw a big fire. When I came downstairs, I started screaming,""My girls did not know why I was screaming and they were screaming too. I got panicked," she added. The noise made her neighbors to come to help and asked her to come out. Due to the fear that they were the arsonists, she refused to leave house."I was scared. I was not sure if they were there to attack me and my girls or not," she said. The local Indian community members gathered at the house in her support.-Sumana
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