Memorial plaque unveiled in Australia for Indian techie November 26, 2015 12:49
According to media reports, the family of an Indian IT consultant unveiled a plaque in honor of her. She was stabbed to death in Australia's Sydney city in 2015. ABC reported that the memorial was unveiled at Parramatta Park. It was the same one where Prabha Arun Kumar, 41, was stabbed to death on 7 March 2015. Her family, including her husband, parents, daughter and brother walked on the same path that she walked on the night she was killed. All of them were present at the unveiling.At the time of attack, the lady was on phone with Arun Kumar, her husband, who lives in Bangalore, India. She also told her husband about a suspicious-looking man, who was following her before she began to plead not to harm her. "I think I've been stabbed," she told her husband as she collapsed. Later CCTV footage of the incident was released by Police later. Till now, no arrest was made in connection with the murder.-Sumana
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Indian-origin student wins presidential scholarship in US November 21, 2015 09:43
An Indian-origin student studying in a US college, named Aashrit Abhinav Sundar, has won a presidential scholarship for outstanding academic merit as well as exceptional commitment to culinary arts field.Aashrit won the award from the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts in Chicago. According to a news report, the scholarship was awarded after a final interview with Emily Williams Knight, the president of the college.Knight said, "Throughout his life, Aashrit has demonstrated a passion for the hospitality and culinary industry and a drive to build a remarkable career in the field of baking and pastry,""Having completed his hospitality management degree in India, Aashrit now wants to take his love for baking and pastry and attend one of the best programmes in the US," she added. In October 2015, Sundar started classes at the institution and pursuing an "Associate of Applied Science in Baking and Pastry". The 50% of the total program’s cost will be covered by the scholarship. "Aashrit is confident, driven, and passionate about his field of study. It is clear that he is a leader and he is an example of the type of student that will thrive and lead the industry in the future," Knight noted. US Presidential Scholars ProgramThe US Presidential Scholars Program is designed by the department of education to recognize the academic achievements of notable US citizens graduating high school and is considered in the US as "one of the nation's highest honours for high school students". The presidential scholarship in Kendell College, founded in 1934, is awarded to one international student each academic term, provided the student demonstrates superior academic achievement besides passion in the area of their study.-Sumana
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AAP leaders look towards NRI Punjabi diaspora in view of 2017 polls November 17, 2015 12:18
Recently, Bihar polls ended and now the focus is being shifted on to 2017 Punjab assembly polls. Keeping the 2017 Punjab assembly polls in mind, delegation of AAP leaders flew to Canada to encourage the NRI Punjabi diaspora. The leaders look forward to woo the Punjabi diaspora settled in the North American country and strengthen the voter base of the Party in the state besides attracting overseas donation.Top AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Ashutosh with other State leaders have began to hold dialogues with the natives of Punjab. It is the second visit of Singh to Canada in 2015.Ashutosh said over phone,"The trip is meant for interaction and engagement with those who belong to Punjab." A party leader was quoted by TOI as saying that, "Canada is to the people of Punjab what Delhi and Mumbai are to Biharis and UPiites. A lot of migrant population from the state is settled in Canada and therefore, households in each village will have someone or the other working in Canada." "The Indians working in Canada not only hold economic power because of the money they send back, but can also influence voters. More importantly, they are also a major source of fund for the party," the AAP leader said. Major contributions of the overseas donations received by the AAP are from the US and Canada. Even during the Lok Sabha polls, it was sought by the part to reach and interact with Punjab natives in Canada.According to the AAP leader, "During such visits, we canvas support for the party and such delegations also help spread party's tentacles. In fact all the parties do this." -Sumana
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Grassley-Durbin Reform Bill To Block Guest Workers From India November 16, 2015 06:11
A bipartisan legislation, the Grassley-Durbin reform bill, was introduced by two US Senators targeting the reformation of the controversial H1-B and L-1 visa programs. Since the program was introduced in 1991, more than a million professional guest workers have come to the US and eventually became permanent US residents and citizens.Senators Chuck Grassley (Republican) and Dirk Durbin (Democrat) are two foremost critics of the programs, who argue that the original purpose of the guest worker visas were consistently being violated and abused. They both have introduced a bill to ensure a higher check and roadblocks on companies, which according to them have played games to grab American jobs using wage arbitrage. The Grassley-Durbin bill will not allow companies to hire H-1B employees more than 50 people and if over 50% of their employees hold H-1B and L-1visas. The bill permits the department of labour to review, investigate, and audit compliance of the employer with the requirements of the program, besides penalizing fraudulent or abusive conduct. Also, the Bill requires the production of extensive statistical data regarding H-1B and L-1programs, including data related to wages, worker education, gender, and place of employment.In a statement upon introducing the bill, Senator Grassley said, "The H-1B visa programme was never meant to replace qualified American workers, but it was instead intended as a means to fill gaps in highly specialised areas of employment that cannot be filled by Americans. The abuse of the system is real, and media reports are validating what we have argued against for years, including the fact that Americans are training their replacements."Durbin said, "For years, foreign outsourcing companies have used loopholes in the laws to displace qualified American workers and facilitate the Altoutsourcing of American jobs. The H-1B and L-1Visa Reform Act would end these abuses and protect American and foreign workers from exploitation." However, the Grassley-Durbin reform bill will enable continued stay of foreign students and passage in the US by the prioritization of the annual allocation of H-1B visas. This is for the first time that the new system would ensure Bright students educated in the US would be preferred for a H-1B visa.-Sumana
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UK Student Visa Issue Raised By PM Modi With Cameron November 13, 2015 07:19
Concern was expressed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his British counterpart David Cameron over the decline in the number of students from India moving to study in the UK due to the problems or issues they encounter while applying for visas. Ministry of external affairs spokesperson said, "The Prime Minister raised the issue [of student visas] very strongly. The Prime Minister said that Indian student numbers in the UK has fallen by 50 per cent in the last three years,""He urged that Indian students are among the best and the brightest in the world and it would be a win-win partnership for both sides. Indians needing a quality education and the UK benefiting from the expertise that Indian students bring," the spokesperson said. "The Prime Minister said we are right now in a situation where countries are actually wooing Indian students because India has the biggest education market today. There's a burgeoning middle class, there is an aspirational upper class that wants to educate its kids abroad and it's an opportunity to tap into what has become a big economic market." Referring to the response from Cameron on the issue, the spokesperson said: "There was a lot of understanding and appreciation. This is a matter for continued discussion. I don't think we can close the chapter on this."As per the Higher Education Funding Council for England report, the deep steep in the fall of students moving to the UK from India is observed from the figures. The number fell from 18,535 in 2010-11 to 10,235 in 2012-13.Earlier, the universities have warned about the negative impact from the drive of Conservatives to reduce net immigration. They said that the recruitment of international students is being hammered and called for the removal of students from net migration.The major factor that is putting Indian students off from choosing UK, is the removal of post-study work visa route that enabled the students to work for a period of two years after completing the course. Indian students are selecting destinations like the US and Australia.-Sumana
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NRIs In US Buy 15.9 Lakh E-Bricks To Construct Amaravati November 10, 2015 11:05
Non Resident Indians in the US have bought a total of 15.91 lakh e-bricks as their contribution to construct Amaravati. The purchase happened during the US tour of Information Technology Minister Palle Raghnatha Reddy.The information was shared by Mr. Raghunatha Reddy with the media people. The minister returned on Thursday from the US. He visited several states in the US to showcase the IT and related policies of AP government to attract investments from NRI entrepreneurs and the US companies. Raghunatha Reddy said that each e-brick was sold for Rs.10.As per the information:NRIs and Non Resident Telugus in New Jersey bought 4.25 lakh e-bricks; NRIs from San Francisco bought 2.55 lakhs; NRIs from Chicago bought 6 lakh e-bricks; NRIs from Dallas bought 3.6 lakh; and NRIs from Boston bought 1.55 lakh.Earlier, 'Amaravathi e-brick' program was launched by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and invited financial contribution from Andhrites all through the globe towards building the new capital of the state. The payment made online will be used in the construction of the new capital.-Sumana
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Jhankaar - Fun And Frolic At Arizona State University October 21, 2015 11:08
Jhankaar, the annual event at the Arizona State University organized by the International Students Association is a grant visual extravaganza. The event is aimed at bringing out the talent of the students of the Indian diaspora. The annual event has a competition of Photography and short film. This helps the students to bring out their imagination, which can provide a visual feast for the onlookers. The vibrant student fraternity is given the opportunity to showcase their talent in various fields such as, Dance, Theatre, Music, Drama, etc. The annual feast is being attended by more than 5000 students, which turns the venue to a mini India. Students who are interested to participate int eh events can send their entries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. // " ' + path + '\'' + prefix + ':' + addy15941 + '\' target="_blank" rel="alternate">'+addy_text15941+''; //--> . For registration, click on to http://tinyurl.com/jhankaar15. View the intro of Jhankaar 2014 Who is ISA The Indian Students Association (ISA) is one of the largest non-profit and culturally diverse associations at Arizona State University (ASU). The organization is established to provide guidance and assistance to the Indian students at Arizona State University. ISA is a non-profit organization that is run primarily by students under the guidance of a faculty advisor - Joy White. With the continuing support from the current student members and guidance from its alumni, ISA keeps helping the Indian Student community at Arizona State University amidst a fun environment filled with cultural and recreational activities. Jhankaar 2015 ISA's annual cultural fiesta is on 24th & the 25th of October! It promises to be bigger and better, the celebration of all that INDIA stands for – with Culture, Color and Traditions running throughout. With fun and frolic its time for Jhankaar 2015. Event: Jhankaar 2015Organizers: Indian student Association at Arizona State UniversityDate: 25 October 2015Time: 5 PM onwardsVenue: Evelyn Smith Music Theatre, 50 Gammage Pkwy, Tempe, AZ. If you are in Arizona, come and enjoy! The ideal time to get connected and know the culture and traditions of our Mother India. -Premji {slideshow}images/reviewslideshows/Jhankaar2015{/slideshow}
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Two-day Diwali Party At Melbourne October 15, 2015 12:36
According to a media report, two-day Diwali party is being hosted by Melbourne's iconic Federation Square from 6 to 7 November 2015. Australia-based indianlink website quoted chairman of Celebrate India, Arun Sharma, as saying that, "Diwali has become a well known festival in Australia. Earlier, we used to include 'festival of lights' to explain the event, but now we do not need to. Friends, politicians everyone know Diwali." Celebrate India has been organizing the event for the last 10 years. "We have people eagerly looking forward to the festival, even non-Indians get very excited. That has been the biggest change and achievement," Sharma added. Sharma said that there is a dedicated Celebrate India team of 35 volunteers to plan Diwali, which will rise to 70 volunteers during the event. The theme of this year’s event is 'Folkwood', which include fashion parades, cultural entertainment and live music. Tarsame Singh Saini, popular British-Indian artist, will grace the event with his performance. Rajasthani folk dance group Kalbeliya will perform during the event, which will even host performances from local bands such as the Om Music Group and The Fifth. Organizers are expecting more than 60,000 people to attend this year's event. -Sumana
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Teenage NRIs Make Their Mark In Respective Fields October 14, 2015 11:36
A UAE NRI teen, Ramkumar Raman, 18, has become the youngest chartered accountant. He graduated from the Indian High School, Dubai. Three years of qualified work experience will make him attain the membership of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Raman, who wrote his final exam in June 2015, was recognized by the ACCA Middle East officials as the youngest affiliate of ACCA ever registered among all other candidates, members, and affiliates. The ACCA was founded in 1904 and is the global professional accounting body that is facilitating the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification. Coming to the space world, Prasanna Krishnamoorthy from Delaware and Rajan Vivek of Arizona are among NASA’s 10 Space Contest finalists of 3-D Space Container Challenge. The challenge to the students was to design models of containers in a way that they could help astronauts keep things in order in space. Hydroponic Plant Box container by Rajan was designed to tackle the challenge of containing water in an environment of microgravity, while plants grow roots in it. According to NASA, Hydroponics would be effective in space crafts because of its less space requirement and faster as well as stronger plant growth. Prasanna developed a Collapsible Container with a capacity to expand and compress in a way to fit its contents. It was designed in such a way that it can totally compress so easy to store. -Sumana
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Call For Campaign On Immigration Issues By Indian-American Groups October 08, 2015 09:39
A campaign was called on by Indian-American groups on issues related to immigration that could affect the Indian Diaspora. It would concentrate on issues related to H-1B visa usage by Indian technology companies along with family visa backlog that is growing. The recent call was made at an immigration seminar in New York. It was organized by South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS), Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO-New York) and the Kerala Centre in Elmont. According to participants, executive actions from the President Barack Obama announced in November 2014 are required to be supported by grass-root actions. The executive actions are designed such that the overall immigration law system would be improved gradually. Also, the extreme backlogs for Indian nationals in several visa classifications are expected to be reduced in fair manner. As a result of backlogs, families were separated for long periods, despite family unity being one of the tenets of US immigration law. The seminar noted that, H-1B non-immigrant professional and specialty occupation work visas are being scrutinized by agencies like US Homeland Security, State, and Labour departments. The H-1B visas are largely used by significant Indian technology companies. Suggestions from the participants included, Grassroots efforts to make Government understand that not only India use the technology visas, attempts for the aversion of reverse discrimination. Also issue related to exclusion of India from Treaty Investment and Treaty Trader category for the purpose of immigration was raised. It was noted by the participants that countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan have E visas but not India. A resolution was taken for the campaign on these issues by GOPIO and other community groups. Thomas Abraham, GOPIO Founder President, said, "It is important for the Indian American community to take up such issues with Obama administration and elected officials and make them aware of importance of such issues for the country as a whole.” The discussion was moderated by Abraham. Attorneys Michael Phulwani and David Nachman of NPZ Law Group and Anand Ahuja are the panelists. -Sumana
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Modi Says, 'India Is Waiting For You' To Indian Diaspora September 28, 2015 10:09
In an address to nearly 18,000 Indian-Americans who congregated at the SAP center in San Jose, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that "India is waiting for you” to Indian diaspora in California. He added that it is time for the brain drain to become a "brain gain" for India. It was time for the diaspora to contribute to India, Modi said. Modi said, "People used to talk a lot about brain drain, they complained a lot about it. Did anybody ever think that this brain drain could become brain gain? No, but now it has.” PM said that he sees the brain drain as a 'brain deposit' and says that time is ripe to use this deposit to benefit India. Crediting the Indian diaspora for lifting the Nation’s image in the world, Modi said “Your fingers created magic on the keyboard and the computer and this gave India a new identity. Your skill and commitment is wonderful. Your commitment, your innovations, sitting here you are forcing the world the change." PM also used to occasion to talk about the achievements of the 16-month-old government. He asked, “Today after 16 months, I need your certificate. Did I fulfill my promise? Did I fulfill my promise?" As a favorable answer to his question, audience said, "Yes, Yes" and "Modi, Modi." The crowd answered again saying 'Modi, Modi, when Modi said, "For the last 25 years, there's been a question, 'Whose is the 21st century?' " Meanwhile, answering his own question, Modi said that it used to be said that the century was of Asia, while a lot of people now say that the century belongs to India. "This change didn't come because of 'Modi Modi Modi.' This change has come about because of the 125 crores of Indians who have resolved that India won't lag behind." Flamboyant speech of Modi was metaphorical and even funny as well. PM ensured to praise even people living in India by lauding the flexibility of Indians and crediting them for their help towards policy initiatives for the poor. Modi said, “I requested my countrymen to give up their LPG (cooking gas) subsidy, and 30 lakh people actually surrendered it voluntarily.” He also said that he ensured that the poorest of the poor opened the bank accounts with zero balance. "But these poor people in total deposited 32000 crores by saving 50 Rs here, 100 Rs there.” -Sumana
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Schengen Visa Applicants Need To Enroll Biometric Data September 24, 2015 12:38
The Indian travelers willing to head towards Schengen countries in Europe will have to enroll their biometric data while applying for a Schengen visa from November 2015. The process will become mandatory. This is for the first time that the biometric requirements are being implemented by the Schengen missions for Indians. On the day of the submission of the application, the biometric data or digit finger scans will be taken at the visa application centre from the Schengen visa applicants. From the date of submission, the data will remain valid for 59 months. This means, there is no need to give new fingerprints by frequent travelers, each time they apply for a new visa. South Asia and DVPC, VFS Global, COO, Vinay Malhotra told the Hindu that, “As per the requirement laid down by the European Union, all applicants for Schengen visas in India will have to enrol for biometrics during the visa application process. This process will become mandatory from November 2015.” Operating six visa processing centres, VFS Global serves 30 diplomatic missions in Karnataka, along with 32 client governments in India. VFS Global has 314 visa application centres in a total of 19 cities across India. Schengen visa Schengen visa is the document issued to party interested to visit or travel to the Schengen Area, by the concerned authorities. A total of 26 countries are part of the Schengen area. All these countries agreed the allowance of free movement of their citizens within the area as a single country. Majority of European countries are covered in the Schengen area. -Sumana
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