Platform formed for free legal support to NRIs in Saudi Arabia
Bobby Jindal hits campaign trail for touring Romney
Woman seeks NRI husband's arrest
BHUBANESWAR,July 30,2012: The wife of an NRI executive staged a wildcat agitation in front of her husband's house at Sundarpada in the city on Friday, demanding his arrest for allegedly ditching her a few months after marriage.The woman, Rima Patnaik, had tied the knot with Canada-settled Pratyush Patnaik on February 8, 2011. Pratyush, who has been staying in Canada for the last eight years, is at present working as a sales manager in a chocolate company there.Rima, who is an MBA pass-out, said she received a jolt when Pratyush refused to take her to Canada after marriage. "My husband just dumped me here. After that, his parents started torturing me and threw me out of the house," she told.The woman finally managed to reach Canada after five months in July 2011. "Initially, he was sympathetic towards me and allowed me to stay there. But a few days later, he started abusing me mentally and physically and asked me to leave. On September 21, 2011, he filed a divorce petition in a Canada court and dropped me in Mumbai on September 23," she said.
Rima, a resident of Jharpada area in Bhubaneswar, alleged that though Mahila police lodged cases against Pratyush and his parents on charges of dowry torture, nobody has been arrested yet. She had lodged the complaint on November 9. The woman alleged that police agreed to register a complaint only after she met the DCP.DCP Nitinjeet Singh said the accused were booked under Section 498 (enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman) of IPC. "It was a clear case of marital discord. Her in-laws managed to get anticipatory bail. We are facing difficulty to arrest her husband because he stays in Canada," the DCP said. "Steps are being taken to take the help of the Canadian embassy to catch hold of the accused," he added.Singh said police would obtain a search warrant from court to seize the "dowry" articles (as claimed by complainant) from her in-law's house. "Though our staff today tried to conduct a search, her in-laws did not cooperate with us. We will again raid the house with a search warrant. We are also taking steps to ensure that she stays in her in-law's house safely," the DCP said.While Pratyush could not be reached for his version, his family members here refused to speak on the issue.
Rima, a resident of Jharpada area in Bhubaneswar, alleged that though Mahila police lodged cases against Pratyush and his parents on charges of dowry torture, nobody has been arrested yet. She had lodged the complaint on November 9. The woman alleged that police agreed to register a complaint only after she met the DCP.DCP Nitinjeet Singh said the accused were booked under Section 498 (enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman) of IPC. "It was a clear case of marital discord. Her in-laws managed to get anticipatory bail. We are facing difficulty to arrest her husband because he stays in Canada," the DCP said. "Steps are being taken to take the help of the Canadian embassy to catch hold of the accused," he added.Singh said police would obtain a search warrant from court to seize the "dowry" articles (as claimed by complainant) from her in-law's house. "Though our staff today tried to conduct a search, her in-laws did not cooperate with us. We will again raid the house with a search warrant. We are also taking steps to ensure that she stays in her in-law's house safely," the DCP said.While Pratyush could not be reached for his version, his family members here refused to speak on the issue.
Tulsi Gabbard: First Hindu in race for US House
WASHINGTON,July30,2012: Tulsi Gabbard, who trailed behind her nearest rival by over 40 points a few months ago in the race for the Congressional seat from Honolulu, has now taken a narrow but crucial lead of five points in the latest polls, brightening prospects for the first Hindu to be elected to the US House of Representatives. In a dramatic turnaround, 31-year-old Tulsi has eclipsed Mufi Hannemann and is now the frontrunner in the race to succeed Representatives Mazie Hirono in House, said the prestigious Mellman Group, releasing its latest round of opinion polls. The seat became vacant as Hirono has opted to run for the US senate this year. Ahead of the Democratic primary election in Hawaii's second congressional district on August 11, Tulsi, a Honolulu city council woman, now holds a five-point lead over Hannemann, former Honolulu mayor — 37% for Tulsi and 32% from Hannemann, said the Mellman Group. "This represents a sea change in the race since our previous poll, conducted in April, where Hannemann led Tulsi by 26 points.
Indeed, Tulsi's share of the vote has increased 21 points, while Hannemann has actually shed 10 points in the last three months," the group said. A confident Tulsi says she is on her way to victory, though she conceded that it would be a close race. Proud of her Hindu religion, she is not Indian nor of Indian heritage. Her father Mike Gabbard is currently Hawaii state senator and mother Carol Porter Gabbard is an educator and business owner. Currently a Company Commander with the Hawaii Army National Guard, who has volunteered to serve on two deployments to the Middle East, Tulsi was Hawaii's youngest state representative in 2002 and is the youngest woman in the USA to be elected to such a position. The turnaround has raised prospects of her being elected to the House.
Top UK honours for NRI man
Leading NRI Lord Khalid Hameed has been given the Freedom of the City of London award in recognition of his work within the medical profession and in promotion of interfaith relations. India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru was also conferred the honour when he visited London in 1956.
Indeed, Tulsi's share of the vote has increased 21 points, while Hannemann has actually shed 10 points in the last three months," the group said. A confident Tulsi says she is on her way to victory, though she conceded that it would be a close race. Proud of her Hindu religion, she is not Indian nor of Indian heritage. Her father Mike Gabbard is currently Hawaii state senator and mother Carol Porter Gabbard is an educator and business owner. Currently a Company Commander with the Hawaii Army National Guard, who has volunteered to serve on two deployments to the Middle East, Tulsi was Hawaii's youngest state representative in 2002 and is the youngest woman in the USA to be elected to such a position. The turnaround has raised prospects of her being elected to the House.
Top UK honours for NRI man
Leading NRI Lord Khalid Hameed has been given the Freedom of the City of London award in recognition of his work within the medical profession and in promotion of interfaith relations. India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru was also conferred the honour when he visited London in 1956.
US seizes stolen statues from Indian art dealer
NEW YORK,July30,2012:: US authorities have seized several stolen sandstone and bronze statues and other cultural artefacts with an estimated value of more than $20 million from a storage facility allegedly belonging to an Indian art dealer. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has also issued an arrest warrant for Subhash Kapoor, the owner of Art of the Past Gallery for alleged possession of stolen property, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) said in a statement. Among the artefacts seized by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents were three Chola period bronzes, depicting Uma Parvati, Sivagami Amman; and Murugan, which are suspected of having been stolen directly from temples in India's Tamil Nadu state. Other seized items include a sandstone statue depicting Kubera, chief of the Yakshas, from the Indian Gupta period; a grey schist statue depicting Herkules-Vajrapani from the Kandahran Kushan period; and a sculpture depicting Shakyamuni Buddham from the Indian Chola period. Some of the seized stolen artefacts have been displayed in major international museums worldwide. Other pieces that match those listed as stolen are still openly on display in some museums, HSI said. "The statues and sculptures recovered today are worth millions in the antiquities business, but they are priceless to the nations that they were robbed from," said James T. Hayes Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New York. HSI said in February 2007, the Indian consulate contacted it requesting assistance in the investigation of the potential smuggling of Indian antiquities into New York. The Indian consulate advised HSI that an import and export company was expecting the arrival of a shipment containing seven crates manifested as "Marble Garden Table Sets".
The consulate believed these crates contained stolen Indian antiquities. This merchandize was allegedly imported by Kapoor. By the end of January 2012, HSI special agents had seized dozens of antiquities with an estimated value of nearly $10 million. These included one five foot tall head of a Buddha weighing about 1,600 pounds; and one life sized stone figure weighing about 500 pounds, seized from a storage unit allegedly leased by Kapoor in New York. Kapoor, who was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, was arrested in late 2011 at Frankfurt International Airport. On July 14, 2012, Kapoor was extradited to India, where he faced criminal charges.
The consulate believed these crates contained stolen Indian antiquities. This merchandize was allegedly imported by Kapoor. By the end of January 2012, HSI special agents had seized dozens of antiquities with an estimated value of nearly $10 million. These included one five foot tall head of a Buddha weighing about 1,600 pounds; and one life sized stone figure weighing about 500 pounds, seized from a storage unit allegedly leased by Kapoor in New York. Kapoor, who was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, was arrested in late 2011 at Frankfurt International Airport. On July 14, 2012, Kapoor was extradited to India, where he faced criminal charges.
Indian-American Snigdha Nandipati wins US spelling contest
Washington, June,2012:: Snigdha Nandipati, a 14-year-old Indian American girl spelled the French for ambush, “guetapens”, right to be crowned the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion. “It’s a miracle,” said Nandipati as she pipped fellow Indian-American Stuti Mishra, 14, of West Melbourne, Florida who stumbled over “schwarmerei”, German for extravagant enthusiasm, in the last round of the final at a convention centre outside Washington Thursday night. Nandipati gets $30,000 in cash, a trophy, a $2,500 savings bond, a $5,000 scholarship, $2,600 in reference works from the Encyclopedia Britannica and an online language course.
With Arvind Mahankali, 12, of Bayside Hills, New York, a finalist for the last two years, the three Indian American children were the only spellers left in the last round. Six others also made the finals. Forty-one spellers, meanwhile, heard the dreaded bell that signals an incorrect spelling. Those included one of the favorites, 10-year-old Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kansas. The younger sister of the 2009 champion got the only perfect score in the preliminary rounds. Breezily confident through the first two semifinal rounds, Shivashankar was flummoxed by “pejerrey”, a small fish. She went with “perjere”. Another Indian American fifth-time competitor, Rahul Malayappan, also did not make the finals. The finals did not include the youngest speller in bee history, six-year-old Lori Anne Madison of Lake Ridge, Virginia, who was eliminated during the preliminary rounds when she misspelled one of her two words — “ingulvies” (the crop, or craw, of birds) — and then fell short on her written test.
With Arvind Mahankali, 12, of Bayside Hills, New York, a finalist for the last two years, the three Indian American children were the only spellers left in the last round. Six others also made the finals. Forty-one spellers, meanwhile, heard the dreaded bell that signals an incorrect spelling. Those included one of the favorites, 10-year-old Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kansas. The younger sister of the 2009 champion got the only perfect score in the preliminary rounds. Breezily confident through the first two semifinal rounds, Shivashankar was flummoxed by “pejerrey”, a small fish. She went with “perjere”. Another Indian American fifth-time competitor, Rahul Malayappan, also did not make the finals. The finals did not include the youngest speller in bee history, six-year-old Lori Anne Madison of Lake Ridge, Virginia, who was eliminated during the preliminary rounds when she misspelled one of her two words — “ingulvies” (the crop, or craw, of birds) — and then fell short on her written test.Over Rs 2,400 crore lying in inoperative bank accounts: RBI
New Delhi,July 29,2012: More than Rs 2,400 crore is lying as unclaimed deposits in the over one crore bank accounts across the country, RBI has said in an RTI reply. According to the data revealed by the 
bankers’ bank, the State Bank group has over Rs 233 crore unclaimed funds in its 10 lakh accounts, public sector banks over Rs 1,900 crore in about 86 lakh accounts, private sector banks over Rs 233 crore in more than 14 lakh accounts and foreign banks over Rs 69 crore in over 46 thousand accounts till December 31, 2011. The RBI in a circular had asked banks to treat savings as well as current accounts as inoperative or dormant if there are no transactions in the account for over a period of two years, it said. According to RBI, there should not be any charge for activation of an inoperative account and the bank’s interest on savings accounts should be credited on regular basis whether the account is operative or not. If a fixed deposit receipt matures and proceeds are unpaid, the amount left unclaimed with the bank will attract savings bank rate of interest, the RBI told activist Subhash Agrawal in response to his RTI query. It had also asked the banks to make efforts to find the whereabouts of the customers or legal heirs in respect to existing accounts which have already been transferred to the ‘inoperative accounts’ ledger.
bankers’ bank, the State Bank group has over Rs 233 crore unclaimed funds in its 10 lakh accounts, public sector banks over Rs 1,900 crore in about 86 lakh accounts, private sector banks over Rs 233 crore in more than 14 lakh accounts and foreign banks over Rs 69 crore in over 46 thousand accounts till December 31, 2011. The RBI in a circular had asked banks to treat savings as well as current accounts as inoperative or dormant if there are no transactions in the account for over a period of two years, it said. According to RBI, there should not be any charge for activation of an inoperative account and the bank’s interest on savings accounts should be credited on regular basis whether the account is operative or not. If a fixed deposit receipt matures and proceeds are unpaid, the amount left unclaimed with the bank will attract savings bank rate of interest, the RBI told activist Subhash Agrawal in response to his RTI query. It had also asked the banks to make efforts to find the whereabouts of the customers or legal heirs in respect to existing accounts which have already been transferred to the ‘inoperative accounts’ ledger.Four young Indian-American scientists honoured by Obama
Washington, July 28,2012: Four Indian-American researchers figure among 96 named by President Barack Obama as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest US 
honour for young professionals. “Discoveries in science and technology not only strengthen our economy, they inspire us as a people.” Obama said announcing the awards Monday. “The impressive accomplishments of today’s awardees so early in their careers promise even greater advances in the years ahead.” The honoured Indian-Americans were Biju Parekkadan of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Pawan Sinha and Parag A. Pathak, both Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Sridevi Vedula Sarma of Johns Hopkins University. The Presidential early career awards embody the high priority the Obama Administration places on producing outstanding scientists and engineers to advance the nation’s goals, tackle grand challenges, and contribute to the American economy, the White House announcement said. Awardees employed or funded by various government agencies are selected for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach, it said. The awards were established by President Bill Clinton in 1996.
honour for young professionals. “Discoveries in science and technology not only strengthen our economy, they inspire us as a people.” Obama said announcing the awards Monday. “The impressive accomplishments of today’s awardees so early in their careers promise even greater advances in the years ahead.” The honoured Indian-Americans were Biju Parekkadan of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Pawan Sinha and Parag A. Pathak, both Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Sridevi Vedula Sarma of Johns Hopkins University. The Presidential early career awards embody the high priority the Obama Administration places on producing outstanding scientists and engineers to advance the nation’s goals, tackle grand challenges, and contribute to the American economy, the White House announcement said. Awardees employed or funded by various government agencies are selected for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach, it said. The awards were established by President Bill Clinton in 1996.Visa problems impacting trade, investments: India to UK
London,July 28,2012: India has raised with the UK the issue ofvisa problems being faced by its professionals and the way they are impacting bilateral trade and investments. At a meeting with British 
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Vince Cable, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has said, “The bilateral trade and investment between the two nations is getting impacted by difficulties in obtaining visas.” Sharma said India wants to make sure that business visitors are able to travel to the UK without facing visa related troubles. He said the IT industry in particular is getting impacted by such issues as delivery of services is dependent on the movement of professionals at short notice. Sharma impressed upon the UK government to carefully take into account the gains arising to the UK economy from the contributions by the highly skilled workers from India. “…any unreasonable cap would affect the productivity of around 700 Indian companies which provide substantial employment in the UK,” he said. In April, the UK stopped the facility of Post Study Work Visa to Indians and other non-EU students. It allowed them to work for two years after graduation/post-graduation. UK, Germany and several other European countries are following tough visa regimes for professionals and students from developing countries. India has raised this issue on many occasions with these countries. Sharma also raised the issue of visa with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who has assured him of looking into the issue at the earliest. Meanwhile, George Osborne MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, UK in his meeting with Sharma assured to provide an open investment climate for Indian businesses. On India-EU free trade pact, Osborne said that UK remains a strong advocate of the deal and will provide all help India and the 27-nation bloc are committed to finalising a balanced agreement by 2012. Osborne also called for an early and amicable solution to the Vodafone issue. Following an amendment to the Income-Tax Act with retrospective effect, the UK-based Vodafone may be asked to pay Rs 20,000 crore tax, including interest and penalty, for its 2007 acquisition of Hong Kong basedHutchison Telecom, including its India assets. Sharma, meanwhile, invited British companies to invest in the National Manufacturing and Investment Zone (NMIZ) as partner. Hague asked his office to examine the opportunities for NMIZ in the UK. India has notified about 10 NMIZs, which will have world-class infrastructure for units. It aims to enhance manufacturing sector in India. In 2010-11, trade between India and the UK was USD 12.68 billion.
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Vince Cable, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has said, “The bilateral trade and investment between the two nations is getting impacted by difficulties in obtaining visas.” Sharma said India wants to make sure that business visitors are able to travel to the UK without facing visa related troubles. He said the IT industry in particular is getting impacted by such issues as delivery of services is dependent on the movement of professionals at short notice. Sharma impressed upon the UK government to carefully take into account the gains arising to the UK economy from the contributions by the highly skilled workers from India. “…any unreasonable cap would affect the productivity of around 700 Indian companies which provide substantial employment in the UK,” he said. In April, the UK stopped the facility of Post Study Work Visa to Indians and other non-EU students. It allowed them to work for two years after graduation/post-graduation. UK, Germany and several other European countries are following tough visa regimes for professionals and students from developing countries. India has raised this issue on many occasions with these countries. Sharma also raised the issue of visa with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who has assured him of looking into the issue at the earliest. Meanwhile, George Osborne MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, UK in his meeting with Sharma assured to provide an open investment climate for Indian businesses. On India-EU free trade pact, Osborne said that UK remains a strong advocate of the deal and will provide all help India and the 27-nation bloc are committed to finalising a balanced agreement by 2012. Osborne also called for an early and amicable solution to the Vodafone issue. Following an amendment to the Income-Tax Act with retrospective effect, the UK-based Vodafone may be asked to pay Rs 20,000 crore tax, including interest and penalty, for its 2007 acquisition of Hong Kong basedHutchison Telecom, including its India assets. Sharma, meanwhile, invited British companies to invest in the National Manufacturing and Investment Zone (NMIZ) as partner. Hague asked his office to examine the opportunities for NMIZ in the UK. India has notified about 10 NMIZs, which will have world-class infrastructure for units. It aims to enhance manufacturing sector in India. In 2010-11, trade between India and the UK was USD 12.68 billion.Indian-American law student sues Preet Bharara
New York, July 28,2012: A second-year Indian-American law student has filed a lawsuit against Manhattan’s famed Indian-American US district attorney Preet Bharara and the US Marshals Service for seizing her phone illegally. The lawsuit filed July 10 by Benula Bensam accuses Bharara of instigating 
involvement of the US Marshals leading to the illegal seizure of her cell phone during the high-profile insider trading trial of former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, according to JD Journal. According to court rules, members of the public are not allowed to bring cell phones into the US District Court in Manhattan and need to leave their electronic devices with the security when entering the building, the legal news journal said. The event happened after Bensam started writing letters to Judge Jed Rakoff during Gupta’s trial. Bensam claims she was attending the Gupta trial as a law student “to understand the process of litigation”, but to understand things better she began writing letters to the judge. When the fact of the law student trying to communicate with the judge in the high-profile matter came to notice of the marshals, according to the complaint of Bensam, the marshals told court security to seize her cell phone and keep it overnight, the Journal said. The lawsuit mentioned that Bensam’s phone had been returned the next day, but there was a probability that it had been turned on and searched. Undeterred by the event of having her cell phone seized overnight June 4, the law student tried June 6 to deliver a fourth letter to Rakoff. On that day, the judge called her before the bench and asked her to refrain from communicating with him, because it might seem as if she were trying to influence the outcome of the case. However, Bensam maintains that the US Marshal’s Service illegally seized her phone, and “the US Marshals are to be held responsible for actions taken by court security officers for their role in the seizure of my phone”. The lawsuit accused concerned officers of “unreasonable search and seizure”. It also claimed “it is not a crime for a disinterested party to write letters to a judge on the subject of a trial”.
involvement of the US Marshals leading to the illegal seizure of her cell phone during the high-profile insider trading trial of former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, according to JD Journal. According to court rules, members of the public are not allowed to bring cell phones into the US District Court in Manhattan and need to leave their electronic devices with the security when entering the building, the legal news journal said. The event happened after Bensam started writing letters to Judge Jed Rakoff during Gupta’s trial. Bensam claims she was attending the Gupta trial as a law student “to understand the process of litigation”, but to understand things better she began writing letters to the judge. When the fact of the law student trying to communicate with the judge in the high-profile matter came to notice of the marshals, according to the complaint of Bensam, the marshals told court security to seize her cell phone and keep it overnight, the Journal said. The lawsuit mentioned that Bensam’s phone had been returned the next day, but there was a probability that it had been turned on and searched. Undeterred by the event of having her cell phone seized overnight June 4, the law student tried June 6 to deliver a fourth letter to Rakoff. On that day, the judge called her before the bench and asked her to refrain from communicating with him, because it might seem as if she were trying to influence the outcome of the case. However, Bensam maintains that the US Marshal’s Service illegally seized her phone, and “the US Marshals are to be held responsible for actions taken by court security officers for their role in the seizure of my phone”. The lawsuit accused concerned officers of “unreasonable search and seizure”. It also claimed “it is not a crime for a disinterested party to write letters to a judge on the subject of a trial”.Indian IT firms supported 2.8 lakh jobs in US last year: Nirupama Rao
Washington,July 27,2012: Indian IT companies supported as many as 2.8 lakh jobs in America last year amid a gloomy employment scenario in the US and have invested a whopping over five billion dollars in FDI through acquisitions and green-field projects, according to India’s top envoy here. Addressing the Asia Society here yesterday, Indian Ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao said: “Our IT companies supported 280,000 jobs in the US last year. “The IT companies have invested more than 5 billion dollars in FDI through acquisitions and green-field projects.” “The unemployment rate in the tech-space in this country is much lower than in manufacturing and that is where the effort is concentrated we believe today – to get back the jobs in manufacturing to this country,” she said. Acknowledging that India’s trade and economic relationship with the US has not scaled the heights reached in US trade and economic ties with China, she said there are goals yet to be achieved in this area. “The voices of Indian companies and business interests are often unheard in the audio stream of voices from the US side who are constantly urging India to ‘do more’ on the reform front,” she said. In this crescendo from the American side, is the political economy and anthropology of India understood sufficiently? she asked. “There is no question of the tide of economic reform in India being reversed.” “Look at the history of reform in India from 1991 onwards. Successive governments have come and gone, but the direction of reform has not been reversed, ever,” she said. “Do not take us at face value. When the chips are down, our system responds very well. As our Prime Minister told Secretary Clinton when they met in Delhi in May, ‘the message I would like you to carry is that India remains open, and the climate (of reform) will not be disrupted’. The India Story is definitely not over,” the Ambassador said.
Indian Americans most educated, richest, says Pew report
Washington,July7,2012:Indian Americans are the most educated population in the US, with more than 80 per cent holding college or advanced degrees, stated a report released June 19 by the Pew Research Center.
Indians Americans also have the highest income levels, earning $65,000 per year with a median household income of $88,000, far higher than the US household average of 49,000, according to the survey.
But the report, titled "The Rise of Asian Americans," was immediately taken to task by several organizations for its seemingly-homogenous portrayal of the US's fastest growing ethnic population.
"Our community is not a monolith," said Deepa Iyer, executive director of South Asian Americans Leading Together, in an interview with NPR. Iyer, who also serves as chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, said that the community has historically been seen as a model minority, or job takers, and viewed with suspicion.
"We need to make sure we are not portraying a one-dimensional picture of our community. We have to look at those who are not as much of a success story," said Iyer, calling for the disaggregation of data of various Asian American subgroups.
In a letter to India-West, Iyer noted that one out of five South Asian Americans lack health insurance and one out of every three Bangladeshis in New York lives in poverty. "South Asians as a whole continue to face discrimination and immigration barriers and often lack access to vital services," she said.
"If we ignore the disparities within our communities in favor of a model minority narrative, then government agencies, philanthropic institutions and lawmakers may leave us out when designing programs, providing funding or changing policy intended to address pressing issues many Americans face," stated Iyer.
The Asian American Center for Justice applauded the Pew Center for surveying the community, but said its findings were "overly simplistic." Household income is a poor measure of success for immigrant communities, which tend to have a larger number of workers per household and a greater number of people who rely on the income, noted the AAJC.
The 225-page Pew report does disaggregate data for the Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese American population, but lumps Bangladeshis into the "other Asian" category. The report contains no data for the Pakistani, Afghan, Sri Lankan, Nepali or Bhutanese communities.
The 3,511 people interviewed for the survey included 580 Indian Americans who were interviewed earlier this year. While household income surpasses that of the US population at large, slightly more than half of Indian Americans own their homes, compared to a two-thirds rate of home ownership among the US population at large.
Nine per cent of Indian Americans live in poverty, defined as $19,000 annually for a family of three.
Nearly 87 per cent of the Indian American population is foreign born, and eight per cent of the families surveyed have had a baby in the past year, as opposed to seven percent in the total US population.
Almost three-fourths of Indian Americans are married, significantly higher than for the US overall, in which only half are married. Ninety-two percent of Indian American children live with two married parents, and only two per cent of Indian American babies are born to unwed mothers.
Only eight per cent of Indians view the US as better for the strength of family ties; 69 percent regard India as better in that regard, but still see America as a good place to raise children.
Whether myth or reality, Asian Americans have gained a reputation for being strict and demanding parents. Indian Americans stood out from the other Asian groups for the emphasis they put on good parenting and more than 71 per cent believe American parents are too easy on their children. More than two-thirds of Indian Americans believe that parents should have some influence on their children's career choices.
One-fourth of the nation's 3.1 million Indian Americans live in the West, while 31 percent live in the Northeast and 29 per cent live in the South.
Compared to other Asian Americans, Indians are the most likely to identify as Democrats; 65 per cent are registered for that party or lean that way. Eighteen percent are Republicans.
Two-thirds of Indian Americans approve of President Barack Obama's job performance, according to the Pew report.
Asian Americans are also strong proponents of hard work with two-thirds of those surveyed saying that people can get ahead if they're willing to work hard. Only 27 per cent say hard work is no determinant of success. Interestingly, three-fourths of Indian Americans say hard work is the key to success whilst only two-thirds of Indians in India believe the same.
More than half of Indian Americans believe they will do better in life than their parents, whereas less than one-third of Indians living in India believe the same.
The Pew report noted that the Indian economic climate has shifted dramatically in recent years, which has led Indian Americans to be less positive about conditions in the home country. Almost 60 percent are dissatisfied with economic conditions in India, but reported high levels of satisfaction with the US economic climate.
Indian Americans were also the highest ethnic group to describe their personal financial situation as good or excellent, and the most likely to say that Asian American success surpasses the US population at large.
-By Sunita Sohrabji (India-West Staff Reporter)
Indians Americans also have the highest income levels, earning $65,000 per year with a median household income of $88,000, far higher than the US household average of 49,000, according to the survey.
But the report, titled "The Rise of Asian Americans," was immediately taken to task by several organizations for its seemingly-homogenous portrayal of the US's fastest growing ethnic population.
"Our community is not a monolith," said Deepa Iyer, executive director of South Asian Americans Leading Together, in an interview with NPR. Iyer, who also serves as chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, said that the community has historically been seen as a model minority, or job takers, and viewed with suspicion.
"We need to make sure we are not portraying a one-dimensional picture of our community. We have to look at those who are not as much of a success story," said Iyer, calling for the disaggregation of data of various Asian American subgroups.
In a letter to India-West, Iyer noted that one out of five South Asian Americans lack health insurance and one out of every three Bangladeshis in New York lives in poverty. "South Asians as a whole continue to face discrimination and immigration barriers and often lack access to vital services," she said.
"If we ignore the disparities within our communities in favor of a model minority narrative, then government agencies, philanthropic institutions and lawmakers may leave us out when designing programs, providing funding or changing policy intended to address pressing issues many Americans face," stated Iyer.
The Asian American Center for Justice applauded the Pew Center for surveying the community, but said its findings were "overly simplistic." Household income is a poor measure of success for immigrant communities, which tend to have a larger number of workers per household and a greater number of people who rely on the income, noted the AAJC.
The 225-page Pew report does disaggregate data for the Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese American population, but lumps Bangladeshis into the "other Asian" category. The report contains no data for the Pakistani, Afghan, Sri Lankan, Nepali or Bhutanese communities.
The 3,511 people interviewed for the survey included 580 Indian Americans who were interviewed earlier this year. While household income surpasses that of the US population at large, slightly more than half of Indian Americans own their homes, compared to a two-thirds rate of home ownership among the US population at large.
Nine per cent of Indian Americans live in poverty, defined as $19,000 annually for a family of three.
Nearly 87 per cent of the Indian American population is foreign born, and eight per cent of the families surveyed have had a baby in the past year, as opposed to seven percent in the total US population.
Almost three-fourths of Indian Americans are married, significantly higher than for the US overall, in which only half are married. Ninety-two percent of Indian American children live with two married parents, and only two per cent of Indian American babies are born to unwed mothers.
Only eight per cent of Indians view the US as better for the strength of family ties; 69 percent regard India as better in that regard, but still see America as a good place to raise children.
Whether myth or reality, Asian Americans have gained a reputation for being strict and demanding parents. Indian Americans stood out from the other Asian groups for the emphasis they put on good parenting and more than 71 per cent believe American parents are too easy on their children. More than two-thirds of Indian Americans believe that parents should have some influence on their children's career choices.
One-fourth of the nation's 3.1 million Indian Americans live in the West, while 31 percent live in the Northeast and 29 per cent live in the South.
Compared to other Asian Americans, Indians are the most likely to identify as Democrats; 65 per cent are registered for that party or lean that way. Eighteen percent are Republicans.
Two-thirds of Indian Americans approve of President Barack Obama's job performance, according to the Pew report.
Asian Americans are also strong proponents of hard work with two-thirds of those surveyed saying that people can get ahead if they're willing to work hard. Only 27 per cent say hard work is no determinant of success. Interestingly, three-fourths of Indian Americans say hard work is the key to success whilst only two-thirds of Indians in India believe the same.
More than half of Indian Americans believe they will do better in life than their parents, whereas less than one-third of Indians living in India believe the same.
The Pew report noted that the Indian economic climate has shifted dramatically in recent years, which has led Indian Americans to be less positive about conditions in the home country. Almost 60 percent are dissatisfied with economic conditions in India, but reported high levels of satisfaction with the US economic climate.
Indian Americans were also the highest ethnic group to describe their personal financial situation as good or excellent, and the most likely to say that Asian American success surpasses the US population at large.
-By Sunita Sohrabji (India-West Staff Reporter)
Indian couple gets $36.48 million in accident compensation
WASHINGTON,July7,2012: An Indian couple, who sustained serious injuries in an accident in the US in 2010, has been awarded a whopping $36.48 million as compensation by a California court. A Riverside County Superior Court jury awarded $36.48 million to Prakash Sheth, 64, and his wife, Jashiree Sheth, 58, from Mumbai, whose car was struck by a big-rig on Interstate 10 in Beaumont two years ago. At the time of the accident, the Sheths were visiting the US from India and were on their way to an airport in Orange County for a family vacation in Hawaii. According to the plaintiffs' attorneys, the Sheths were being driven by an American relative to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana when their vehicle was hit by an 18-wheeler truck that went around the victims' car but failed to completely clear the sedan while changing lanes, Valley news reported. "The impact of the truck caused the Sheths' vehicle to spin out of control across the freeway, where it hit the median barrier and was struck by another vehicle," according to a statement released by Panish, Shea & Boyle, the law firm representing the couple. All of the occupants were hurt, but Jashiree received the worst injuries, including a spinal fracture that left her paralyzed. She now requires 24-hour care, said attorney Brian Panish. "The plaintiffs have suffered tremendously and will continue to suffer for the rest of their lives," he said. "The jury recognised this with their verdict. Justice was done." The jury award against the truck company Schneider National included $469,490 in past medical expenses, $4.8 million for future medical expenses, $6 million for past pain and suffering and $22 million for future pain and suffering. It was not immediately clear whether Schneider planned to appeal the jury verdict and award. Company representatives could not immediately be reached for comment. There was no answer from Schneider National's corporate office. A company spokeswoman could not immediately be reached for comment.
Lord Paul seeks intensive probe into UK banking crisis
LONDON,July7,2012: NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has demanded an intensive probe into the raging banking crisis in Britain, saying the Libor fixing has hurt the reputation not only of the financial services but the country as a whole. Participating in a debate on the "international competitiveness of UK industry" in the House of Lords last evening, Lord Paul said: "The biggest issue at the moment for industry is the banking crisis. This is so fundamental to our national economy that it must be investigated intensively, and resolved.
"And resolution must avoid any political point scoring, as the whole country needs to have its faith restored in the financial sector. The Libor fixing has really adversely affected everyone. It has also hurt the reputation not only of the UK financial services, but the country as a whole. We cannot afford that." The debate comes in the wake of Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond's resignation after the bank was fined 290 million pounds last week after some of its derivatives traders were found to have attempted to rig Libor - the London inter-bank lending rate. Libor is considered to be one of the most crucial interest rates in finance and it underpins trillions of pounds worth of loans and financial contracts. So when Barclays was fined, public confidence in banks was shattered. The scandal forced Diamond to resign. At the outset, Lord Paul, Chairman of the Caparo Group - an industrial manufacturing company, noted "the issue of competitiveness is vital for the future of our country's economy. And nowhere is this more significant than in manufacturing. Having been intimately engaged in this activity all my life, your Lordships will appreciate why I will focus largely on this sector."
"And resolution must avoid any political point scoring, as the whole country needs to have its faith restored in the financial sector. The Libor fixing has really adversely affected everyone. It has also hurt the reputation not only of the UK financial services, but the country as a whole. We cannot afford that." The debate comes in the wake of Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond's resignation after the bank was fined 290 million pounds last week after some of its derivatives traders were found to have attempted to rig Libor - the London inter-bank lending rate. Libor is considered to be one of the most crucial interest rates in finance and it underpins trillions of pounds worth of loans and financial contracts. So when Barclays was fined, public confidence in banks was shattered. The scandal forced Diamond to resign. At the outset, Lord Paul, Chairman of the Caparo Group - an industrial manufacturing company, noted "the issue of competitiveness is vital for the future of our country's economy. And nowhere is this more significant than in manufacturing. Having been intimately engaged in this activity all my life, your Lordships will appreciate why I will focus largely on this sector."
Indian origin researcher's smart headlights that see through rain
WASHINGTON,July7,2012: While driving in the rain, or when there is snow fall, visibility sometimes gets worse when the headlights are on. How would be if headlight beams could bend around the raindrops so that the driver can see what's ahead of them. Now, a team led by an Indian origin researcher has found a way to do just that. By not illuminating the raindrops the headlights would avoid a common problem: in heavy rain, headlights make it harder to see, not easier. Headlight beams reflect off the rain (or snow, or fog). The reflected light heads back to the driver's eyes, not to the obstacles on the road. The protoype system, developed by the Carnegie Mellon University team led by Srinivasa G. Narasimhan, consists of a camera, projector, and beam splitter, linked to a computer processor, Discovery News reported. The camera takes a picture of the raindrops at the top of the field of view. The processor can tell where the drops are headed and sends a signal to the headlights, which adjust the beams of light they send out so that there isn't any light where the raindrop is. The whole system is fast - the time from capture to when the light adjusts is about 13 milliseconds. A raindrop moves falls at anywhere from nine to 13 meters per second, .so the drops will only fall about 9-13 millimeters, or about a third to half an inch. One question the team asked is how fast the system has to be -- 13 milliseconds is a bit too long given how fast most cars are moving. Increasing the range would also be good, as it currently is about 13 feet. Making the system faster, though, shouldn't be too big of a problem. The protoype was built with off-the-shelf parts. Custom built equipment is usually much better integrated. Computer simulations show the system could boost the range of headlights to 90 feet. The work was presented by Narasimhan at Microsoft Research and at Research@Intel 2012, and the results were published in the Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Computational Photography.
UNSC condemns attack in Congo that killed Indian soldier
United Nations, Jul 7,2012: The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the killing of an Indian soldier in the attack by rebel groups on UN peacekeepers in Congo and asked the government in Congo to bring the perpetrators to justice. In a press statement, the 15-nation Council expressed its sympathy to the family of the victim and UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) staff, as well as to the government of India. Earlier, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had expressed deep regret over the death of the Indian soldier and offered his condolences to the family of the UN peacekeeper as well as to the Government and people of India. The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the attacks by the M23 rebel group on MONUSCO peacekeepers in North Kivu on July 5, as part of an ongoing offensive in the area, which resulted in the death of an Indian soldier in Bunagana as well as the displacement of thousands of civilians and deaths of Congo forces, the press statement said. The UNSC members called upon the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure that the perpetrators of such attack are swiftly brought to justice. The Security Council reiterated its demands that the M23 and all armed groups immediately cease all forms of violence. The UNSC members also reiterated their full support for MONUSCO and its operations in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ban expressed concern over the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Serving with MONUSCO, the Indian 'blue helmet' had been in Bunagana, in the province of North Kivu, this week, when he was caught in a cross-fire in clashes between Congo's armed forces and a rebel group known as the M23.Congo's eastern provinces of North and South Kivu have witnessed increased fighting between government troops and the M23, which is composed of renegade soldiers who mutinied in April and are led by Bosco Ntaganda. The fighting has displaced more than 100,000 people, including many who have fled to neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda. The Secretary-General expresses his serious concern about the situation in eastern Congo, and calls for an immediate end to all violence perpetrated by armed groups, Ban's spokesperson said. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has previously described the M23 group as being led by a particularly notorious group of human rights violators. Many of them have appalling track records including allegations of involvement in mass rape, and of responsibility for massacres and for the recruitment and use of children, Pillay had said in June. In late June, the Security Council extended MONUSCO for another year, focussing on its priority mandate of protecting civilians. It also urged national authorities to reform their security sector and end armed insurgencies and human rights abuses in the country. MONUSCO supports the Congo authorities in their stabilization and peace consolidation efforts, including assisting with the holding of elections, the monitoring of human rights violations and support for Government action against armed groups operating in the country's east.
Gandhi-Kallenbach archive coming home
London, Jul 7,2012: A rich archive containing thousands of items related to Mahatma Gandhi will soon return to India after the Union Ministry of Culture signed a contract with auctioneers Sotheby's to purchase it before it was put up for auction on July 10. The price paid by the ministry has not been revealed, but it is likely to be between Rs 4 crore to Rs 6 crore, since Sotheby's expected the archive to fetch between 500,000 and 700,000 pounds. Sources in the Indian government told PTI that the contract had been signed with Sotheby's and that the auction will not go ahead. Confirming this, Sotheby's said: The Gandhi-Kallenbach archive, which had been scheduled to be offered as Lot 30 in Sotheby's English Literature, History, Children's Books and Illustrations Auction on 10th July 2012, has been withdrawn from sale. The archive includes several letters that throw fresh light on the controversial relationship between Gandhi and architect Hermann Kallenbach, one of the foremost associates and friends of Gandhi during his time in South Africa. The archive, which is likely to be a rich resource for researchers and historians, was recently examined by a team of experts from the ministry, who reportedly described it as very well preserved and of inestimable value. The archive is now expected to be lodged in National Archives, New Delhi. The auctioneer's Catalogue Note on the archive said that it is richly informative of the important (and occasionally misunderstood) friendship between the two men, and is a key biographical source for Gandhi.
India seeks greater coordination with Tajikistan
Dushanbe, Jul 3,2012: With the US troop drawdown from Afghanistan nearing, India is pushing with a 'Connect Central Asia Policy' to engage nations neighbouring the war-torn country and seek greater alignment with them. S M Krishna, the first Indian External Affairs Minister to visit the strategically located Tajikistan in nine years, held extensive talks with his counterpart Hamrokhon Zarifi, centered on building up communications, energy cooperation and counter-terrorism. Afghanistan and the need to invest in its stable future emerged as a strong point of concord between India and Tajikistan, as New Delhi moves to seek greater engagement with Central Asian countries. Tajikistan, a neighbour of Afghanistan, has historically been on the same side of the Afghan conflict as India, and Krishna discussed the situation in the war-torn country with Zarifi during his bilateral visit here. As the time of a drawdown of international forces nears in Afghanistan, both India and Tajikistan agreed on the need to secure stability in the country, that has been torn apart by over a decade of strife. There was a long discussion about Afghanistan. They agreed that without a stable Afghanistan, the region cannot be stable, officials said yesterday, adding that the minister also briefed Zarifi about recent Afghan Investment Summit held in New Delhi. They said the two leaders discussed several issues from economy to trade and investment in hydropower sector. Tajikistan is rich in natural resources like hydropower which are estimated at the level of 527 billion kWth, but only 3 per cent of this potential is being used. India plans to build strong political relations with Central Asian countries through the exchange of high level visits and strengthen strategic and security cooperation including counter-terror cooperation with them. Krishna's visit is just a step in that direction, officials said. The minister's tour also assumes significance as the strategically-located Tajikistan shares borders with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. Also, a narrow strip of land separates it from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties between India and Tajikistan deepened in the late 1990s, when they came closer following rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan. The ties have grown stronger since 2002, especially on counter-terrorism and defence co-operation. The two countries have a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism in place. Tajikistan, which shares over 1,400 km border with Afghanistan, faces threat from Taliban- linked terror groups like Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Following his talks with Zarifi, Krishna described India's relationship with Tajikistan as excellent as the two leaders discussed bilateral issues like trade, energy and counter-terrorism besides situation in the region. Krishna's visit to Dushanbe, first by any Indian External Affairs Minister in nine years, is part of India's 'Connect Central Asia Policy' to tap the natural resources-rich region. He met his Tajik counterpart for 40-minutes during which they discussed cooperation in energy sector, economy and counter-terrorism besides other issues of mutual interest and on the situation in the region especially Afghanistan, officials said. India and Tajikistan have an excellent relationship, a very cordial one. This year we will be completing 20 years of diplomatic relations with the Tajikistan, Krishna told reporters alongside his Tajik counterpart Zarifi. We discussed bilateral issues and regional development and we also discussed the world's financial situation which is deteriorating every day and the possible impact it has on other countries. This is of great interest to both of our countries, Krishna said.
India asks its envoys in Eurasia to be available for students
Dushanbe, Jul 3,2012: In view of a large Indian student community's presence in Eurasia, India today asked its top envoys in the region to be sensitive to their needs and always be available to help these youths, who are relatively vulnerable and lack experience, finances and other support. Addressing a conference in the Tajik capital of Indian Heads of Missions of 11 countries in the region, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna underlined the importance of engagement with the Indian community and effectively redressing their grievances. Though the Indian community is comparatively thin but there is a large student community present here. They are relatively vulnerable and lack experience, finances and other support. We must be sensitive to their needs and always be available to help them, he said. We have learnt from our experience in Australia that such measures go a long way in timely detection of problems and also in evolving suitable remedies. I would like you all to enforce this measure immediately, if not yet done so, the minister, who is here on a two-day visit, told the envoys. Krishna's remarks came against the backdrop of attacks on Indian students in Australia, which has dented that country's image as a safe destination for foreign students. He said the number of Indian students in Australia has sharply come down to 50,000 from 93,000 in 2009 when he had assumed charge as External Affairs Minister.
Australia's popular vocational courses available in India
Melbourne, Jul 3,2012: Australia's much popular vocational courses in tourism, retail and hospitality will now be available to students in India as a leading Australian institute is set to open branches in the country. Melbourne-based firm Heraud Inc will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TAFE NSW - Sydney Institute on July 10 for setting up the TAFE institutes that would offer vocational diploma courses in tourism, retail, automotive engineering, hospitality and construction in the country. Initially, the company plans to build five schools in India with first one starting in Gurgaon which is expected to be functional by April next year. The move is in line with the Indian government's targets to skill 500 million people by 2022 and to build nationwide employability. Heraud CEO Amit Tikoo said his company has closely worked with the analysts from National Skill Development Corporation in India to understand the gaps between industry requirements and what the education institutes are able to churn. There is a recognition by the high circles of industry and the government that although we produce a high number of engineering graduates in India, the quality and deployability of these graduates is not high. The initiative has been designed on two-pronged approach -- one is directed towards individuals and the second aims at companies to train its own staff members, he said. Last year, the two countries had committed to expand the education exchange programme to achieve greater cooperation between their schools, higher education, vocational education and training sectors. During a visit of HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, the two sides also decided to open more avenues to share expertise in education and launch India-Australia Education Council. Heraud Inc educational pattern will be based on Australian traditions and will focus to prepare students for a globalised world, Tikoo said. All courses will be based on the TAFE NSW Sydney Institute curriculum but will be developed by TAFE NSW Sydney Institute staff in India in cooperation with the local industry, he said. After graduating from its institutes, students can also further choose to apply for their internship in Australia, he said. TAFE NSW institutes are part of the New South Wales Government Department of Education and Communities and are regarded as world's best practice leaders in the provision of high quality education and applied practical training, and are a popular choice for Indian students who wish to study in Australia.
2 Indians among 10 killed in tourist bus accident in Thailand
Jaishree Balasubramanian Bangkok, Jul 3,2012: Two Indian nationals were among 10 people killed when a tourist bus heading to a popular beach resort in Thailand skidded and rammed into an electric post following a burst tyre. Police said 17 other travellers were injured in the accident that occurred on a highway in the southern Surat Thani province. The tour bus carrying both locals and foreigners was headed to the beach island of Koh Phangan, when its tyre burst and it hit an electric post. They said two Indians and eight Tahia were killed in the accident early this morning. The Bangkok Post newspaper, however, said that among the 10 people who died on the spot was one male foreign tourist, besides the driver, five female Thai passengers and three Thai male passengers. Seventeen other people, including both Thais and foreigners, were injured, many of them seriously, the paper said. Police were investigating the cause of the accident. Some local reports MCOT online news reported that the initial investigation concluded the front right tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control and the bus hit the electric pole at full speed. MCOT news identified one of the Indian national killed as Amit Jain. It said five other dead have not been immediately identified and were sent for autopsies.
Indian Americans most educated, richest, says Pew report
Indian Americans are the most educated population in the US, with more than 80 per cent holding college or advanced degrees, stated a report released June 19 by the Pew Research Center.
Indians Americans also have the highest income levels, earning $65,000 per year with a median household income of $88,000, far higher than the US household average of 49,000, according to the survey.
But the report, titled "The Rise of Asian Americans," was immediately taken to task by several organizations for its seemingly-homogenous portrayal of the US's fastest growing ethnic population.
"Our community is not a monolith," said Deepa Iyer, executive director of South Asian Americans Leading Together, in an interview with NPR. Iyer, who also serves as chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, said that the community has historically been seen as a model minority, or job takers, and viewed with suspicion.
"We need to make sure we are not portraying a one-dimensional picture of our community. We have to look at those who are not as much of a success story," said Iyer, calling for the disaggregation of data of various Asian American subgroups.
In a letter to India-West, Iyer noted that one out of five South Asian Americans lack health insurance and one out of every three Bangladeshis in New York lives in poverty. "South Asians as a whole continue to face discrimination and immigration barriers and often lack access to vital services," she said.
"If we ignore the disparities within our communities in favor of a model minority narrative, then government agencies, philanthropic institutions and lawmakers may leave us out when designing programs, providing funding or changing policy intended to address pressing issues many Americans face," stated Iyer.
The Asian American Center for Justice applauded the Pew Center for surveying the community, but said its findings were "overly simplistic." Household income is a poor measure of success for immigrant communities, which tend to have a larger number of workers per household and a greater number of people who rely on the income, noted the AAJC.
The 225-page Pew report does disaggregate data for the Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese American population, but lumps Bangladeshis into the "other Asian" category. The report contains no data for the Pakistani, Afghan, Sri Lankan, Nepali or Bhutanese communities.
The 3,511 people interviewed for the survey included 580 Indian Americans who were interviewed earlier this year. While household income surpasses that of the US population at large, slightly more than half of Indian Americans own their homes, compared to a two-thirds rate of home ownership among the US population at large.
Nine per cent of Indian Americans live in poverty, defined as $19,000 annually for a family of three.
Nearly 87 per cent of the Indian American population is foreign born, and eight per cent of the families surveyed have had a baby in the past year, as opposed to seven percent in the total US population.
Almost three-fourths of Indian Americans are married, significantly higher than for the US overall, in which only half are married. Ninety-two percent of Indian American children live with two married parents, and only two per cent of Indian American babies are born to unwed mothers.
Only eight per cent of Indians view the US as better for the strength of family ties; 69 percent regard India as better in that regard, but still see America as a good place to raise children.
Whether myth or reality, Asian Americans have gained a reputation for being strict and demanding parents. Indian Americans stood out from the other Asian groups for the emphasis they put on good parenting and more than 71 per cent believe American parents are too easy on their children. More than two-thirds of Indian Americans believe that parents should have some influence on their children's career choices.
One-fourth of the nation's 3.1 million Indian Americans live in the West, while 31 percent live in the Northeast and 29 per cent live in the South.
Compared to other Asian Americans, Indians are the most likely to identify as Democrats; 65 per cent are registered for that party or lean that way. Eighteen percent are Republicans.
Two-thirds of Indian Americans approve of President Barack Obama's job performance, according to the Pew report.
Asian Americans are also strong proponents of hard work with two-thirds of those surveyed saying that people can get ahead if they're willing to work hard. Only 27 per cent say hard work is no determinant of success. Interestingly, three-fourths of Indian Americans say hard work is the key to success whilst only two-thirds of Indians in India believe the same.
More than half of Indian Americans believe they will do better in life than their parents, whereas less than one-third of Indians living in India believe the same.
The Pew report noted that the Indian economic climate has shifted dramatically in recent years, which has led Indian Americans to be less positive about conditions in the home country. Almost 60 percent are dissatisfied with economic conditions in India, but reported high levels of satisfaction with the US economic climate.
Indian Americans were also the highest ethnic group to describe their personal financial situation as good or excellent, and the most likely to say that Asian American success surpasses the US population at large.
NRI in Canada asked to pay alimony to estranged wife in India
PIO woman treats kin as slave, jailed
NEW YORK,July2,2012: The sister-in-law of an Indian woman, who came to the US after an arranged marriage, has been sentenced to two years in prison for physically assaulting her and treating her as a slave.
Rajani Jagota, 32, was convicted in February this year on charges of labour trafficking and assault, Rockland county district attorney Thomas Zugibe said in New York. The victim, now 25-year-old , is an Indian citizen who came to the US after an arranged marriage with Vishal Jagota. The defendant, along with her mother, Parveen Jagota and brother using intimidation , physical abuse and manipulation to force the victim to work as a round-the-clock servant, performing a variety of household chores, cooking, child care and other tasks under threats of violence.
Rajani Jagota, 32, was convicted in February this year on charges of labour trafficking and assault, Rockland county district attorney Thomas Zugibe said in New York. The victim, now 25-year-old , is an Indian citizen who came to the US after an arranged marriage with Vishal Jagota. The defendant, along with her mother, Parveen Jagota and brother using intimidation , physical abuse and manipulation to force the victim to work as a round-the-clock servant, performing a variety of household chores, cooking, child care and other tasks under threats of violence.
NRI embroiders unique piece to honour Queen Elizabeth II
Sikhs urged to celebrate March 14 as Environment Day
To be established at the University Of South California (USC) School Of Religion with funds from the Dharma Civilisation Foundation, this is the first chair of Hindu studies in the US funded by the Indian American community.
"We are very proud to house the first chair of Hindu studies in the United States endowed by the Indian-American community," the USC President C L Max Nikias said in a statement. The Los Angeles based Dharma Civilisation Foundation aims to fund studies of the Indian civilisation, focusing on Hinduism, Buddhism, Jain and Sikh religions. The objective is to promote Dharma education through research scholarship, degree courses and endowed chairs. Last year Nikias led a delegation of university faculty, administrators and trustees, including USC Dean of Religious Life Varun Soni, to India, where they met with key Indian partners in higher education, business and government, and with USC alumni, to build sustainable alliances in the areas of medicine and health care, neurosciences, the arts, communication and journalism, business, technology and engineering. "This historic gift to the USC School of Religion highlights the department's commitment to study the enduring questions of human life and values from a global perspective," said Duncan Williams, chair of the School of Religion.
Sri Meenakshi Temple celebrates Ayyappa Mandala Pooja
The journey is physical, as well as a spiritual/mental process. 'Manasuddhi' and 'deha suddhi' are the two states of being the self owes its existence to that a devotee transforms into as he observes forty-one days of 'vratham' completing the full cycle of 'mandalam'. The vratham, a symbolic engagement, is transformative in function and demands a total suspension of indulgences that are profane. It serves to cleanse the mind and body in preparation for the realization of, and union with, the Infinite. Wearing the 'mala' or the bead, and the black robe symbolize a detachment from the physical-external, while the avoidance of carnal pleasures signifies abstinence from earthly desires. The union of the Self with the Infinite is attained through detachment from all earthly trappings.
Towards the end of the mandala vratham, the devotee prepares for the journey to Sannidhanam in Sabari hills. The Ayyappa swamis, as they are called, carry Irumudi, a headload of offerings to Sri Ayyappan, including coconuts filled with ghee for Neyyabhishekam. The final forty-one mile long trek from Erumeli, crossing over the imposing Karimala, Neelimala, and Azhutha hills, to the final destination braving the unknown, totally prepares the pilgrim to a complete surrender and abandonment of all attachments to unite with the Infinite!
Historically, the temple was open to pilgrims only during mandalam. For the rest of the year, the temple remained closed leaving Shastha to remain in a state of 'nidrayoga' so as not to be disturbed. During those months, only padi pooja (the eighteen steps symbolizing the various indriyas and bhoothas) is conducted. In recent years, due to popular demand, the temple has stayed open for five days during the beginning of each Malayalam month. Perhaps, the most auspicious ritual for Sri Ayyappan is the Sankrama pooja occuring on the eve of Makara masam of the Hindu calendar, the day when the Pandalam royalty is permitted to have darshan of the deity - a right granted by the Divine Son to his foster father.
During mandalam, a typical day breaks at three in the morning for worshippers to see the deity in 'nirmalyam' state, decorated with garlands from the previous day, followed by the most auspicious ritual of Neyyabhishekam and malar nivedyam until 7:15 AM. The next event of the routine is Usha Pooja, again followed by Neyyabhishekam. After Ucha pooja at noon, the sanctorum will close until the evening for deeparadhana and poovabhishekam. The hundreds of thousands of devotees offering flowers for abhishekam literally mean filling the sanctum sanctorum with flowers and is truly a sight to behold! In recent times, the chanting of Harivarasanam has been added when the priests extinguish the lamps in succession and the sanctorum is closed until day break, leaving the deity in nidra.
Undoubtedly, the presence of Swami Ayyappan has added to the fame and glory of Meenakshi temple,drawing thousands of devotees to the shrine each year. The conduct of rituals for Sri Ayyappan here is in accordance with the agama tradition followed in the Sabarimala temple. This year, the mandala pooja started on November 17th, the first day of Vrischika masam and completed the observance on December 27, 2011.
Sri. Sukumaran Nampoodiri who was blessed with that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve at Sabarimala has only one message for all across the world - the one emanating from the divine abode of Dharma Shastha, attesting to the love for all humanity, regardless of class, caste, or religion. It is one that has universal social appeal, for, the truly Divine sees a world sans,
Jathi-matha bedham,
Ucha-neecha bedham,
Kuchela-Kubera bedham.
The Abode of Dharma Shastha through manifestation as Swami Ayyappan is the ultimate testimony to the idea of social equality unique to Sanatana Dharma.
Swamiye, Saranamayyappa!
Reported by: By Sarath Menon
Source: http://www.indoamerican-news.com
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