Indian American

Indians most-educated immigrants in US; Chinese, Mexicans runners-up

India stands out as a leader in the global pool of educated immigrants, contributing around 2 million degree-holders

Citi names Indian origin Selva as COO to lead risk management overhaul

Veteran company executive previously handled roles in consumer banking, retail, cards

Biden intends to nominate Nisha Biswal to US govt's top administrative post

US President Joe Biden intends to nominate Indian-American Nisha Desai Biswal to a top administrative position in the US International Development Finance Commission, the White House said Monday. Biswal, who served as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia during the Obama Administration, brings over 30 years of work experience in US foreign policy, international development programs within the Executive Branch, Congress, and the private sector. She is currently Senior Vice President for International Strategy and Global Initiatives at the US Chamber of Commerce, overseeing the US India Business Council and the US Bangladesh Business Council. Biswal served as Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs at the US Department of State from 2013 to 2017, where she oversaw the US-India strategic partnership during a period of unprecedented cooperation, including the launch of an annual US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, the White House said. She als

Senate confirms appointment of Arun Subramanian as NY district court judge

The United States Senate on Tuesday confirmed Indian-American Arun Subramanian to be District Judge for the Southern District of New York, thus making him the first South Asian judge to serve on this bench. The United States confirmed the nomination of Subramanian by a vote of 58-37 Tuesday evening. "We have confirmed Arun Subramanian as an SDNY (Southern District of New York) judge. He's a son of Indian immigrants and the 1st South Asian-American judge confirmed to SDNY which has one of the largest South Asian-American populations in the country. He's dedicated his career to fighting for people," Senate Majority Leader Senate Chuck Schumer said immediately after the conformation vote. Before the floor vote, Schumer said Subramanian is the "epitome of the American Dream and a history maker": the child of hard-working immigrants from India, he will become the first South Asian to preside in the Southern District, which has one of the largest South Asian populations in the ...

Indian-origin judge unanimously named US district court's associate justice

An Indian-origin judge, Shama Hakim Mesiwala, has been unanimously confirmed as an associate justice of a district court of appeal in the US state of California. Mesiwala's appointment as an associate justice of the Third District Court of Appeal in California's Sacramento city was confirmed on February 14 by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California, Patricia Guerrero, according to a press release by the Judicial Council of California. "Judge Mesiwala was confirmed by unanimous vote of the three-member commission, which included Chief Justice Guerrero (Chair); Attorney General Rob Bonta; and Acting Presiding Justice Ronald B. Robie," the press release said. Mesiwala, in her late 40s, fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Coleman A. Blease. She has served as a Sacramento County Superior Court judge since 2017 and was a commissioner there in 2017. Mesiwala has been an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law since 2013 and w

Biden picks Ajay Banga as US nominee for World Bank president

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced that the US is nominating Indian-American business leader Ajay Banga to lead the World Bank. "Ajay is uniquely equipped to lead the World Bank at this critical moment in history," President Biden said in a statement. Banga, 63, currently serves as Vice Chairman at General Atlantic. Previously, he was President and CEO of Mastercard, leading the company through a strategic, technological and cultural transformation. "He has spent more than three decades building and managing successful, global companies that create jobs and bring investment to developing economies, and guiding organisations through periods of fundamental change. "He has a proven track record managing people and systems, and partnering with global leaders around the world to deliver results," Biden said. Banga was awarded the Padma Shri in 2016.

Indian-American NGO sends over 200 relief material boxes to Turkiye, Syria

Indian-American non-profit organisation Sewa International Houston's AmeriCorps team dispatched over 200 boxes of relief material for the victims of the devastating earthquake in Turkiye and Syria, which killed over 46,000 people. They organised a donation drive over the weekend to gather essentials for those impacted by the 7.8 magnitude quake, which hit Tukriye and Syria on February 6. People from different communities all over Houston came together to donate hundreds of items which filled over 200 boxes. Sewa AmeriCorps partnered with the National Association of Christian Churches (NACC) for the delivery of these goods to both Turkiye and Syria. Former president of Sewa International, Manju Gupta, came to donate items in the drive and said, This is amazing work. It needed a lot of planning, hard work, and dedication to get this done. Kudos to the Sewa International and AmeriCorps team. Sewa International also started a Facebook fundraising campaign for earthquake victims, which

Indian American wins National Geographic's pictures of the year contest

An Indian American software developer turned-hobbyist photographer from Silicon valley has won National Geographic's first-ever Picture of the Year contest with his stunning image showing a trio of bald eagles battling for a spot on a branch in Alaska's Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. After a rigorous vetting process by a team of seasoned Nat Geo photo editors, Karthik Subramaniam's Dance of the Eagles photo was named grand-prize winner, according to an official announcement here. Every year in November, hundreds of bald eagles gather at Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska, to feast on salmon. I visited there last two Novembers to photograph them, says Subramaniam. Studying their behaviour patterns helped me anticipate some of their actions. For example, when an eagle drags salmon to a dry spot, other eagles in the area would inevitably fly there to claim their share, and that leads to chaotic action, he said. They also seemed to have some favourite spots to hang out, and

Biden rejigs national economic team, retains Indian-American Ramamurti

US President Joe Biden has reconstituted his national economic team at the White House but has retained Indian-American adviser Bharat Ramamurti who has been with him since day one of his presidency. Lael Brainard will now serve as Director of the National Economic Council and Jared Bernstein is being nominated as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, the White House said Tuesday. Ramamurti would continue to serve as Deputy Director of the National Economic Council and as an Adviser for Strategic Economic Communications, the White House said, reflecting that the president has kept him as part of his core team. Biden also named Heather Boushey, who currently serves as a Member of the Council of Economic Advisers, to also serve as Chief Economist to the Invest in America Cabinet. He named Joelle Gamble, who currently serves as Chief Economist at the Department of Labour to be Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, according to a White House statement. Along with Bhar

Indian-American doctor Nirav D Shah named second-in-command at US CDC

Shah, 45, who serves as the Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), will report to US CDC Director Rochelle Walensky in his new role starting March

Ro Khanna's US Senate plan sparks speculation about his White House bid

Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has said that he is weighing a Senate bid in California, sparking speculation among Democrats in several key US states that he may be eyeing to run for the White House in the future, according to a media report. Those close to Khanna, 46, say he is keeping his options open ahead of a potential presidential run in 2028 or beyond. But others in his orbit are talking about an even more compressed timeline: running in 2024 if President Joe Biden, 80, decided not to, according to Politico, a political newspaper company based in Arlington County in the US. I think he would be a great United States senator, said Mark Longabaugh, a Democratic strategist whose firm did media consulting for Khanna last year. But I also think, should Biden decide not to run, I think he's a very plausible candidate for president of the United States. So I think that those decisions are yet to be made. Khanna, who is a US representative from California's 17th congressional

Indian-American Usha Reddi takes oath as Kansas state Senator in US

Indian-American city commissioner Usha Reddi took oath as senator in the US state of Kansas, replacing current Manhattan Senator Tom Hawk, who announced his retirement last month

Indian-origin man appointed Director of Toll Road Authority in US

An Indian-origin man has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Fort Bend Toll Road Authority and the Grand Parkway Toll Road authority in the US state of Texas. Swapan Dhairyawan, 57, was appointed last week based on his background, community outreach, and financial expertise. I am proud to appoint Dhairyawan to the Grand Parkway Tollway Board of Directors, Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers said. He is a Certified Public Accountant and understands the importance of being a good steward of the people's money, he added. As a Director of the autonomous body, Dhairyawan will oversee the maintenance, expansion, budget, and economic impact for the county. I am thankful to Commissioner Andy Meyers Precinct 3 for nominating me for this position at the Fort bend Commissioners Court, and I am looking forward to engaging and working for substantive results. The Tollways not only connect people but they are an economic engine for the neighbourhood which gets enriched abundantly,"

Nasa names Indian-American AC Charania as new chief technologist

NASA has named Indo-American aerospace industry expert A.C. Charania as its new chief technologist to serve as principal advisor on technology policy and programs

Young Indian-Americans face race bias as early as preschool, shows study

Apart from reporting hate crimes, the adolescents also discussed the difficulties they faced balancing their Indian identity with their desire to be seen as American

General Atomics CEO Vivek Lall gets Lifetime Achievement Award in US

Vivek Lall, an Indian-origin General Atomics CEO, is honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by US President Joe Biden with citation of 'With Grateful Recognition'

Pak's ISI calls me enemy for anti-radical stand: Indian-American official

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has said that Pakistan's spy agency ISI considers him an "enemy" because of his stand against the radicals in the South Asian country. The Democratic Party lawmaker from Illinois said this while addressing community members during a fundraiser hosted by him in Boston at the residence of eminent Indian American R V Kapur, president of the US India Security Council (USISC). He (Krishnamoorthi) said that the ISI in Pakistan views him as an enemy for his stand against radicals in Pakistan. He reiterated that he respected all religions and never discriminated against any colour, race or religion, according to a press statement issued by the US India Security Council. Krishnamoorthi assured the Indian-American community to continue to support strategic relations between the US and India if he won so that this friendship could deter China from its ambitions in the pacific. The lunch among others was attended by several eminent Indian America

Raja Krishnamoorthi urges to prosecute woman who harassed Indian-Americans

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has asked the police in Dallas to prosecute to the full extent of the law the woman responsible for the hate-motivated harassment and assault on four women of Indian descent last week, saying such bigoted attacks victimise not only those targeted by them but also broader communities. The Indian-American women have been racially abused and smacked by a Mexican-American woman in Dallas in the US state of Texas, who hurled racist slurs at them that they are "ruining" America and should "go back to India". "Such bigoted attacks motivated by racism, xenophobia, and other forms of hate victimise not only those directly targeted by them, but also broader communities through creating an atmosphere of fear and danger," Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat, said. Esmeralda Upton from Plano in Texas was arrested for the racially-motivated physical and verbal assault of the four women at a parking lot last Wednesday. "I'm appalled by the footage of the ...

Texas police arrests Mexican-American woman for assault on Indian Americans

Police in Texas on Thursday arrested a person after a video of her assaulting a group of four Indian-American women surfaced and went viral in which she is abusing them and asking them to go back to India. The incident took place on Wednesday night in a parking lot of Dallas, Texas. The woman, who has now been arrested, is seen in the video identifying herself as a Mexican-American and assaulting a group of Indian Americans. "I hate you Indian. All these Indians come to America because they want a better life," the woman is seen saying in the video, while repeatedly dropping the f-bomb. The video has now gone viral and sent shock waves among the Indian-American community across the United States. The Mexican-American woman has been identified as Esmeralda Upton of Plano. The person who posted this video wrote that "this incident occurred in Dallas, Texas after my mom and her three friends went to dinner". The mom is seen contesting the arguments made by the Mexican-American woman

Texas Guv names Indian American to Economic Development Corporation's BOD

Texas Governor has named Arun Agarwal, Indian American philanthropist and CEO of Dallas-based home textile company NEXTT, to the Texas Economic Development Corporation's (TxEDC's) Board of Directors