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US presidential race: Three Indian American Republican party candidates directly challenging Donald Trump

US presidential race: Three Indian American Republican party candidates directly challenging Donald Trump

by | Jul 31, 2023 | Community, Indian-American

Reading Time: 2 minutes

In the lead-up to the 2024 US presidential election, speculation surrounds the potential candidates for the Republican Party’s nomination. Despite facing legal challenges, former US President Donald Trump is perceived as the frontrunner. However, as many as three Indian-American leaders are seeking to challenge his position and “make America great again.” Among them are Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, and Hirsh Vardhan Singh, who have expressed their intentions to contest the nomination.

The Republican Party’s national convention is scheduled for July 15-18, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the official presidential nominee will be formally selected.

All about the 3 Indian-Americans looking to challenge Donald Trump in the US Presidential race

Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and Trump’s initial ambassador to the United Nations, is the only woman contender in the Republican primary contest.

Despite being perceived as an underestimated underdog, she proudly recounted her tenure in the Trump administration. Nevertheless, she openly criticised Trump’s baseless post-election pursuit to challenge alleged voter fraud that cost him the 2020 election.

Despite polling low, Haley demonstrated remarkable fundraising abilities, with the Stand For America Fund Inc. Super PAC raising $18.7 million from April to June, amassing a total of $26 million in donations. Notably, she garnered support from affluent GOP donors such as Kenneth Langone, Alice Walton, and Kenneth Fisher, who each contributed $6,600.

Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy, a tech entrepreneur and son of Indian immigrants, entered the US Republican presidential nomination race as an outsider but has now surged to the third position.

A Reuters-Ipsos poll revealed that he enjoys the support of 9% of Republican leaders, while former President Donald Trump leads with a commanding 47%, followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at 19%. Ramaswamy’s campaign focuses on innovative drug development and healthcare transformation, vowing to restore meritocracy and reduce reliance on China.

Impressively, he raised $7.7 million in the second quarter, with $5.4 million from his personal funds. Since launching his bid, he has invested a total of $16 million.

Hirsh Vardhan Singh
Hirsh Vardhan Singh, a 38-year-old engineer, has joined the crowded US Presidential race as a conservative Republican. He aims to prioritise citizens and restore the conservative wing of the New Jersey Republican Party.

Despite unsuccessful attempts in previous elections, he remains committed to his “America First” principles. Singh describes himself as the “only pureblood candidate” for never giving in to Covid vaccinations.

His candidacy has drawn attention due to his staunch conservative values and positions on vaccination.

‘Only 1 rice bag per family’: US stores limit rice purchases as NRIs hoard amid India’s export curbs

‘Only 1 rice bag per family’: US stores limit rice purchases as NRIs hoard amid India’s export curbs

by | Jul 27, 2023 | Community

Reading Time: 2 minutes

In response to India’s announcement of a ban on the export of non-basmati rice, a surge in panic buying of rice has been witnessed in departmental stores across the United States.

The escalating demand has led to many stores imposing restrictions on the number of rice bags customers can purchase, resulting in reports of empty shelves.

To manage the situation and ensure fair distribution, numerous stores have put up notices limiting customers to purchasing only one rice bag per family.

However, concerns have arisen regarding hoarding, with fears that some individuals may stockpile rice and attempt to sell it at significantly higher prices through online forums.

Concerns about hoarding and price gouging amidst global impact
The impact of India’s export ban on non-basmati rice has resonated globally, particularly among the Indian diaspora. Non-resident Indians (NRIs) have reportedly bought 10-15 bags of Sona Masoori rice in response to the ban, as reported by Business Today.

Many NRIs took to X (formerly Twitter), to share the impact of the export ban on rice, with videos showcasing scenes of sheer panic buying and heavy rush at grocery stores.

Despite the concerns, Kiran Kumar Pola, the director of leading rice exporter Deccan Grains India, reassured NRIs in the USA that there are sufficient rice stocks in the country, expected to last for six months.

A group of rice exporters from Telangana also reached out to The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), requesting the reclassification and lifting of the prohibition on non-basmati rice exports. Their assurance that there are ample stocks of non-basmati rice in the US market after India’s export ban seeks to allay concerns.

However, despite the authorities and experts assuring sufficient stock for the next six months, many NRIs on X (formerly Twitter) have complained about the skyrocketing prices in US grocery stores, typically driven by short supply and high demand.

The export ban implemented by India pertains only to non-basmati rice, with Basmati rice still allowed for trading outside the country. A majority of South Indians have a preference for Sona Masoori rice, which falls under the non-basmati category.

The Indian food ministry addressed the situation, stating that the export ban is essential to ensure sufficient availability and stabilise prices in the domestic market. They cited a significant 11.5 per cent increase in retail rice prices over the past 12 months, along with a 35 per cent year-on-year surge in Indian exports of non-basmati white rice during the second quarter, driven by global demand.

The price of a 9.07 kg rice bag, previously quoted at $16-18, has now doubled, with some places experiencing prices as high as $50.

As per statistics, India exports an average of 6,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice to the USA every month, with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh contributing 4,000 tonnes to this volume.

Indian-American ex-Apple exec joins The Washington Post as CTO

Indian-American ex-Apple exec joins The Washington Post as CTO

by | Jul 27, 2023 | Indian-American

Reading Time: < 1 minute

An ex-Apple exec, who worked with Uber as well, will be joining The Washington Post as Chief Technology Officer, starting July 31. This person is Vineet Khosla.

In his new role, Khosla will serve as a senior advisor to the CEO and will lead The Post’s engineering team and innovation strategy, helping to drive the company’s overall vision for its technology goals.

“We are in a rapidly changing media environment and are thrilled to welcome Vineet to The Post at this critical moment,” The Post’s interim CEO, Patty Stonesifer, said in a statement released by the newspaper this month.

“His extensive background in technology, including artificial intelligence, machine learning and cloud computing, makes him an excellent fit to lead The Post through our next phase of innovation,” Stonesifer added.

Khosla has nearly 20 years of experience in the technology industry, including being the first engineering hire for Siri’s natural language engine at Apple and managing the maps routing team at Uber. He has been working with artificial intelligence since 2005 after graduating with his Masters in AI from the University of Georgia.

“I’m honored to join The Washington Post and am eager to connect with teams across product, engineering and the newsroom as we work together to drive The Post’s digital endeavors,” said Khosla.

“My goal is to build a transformative user ecosystem that enhances the reader experience and provides opportunities for growth, and I’m excited to be doing so at The Post.”

US Congressman Says Majority Of American Sikhs Reject Khalistan Violence

US Congressman Says Majority Of American Sikhs Reject Khalistan Violence

by | Jul 27, 2023 | Indian-American

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Indian-American Congressman from the State of Illinois, Raja Krishnamoorthi while offering insights into the potential threats presented by Khalistani activists has firmly maintained that Khalistanis are not representative of the broader sentiments of American Sikhs, reported Khalsa Vox.

Significant worries have been raised by the resurgence of the Khalistan movement, which is mostly on social media and in some nations including Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia. This is especially true in light of recent attacks on the Indian consulate in San Francisco. Senior US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has expressed his views on the potential dangers posed by Khalistani activists.

Concerning the increasing frequency of these assaults, Mr Krishnamoorthi, who has previously expressed his criticism of the consulate assault, was asked about the impact of the Khalistan movement which is a matter of growing worry given that the attacks are not isolated incidents. There have been reports of incidents in the UK where the Prime Minister has Indian ancestry, and tensions have spread to the US West Coast, as per Khalsa Vox.

Khalsa Vox is a new-age online digest that brings to you the latest in Punjab politics, history, culture, heritage and more.

Mr Krishnamoorthi firmly argued in response that Khalistanis make up a very small percentage of the population. He contends that the opinions of Sikh Americans as a whole are not reflected in the small number of extremist Khalistanis. He is certain that the vast majority of Sikh Americans and Indian Americans, in general, do not accept or condone the violence and intolerance that this outlier minority propagates.

In response to concerns about potential financial assistance and the rising international tensions brought on by Khalistani activism, Mr Krishnamoorthi emphasised the significance of peaceful conflict resolution. He strongly condemned such acts of intolerance and violence, making reference to a recent rally banner that contained the provocative statement “Kill India.”

It is notable to mention that attacks by the Khalistani elements on Indian missions across the world have been rising over the course of time. On March 19, earlier this year, a group of Khalistanis vandalised the High Commission and showed disrespect to the Indian National Flag in London.

Such threats and attacks from pro-Khalistani elements rose after the killing of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Nijjar.

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A ‘Kill India’ rally was scheduled by Khalistani elements in Australia, the UK, Canada and even in the US following Nijjar’s death.

Indian-American Arjun Nimmala Drafted by Major League Baseball Side Toronto Blue Jays

Indian-American Arjun Nimmala Drafted by Major League Baseball Side Toronto Blue Jays

by | Jul 27, 2023 | Indian-American, Sports

Reading Time: 2 minutes

17-year-old Arjun Nimmala scripted history as he became the first-ever first-generation Indian-American to be drafted into Major League Baseball as Canada-based side Toronto Blue Jays drafted the Andhra-origin teenager into their fold as the 20th overall pick.

The teenager, who goes to the Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Florida was picked in the first round of the draft as an infielder.
The America-born Indian addressed the fans of the Blue Jays after penning his first professional agreement with the team.

“Whatsup, Blue Jay fans! Arjum Nimmala here, I just signed my first professional contract and I can’t wait to get to work and get up in Toronto,” the teenager said.

Nimmala stands at 6’11″ and is considered a patient hitter and the Blue Jays hold the youngster’s potential in high regard as they have valued the teen at approximately 3.75 Million Dollars.

Nimmala has also played basketball and football growing up, but when push came to shove and he had to pick the trajectory in his fledgling career, he chose baseball as he had more fun on the field.

“I also played a little bit of soccer and basketball, and those are both really fun sports for me. And at that age it’s just playing for fun,” he recollected.

“And then it came travel ball time for baseball, as well as competitive basketball. And I decided to go with baseball, because it was just the passion. I just had way more fun on the baseball field. So I chose baseball,” he reiterated.

The feat of the 17-year-old is one that makes the immigrant Indian population in the North American continent very proud and he has himself mentioned that he holds the values of his native country in high regard.

But, he also said that he is a baseball player first and foremost.

“There’s always pressure that comes with that. I’m trying to make them proud and just play for them and play for me as well. The ballplayer always came first and then the Indian part of it kind of came second. I’d love to make them proud, but it always was me playing baseball for me,” said the 17-year-old.

“It’s different for sure. There are not many Indian people here in America. But that’s kind of what comes with it, just me being able to be myself and voice what the Indian culture is to the American people. That would be cool,” he expressed.