Renuka K, Author at Hind Himalaya

U.S. Air Force’s ‘Bone’ lands at Aero India 2023

by Renuka K | Feb 14, 2023 | Indian-American

Reading Time: 2 minutes

United States Air Force (USAF) has added two more aircraft to its fleet at Aero India 2023. The second day of Aero India saw the arrival of two supersonic heavy bombers — the B-1B Lancer.

B-1B Lancer, also known as ‘Bone’ (for B-one), carries the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the USAF, and is considered the backbone of America’s long-range bomber force.

The two B-1B Lancers arrived from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. This is the second time that the long-range, supersonic, heavy bomber is participating in Aero India.

During the last edition in 2021, one B-1B Lancer did a fly-by over the Air Force Station at Yelahanka after a 28-hour flight from the Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.

Murali Kumar K

United States Air Force (USAF) has added two more aircraft to its fleet at Aero India 2023. The second day of Aero India saw the arrival of two supersonic heavy bombers — the B-1B Lancer.

B-1B Lancer, also known as ‘Bone’ (for B-one), carries the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the USAF, and is considered the backbone of America’s long-range bomber force.

The two B-1B Lancers arrived from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. This is the second time that the long-range, supersonic, heavy bomber is participating in Aero India.

Aero India 2023
The biennial event in Bengaluru is throwing up some surprises in the form of the F-35s of the USAF. | Video Credit: K. Murali Kumar & Hemanth C.S.
During the last edition in 2021, one B-1B Lancer did a fly-by over the Air Force Station at Yelahanka after a 28-hour flight from the Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.

The aircraft performed a fly-by on the inaugural day of Aero India 2021, escorted by an Indian Air Force Tejas fighter.

The US Consulate General said that the return of the long-range, supersonic, heavy bomber to India to participate in Aero India 2023 underscores the importance the United States places on the growing strategic partnership with India.

“The B-1 offers flexible options to senior leaders and combatant commanders. Greater integration with our allies and partners throughout the region is a positive step towards greater interoperability,” said Major General Julian C. Cheater, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary (International Affairs) of the US Air Force.

Rear Admiral Michael Baker, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, said, “The bombers made the journey from South Dakota to Guam, and then to India just to add another exciting dimension to Aero India 2023.

“It’s a long mission to travel from the continental U.S. to the Indian Ocean, but it was worth being part of the biggest air show in the region, hosted by our major defense partner, India. The U.S. and India continue to deepen defense cooperation. We have two great militaries that are even better when we work together.”

Indian-American Nikki Haley launches 2024 U.S. presidential bid

by Renuka K | Feb 14, 2023 | Indian-American

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Prominent Indian-American politician Nikki Haley launched her presidential campaign on Tuesday, becoming the first Republican to challenge former U.S. President Donald Trump in his 2024 bid for the White House.

Ms. Haley, 51, is the two-term Governor of South Carolina and the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

“I’m Nikki Haley, and I’m running for President,” she announced in a video message.

“It’s time for a new generation of leadership – to rediscover fiscal responsibility, secure our border, and strengthen our country, our pride and our purpose. Some people look at America and see vulnerability. The socialist left sees an opportunity to rewrite history,” she said.

Identifying herself as proud daughter of Indian immigrants, Ms. Haley talks about growing up in Bamberg, South Carolina and how it shaped her belief in a strong and proud America.

“We turned away from fear toward God and the values that still make our country the freest and greatest in the world. We must turn in that direction again,” she said.

Casting herself as a younger, fresher alternative to Mr. Trump, Ms. Haley had been hinting at a White House bid for weeks.

Her formal declaration means she will be the first contender to join the contest against her former 76-year-old boss Mr. Trump, who announced his third bid for the White House late last year.

Paul Rudd: I just love Indian food, and so does my whole family

by Renuka K | Feb 13, 2023 | Entertainment

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Hollywood actor Paul Rudd has a lot on his to-do list, exploring India as well as the desi culture is on the top. He admits his love affair with the country started with the whiff of the Indian delicacies, which his whole family has grown to adore.

Sometime back, pictures of him enjoying an Indian meal with his friend Dan Levy in London went viral, delighting a;l the fans of the actor, who has found a new fan base with his superhero avatar of Ant-Man.

“I just love Indian food,” gushes Rudd when reminded about the picture.

The 53-year-old adds,“Well, I went back to that restaurant quite a few times, as well as a few other Indian restaurants. I live in New York and there are some really good options for Indian food in New York”.

“There is something about a good biryani…. Ahh and naan. For instance, my daughter, who doesn’t eat anything, would say I want Indian food. My whole family loves it,” says the actor, who is reprising his role of the superhero for the third instalment of Ant-Man film, Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, which is set after the events of Avengers: Endgame.

He speaks like a true foodie, and it makes us wonder if his love has put him on the path to explore more about the cuisine or the culture. And the actor, who worked really hard on his physical regime to get in shape for Quantumania, adds that coming to India is on the top of his to-do list, especially after receiving love for his superhero avatar.

“I have never been to India. If there’s one country that I’ve never been to and I really want to visit, it will be India. And this has been the case for many years. I’ve never been to India. I have a really dear friend who lived in India for a year, in an exchange program, and it changed his life. So, yes I want to visit India… This is the great thing about life. There are still places to see, experience to undergo and explore. And India is probably number one for me,” says the actor.

At the moment, he is best known with onscreen name, Scott Lang, but his filmography boasts of projects such as Clueless and Friends, which helped him chart his way to fame.

Talking about reprising his Ant-Man avatar, he says it was his challenge as a father as well as a superhero which resonated with him.

“The identity of him as a father — is the core of who Scott Lang is, and it is certainly the core of who I am… He loves his daughter, and it is his biggest superpower, because a father will go to any and all lengths to protect his child,” he ends.

US Plans New Move On H-1B Visa, Will Benefit Thousands Of Indian Techies

by Renuka K | Feb 13, 2023 | Immigration

Reading Time: 3 minutes

In a move that could benefit tens of thousands of foreign tech workers on H-1B and L1 visas, the US is planning to resume “domestic visa revalidation” in certain categories on a pilot basis with the goal of scaling it up in the next few years.
The pilot project, to be launched later this year, when fully implemented, would be a big relief to thousands of Indian tech professionals in the United States.

Until 2004, certain categories of non-immigrant visas, particularly the H-1B, could be renewed or stamped inside the US. After that, for renewal of these visas, in particular, those on H-1B, the foreign tech workers have to go out of the country, mostly to their own country to get the H-1B extension stamped on their passport.

For all the H-1B visa holders, when their visa is renewed, they need to get their passports stamped with renewal dates. This is required if they wish to travel outside of the US and re-enter the US. As of now, H-1B visa restamping is not allowed within the US.

Restamping can only be done at any US consulate.

This was a big inconvenience for foreign guest workers and also for their employees, particularly at a time when the visa wait time is more than 800 days or more than two years.

The much-sought-after H-1B visas are issued for three years at a time.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

“We are working in earnest on plans to restart this service for certain petition-based NIV categories, and we hope to have a pilot up and running later this year. This would eliminate the need for these applicants to travel abroad to renew visas,” a State Department spokesperson told PTI.

The State Department facilitated domestic visa revalidation until 2004 for applicants who were physically present in the US and renewing a visa in certain petition-based nonimmigrant visa (NIV) categories, the official said.

“We cannot comment on how many visa holders would be initially eligible, but the pilot would begin with a small number of cases before scaling over the following 1-2 years,” said the State Department spokesperson in response to a question.

Over the past few months, the Biden administration has taken several steps to streamline the visa processing system and reduce inconveniences.

Notably, this was one of the recommendations of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, which now seems to have been implemented by the State Department.

Under the existing rule, that came into force in 2004, the procedure for restamping H1-B and L visas is to visit the home country and submit their H1, and L1 visas, passports, and documents by way of a dropbox or interview.

People have to wait months or years for H1-B visa stamping or sometimes they get no response after submitting all documents and get stuck for over 2 years in their home country. While their families are waiting in the US for him/her to come back, the presidential commission had argued in one of its meetings last year.

Moved by a commission member, Ajay Jain Bhutoria from Silicon Valley, the presidential commission recommended that H1-B and L visas be allowed for restamping in the US by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

It urged the USCIS to establish a separate department or unit to handle restamping of renewed H1-B and L visas within the US.

The commission felt that the whole process has proven to be very painful for legal immigrants who are invited to work here in the US to support the US companies and the economy.

Indian American International Chamber of Commerce opens Hyderabad Chapter

by Renuka K | Feb 13, 2023 | Indian-American

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The Indian American International Chamber of Commerce (IAICC), a 32-year-old Washington DC-based commerce chamber, has opened its Hyderabad Chapter.

Suresh Rayudu Chitturi, Vice-President and Managing Director of Srinivasa Farms Private Limited, has been appointed as the Chairman of the Hyderabad Chapter.

“The chambers promote bilateral trade ties between the US and India,” KV Kumar, Executive Chairman of IAICC, has said.