India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was presented a book on the phenomenal rise of Indian Americans in diverse fields by M R Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora, in Palo Alto, California last week.

The book, “Kamala Harris and the Rise of Indian Americans,” a first-of-its-kind anthology on the Indian American community in the US, was presented to Goyal during an interactive Indiaspora lunch event to discuss trade, regulation, tech infrastructure and diaspora issues.

Inspired by the US Vice President, the book evidences the progress and accomplishments of the Indian-American diaspora through 16 essays written by influential Indian Americans.

From politics to the new administration, entrepreneurship to technology, medicine to hospitality, science to academia, business to entertainment, philanthropy to social activism, leaders from various arenas detail their own paths to success and offer their perspectives on diasporic progress. These stories culminate in a larger narrative of the Indian-American community’s coming-of-age in the US.

Edited by the Delhi-based veteran journalist and foreign policy analyst, Tarun Basu, the book was released by New Delhi-based publisher Wisdom Tree and is available in the US via Amazon at: https://bit.ly/HarrisIA – Amazon India book link, and at https://bit.ly/HarrisIndAm – Amazon USA link.

Authors who have contributed to the Book include: former Indian ambassadors TP Sreenivasan and Arun K. Singh; Deepak Raj, chairman of Pratham USA; businessman Raj Gupta; hotelier Bijal Patel; Pradeep Khosla, Chancellor of UC San Diego; scholar-professor Maina Chawla Singh; Sujata Warrier, Chief Strategy Officer for the Battered Women’s Justice Project; Shamita Das Dasgupta, co-founder of Manavi; and journalists Arun Kumar, Mayank Chhaya, Suman Guha Mozumder, Ajay Ghosh, Vikrum Mathur, and Laxmi Parthasarathy.

Former US President Donald Trump has coined a slogan in Hindi hailing the India-US friendship in an attempt to woo Indian-American voters ahead of the mid-term elections in November.

Trump in a video clip released by the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC) says “Bharat and America sabse achhe dost”. It translates to “India and the United States are best friends”.

In the 30-second clip, Trump is seen with his supporter and Chicago businessman Shalabh Kumar of RHC. He appears to be rehearsing the slogan.

The new slogan is inspired by the phenomenal success of the 2016 slogan of Trump in Hindi “Abki Baar Trump Sarkar” [This time it’s Trump government] which had caught the imagination of the Indian-Americans then and had played a key part in his victories in some of the key swing states.

Kumar, who has been instrumental in both Trump’s slogans “Abki Baar Trump Sarkar” and “Bharat and America sabse achhe dost”, told PTI in an interview this week that he and the RHC plan to run Trump’s latest slogan in the ethnic Indian media to gain Indian-American support and vote for Republicans the November 8 mid-term elections.

“The end goal is to heavily support five [Republican] candidates for Senate” where the margin of victory is going to be “less than 50,000 votes. Some might be even 10,000 votes or 5,000 votes,” Kumar said.

“The Hindu vote will make the difference. That’s the biggest block of independent voters. We are going to have a [national] campaign [with focus on these states] which is going to be close to what the 2016 campaign was,” said Kumar.

Kumar and the RHC were an important part of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. However, the two fell apart in the 2020 presidential elections.

Kumar told PTI that early this year he met Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on March 21. There have been a few meetings after that as well.

Indian-Americans comprise slightly more than 1 per cent of the total US population and less than 1 per cent of all registered voters. Trump is targeting those voters with Hindus in particular.

Political observers and the latest polls indicate that Republicans are most likely to regain the majority in the House of Representatives whereas Democrats are expected to control the Senate.

Democrats are favoured to win the Senate with the post-election tally of 48-54 seats out of 100 and Republicans are expected to win the House with a post-election tally of 208-45 seats out of 435, according to the Polling forecaster and analysis wesbite FiveThirtyEight.

“Democrats currently have a lead in the race for Senate. This is in part because in few key races, Republicans have selected weak candidates…Things have improved for the Democrats in the House, though they are still underdogs. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe Vs Wade, polls in the Congress have inched towards Democrats,” said FiveThirtyEight.

These Senate races are in the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona and Georgia, he said, adding that the small Hindu community in these states can make that difference.

Lauding the Indian diaspora, Mr. Modi said that the community has spread the fragrance of Indian values by living them

The U.S. will be a key partner in India’s growth journey over the coming 25 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, as he expressed hope that the celebration of 75 years of India’s Independence at the U.S. Capitol would become an important milestone in friendship between the two nations.

“The word India represents many things simultaneously – a modern democratic republic, a diverse nation, an ancient civilisation and a cultural consciousness not limited by geography or time,” Mr. Modi said in a message to the Indian-American community as they gathered in Washington to celebrate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

The global Indian is an excellent example of how one can connect with India through many of these dimensions at the same time, he said in his message on September 15.

“As India aims high and pursues important goals in its Amrit Kaal over the coming 25 years, the United States of America will be a key partner in this journey. I am positive that this celebration will become an important milestone in the wonderful friendship between our two nations,” he said.

“India is celebrating 75 years of freedom. This freedom was won in a unique way, championing the best of human values. India has, therefore, been a source of inspiration for anyone who loves the ideals of peace and freedom,” Mr. Modi wrote.

Lauding the Indian diaspora, he said that the community has spread the fragrance of Indian values by living them.
“Members of our diaspora have always been admirable ambassadors for our nation. They have spread the fragrance of Indian values by living them – respecting all cultures, mingling seamlessly and enriching societies with their unique contributions,” Mr. Modi said.

As many as 75 Indian American organisations have come together to observe the historic milestone of India’s journey after 1947. Prominent among these organisations include US India Relationship Council, Sewa International, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, GOPIO Silicon Valley, US India Friendship Council, and Sardar Patel Fund for Sanatan Sanskruti.

“Among the many values that bind our two great nations, love for freedom and commitment to democratic values are the most important. A celebration of freedom by the world’s largest and oldest democracies is a beautiful gesture,” Prime Minister Modi said.

It is heartening to note that 75 Indian diaspora organisations have come together to showcase India’s diverse culture and also to strengthen cultural ties between India and the United States of America, Mr. Modi said.

Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya, India’s Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Chemical and Fertilizers, in his live web address congratulated the Indian-Americans for celebrating ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ at the U.S. Capitol.

Indian-Americans, he said, have played a great role in the India-US relationship.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden, the bilateral relationship has touched new heights, Mr. Mandaviya said.

“The US has been a key partner in India’s growth story,” he said.

India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Taranjit Singh Sandhu said that the India-U.S. relationship is as old as India’s Independence.

“I want to tell you that this is a time we are celebrating 75 years of establishment of our diplomatic relations between independent India and the United States of America,” he said.

“It’s also indeed a special occasion for me to be celebrating this at the U.S. Capitol. Congress has played a special role in cementing this fantastic relationship, which we are celebrating today. I have seen this for the last 25 years,” he said.

Senior BJP leader Aman Sinha congratulated Indian-Americans for celebrating the event at the U.S. Capitol.

“Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav embodies the spirit of new India,” he said. “Let me tell you the spirit of new India is not only restricted to the welfare of Indians or betterment of India, but Indians all across the globe,” Mr. Sinha said.

Shefali Razdan Duggal, an Indian-American political activist, has been confirmed by US Senate as the country’s next envoy to the Netherlands.

Razdan Duggal, 50, was confirmed by the US Senate by a voice vote along with two other confirmations to senior administrative positions.

A Kashmiri Pandit, Razdan Duggal was born in Haridwar and moved with her family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the age of two. Thereafter she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of five, where she grew up. She graduated from Miami University and earned her master’s from New York University.

I was born in India, but I was made in the United States, Razdan Duggal told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during her confirmation hearing in July.

Razdan Duggal is an experienced political activist, women’s rights advocate, and human rights, campaigner. She is a former presidential Appointee to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council and continues to serve as a Western Regional Advisor.

She is a San Francisco Committee member of Human Rights Watch, a member of the Wake Forest University Leadership and Character Council, and served on the National Board of Directors for Emily’s List.

I have full confidence that kindness, empathy, honesty and sweat equity mean something in our country. It is the reason why people from all over the world see us as a beacon of hope and freedom. While my story is not unique, it is one that represents the infinite possibilities of the American spirit and the American dream, Razdan Duggal said.

During her confirmation hearing testimony, Razdan Duggal said as an immigrant, she represents the diverse face of the United States and the generations of people throughout its history who found an opportunity in the US.

I was raised by a single mom in Cincinnati who worked two minimum wage jobs to support us. My father left us when I was very young and that in this profoundly and permanently affected the direction of my life, she told the lawmakers.

Rather than dwell upon what I did not have, I embraced the boundless opportunities that we are given here in the United States. I attended college and graduate school with the help of loans, grants and scholarships. As I faced some of my own challenges of being a minority woman with limited resources, I became attuned to the values of diversity and inclusion that continue to inspire me today, the Indian American said.

I also focused on the rights of minorities and the critical importance of being a voice of the oppressed. This motivated me to pursue my years of work with Human Rights Watch and to serve as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. While my life was often not easy, I was always saved by the grace of God and the promise of the United States, she said.

Razdan Duggal is the recipient of numerous civic awards, including being recognised with the Western Regional Leadership Award by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, as a Community Hero by the California State Assembly, and as one of the Most Powerful Women in California by the National Diversity Council.

She served as National Co-Chair of Women for Biden, and as a Deputy National Finance Chair at the Democratic National Committee.

US President Joe Biden has appointed 130 Indian-Americans to key positions in his administration so far, a senior White House official has said, the best representation from the community that makes up around one per cent of the American population.

Representing the Biden administration at an event to celebrate ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava’ at the US Capitol, Raj Panjabi, who is currently serving as Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefence on the White House National Security Council, read out a list of top Indian Americans in the US Government.

Panjabi said that US President Biden has appointed 130 Indian Americans in his administration.

This is something to be proud of, he said in his address to Indian Americans.

As many as 75 Indian American organisations have come together to observe the historic milestone of India’s journey after 1947. Prominent among these organisations include US India

Relationship Council, Sewa International, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, GOPIO Silicon Valley, US India Friendship Council, and Sardar Patel Fund for Sanatan Sanskruti.

The theme for Wednesday’s celebration was Stronger Together: US-India Partnership. I’m proud to be part of an administration that is committed to diversity and building a government with leaders who look like and represent America, Panjabi said.

President Biden in his Independence Day message this year noted, that as people around the world, including nearly four million Indian Americans, celebrated the 75th anniversary of India’s independence on August 15, the US joined the people of India to honour its democratic journey guided by Mahatma Gandhi’s enduring message of truth and nonviolence, Panjabi said.

He said India and the United States are indispensable partners and the US India Strategic Partnership is grounded in our shared commitment to the rule of law and the promotion of human freedom and dignity,? Panjabi said.

In both India and America, the dreams of freedom and dignity could have been crushed. But today because of the efforts of those who fought for freedom, the dream of America, and the dream of

India is alive. It remains alive in our shared work as President Biden said to continue to promote freedom and dignity and it remains alive I believe in every one of you,? he added.

Ajay Jain Bhutoria, member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders said, “India US relationship has been deepening in several past years.”