All four Indian-American members of the current US Congress have expressed deep concern over the recent incident of an Indian-origin boy being assaulted at a school in Texas, the video of which has gone viral online.

In a rare joint statement on Monday, Indian-American Congressmen Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said: “We are writing to express our deep concern about the recent incident of bullying which occurred at Coppell Middle School North in the Coppell Independent School District (CISD). As you know, a widely circulated video of the incident shows 14-year-old Shaan Pritmani being assaulted and eventually “choked out” in an alleged wrestling maneuver that could have resulted in serious injury.” “This video has sparked widespread outrage in the Indian American community. As Indian American members of Congress and representatives of our diverse communities, the possibility of a young Indian American being targeted in this manner is extremely disturbing,” they said.

The letter was addressed to Superintendent of Coppell Independent School District (CISD) in Texas Brad Hunt and Principal of Coppell Middle School Greg Axelson.

“We understand that in a May 15, 2022, statement to the community, Dr. Hunt emphasised that “Bullying, both verbal and physical, as well as physical acts of aggression are never acceptable and do not align with who we are at CISD and our core values,” said the Indian American Congressmen.

“We understand that in a May 15, 2022, statement to the community, Dr. Hunt emphasised that “Bullying, both verbal and physical, as well as physical acts of aggression are never acceptable and do not align with who we are at CISD and our core values,” said the Indian American Congressmen.

Vice President Kamala Harris praised Indian-Americans for providing leadership in the country and engaging political system at the Indian American Impact Project summit and gala held at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The event, which began May 18, 2022, was attended by more than 300 prominent community members including celebrities, politicians, philanthropists and organizers in a first-of-its- kind event by Impact during AAPI Heritage Month, a press release from Impact said.

In her pre-recorded speech played on May 18, Harris recalled her mother’s work in cancer research and how she and her sister were taught to “Dream with Ambition,” by their mother.

“Every day, in communities across our nation, you are advancing equality, opportunity and justice. You are inspiring the next generation of leaders, and in particular — the next generation of South Asian leaders,” Harris lauded the attendees.

“Today my message to you is this — let us always remember, what brought us to this moment and continue to dream with ambition, continue to lead with conviction, continue to strive to do the impossible. Because you, and we all, are standing on the shoulders of so many who came before, and living their dreams. Our nation is counting on you, on Impact, and all of us to lead us forward,” Harris said.

The Summit/gala featured all four Indian-American lawmakers during the opening session, including Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, Ro Khanna, D-California, Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, and Ami Bera, D-California.

Policy sessions during the Summit including the Climate Crisis, Healthcare Access and Equity, Civil Rights and Voting Rights, and Educational Equity.

After lunch, sessions on women leaders, running for office, combating misinformation, youth leaders mobilizing the pan-South Asian community,

Organizers said in a press release that the event is Impact’s latest push to energize and prepare the largest growing voting bloc in the country — South Asians—and to raise awareness on how to join the political system.

Neil Makhija, executive director of Indian-American Impact contended that historically, South Asians had been overlooked, underestimated, and underrepresented politically, “But after witnessing so many community members and future leaders come together this week, it is clear that is a thing of the past.”

The Summit, he noted was significant because of the high profile lineup of speakers and attendees.

“Countless voices this week proved that our community is stronger when we collaborate and celebrate our intersectionality. It’s incredibly encouraging to imagine the possibilities for our collective futures,” Makhija said.

“Thank you to the Indian American Impact Project for inviting me to take part in their panel discussion on the importance of representation and public service, as well as the pressing issues that our country faces today,” Rep. Krishnamoorthi tweeted May 18.

Mirchi, the music and entertainment company, has strengthened its presence in the USA with the launch of its operations in Dallas, Texas

In line with its vision to expand its global footmark and cater to the South Asian diaspora across markets, Mirchi aims to present its radio, digital, and Live events solutions to the city.

With South Asians accounting for almost 1,50,000 of the total population in Dallas, there is a significant demand for Hindi music and Bollywood content. Catering to the needs of this vast pool of consumers, Mirchi will be bringing the best of Bollywood content along with local updates relevant to the target audience.
Mirchi will bring popular and exclusive content like the ‘Mirchi Top 20 Countdown’, ‘Club Mirchi’, ‘What Women Want with Kareena Kapoor Khan, ‘Bhatt Naturally’ with Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt, ‘The Karan Johar Show’ along with other elements like ‘Mirchi Murga’ with RJ Naved, ‘Purani Jeans’ with RJ Sayema, etc.

With this launch, Mirchi will now have a terrestrial presence in the top 3 South Asian media markets in the USA i.e., The Bay Area, Dallas, and New Jersey.

Prashant Panday, MD and CEO of Mirchi, said, “Mirchi has been the No. 1 player in the Indian market for two decades now. In addition to radio, we have grown a successful solutions business globally. After expanding our footprint in UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, New Jersey, and San Francisco, we are excited to enter the dynamic market of Dallas. We look forward to bringing the best of Mirchi to the South Asian and Indian diaspora across these markets.”

New York: In a significant moment for the Hindu community in the US, a street outside a renowned and prominent temple has been named the ‘Ganesh Temple Street’.

Established in 1977, The Hindu Temple Society of North America Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam, popularly known as the Ganesh Temple, is regarded as the first and oldest Hindu Temple in North America.

The Hindu Temple is situated in Flushing, Queens County. The street outside the temple is named Bowne Street, after leading American pioneer of religious freedom and anti-slavery movement John Bowne. In a special ceremony Saturday, the street was co-named the ‘Ganesh Temple Street’ in honour of the iconic Ganesh temple.

The special ceremony, during which the street sign was unveiled, was attended by Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Deputy Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Innovation in the office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Dilip Chauhan and members of the Indian-American community.

Jaiswal, during a special function on Saturday held at the Indian Consulate to commemorate Baisakhi, told the gathering that at a “beautiful function” in Queens, the Bowne Street just outside the Ganesh Temple was co-named the Ganesh Temple Street.

He said the co-naming event was not just a celebration but it showed the “kind of hard work that has gone into reaching this milestone, years after years, decades after decades. It speaks so well of the Indian-American community, for all that you have done not just for yourself but bringing joy and happiness to people’s lives around you.” Richards, who shared a video on Twitter of the unveiling of the street sign in presence of priests and a large cheering crowd, tweeted that “Bowne Street in #Flushing is now also Ganesh Temple Street! What a day to celebrate. Congratulations to Dr. Uma Mysorekar and everyone at the Hindu Temple Society of North America for all they do to spiritually support our families and uplift the collective soul of #Queens.” Mysorekar is a leading obstetrician and gynecologist and President of the Hindu Temple Society of North America Board of Trustees.

In December last year, a committee chaired by councilman Peter Koo, under The New York City Council had approved the co-naming of Bowne Street as “Ganesh Temple Street”, the temple had said in a social media post and had thanked all the devotees, management, board members, elected officials and everyone for their continued support.

The Consulate and Indian-American Newspaper in New York & Dallas The Indian Panorama had organised a special Baisakhi celebration, attended by members of the Sikh community and diaspora.

The rich culture and heritage of Punjab was showcased at the event through special artistic performances and presentations, including by young boys of the Akal Gatka Academy founded by Daler Singh who mesmerized the audience with their skills and agility while performing the Sikh martial art. The event also celebrated through a special visual presentation the valour and achievements of prominent Sikhs around the world through the decades.

Earlier last week, the Consulate General of India in New York, along with Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) and Jaipur Foot USA had organised a virtual celebration of Rajasthan Diwas on March 30. The event was addressed by Jaiswal, Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA), New York president Prem Bhandari and was attended by popular folk singer from Rajasthan Swaroop Khan and other eminent artists from the state.

Jaiswal had said that Rajasthan’s rich culture and heritage and the valour of its people is renowned all over the world. He added that tourists from around the world, when visiting India, ensure that they visit Rajasthan. He also noted the humanitarian work done by Jaipur Foot organisation Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti-BMVSS across the world.

“From Sri Lanka to Afghanistan, to the corners of Africa, the light and positivity spread in the lives of people by Jaipur Foot is a matter of great pride for us.” Bhandari said that it is a matter of great pride that Rajasthan Diwas was being commemorated in America for the first time. He said the celebration coincides with the completion of a Jaipur foot artificial limb camp held in Sri Lanka.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla for the successful completion of the camp. The limb fitment camp was inaugurated as part of the week-long celebrations to mark ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ – 75 years of India’s Independence. This was the 18th camp so far, with others being held in nearly 14 countries, sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs under the India for Humanity initiative.

Bhandari added that a Jaipur Foot camp will be held Jodhpur’s Khichan village on the occasion of the 131st birth anniversary of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar in April this year.

What a proud moment for Indian Americans, the artwork of a community student from Florida is all ready to be displayed at the US Capitol.

Sraddha Karthik, a Grade 11 student from a Tampa high school in Florida, has been declared the victor of the annual Congressional Art Competition at the Tampa Museum of Art where high school students from across Hillsborough County competed for a spot to showcase their work in the US Capitol.

This year, Sraddha Karthik, who came to the United States at the age of just one with her parents from Chennai, bagged the top prize with her graphite drawing “Pensive Gaze” created with intricacy and precision, said a media release issued by Congresswoman Kathy Castor.
Ms. Karthik’s self-portrait tackles perception versus reality.” I wanted to see if I could draw myself as I am and not how I think I am,” she said.
She used different shades of graphite to create depth and dimension for her artwork, the release said.

Ms. Karthik, the statement said, has been drawing since she was 7 years old when her parents registered her for an art class. “I don’t have as much time as I used to before high school, but I do try to fit in art as much as possible because it’s really helpful for me to express myself,” she said.

Educator and community advocate Manjusha (Manju) P. Kulkarni, co-founder of the ‘Stop AAPI Hate’ campaign, has won Bank of America’s inaugural Neighborhood Builders: Racial Equality Award for her contributions to breaking down systemic racial barriers and creating opportunities for people of color across the country. She was among five leaders recognized by the bank for advancing racial equality and economic opportunity in Black, Hispanic-Latino, Asian American, and Native American communities.

The California-based Kulkarni currently serves as the executive director at the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON), a coalition of organizations working for the rights of the oppressed. She co-founded Stop AAPI Hate in March 2020 with Cynthia Choi and Russell M. Jeung to address the rise of anti-Asian and Pacific Islander racism in the United States. It has become one of the leading voices in the effort to identify and oppose hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. It also runs the Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center, which tracks incidents of hate and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.

Recently, Kulkarni and the other co-founders of Stop AAPI Hate were named to the Time Magazine “Most Influential People of 2021” list. South Asian Network will be the recipient of Kulkarni’s grant. She was previously executive director of the South Asian Network (SAN), an organization dedicated to advancing the health, empowerment and solidarity of persons of South Asian origin in Southern California.

Last year, Kulkarni was recognized by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential individuals and by Bloomberg/Business Week as one of the 50 individuals “with the ability to move markets or shape ideas and policies” with the co-founders Choi and Jeung. The trio was also awarded the 2021 Webby Social Movement of the Year.

A member of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, she was recently appointed to the California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board by CA Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon.

In 2014, she received the White House Champions of Change award from President Barack Obama for her dedication to improving health care access for Asian American communities. In March 2021, she testified before Congress at the House Judiciary Committee on the issue of anti-Asian hate.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University and a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law. She lives in Los Angeles with her daughters Vaishali and Meghana and her husband Shai Halbe.