by Hind Himalaya Staff | Oct 19, 2023 | Indian-American
Reading Time: < 1 minuteThe Indian rupee opened stronger against the U.S. dollar on Thursday.
The local currency strengthened three paise to open at Rs 83.24 against the U.S. dollar on Thursday. It closed at Rs 83.27 against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, according to Bloomberg data.
“The Indian rupee could start this Thursday on a flat note as expectations of RBI presence could offset losses coming from an overnight rally in crude, U.S. Treasury yields, and the dollar,” Reliance Securities said in Oct. 19 note.
The Rupee may open around Rs 83.2300-83.2400 against the greenback compared with Rs 83.2600 in the previous session, with the possibility of trading between Rs 83.1500 and Rs 83.3400 on Thursday, the brokerage said.
“Crude oil prices experienced an uptick, likely driven by geopolitical tensions, such as the Middle East and the visit of US President Biden to Israel. These events have been closely monitored and could have implications for global markets”, Jateen Trivedi, vice president of research at LKP Securities, said.
“Indian capital markets have seen substantial selling pressure, potentially due to a combination of global and domestic factors. Overall, the rupee remains weak in the near term, although the RBI’s intervention continues to provide some stability,” Trivedi said.
“Rising tensions in the Middle East are leading to risk-off sentiment, and stronger US yields are pushing the US dollar higher. 10-year US Treasury yields reached it highest level since 2007, while DXY again surpassed 106.50 levels,” said Kunal Sodhani, vice president, Shinhan Bank (Global Trading Centre).
“For dollar/rupee, the support is seen at Rs 83.15 while the immediate resistance is seen at Rs 83.32 followed by Rs 83.50,” he said.
by Hind Himalaya Staff | Oct 19, 2023 | Indian-American
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe deal for 31 MQ-9B Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with the U.S. is expected to be concluded by February 2024 and deliveries will begin from February 2027, three years from the signing of the contract, according to defence sources.
“The deal is on track and the Letter of Offer and Acceptance [LOA] is now awaited from the U.S. The contract is expected to be concluded by February 2024,” a defence source with knowledge of the matter said.
As part of this plan, General Atomics (GA) is scheduled to establish a global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India. But its location has not yet been finalised, the source stated, adding that it could likely be in Bengaluru.
In June, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) cleared the procurement of 31 MQ-9B UAVs from GA, including 15 Sea Guardians for the Indian Navy and eight Sky Guardians each for the Indian Army and Air Force, at an estimated cost of $3,072 million though the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. Following this, last month, just ahead of the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued the Letter of Request (LoR) to the U.S. government.
Based on the LoR, the U.S. government and MoD will finalise the LOA where details of equipment and terms of the procurement would be negotiated and finalised in accordance with the FMS programmme, the Ministry stated earlier.
As part of the process, the U.S. administration will have to notify the U.S. Congress of the sale, expected to be a formality in this case. In the penultimate step, the deal has to be approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security of the Indian government after which the contract will be concluded.
The MQ-9B, which will significantly boost the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of the Indian armed forces, has two variants – the Sky Guardian and Sea Guardian, its maritime variant. MQ-9B is designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for up to 40 hours, depending on configuration, in all types of weather and safely integrate into civil airspace, according to its manufacturer.
by Hind Himalaya Staff | Oct 17, 2023 | Indian-American
Reading Time: 3 minutesAn elementary school in the US state of Texas named after Indian-American trailblazer Sonal Bhuchar has been formally dedicated to her memory at an official ceremony where speakers highlighted her contributions to the community and the needy.
The Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) Board of Trustees on Sunday unanimously approved naming the elementary school after Sonal, who died in 2019 at the age of 58 due to cancer complications.
The funding for the Sonal Bhuchar Elementary School in Missouri City, Texas was provided through a 2018 bond.
Sonal was an FBISD board member, an esteemed leader, a consensus builder and a well-respected trailblazer.
She was a dedicated volunteer with Child Advocates, the Literacy Council, the Cultural Arts Foundation and the Fort Bend Education Foundation.
She was elected to the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees for six years and served as the Board President for two years.
Sonal also took her community service to the political field too and sought the Republican Party nomination for the State Representative position in 2012.
In 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbot appointed Sonal to the One Star National Service Commission Board which promotes volunteerism and oversees the administration of the AmeriCorps programmes in Texas.
Originally from Mumbai, Sonal, a professional physiotherapist, had her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Mumbai University before immigrating to Houston in 1984 with her physician husband Dr. Subodh Bhuchar.
The memorable dedication for the school named after her opened its doors in August.
The school’s mascot, a Bengal tiger named Royal, is an emblem of Bhuchar’s Indian culture. ROYAL stands for Resilient, Optimistic, Youthful, Admirable, Leader.
Walking into the lobby of the school is a prominently placed mural on a wall, with her image alongside a quote that guided her life, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”.
The school was built to house 1,000 students and features an outdoor classroom for students’ and teachers’ use on nice weather days.
Glowing tributes were paid by the speakers at the ceremony, highlighting the contribution of Sonal in the community and how she encouraged them to serve for the betterment of the needy in the community.
Consul General of India D C Manjunath, who was amongst the special guests at the event, paid his tributes and gifted the elementary school with special books on India.
Sonal’s children gave an emotional speech about the lessons learned from their mother, and how she spent hours volunteering the community causes without any expectations in return as she believed in doing things for good without an ego.
The school will forever promote education and development, which was close to her heart. Their speech touched many chords and left many eyes wet.
“Along with establishing her own practice, she managed her husband’s office, raised three children, and served on various charitable boards in the community”, they said.
“She served in many leadership roles, and up until her passing, was actively involved as a Board Member with the Child Advocates of Fort Bend and Parks, Art, Recreation, Culture, and Streetscapes (PARCS).
“During her tenure with the district, she spearheaded many efforts including chairing the WATCH programme (a healthy lifestyle education program for elementary school kids), developing the concept for the Fort Bend Education Foundation’s Annual International Festival to promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the District, Student Leadership Programme, Legislative Advocacy Program, and countless scholarship opportunities for students.”
She was a giver in the community, highly regarded,” said Christie Whitbeck, superintendent for Fort Bend ISD.
Others who spoke at the dedication include Judy Dae, FBISD Board President, Robin Elackatt, Mayor Missouri City, Nikki Robert, School Principal, Rebecca Wells, School Music Teacher.
Principal Nikki Roberts said she is “incredibly excited”.
Roberts told PTI that we are honoured to celebrate the life of service Sonal Bhuchar dedicated to the district and the beautiful school she is named after.
Roberts said she wants all children to love learning and is grateful for the opportunity to open a school that pays tribute to a person who was a giant in the community.
by Renuka K | Oct 15, 2023 | Indian-American
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The statue has been made by renowned sculptor Ram Sutar, who also built the statue of Sardar Patel in Gujarat, india.
The tallest statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, the principal architect of India’s Constitution, outside India was formally inaugurated in a Maryland suburb of the US capital here.Amidst chants of “Jai Bhim”, more than 500 Indian-Americans from various parts of the United States and some from India and other countries attended the unveiling ceremony of the 19-feet tall “Statue of Equality”.Heavy rain and drizzle did not deter the enthusiasm and energy of the participants, many of whom drove for as long as 10 hours to attend what they described as a historic event.The statue has been made by renowned artist and sculptor Ram Sutar, who also built the statue of Sardar Patel, called as Statue of Unity, and installed on an island in Narmada, metres downstream of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat.
“We are calling it the Statue of Equality… this (inequality) is not only the problem in India, everywhere (in) different forms (it exists),” Ram Kumar, president of the Ambedkar International Center (AIC) told PTI after the statue unveiling ceremony.
Born on April 14, 1891, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar – popular among his followers as Babasaheb – was the chairman of the Constituent Assembly’s most crucial Drafting Committee that earned him the moniker Architect of the Indian Constitution.
Spread over 13 acres, the AIC in Accokeek township, some 22 miles south of the White House, would consist of a library, convention center, and Buddha Garden among others. “This is a great occasion to participate in the unveiling ceremony of statue of Babasaheb. This is the tallest statue of Babasaheb in America. ..After 75 years of independence, the people are realizing the works done by Dr. Ambedkar and that’s the reason why day by day he’s getting the popularity, …people are now understanding him in a proper way.
“Earlier he was treated as a Dalit leader, but now the entire nation is recognizing his contribution of empowering the woman and for the marginalized society as well as the economic weaker sections,” Ravi Kumar Narra, national president of Dalit Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DICCI), told PTI.
Narra, who travelled from India to attend the ceremony, said now all the developed nations have realized and also underdeveloped nations are thinking of implementing Ambedkar’s ideology that a country cannot become rich and great unless each and every citizen gets empowered.
“The greatest economic policy advocated by Dr Ambedkar is now becoming the reality,” he said.
The “Statue of Equality” represents 1.4 billion Indians and 4.5 million Indian Americans, said Deelip Mhaske from New York who leads the Ambedkarite movement in the US.
“Although this is completely done through community contributions, we received congratulatory messages from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stating ‘Ambedkarite has put the foundation of Unified India in the USA and globally’,” he said.
“This statue will not just inspire millions of Indians residing in the US but all communities including Black, Hispanic and others!” Mhaske said. “This is a historic step towards unifying the Indian-American diaspora and working towards making India a superpower not just in technology but also in social justice,” he said.
Mahindra Rajwade, who drove for more than 10 hours from Kentucky to attend the statue unveiling ceremony, said this is a proud moment for all followers of Dr Ambedkar. “This is for the first time in the world that we are having such a tall statue of Babasaheb outside India”.
The unveiling ceremony was followed by cultural performances by Indian-Americans from various parts of the country.
Elisha B. Pulivarti, president and CEO for US India SME Council, presented the US President’s Lifetime Achievement Award to DICCI president Narra in recognition of his community service.
Post-Independence, Ambedkar was also the Minister of Law and Justice in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s first Cabinet. Ambedkar played a key role in social movements that fought for the rights of Dalits and untouchables.
Ambedkar died on December 6, 1956, months after he embraced Buddhism on October 14 that year, the date coinciding with the unveiling of the statue in Maryland. October 14 is celebrated as Dhamma Chakra Parivartan Din by Ambedkarites.
by Renuka K | Oct 15, 2023 | Indian-American
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Teenage Indian-American inventor Gitanjali Rao was honoured by US First Lady Jill Biden, along with 14 other young women leaders, for leading a change and shaping a brighter future in their communities across the nation.
The 17-year-old scientist was honoured on Wednesday in the first-ever “Girls Leading Change” celebration at the White House, marking the International Day of the Girl. Rao created a device called ‘Tethys’ which uses carbon nanotubes to quickly detect lead compounds in water and sends in the values of the water status — ‘safe’, ‘slightly contaminated’, or ‘critical’ — to a smartphone app.
The 15 young women leaders, selected by the White House Gender Policy Council, were honoured by First Lady Jill to recognise their impact on their communities.
“It is my honour to celebrate this exceptional group of “Girls Leading Change” at the White House,” she was quoted as saying in a White House press release.
“These young women are protecting and preserving the earth, writing and sharing stories that change minds, and turning their pain into purpose. Together, they represent the potential of young people across the country, and it is my hope that others can learn from the power of their innovation, strength, and hope,” she said.
Rao, from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is a scientist whose groundbreaking lead contamination detection tool won her an EPA Presidential Award and America’s Top Young Scientist by Discovery Education/3M.
Her book ‘Young Innovator’s Guide to STEM’, which offers a prescriptive five-step innovation process, is used as a STEM curriculum globally in selected schools, according to the release.
Named the Time Magazine’s first-ever Kid of the Year in 2020, Rao “is committed to not only continuing her career as a scientist and inventor but expanding her STEM education initiative, which has already touched more than 80,000 elementary, middle, and high school students,” the release said.
A Massachusetts Institute of Technology freshman, she has also been featured in Forbes’ list of 30 Under 30 achievers.
by Renuka K | Oct 11, 2023 | Indian-American
Reading Time: 2 minutes
As President Joe Biden visited New Delhi, two powerful lawmakers have introduced legislation in the US House of Representatives to remove high-tech export barriers to India to give a big boost to the unrestricted export of sensitive technologies to the country and bolster bilateral technology cooperation.
The legislation was introduced on Friday by Congressmen Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Andy Barr, vice chair of the House India Caucus.
The “Technology Exports to India Act” aims to facilitate the sale of high-performance computers and related equipment to India and strengthen United States-India technology cooperation.
“As President Biden visits India for the G-20 Summit, we are happy to introduce the ‘Technology Exports to India Act’ to bolster technology cooperation between the United States and India,” the two lawmakers said in a joint statement.
“This bill removes restrictions on the sale of US products, such as digital computers and electronic assemblies, to India without a Department of Commerce license, thereby enhancing US-India technology trade, linkages between our technology companies, and supply chain resilience for a critical industry,” they wrote.
“In light of the further strengthening of our strategic partnership with India, this legislative change reduces regulatory barriers to technology cooperation,” Meeks and Barr said.
The bill says Congress feels that greater technological and defence cooperation with India is critical to tackling shared geopolitical and security challenges.
As such it is important to reduce regulatory barriers to technological cooperation with India in ways that enhance national security and advance strategic priorities, the bill says.
The bill says President Biden providing flexibility to export high-performance computers to India would bolster United States-India technological cooperation and demonstrate Congress’s commitment to India as a strategic partner.
As such, removing India from the ‘‘Computer Tier 3” eligible countries’ list in section 740.7(d) of title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations would help to strengthen the bilateral relationship, the bill says.
Noting that the United States designated India a US Major Defence Partner, providing it access to a wide range of military and dual-use items regulated by the Department of Commerce, the bill says for the items controlled for national security reasons by the Department of Commerce, India is subject to a general policy of approval for licenses for civil or military end uses in India or for the Government of India so long as the items are not for nuclear, missile or chemical or biological activities.
However, currently, the export of high-performance computers meeting certain specifications to India requires authorisation of the United States Government under section 1211 of the National Defence Authorisation Act for Fiscal Year 1998.
The US President does not have the authority to remove or delete India from the excluded Computer Tier 3 eligible country list. The bill once passed by Congress would help facilitate that.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Biden met in New Delhi on the sidelines of the G20 summit and the two leaders vowed to deepen and diversify the bilateral major defence partnership.
