Ritu Jha–
To create momentum for the upcoming general election in India next year, the Indian Overseas Congress, United States of America (IOCUSA) appointed Shanmugavel Sankaran, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur as the General Secretary (West Coast) during a gala function organized by to welcome Rajya Sabha MP Deependra Singh Hooda held in Los Angeles.
Sankaran was appointed and handed over the responsibilities as General Secretary (West Coast) by Sam Pitroda, Global Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress along with IOC USA President, Mohinder Singh Gilzian and IOC West Coast Working President Davinderpal Singh (Saab Bhullar).
Sankaran, founder and CEO of FixNix Inc, said, “Congress is not only fighting its decade-long enemy who’s championing fascism, it’s trying to reinvigorate itself. Let’s help the party see religion, caste, and Hinduism with a new lens to be relevant for the future of India. The next five months are not do or die for the Congress party alone, it’s an important turning juncture for the country we all love, its democracy we championed for 137 years. Let’s give our beloved Abhayamudra (the palm symbol) and heart for the country, and party to get Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister.”
Sankaran joined the Congress this June, when Rahul Gandhi visited the US, he told indica. “I have a lot of respect for this man, he walked 4000 kilometers [the Bharat Jodo Yatra] to unite India.”
He hails from Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. and started his professional life as a journalist with Vikatan, a leading Tamil magazine under their elite Student Press correspondent program in 2000. After working for over 10 years in leadership roles at Microsoft and IBM, Sankaran started FixNix in 2012 to democratize governance, risk and compliance through the SaaS model. He has received over 30 plus international awards including a Gartner mention.
He plans to mobilize the West Coast Indian diaspora. “Under the leadership of Sam Pitroda, I look forward to working and spreading the message to support Congress, spread Mohabbat ki Dukan (The Outlet of Love), and stop hatred.”
On June 1, Sankaran hosted Gandhi at Plug and Play for a fireside chat where the latter spoke on Artificial Intelligence.
Newly appointed West Coast Chairman Harmesh Kumar, and West Coast Vice President Ravi Gulia were also onboarded. in another meet and greet in Sunnyvale on Nov. 25 event to strengthen West Coast operations of Indian Overseas Congress. Baldev Randhawa, Vice President, IOC USA; Gurinderpal Singh, Gen Secy IOC, USA; Gurpreet Singh Sabi, Chairman Haryana chapter; Sophia Sharma, Gen Secy IOC, USA & Harbachan Singh, Secretary General, IOC, USA were also present during the occasion.
IOC is a non-profit that acts as a soundboard to champion democracy and other causes related to India in America & other foreign countries where the Indian diaspora is present, also contributes to the democratic ideas of Indian National Congress.
Dr Harmesh Kumar joined the party because, he said, “it stands for the masses and supports their causes. Congress is the only party that talks about the welfare of the masses. The US government seems to do the opposite, that is why a CEO in America makes $14,000 an hour and an auto worker makes $32-$34 an hour. And, even for that measly pay, they need to strike. The same thing is happening in India. There is such a huge divide between the rich and the poor since the last nine years of BJP rule. That’s why I’m supporting Congress,” Kumar told indica.
