By Justice Markandey Katju-

(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own)

The uniform civil code (UCC) is a proposal to replace the personal laws of different religious communities in India with a common set of rules for all (except tribals). If enacted, it would govern marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and maintenance. I am a strong supporter of a uniform civil code. All modern countries have a common law for all citizens, and India must modernize if it is
to progress.

It is stupid to say that if Sharia is abolished Islam will be abolished. It is also stupid to say that Sharia was made by God. Sharia grew out of the feudal, backward social customs in Saudi Arabia in the 7th and 8th centuries. It is totally outdated today, like
Manusmriti. The old (non statutory) Hindu Law was abolished in 1955 and 1956 by Parliamentary statutes, e.g. the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, etc despite the strong protest of orthodox Hindu swamis and saints (e.g. Karpatriji, Prabhudatt Brahmachari, etc.), who said that this will abolish the Hindu religion as Hindu Law emanated from the Vedas.

However, that never happened. Hindus are still going to temples, doing puja, and observing their rituals, etc. So abolishing the outdated, feudal Sharia will certainly not abolish Islam. Has abolition of the Shariat criminal law e.g. abolition of the barbaric law of stoning women to death for adultery (sangsad), or cutting off the limbs for theft, put an end to Islam? Not at all. So, even after abolishing Sharia personal law, Muslims will keep going to masjids (mosques), saying namaz, observing roza (fast during Ramadan), going on Haj, etc.

In fact, Shariat personal law has kept Muslims backward, because oral talaq (divorce), nikah halala, etc. (and burqa) have kept many Muslims backward. Since women comprise half of society, keeping women backward means plucking off one of the two eyes from one’s face.

Shariat was made 1,400 years ago. Must laws made in the 7th century be applied today though society has totally changed since then? After all, laws reflect social conditions, and if social conditions have changed, so must the laws. In this age of cars and aeroplanes must one continue riding on a camel?

Some Muslims say that Sharia was made by Allah. But the same argument was made by orthodox Hindus, who said that the old (non statutory) Hindu law emanated from the divine Vedas and so was unchangeable, and orthodox Christians who said that the biblical injunctions regarding marriage etc. were made by God. All this is nonsense and humbug.

Laws have to change as society changes. How long will stupidity be tolerated? How can you have oral talaq, which keeps a Damocles sword hanging over every married Muslim woman, in this age of equality between men and women?

The issue of a uniform civil code has recently been raised by the BJP. I am no supporter of the BJP, but I fully support enactment of a uniform civil code.

Article 44 of the Indian Constitution states: “The state shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout
the territory of India.”

No doubt Article 44 is in the Directive Principles, and not the Fundamental Rights of our Constitution, but Article 37 states: “The provisions contained in this Part shall not be enforceable in any court, but the principles therein laid down are nevertheless
fundamental in the governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws.”

The Constitution was made in 1950, and 74 years have passed since then, but Article 44 has till now been totally ignored, obviously for vote bank politics. I have been raising my voice consistently whenever there was any atrocity on, or oppression of, Muslims, but on the issue of a uniform civil code I have firm views. In fact one of the reasons for Muslims in India remaining backward is that there was no modernization of their personal law.

In all modern countries there is usually one common law for everybody. In fact, in India, there is one common criminal law (I.P.C. and Cr.P.C.) for everybody, and the land laws (e.g. the U.P. Zamindari Abolition Act, 1951) for everyone. Nobody objected to that, though many of these laws are against the Muslim law. For instance, Muslim criminal law provides for stoning to death for women committing adultery, or cutting of the limbs of thieves, but that would be illegal under the I.P.C.

The injustice in Muslim Law can be seen in the fact that a Muslim husband can divorce his wife by simply giving oral talaq, without
ascribing any reason (earlier he could even give triple talaq, but that has now been declared illegal by the Indian Supreme Court in 2017 in Shayara Bano vs Union of India), whereas a Muslim wife cannot do so. She has to file a petition in court, which usually takes years to decide, and she must make out a ground for divorce (e.g.cruelty, adultery, etc). Thus there is discrimination against the wife in two ways: (1) A Muslim husband can get a divorce without going to court by an oral talaq (or even by sending letters), whereas the wife who seeks divorce has to go to court and file a petition which usually takes years to decide. (2) The Muslim husband need not give any ground for divorce, he can divorce his wife whimsically or merely because he has lost interest in her, whereas a Muslim wife has to plead some ground for divorce mentioned in section 2 of the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939, and she has to produce witnesses or documentary evidence in support of that ground, and prove it.

This is not only very unjust to the wife, it is also violation of Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution. Article 15(3) of the Constitution states that there can be no law against women, but there can be a law in their favor. The Muslim law of divorce is directly contrary to Article 15(3).

When the Supreme Court gave a progressive judgment in Shahbano’s case, many Muslims raised a hue and cry against it, saying it was against the Shariat that a Muslim husband has to give maintenance to his wife if he divorces her. This was a progressive and humanitarian judgment, because who will support a divorced woman having no source of income (and who may also have small children) except her husband ? All over the world a husband has to give maintenance to his divorced wife. Why then should it be different for Muslims? Muslims should have supported this judgment, but instead most of them raised a big hue and cry saying it is against the Shariat, and Rajiv Gandhi, afraid of losing his Muslim vote bank, legislatively repealed the ruling.

I may give an illustration of the backwardness of some of the Muslim laws. When I was a Judge in the Supreme Court, a case came before my bench from Odisha. In some village in Odisha, there was a young Muslim couple with 3 small children. One night, under the influence of liquor, the husband had a quarrel with his wife, and said to her ‘talaq,talaq, talaq’. Nobody else was present at that time, and nobody came to know of it. However, about a month thereafter the wife was indiscrete, and told a friend of hers about this, and this friend told someone else, and so on, until the maulana of the local mosque came to know of it. He then declared that the couple were no longer husband and wife, and so could not be allowed to live together. At this a mob of local Muslims reached the couple’s house and told the wife to get out of her husband’s house as she was no longer his wife. She protested that she had 3 small children so where could she go, but the mob would not relent. A petition was filed before the Orissa High Court, which was dismissed, and against that order an appeal came before my bench in the Supreme Court.

I observed in court that everyone in this country has to behave in a civilized manner, whether Hindu or Muslim. If the couple wants to live together, how is that anyone’s business? I held that the couple had the right to continue living together, and directed the police to give protection to the couple, and file a criminal case and take action against anyone threatening them.

The Muslim law is that if a husband divorces his wife, he cannot straightaway thereafter remarry her. After the divorce the woman must marry some other man (called nikah halala ), and the marriage must be consummated, and only if thereafter the second husband divorces her can the first husband remarry her. Is this rational? I think it is barbaric.

A Muslim man can marry 4 wives, but a woman can, at a time, have only one husband. Now monogamy represents equality between man and woman, and this is the age of equality. So why should polygamy be permitted to Muslim males? It may be mentioned that upto 1955, a Hindu male could have unlimited number of wives, whereas a woman could have only one husband.

This law was altered by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which provides for monogamy. It can be seen that much of the Muslim personal law is totally outdated and inhuman, but it is not allowed to be changed due to vote bank politics.

I submit that those who have not allowed changes in the Muslim personal law have done a great disservice to Muslims. Retaining the outdated personal law has contributed to keeping Muslims backward.

Before ending. I wish to say that I know that some Muslims may oppose my views, but that is wholly irrelevant for me. I have always supported Muslims whenever I thought that injustice was being done to them, and my track record can be seen in this connection.

In my opinion, great injustice has been done to Muslims by not modernizing their personal law. I know that after reading this article many Muslims will brand me as a BJP agent, and I will draw a lot of flak from bigoted idiot, but so be it. I was always a sworn enemy of idiots.

 

iNDICA NEWS SERVICE-

In another major achievement for point protection against aerial threats on the battlefield, India has successfully conducted three flight tests of the fourth-generation, technically-advanced miniaturized Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), the defense ministry announced Saturday, October 5.

The flight tests were conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan on Thursday, October 3 and Friday, October 4.

The tests were carried out against high-speed targets, demonstrating very critical parameters of maximum range and maximum altitude interception. These development trials showcased the repeatability of the hit-to-kill capability of the weapon system in various target engagement scenarios covering approaching, receding, and crossing modes.

“The development of VSHORADS missiles has been completed and two production agencies have been engaged in the Development cum Production Partner (DcPP) mode. In these trials, the missiles realised through DcPPs have been successfully used, thus paving the way for early user trials and production in a short time span in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’,” the defense ministry said in a statement.

VSHORADS is a man-portable air defence system designed and developed indigenously by Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and DcPPs. The three Services have been associated with the project right from the beginning and participated during the developmental trials.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated the DRDO, the armed forces and the industry involved in the successful development trials. “This new missile equipped with modern technologies will give further technological boost to the Armed Forces against aerial threats,” he said.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman, Dr Samir V. Kamat also congratulated the DRDO team, industry partners and users for the successful flight tests.

iNDICA NEWS SERVICE-

Infants and young children are at higher risk of meningitis, but vaccines can prevent it in some cases, said experts on World Meningitis Day on Saturday, October 5.

World Meningitis Day is observed every year to raise awareness about the deadly and debilitating disease, which strikes quickly and causes serious health harm. While it affects people of all ages in every part of the world, children are particularly vulnerable.

Over 5 million people are affected by meningitis every year, and around half of all meningitis deaths are in children under 5 years old.

“Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes (meninges) covering the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by various infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, as well as non-infectious conditions like cancer or head injuries,” Dr Anshu Rohtagi, Senior Neurologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, told IANS.

Common symptoms of meningitis include sudden onset of fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion or difficulty concentrating, sleepiness or difficulty waking up, and skin rash (in some cases).

There are several types of meningitis: bacterial, tubercular, viral, fungal, and parasitic.

Bacterial meningitis is of particular concern. About 1 in 6 people who get this type of meningitis die and 1 in 5 have long-lasting disabilities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Yet many of these deaths and disabilities are preventable with vaccines.

It ranges from 3 to 6 cases per 100,000 population annually in India, according to a 2023 report.

Dr Deepak Yadav, Consultant, Neurology, Amrita Hospital Faridabad told IANS that “infants and young children are at higher risk” of meningitis.

The disease is also common among individuals with weakened immune systems, and those living in crowded environments, such as refugee camps.

Vaccines are available for some types of bacterial meningitis, such as the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine, pneumococcal vaccines, and meningococcal vaccines.

The experts also called for good hygiene practices such as regular handwashing, avoiding sharing utensils, and covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing can help prevent the spread of infections.

“If you suspect meningitis, it’s crucial to seek immediate medical attention due to the potential severity of the condition,” Rohtagi said.

Yadav called for educating the public about symptoms and the importance of early medical attention to improve outcomes.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Governments (CHG) meeting, scheduled to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan, on October 15-16, the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) announced Friday.

“The External Affairs Minister will lead our delegation to Pakistan to participate in the SCO Summit which will be held in Islamabad,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi.

The spokesperson made it clear that, at this point, there are no details available on any bilateral engagements that EAM Jaishankar may have during his Pakistan visit.

As part of the formal process, Pakistan had extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the meeting.

Jaishankar’s participation in the meeting comes as no surprise as the SCO meeting does not require heads of states to participate and Indian ministerial delegations have been attending them in the past.

“Extending an invitation to PM Modi and all other member states is a compulsive protocol any host country follows. Pakistan has done the same. I do not see this as a political stunt. However, I do not see PM Modi landing in Islamabad,” political analyst Kamran Yousaf had told IANS in August, this year.

Last year, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had visited India for the SCO Foreign Minister’s meeting.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

Despite geo-political uncertainties, the investors’ confidence remained intact in India’s growth story as the country’s foreign exchange reserves surpassed $700 billion for the first time, reaching $704.89 billion in the week ending September 27, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed on Friday, October 4.

The forex surged $12.59 billion, which is the largest weekly rise since mid-July 2023.

With this, India joins the ranks of only three other countries — China, Japan, and Switzerland — which have crossed the $700 billion threshold in reserves.

As per the central bank, foreign currency assets (FCAs) increased by $10.4 billion, bringing the total to $616 billion. Gold reserves also witnessed a rise of $2 billion, reaching $65.7 billion.

According to the RBI’s Weekly Statistical Supplement, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) experienced a modest increase of $8 million, reaching $18.547 billion. The country’s reserve position in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) witnessed a slight decrease of $71 million, settling at $4.3 billion for the week.

Foreign inflows into the country this year have reached $30 billion. Looking ahead, India’s forex reserves are projected to grow further. India’s strong forex will boost its economic growth trajectory by strengthening its position internationally, drawing in foreign investments, and promoting domestic trade and industry.

Despite global economic headwinds and deepening geopolitical uncertainties, the forex reserves are at record all-time high levels. The rupee is now the most stable currency among major economies. The country is currently seeing strong domestic flows. FPI flows into debt markets have also picked up. The positive FPI flows have helped in achieving record forex levels in the country. This is set to create external sector resilience and boost the economy across sectors. The substantial foreign exchange reserves will provide the RBI with greater flexibility in monetary policy and currency management.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

Shailaja Paik, a historian of Indian origin, has received an USD 800,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation for “exploring the intersection of caste, gender, and sexuality in modern India through the lives of Dalit women”. Dalits are members of the lowest class in the traditional Hindu social hierarchy.

Paik was announced as one of the 22 MacArthur Fellows. The fellowship, as per the official website, is a $800,000, no-strings-attached award to extraordinarily talented and creative individuals as an investment in their potential.

“Paik provides new insight into the history of caste domination and traces the ways in which gender and sexuality are used to deny Dalit women dignity and personhood. Across her work, Paik centers Dalit perspectives. In addition to English, Marathi, and Hindi-language source materials, she is creating a new archive comprised of her interviews and fieldwork with contemporary Dalit women,” the foundation stated.

“Through her focus on the multifaceted experiences of Dalit women, Paik elucidates the enduring nature of caste discrimination and the forces that perpetuate untouchability,” it added.

Born into a Marathi speaking Dalit family in Maharashtra, India, Paik received a BA (1994) and MA (1996) from the University of Pune and a PhD (2007) from the University of Warwick.

She served as a visiting assistant professor of history at Union College (2008–2010) and a postdoctoral associate and visiting assistant professor of South Asian history at Yale University (2012–2013).

Since 2010, the historian has been affiliated with the University of Cincinnati, where she is currently the Charles Phelps Taft Distinguished Research Professor of History and affiliate faculty in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Asian Studies.

Paik has published articles in the Journal of South Asian Studies, Gender and History, Journal of Women’s History, and Indian Journal of Gender Studies, among others.

Speaking about her work, Paik said: “I combine archival and ethnographic fieldwork evidence to analyze the mechanism of caste social inequality in perpetuating discrimination, stigmatization, and exploitation.

“Centering the most oppressed Dalit women provides a more comprehensive understanding of oppression, dehumanization, and injustice and revitalizes anti-caste, anti-patriarchal, and anti-race work. I contribute to new global histories of our collective humanity, by illuminating the ways Dalit women resist and display resilience and agency—they stand up again and again; they continue to get up and out from the under.”

Top image: Shailaja Paik, PhD, on UC’s Uptown campus. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC Marketing + Brand

By Ritu Jha-

The Indian parliament has not discussed India’s foreign policy on the main floor for several years under the Modi government, according to Dr. Shashi Tharoor, a member of parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, India.
As the newly appointed chair of the parliament’s standing committee for foreign policy, he said he plans to focus on Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and other neighboring countries.

Tharoor was speaking to the press at the South Asian Art and Literature Festival 2024 held September 28-29 at Stanford University.

Replying to a question from indica on his recent appointment to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, Tharoor, a keynote speaker at the event, said: “Most parliamentary systems, and even the US system in the legislature, have committees. Committees have the role of essentially holding the government accountable in more detail than a general session of parliament can do. Traditionally, our system allowed some bills to be scrutinized in far more detail and depth inside the committees before reaching the floor of the house. And that gives everybody an opportunity to go into the nitty gritty of what’s being proposed. Committees have specific responsibilities. They are usually assigned by topic, and the topic is usually that of one ministry, sometimes two or three ministries.”

The Parliament’s new standing committees were constituted recently. Tharoor is heading the panel on external affairs. The department-related standing committees, which have representation from across party lines, act as mini parliaments and keep a tab on the functioning of various ministries.

“Essentially, we scrutinize the budgets of the ministry, and their policy proposals. We question the ministry on specific issues. We seek briefings on certain issues, normally at the beginning of the session. But the committees were announced rather late this year. We would have a meeting to set the agenda and once the agenda is agreed, we start holding briefings on these various topics and trying to go ahead with these discussions. Usually, we then give reports to parliament on the basis of what we have actually discussed, and those reports may or may not be debated. That would depend very much on the authorities as to what’s possible,” Tharoor said.

“For example, foreign policy has not been discussed on the main floor of parliament for very many years under the Modi government. But, it all depends on how things go. At the moment, I’m looking forward to a second stint as chair. I did chair the committee from 2014 to 2019. In our system, unlike the US system, eight of the 24 committees are chaired by opposition MPs, whereas in the US, the majority always chairs every committee and there’s a minority leader in the committee,” he added.

When asked what his focus will be as chief of the parliamentary committee of foreign affairs, Tharoor said: “It will depend on what’s happening in the world. We may want briefings on Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and our neighborhood. Last time I was chair of the committee, we had some fairly live issues about Pakistan and China. We also picked up issues that cut across any particular geography. Last time we also carried out a very in-depth study of the training and deployment of the Indian Foreign Service to know how it is working, and what changes are required. I also did one on India, soft power, and cultural diplomacy.”

“Since the committee was just announced two days ago, the first meeting will be the following Monday, on October 7, where the committee members will gather together and settle the agenda, and then we’ll have meetings. Normally during the session, we meet at least once a week in between sessions,” he added.

When asked whether the committee’s focus will be on Bangladesh, which has undergone a long period of political turmoil and civil unrest: “I think it’s an important relationship for us. Bangladesh is a country that’s surrounded on three sides by us and the fourth side is water. They have a very important relationship with us from their point of view as well. And we have had a historic role in everything from the creation and establishment of that country. A lot has happened since. It’s also a country to which we can be vulnerable. It is in some ways our soft underbelly. There was a time when militants would base themselves in Bangladesh, come across, attack Indian facilities, particularly in the northeast, and seek shelter in Bangladesh again. Under President Sheikh Hasina, that was stopped. Now she’s gone. There’s always a concern that the militancy shouldn’t resume. I’m sure the signals have gone very clearly to Bangladesh that should not be allowed to resume.”

On Hindus being attacked during and in the aftermath of the unrest, he said: “There have been some challenges faced by many, especially the Hindu community. We are all concerned about that, but that may partially be untypical of the overall mood. Certainly, the leader of the interim government, Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, has not only publicly called upon all this to stop, but he’s himself gone to the Dhakeshwari temple and met with Hindu community leaders and assured them that the government wants to support them and strengthen them. A lot of ordinary Bangladeshi Muslims have come out to protect the homes and institutions of Indians and Bangladeshi Hindus.”

“So, I would say that we shouldn’t overgeneralize. There is always a worry that if things get out of hand, that they will again be victimized. But for now, the feeling is that we should probably just give the Bangladeshis a chance to get their act together and see how the world reacts in the months ahead. It’s still very early days. We don’t know how long the interim government is going to last. The interim government says its long-term intention is to hold elections and hand over power to an elected government. Some parties, like the Bangladesh National Party, are pressing for that to be now in a matter of months. Some are saying take some more time to stabilize the country and then go for it. We don’t know. It’s all up to the Bangladeshis to determine for themselves,” Tharoor added. “I think India should stand with the people of Bangladesh. It’s an important relationship for us, and we are important to them as well. We should let the people of Bangladesh determine their political future and destiny. But we should watch it very carefully, monitor the developments, and be aware of what’s going on.”

On Sheikh Hasina being given shelter in India, he said: “She’s been a close friend and done much that India has to be grateful for. If you don’t stand by your friends when they’re in distress, why would anybody want to be your friend?”

When another reporter asked what India’s relationship with Kamala Harris would be if she is elected president, he said, “I don’t want to speculate. I think the two countries’ relationship is bound to be largely unaffected by whoever comes to power here or there because there are too many very strong drivers pushing the two countries’ relationship in a friendly direction. For the US, India is seen in many ways as an indispensable alternative to China. Some would even say counterweight, though India is very leery of an expression like that. We don’t want to be a counterweight to serve somebody else’s purposes, but we have our own challenges with China and therefore we can make common cause with the US on many aspects of that particular situation.”

“Secondly, there is a very powerful role for all of you, the Indian diaspora in America. You are influential in this country, you manage to play an outsized role in American politics, whether as volunteers, donors, or voters. So no American political leader can afford to ignore or be indifferent to the views of the Indian American diaspora. And as it is, the Indian American diaspora is represented out of proportion to its actual numbers in your politics. For a very small minority, you’ve had two governors, a couple of senators, several congresspeople, now half a vice president, perhaps half a president coming up soon, or if the other side wins at half of a second lady. There’s a lot going on in terms of the influential role played by the Indian American diaspora here,” he added.

Tharoor said that there’s always going to be thrusts on both sides to keep the partnership going.
“I’ve watched the closeness of India with Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden,” he said. “You’ve had three Democrats, two Republicans as US presidents, and they’ve all had very good relations with India. There’s been no sliding back in any of those administrations. Similarly, we’ve had Congress governments under Manmohan Singh, BJP governments under Vajpayee and Modi, and the relationship has been very close. We may perhaps be exaggerating the importance of individual chemistry. Leaders may like to show a certain closeness, but in democracy, as the leader moves on, the system, the government, and the national interests will continue. And I think that’s ultimately what works, matters,” he said.

 

By Ritu Jha-

With the theme Emerging Innovations in Engineering, the American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) celebrated the 36th National Convention ASEICon 24 that drew scholars, experts, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students from across the U.S.

Held at Cal State Fullerton on September 21, ASEICon 24 also honored four individuals by giving scholarships to STEM students. Founded in 1983 in Detroit, Michigan, ASEI was formed to exchange and collaborate technologies between India and the U.S.

The scholarships of $1000 was given to Tharika Sundaram of Georgia Tech University, Prerana Bhasein of the University of Maryland, Musharraf Shaikh of California State University, Long Beach, and Keshav Daga of California State University. Daga was also recognized as the ASEI Student of the Year.

Sundaram, a second-year Master’s student in Aerospace engineering, learned about ASEI through a friend while discussing how they didn’t know about any Indian engineering communities in the U.S. “We ended up establishing a student chapter of ASEI at Georgia Tech. This amount will help me to pay my tuition fees at Georgia Tech,” she told indica.

Another student Shaikh, pursuing a Master’s degree in Information Systems, told indica that his goal is to leverage technology and data analytics to drive impactful business decisions. He first learned about ASEI through the university’s South Asian Student Association (SASA). They were actively promoting the 2024 ASEI National Convention, and he was intrigued by the organization’s mission to empower and support engineering students and professionals of Indian origin.

“This led me to explore ASEI’s scholarship opportunities, and I’m incredibly grateful to have been selected as one of the recipients. The scholarship amount of $1,000 has been a tremendous help in supporting my educational journey. For an international student studying in the U.S., financial assistance like this is invaluable,” Shaikh said. “It helps alleviate some of the financial pressures associated with tuition, books, and other academic expenses.”

Adding on, he said that receiving this scholarship from ASEI isn’t just about the monetary support — it also represents recognition for his hard work and dedication. “This gives me even more motivation to strive for excellence. It has truly been an honor and will allow me to focus more on my academic and career goals,” Shaikh said.

For Daga, receiving this scholarship has been an incredibly uplifting experience. Daga, who is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science, is committed to academic excellence and community engagement.

He learned about ASEI through professional networking and was inspired by their mission of supporting STEM talent. The ASEI National Convention was organized at CSUF, and the speakers — many with over 20 years of industry experience, including several founders — offered invaluable insights.

“I learned so much from their diverse perspectives. The scholarship has eased financial pressures, allowing me to focus on my studies and future ambitions. More than just financial help, this award represents a recognition of my hard work and dedication,” Daga said. The convention itself was incredibly enriching, with top-notch speakers who shared their experiences and wisdom. It motivated him to continue striving toward both personal and professional growth, knowing that he has been supported by a community that believes in his potential.

Sanjay B Dalal, founder & CEO of oGoing.com, the National Convention Chair and National Board Member of ASEI shared about giving scholarship to students. Dalal told indica that the criteria for scholarships were based on academic honors, leadership and extracurricular activities, GPA, and the students’ statements on why they deserve the scholarship.

Judges for the scholarship competition were from Cal State Fullerton — Professor Deepak Sharma, and Professor Sajil James. Each of these students who got the scholarship had also volunteered at the event.

“They helped us a lot before and during the convention. And we could see their leadership skills in action,” Dalal said.

At least five or six students came from Georgia Tech to attend this convention and they were deeply inspired to start their chapter. “I was told recently that Georgia Tech University already started an ASEI student chapter. The new chapters will also begin very soon,” Dalal stated.

“The new Georgia Tech student chapters will bring more awareness for students, for career opportunities in engineering. They will also bring external innovators, engineers, and scientists established in the local areas to the colleges or campuses for fireside chats. They will also invite local companies wherever and whenever possible, who are hiring foreign students, as well as Indian-American students, as well as those who are from India. Their focus is learning as well as exploring opportunities,” he added.

“Our founding principle is to inspire the next generation. The next generation is our engineers, scientists, and mathematicians. They are the ones who are going to lead and take our world forward. If we can inspire them today and make them future leaders, and innovators, then they will in turn do the same. This is part of our mission and this is what we do,” Dalal said. “Our mission is to create a national network of technical professionals from the Asian Indian diaspora living in the U.S. to provide a platform for networking, career advancement, community service, technology exchange, and most importantly, to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers. That is true to our heart.”

At the convention, the participants interacted and were inspired by the keynotes, insightful panels, and availed of networking opportunities. Veejay C Patell, founder & CEO of beyondGreen biotech, was awarded the ASEI Entrepreneur of the Year, while Astha Kukreja, Staff Systems Engineer at Latitude AI, won the ASEI Engineer of the Year for their outstanding leadership and dedication towards innovation, entrepreneurship, and engineering. A perpetual scholarship endowment from Manu Shah of the Shah Happiness Foundation and MSI family was also announced. The endowment will fuel at least three annual student scholarships each year.

“Our first focus was to bring STEM students and professionals together so that they can be inspired by our keynote speakers on innovation in engineering, and the latest things that they should be thinking about. That inspiration could lead to more learning, and opportunities, and could lead to them becoming future innovators,” Dalal said. Apart from students scholarship, ASEI also held six different panels on artificial intelligence, commercialization, and innovation.

“We also had panel discussions on women’s engineering leadership, sustainability and renewable energy, med tech, and health tech. We wanted to bring to the forefront some of the leading women engineers who are making a difference,” said Dalal.

Keynotes and special addresses at the event included Dr. Raj Vedam – Multi-Disciplinary Explorer: Engineer, Mathematician, Historian, and Scientist, Dr. Parag Havaldar – Academy Award winner Computer Scientist, Manu Shah – Engineer to Entrepreneur of Multi-billion dollar self-made enterprise, and Paul Bailey, executive at AOA, ex-Walt Disney Imagineer and R2-D2 Expert, Dr. Bhavya Lal, former Associate Administrator for technology, policy, and strategy at NASA, and Keyur Maru, Architect at SDA and Regional Director, BAPS West. A total of 31 keynote speakers and panelists shared their insights and experiences on innovations from varied industries.

According to Dalal, the convention was interrupted by Covid for a couple of years. “We couldn’t do it physically. Next year’s convention most likely will be organized by a host chapter. We have five chapters – Detroit, Silicon Valley, Southern California, Dallas, and Washington, DC. The 2025 convention is likely to be in held Dallas. ASEI, which began as a conglomeration of engineers, has broadened its spectrum to include all of STEM — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Our core focus remains on our STEM students of Indian origin and Indian American students, and helping them with new opportunities, leadership, and careers, where they will be future leaders and ambassadors of ASEI.”

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

An Australian research has found a link between snoring and elevated blood pressure. According to the study, which was conducted by sleep scientists from Flinders University in South Australia, people who regularly snore at night are more likely to have elevated blood pressure and uncontrolled hypertension, Xinhua news agency reported.

Hypertension occurs when the pressure in a person’s blood vessels is too high. It can cause serious damage to the heart and lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure and heart disease.

Blood pressure is recorded in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) as two numbers such as 120/80. The first number – the systolic blood pressure – measures the pressure in the arteries as the heart pumps out blood and the second – diastolic blood pressure – is the pressure as the heart relaxes before the next beat.

The study found that 15% of 12,287 participants snored for more than 20% of the night on average over a six-month monitoring period and that those with high snoring levels had a 3.8 mmHg higher systolic blood pressure and 4.5 mmHg higher diastolic blood pressure than participants who did not snore.

The Flinders University study was the first to use multiple night home-based monitoring technologies over a prolonged period to investigate the link between snoring and hypertension. Participants in the study were middle-aged and 88% were male.

“For the first time, we can objectively say that there is a significant connection between regular night-time snoring and high blood pressure,” Bastien Lechat, lead author of the research from the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University, said in a media release.

“These results emphasize the significance of considering snoring as a factor in healthcare and treatment for sleep-related issues, especially in the context of managing hypertension.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 years worldwide have hypertension and that 46% of adults with hypertension are unaware they have the condition.

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Ahead of the release of her memoir, former First Lady Melania Trump has voiced her support for abortion rights, putting forth contradictory views to her husband, who has taken credit for the Supreme Court’s decision that ended the constitutional right to abortion, CBS News reported.

“Individual freedom is a fundamental principle that I safeguard,” Melania said in a video posted on social media on Thursday.

https://t.co/ZCTwZSqZND pic.twitter.com/Y9MT3uj97b

— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) October 3, 2024

Notably, Melania Trump’s memoir, “Melania”, is set to be released in the U.S. on Tuesday.

“Without a doubt, There is no room for compromise when it comes to this essential right that all women possess from individual freedom — What does my body, my choice, really mean?” she wrote on X.

Those who are advocating for a national ban have been upset by the former president’s changing opinions during his Presidential campaign.

The U.S. presidential elections are scheduled to be held on November 5 this year.

Trump’s selection of three justices to the Supreme Court resulted in the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 and opened the door for 22 states to impose abortion access restrictions, reported CBS News.

According to Trump, states should be able to decide what constitutes an abortion, as that is “where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint”.

Republicans are now politically exposed by this issue. According to polls, the majority of Americans support legalizing abortion in all or most situations.

In 2022, the conservative-dominated Supreme Court repealed a major rule that granted abortion rights, causing fury among women’s rights supporters and Democrats.

Since the federal guarantee of abortion rights was revoked, dozens of Republican-controlled states have passed bans and significant limitations on access to the surgery.

The Democrats have used abortion rights and reproductive freedom to criticize Republicans over the last two years.

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Driven by the positive response to its Mumbai and Delhi retail stores, Apple on Friday, October 4, said it is gearing to launch more exclusive, own-branded stores in the country where the iPhone maker is witnessing a surge in domestic sales as well as export figures.

New Apple retail stores will open in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. However, no timeline has been set so far.

According to Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail, the company is thrilled “to build our teams as we plan to open more stores in India, because we are inspired by the creativity and passion of our customers across this country”.

“Our stores are incredible places to experience the magic of Apple, and it’s been wonderful to deepen our connection with our customers in India,” said O’Brien.

“We can’t wait for them to have even more opportunities to discover and shop for our amazing products and services, and connect with our extraordinary, knowledgeable team members,” she said in a statement.

The tech giant is now manufacturing the entire iPhone 16 lineup, including iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, in India, the company informed.

The India-made iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will soon be available for local customers and for export to select countries across the world.

Apple currently has its own branded retail store in Saket, Delhi, and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai.

The India retail expansion comes as Apple is already locally manufacturing the iPhone 16 and Pro models, and exporting them to other countries. The new Apple flagship retail stores will fuel Apple’s growth in the years ahead.

Meanwhile, driven by the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, Apple reached more than $5 billion in iPhone exports from India in the April-August period of this fiscal. According to industry data, this is a growth of over 50% from the same period of the first five months in FY24.

The iPhone exports from India surged sharply to $12.1 billion in 2023-24 from $6.27 billion in 2022-23. Overall, the company’s India operations reached 23.5 billion dollars in value in the last fiscal (FY24).

The company’s revenues in India are likely to grow 18% (year-on-year) in 2024. Last year, Apple clocked almost 10 million iPhone sales in India, its highest ever in the country. This year, the figure is set to grow to over 13 million units.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

The death toll exceeded 200 in Hurricane Helene battered southeastern U.S. states, according to reports.

At least 204 people are known to have died across six states as a result of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Helene since it made landfall in Florida a week ago, as per NBC News, adding that hundreds are still missing and nearly a million people remain without power, Xinhua news agency reported.

Helene has become the deadliest hurricane to strike the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

More than half of the fatalities were confirmed in storm-ravaged North Carolina, with at least 98 deaths. In particular, Buncombe County, which is located in western North Carolina, reported 61 deaths.

U.S. President Joe Biden decided on Wednesday, October 2, to immediately deploy “up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support the delivery of food, water and other essentials to communities affected by Hurricane Helene”.

The active-duty military personnel are in addition to more than 1,000 North Carolina National Guard soldiers currently deployed, who are surging food, water, supplies and conducting search and rescue operations, according to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.

The Governor noted on Thursday, October 3, that “around-the-clock efforts continue to provide resources and assistance” to communities in the western part of the state.

Biden toured the Carolinas to survey damage on Wednesday and is scheduled to visit Florida and Georgia on Thursday. The White House said in a news release that Biden will further survey damage caused by Helene and meet with state and local leaders regarding ongoing response efforts.

“The president and his entire administration will continue to do everything in our power to help the people of Florida, Georgia, and every community affected by this storm,” said the White House.

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New Yorkers woke up to a powerful appeal to the global community by the Hindu community in the U.S. as American groups organized a huge airline banner, calling for urgent global action to stop the ongoing genocide of Hindus in Bangladesh.

According to media reports, the large banner flew over the Hudson River and circled the Statue of Liberty, a global symbol of human dignity, freedom, and equality.

The 1971 genocide, as documented by U.S. Congress Resolution HR 1430 in 2022, claimed 2.8 million lives and saw at least 200,000 predominantly Hindu women raped, leaving an indelible mark on the region.

Since then, Bangladesh’s Hindu population has dwindled from 20% in 1971 to just around 8% in recent times.

News reports coming out of Bangladesh document targeted violence, systematic impoverishment, lynchings, kidnappings of minor girls, and forced job resignations affecting up to 200,000 Hindus, along with property seizures, pose a serious existential threat to the 13 to 15 million Hindus living in the country.

Since August 5, 2024, there have been around 250 verified attacks and over 1,000 reported incidents.

Sitangshu Guha, from the Bangladesh Hindu Community and one of the event organizers, highlighted the threat, stating, “Hindus in Bangladesh are on the verge of extinction. Hopefully, this will raise awareness among the civilized world and prompt the UN to take action to save the victims of militant Islamic forces in Bangladesh. If Bangladesh becomes Hindu-free, it will become Afghanistan 2.0, and militants will spread to neighbouring India and other parts of the world, including the West. This is everyone’s problem.”

Pankaj Mehta, another activist and member of the Interfaith Human Rights Coalition who helped organise the event, added, “It is time for the UN Human Rights Council to put aside politics and officially recognise the 1971 Bangladesh genocide, the largest genocide since World War II. Three U.S.-based organizations — The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, Genocide Watch, and the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience — have already recognized the atrocities committed by Pakistani occupation forces and their Islamist allies in 1971 as genocide, primarily targeting the Hindu minority. The UN must follow suit and take steps to prevent another looming genocide.”

Surjit Chowdhary, founding member of Sree Gita Sangha in New Jersey, USA, urged the Bangladesh government to stop all violence against the Hindu community and address political differences through democratic processes.

The rise of Islamist fundamentalism in Bangladesh poses a serious threat to India, as it has the potential to spread through porous borders, affecting West Bengal and beyond, with existing ties between radical forces on both sides.

It is also raising concerns among mainstream Americans, similar to the anxieties seen during the Afghanistan crisis.

Humanitarian watchdogs are closely monitoring the worsening conditions in Bangladesh, fearing that escalating violence could lead to a full-scale genocide.

Americans are being urged to boycott Bangladeshi garments, which account for 85% of the country’s export earnings, until the violence ceases and the perpetrators are brought to justice.

A plea has been made to executives of major buyers of Bangladeshi garments—such as Walmart, H&M, Gap Inc., Target, PVH Corp, and VF Corporation — to halt shipments from Bangladesh, as economic support for the country today is seen as enabling terrorism against Hindus and other minorities.

The Jewish community in America has also expressed solidarity with the Hindu minority, drawing parallels to the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists in Israel.

Just as the world rallied against extremist violence in Israel, many are now calling for immediate intervention in Bangladesh to prevent further atrocities.

The event was live-streamed on stopHinduGenocide.org, where all atrocities are being methodically documented, along with historical context and the ominous future facing Bangladesh’s Hindus unless the global community takes action.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has announced that India and the U.S. have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on critical minerals that will pave the way for cooperation between the Indian Ministry of Mines with its U.S. counterpart to secure the supply chains in these materials that are critical to the production of clean energy technologies and equipment.

The MoU will also pave the way for the two countries to launch joint projects in a third country and seek investments from other countries, the Commerce Minister said at a news conference to review his meetings with U.S. officials.

The MoU was signed on Thursday at the sixth India-U.S. commercial dialogue that was hosted by the U.S. and chaired by Goyal and his American counterpart Gina Raimondo.

“We executed the MOU on critical minerals to keep the supply chains open and for greater engagement between the Ministry of Mines in India and the U.S. government,” the Commerce Minister told reporters at the news conference.

These critical minerals include lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, graphite, rare earth elements, and copper, which are critical to the production of clean energy technologies.

India is the only developing economy in an elite group of countries called the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) that includes the U.S., the UK, Australia, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Sweden and the European Union, which recently launched a financial vehicle to rally and mobilize public and private sector for funding in this sector.

The MSP was launched in June 2022 with the unstated goal of securing this supply chain of these minerals from China. India joined the group exactly a year later during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit in June 2023.

The MoU opens yet another area of bilateral cooperation between the two countries that have already an exhaustive list of corporations, ranging from climate to emerging technologies, trade, strategic, education, health and space.

The Commerce Minister also met with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai for the Trade Policy Forum meeting, and he co-chaired the India-U.S. CEO Forum with Raimondo on Wednesday.

“All these institutions are now regularly interacting with each other,” Commerce Minister Goyal told reporters. “There was a time that these were sporadic interactions. Many years would go by without any meetings. Now they are very outcome-oriented, with a focused agenda, and the periodicity has been made very regular.”

He recounted recent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. He misspoke, however, about Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor, saying he came with the Prime Minister. He did not. Commerce Minister Goyal corrected himself at prompting by Vinay Kwatra, Ambassador to the US, that it was the US NSA Jake Sullivan, who visited India.

The Commerce Minister was ebullient about his interactions with U.S. businesses during this visit. “I think every visit that I come here, the interactions with investors is truly phenomenal. Have met with some of the top bankers, (and) top investment funds, who are large investors in India. Some were very ambitious.”

“Going forward, each one of them has only reconfirmed to me, (that) they are interested (to) invest in India,” he said, adding that the numbers that they are talking of in the next few years are “truly astounding”.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

The White House has appointed two Indian-Americans, Nalini Tata and Padmini Pillai, in the 2024-2025 class of White House Fellows. Founded in 1964, the White House Fellows program offers exceptional young leaders first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the Federal government.

The appointees spend a year working with senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking Administration officials, and leave the Administration equipped to serve as better leaders in their communities. Fellowships are awarded on a non-partisan basis.

“This year’s Fellows advanced through a highly competitive selection process, and they are a remarkably gifted, passionate, and accomplished group. These Fellows bring experience from across the country and from a broad cross-section of professions, including from the private sector, state government, academia, non-profits, medicine, and the armed forces,” an official statement from the White House said.

One among the 15 appointees, Pillai hails from Newton, Massachusetts, and is placed at the Social Security Administration.

She is an immunoengineer bridging the gap between discoveries in immunology and advances in biomaterial design to treat human disease. She has led a team at MIT developing a tumor-selective nanotherapy to eliminate hard-to-treat cancers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pillai was featured in several media outlets including CNBC, The Atlantic, and The New York Times to discuss vaccination, immunity, and the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on vulnerable communities. Pillai received her Ph.D. in immunobiology from Yale University and a B.A. in biochemistry from Regis College.

Nalini Tata is from New York City, New York, and is placed at the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs.

Tata is a neurosurgery resident at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she helps treat the spectrum of emergency and elective neurosurgical conditions between a level I trauma center and a world-renowned cancer institute. Her published work spans clinical and non-scientific journals with a focus on advancing equity in access to care.

Her career in neurosurgery and long-standing interest in public policy are closely bound by a deep-rooted dedication to public service. She received her BSc in neurobiology from Brown University, MPhil from the University of Cambridge, M.D. from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, and MPP in Democracy, Politics, and Institutions from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

The San Ramon Regional Medical Center is set to get its fourth leader since 2022 as Dr. Murali Naidu — current CEO of Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock — will take over as the permanent CEO of SRRMC starting in November.

The announcement was made Tuesday, October 1, that Naidu will take over from interim CEO Beenu Chadha on November 4. Chadha will retain her role as the SRRMC’s CFO.

“I think San Ramon Regional might be the best secret in the East Bay,” Naidu said .

“It’s more than the leading-edge medicine, like being the first hospital west of the Mississippi to have the da Vinci surgical robot, and more than the highly decorated maternity programs,” he continued. “What makes San Ramon Regional special is the feeling of community both inside and outside the doors. One thing I loved about my previous two hospitals was that the teams there really cared about each other and the patients, and I could sense that here, right away.”

Naidu has a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and is currently serving on the Board of Trustees for Oakland’s Head Royce School. He is also a member on the Board of Directors for the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California.

After Ann Lucena resigned as the CEO in October 2022, SRRMC has been without a permanent leader. Lucena served in the position for approximately 4 and a half years. She was succeeded on an interim basis by Warren Kirk, and then by Chadha, following Kirk’s retirement in June 2023.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

In a promising breakthrough, an international team of researchers from the UK, U.S., and Japan has developed a new Alzheimer’s drug that effectively prevents the build-up of Tau proteins — a key driver of neurodegeneration.

The drug, a peptide inhibitor called RI-AG03 blocked both Tau aggregation ‘hotspots’ for the first time in both lab and fruit fly studies.

While Tau proteins play a crucial role in maintaining the structure and function of brain cells, these, however, malfunction in Alzheimer’s disease. The proteins clump together to form long and twisting fibrils, which when accumulated create neurofibrillary tangles.

The masses of twisted Tau proteins then clog the brain cells, preventing them from getting the nutrients leading to their death. The more brain cells die, memory, thinking, and behaviour becomes increasingly impaired, leading to the cognitive decline seen in Alzheimer’s.

The research, published in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, focussed on two specific ‘hotspots’ of the Tau protein where this clumping tends to happen.

While current treatments target one or the other of these hotspots, RI-AG03 uniquely targets and blocks both.

“There are two regions of the Tau protein that act like a zipper to enable it to aggregate,” said lead author Amritpal Mudher, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Southampton.

“For the first time, we have a drug which is effective in inhibiting both these regions. This dual-targeting mechanism is significant because it addresses both domains that stimulate Tau aggregation, potentially paving the way for more effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s,” she added.

RI-AG03 was developed using computational biology and tested in lab dishes.

To test its effectiveness in cells within a living organism, the researchers gave the drug to fruit flies that had pathogenic Tau. The researchers found the drug suppressed neurodegeneration and extended the lives of the flies by around two weeks — a significant extension considering the life span of the insects.

In fruit flies fed with RI-AG03, “the pathogenic fibrils decreased significantly in quantity”, Mudher said, with a higher dose showing a “greater improvement in the fruit fly’s lifespan”.

Further, the researchers tested the drug in a biosensor cell — a type of living human cell line that is engineered to detect pathogenic tau fibril formation.

Here too, the drug successfully penetrated the cells and reduced the aggregation of Tau proteins.

The team believes their work will have a significant impact on drug discovery efforts in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and now plans to test RI-AG03 in rodents before proceeding to clinical trials.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

The Indian government on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was detained on September 30, at the city’s Singhu border for violating prohibitory orders, has been released by the Delhi Police.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Manmohan took on the record the subsequent order passed by the Delhi Police, withdrawing the prohibitory orders issued on September 30.

The now-withdrawn prohibitory order restricted assembly of five or more unauthorized persons, carrying of firearms, banners, placards, lathis and so on, ‘picketing or dharnas in public areas in the districts of New Delhi, North and Central, as well as on all state borders of Delhi till October 5.

In its judicial order, the Bench, also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, noted, “Learned Solicitor General, who appears on advance notice, states that the impugned order dated September 30 passed by the Commissioner of Police has been withdrawn vide order dated October 2, a photocopy of which has also been placed on the record.”

In light of the submission made by Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, the Delhi HC disposed of the pleas seeking the release of activist Wangchuk, along with his supporters.

The activist and over 100 people from Ladakh, headed to the national capital to demand Sixth Schedule Status for the Union Territory and granting law-making powers to the local population to protect their land and cultural identity.

The VI Schedule of the Indian Constitution provides special protections and autonomy to certain tribal areas in India. It helps preserve their culture and manage their resources.

Earlier in the day, SG Mehta made a similar statement before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud after senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy mentioned a plea challenging the prohibitory orders for urgent listing. The Solicitor General said that the prohibitory order of the Commissioner of Police has been withdrawn.

The plea filed by the priest of the famous Kalkaji temple before the Supreme Court contended that the prohibitory order passed by the Delhi Police will have a chilling effect on the rights of the petitioner as well as those of many other citizens who are celebrating the Navratri.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and his U.S. counterpart Gina Raimondo co-chaired the 6th meeting of the U.S.-India CEO Forum, which is the highest platform for discussing trade and commerce between the two countries.

Government representatives of the two countries and the Forum members, during the meeting hosted on Wednesday by the U.S., “reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral commerce and trade, driving inclusive economic growth and innovation, and fostering a resilient bilateral partnership”.

Commerce Minister Goyal and Secretary Raimondo met over lunch on the sidelines of the meeting.

The Commerce Minister wrote on X that he “held a productive meeting” with Raimondo and their discussions “focused on prospects of tech and R&D collaboration in critical sectors such as defence, space, semiconductors, telecom, AI and clean energy”.

“We also discussed opportunities for US investments in upcoming 20 industrial cities in India to foster mutual growth,” he added.

The U.S.-India CEO Forum is a platform for leaders of Indian and American business to develop and provide joint recommendations to strengthen bilateral commercial ties and expand trade and investment between the two countries. It has representation from 22 US companies and 25 Indian.

James Taiclet, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin, and N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, were Private Sector co-chairs from 2023–2024.

The meeting also “took stock of the Forum’s accomplishments, including the launch of the publicly accessible Network for Innovation and Harnessing Investments and Trade for Inclusive Growth between the United States and India (NIHIT) platform to facilitate online knowledge sharing and networking among US and Indian startups and small businesses”, the U.S. Commerce Department said in a statement.

“To date, NIHIT has organised four workshops to promote capacity building and skilling in cybersecurity, digital technologies, and AI, which have been attended by over 1,000 startups, small businesses, and entrepreneurs,” it added.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

In a unique addition to the city of Seattle landscape, a bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled today at the iconic Seattle Center, just below the base of the Space Needle and adjacent to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. The unveiling marks the first installation of Gandhi’s bust in a city known for its vibrant cultural landscape.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by notable dignitaries, including Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Congressman Adam Smith, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson, Commander of the U.S. First Corps in Pacific Northwest and Eddie Rye, Chair of the Martin Luther King-Gandhi Initiative, along with the Consul General of India, Prakash Gupta.

It was also attended by members of the Indian-American community who offered their respects on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, October 2.

October 2nd is also recognized as the International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations. All dignitaries who spoke at the Gandhi Jayanti ceremony underscored the values of Ahimsa (Non-Violence), Satyagraha (truth force) and Sarvodaya (welfare for all) as being the defining need in contemporary times.

Consulate General of India and the City of Seattle had worked in partnership to identify an appropriate venue for locating the bust of Mahatma Gandhi and the Seattle Center, which draws more than 12 million visitors each year, was considered appropriate, given its location, accessibility and commitment to promoting the values of peace and non-violence.

To mark the occasion, Governor of the State of Washington, Jay Inslee issued an official proclamation acknowledging the Gandhi ji Bust as a lasting tribute to Gandhi’s teachings and a powerful reminder of the impact of non-violence in driving change.

Another special proclamation was also issued by the King County designating 2nd October as the Mahatma Gandhi Day across all 73 cities of the Greater Seattle area.

It may be recalled that the first Indian Consulate in Seattle commenced its operations in November 2023 with a consular jurisdiction in U.S. Pacific Northwest covering the nine states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Alaska. The installation of the Mahatma Gandhi ji bust in Seattle (Washington) is one in a series of such initiatives that is gradually being implemented across its consular jurisdiction.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

Four Indian high school students participated at the 25th Nobel Peace Laureates Founding anniversary and 19th Annual World Summit at Monterrey, Mexico, from September 17 to 21, 2024.

Taneesha Bhattacharjee Pahari from Stevenson High School Lincolnshire Il, Nishika Nilabhkumar Dubey from the Metea Valley High School Aurora Il, Sathwik Krishna Kesavarapu from Necqua Valley High School, Naperville, and Ruchika Villivalam from Freemont High School Sunnyvale CA, represented the Global Gandhi Youth Mission (2GYM).

The delegation presented the aspects of “Ahimsa, Sarvodaya, Satyagraha, Swadeshi & Swaraj” concepts from Mahatma Gandhi’s book in the Youth Session.

Sridevi Kesavarapu, Anica Dubey, Piyas Bhattacharjee, and Arun Villivalam spoke on swadeshi, conflict resolution, art of HAnSA and Gandhi thoughts on healthcare in brief.

Dr Sriram Sonty of Global Gandhi Youth Mission, Chicago, along with Professor Prasad Goillanapalli of Gandhi King Foundation Hyderabad, India, Homi Gandhi of Gandhi Association of Los Angeles, and Sri Ponnala Lakshmaiah Ex-Minister, Telangana State Government, spoke in the forum “Non violent agriculture for Global Peace”.

They emphasized on the value of organic farming on environment and personal health while respecting ecology, plant and animal species.

The Student delegation had the opportunity to listen to India Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and Tawakkal Karman from Yemen, on their challenges they faced in their global projects on human trafficking from India and Women Journalists Without Chains organization in Yemen, respectively.

Satyarthi, in answering a question from Ruchika Villivalam about their journey, said that her coming to this peace conference is the first step towards bringing a change in the humanity. He wished her the best.

Other Nobel Laureates that attended the summit included Shirin Ebadi from Iran, Lech Walesa from Poland, Oscar Aria Sanchez from Costa Rica, and Carlos Slim Mexico.

The themes discussed by the laureates included ‘Global Peace Architecture’, ‘Peace for Progress’, ‘Interreligious Dialogue’, ‘What if war is obsolete?’, ‘Women at the Vanguard’, ‘Balancing Progress & Nature’, and ‘Education for Peace’.

Sharing her experience, Ruchika stated: “As a high schooler, going to the Summit of Nobel Laureates for Peace in Monterrey Mexico was so inspiring.”

Nishika said that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and she will carry this memory a long way.

Taneesha expressed: “The World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates was truly fascinating. It was an eye-opening to hear stories from Nobel laureates.”

Satwik said the experience was truly valuable and impactful.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has invited American companies to leverage India’s unmatched scale and take advantage of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, particularly in high-tech manufacturing and quality production.

Minister Goyal, who began his four-day visit to the U.S. this week, had a discussions with existing and potential American investors, highlighting the avenues for cooperation in various sectors.

According to a Ministry of Commerce and Industry statement, in his meeting with Stephen Schwarzman who is the CEO of top investment firm Blackstone, Minister Goyal took note of the fact that the company has already invested about $50 billion in India and is one of the largest commercial and real estate investors in the country.

Timothy F Geithner, President of Warburg Pincus, also called on the minister for a one-on-one discussion that covered various areas where there is scope for further improving the ease of doing business.

“Had an engaging meeting with Sanjiv Ahuja, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of the leading global digital infrastructure firm, Tillman Global Holdings,” the minister posted on X social media platform.

“India’s world-class digital infrastructure offers exciting investment opportunities, including in sustainable data centres. With its skilled talent pool, we are nurturing innovation and enterprise to position India as a leader in green technology and capabilities,” he added.

The minister also chaired a roundtable discussion with young CEOs and entrepreneurs of Indian origin in New York, organised by the Consulate General of India.

The Commerce Minister emphasised the transformative reforms undertaken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has propelled India’s remarkable growth over the past decade.

Minister Goyal held one-on-one meetings with several CEOs discussing new areas of collaboration, particularly in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, robotics, artificial intelligence, and sustainable technologies.

The Commerce MInister met Chintu Patel, Co-CEO, and Chirag Patel, President and Co-CEO of Amneal Pharmaceuticals. They explored ways to enhance India’s pharmaceutical ecosystem for high-end R&D, including biologics, and improved manufacturing capabilities to establish a robust global supply chain.

A productive meeting was held with Henry R Kravis, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co (KKR).

The Commerce Minister highlighted potential investment opportunities in India’s electronics manufacturing, data infrastructure, and logistics sectors. He underscored the consistent economic growth in India over the past decade and the vast consumer market, which present numerous opportunities for strategic investments.

By Mayank Chhaya-

The next four weeks or so in the runup to the U.S. presidential election offer Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an unencumbered period to destroy Iran’s nuclear program.

Whether he does indeed go for Tehran’s nuclear jugular is uncertain but the fact that the prospect exists at all in the aftermath of Iran firing some 180 ballistic missiles at targets in Israel is not lost on Washington and other major capitals around the world.

Although the current assessment suggests that Iran does not yet possess nuclear weapons, it has an advanced enough program that would help it put together a nuclear weapon rather quickly.

As recently as on April 19, Israel carried out a strike near Isfahan. While the strike was in retaliation for a drone and missile attack by Tehran some days earlier, the fact that it took place on an Iranian military facility close to the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center alarmed many around the world.

Netanyahu could use the Iranian missile strikes as a provocation to attack its nuclear sites, something which have been in his crosshairs for quite some time. What makes the next few days and weeks particularly fraught is that the U.S. is preoccupied with a contentious presidential election and President Joe Biden is in the twilight of his tenure.

Even though Biden still has the ability to heavily lean on Netanyahu not to precipitate a greater conflict by destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities, it is questionable at best whether the prime minister would pay any heed to the U.S. president. So far, he has pretty much done what he always wanted to do in Gaza and now Lebanon, particularly in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre of Israelis by Hamas. There is nothing to suggest that should he determine that the best course of action for him is to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities he would not feel restrained by the Biden Administration.

Signs are that Biden has barely any leverage with Netanyahu since the two men never really got along. With the U.S. president being in his transit mode, Netanyahu ought not to feel any fetters around his action even against Iran.

Officially, Washington has said it stands by Tel Aviv in the aftermath of the Iranian missile strikes. However, behind-the-scenes there are reports of feverish diplomacy to prevent Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Netanyahu would be conscious of if not hamstrung by compulsions of U.S. domestic politics in so much as it affects Washington’s relations with Israel. Vice President and Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris has expressed steadfast commitment to support Israel even while underlining the rights of the Palestinian people, including self-determination. She is likely being viewed by Netanyahu with less than disguised suspicion compared to her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump who is not expected to nuance his aggressively pro-Israel thinking. He would have no problems with Netanyahu destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

With that as the backdrop, the flux in the runup to the presidential election offers Netanyahu perhaps his most obstacle-free chance to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. Tehran has made it easier by launching the missile strikes. At this stage it is anybody’s guess what Netanyahu might do, one of which is clearly Iran’s nuclear facilities in his crosshairs.

This uncertainty could well prompt Tehran to speed up its nuclear weaponization which, in turn, could Tel Aviv to rush its attack.

By Justice Markandey Katju-

(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own)

After the shameful Munich Conference in 1938, Winston Churchill, who later became Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1940, said in the House of Commons, ”You were given a choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor, and you will have war.”

Similarly, in the early 20th century, the Indian people were given a choice between following the honorable path shown by our great revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Surya Sen (Masterda), Chandrashekhar Azad, Bismil, Ashfaqullah, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Khudiram Bose, etc — the path of armed struggle against our oppressive British rulers — or the path of objective collaboration with the Britishers (while appearing to be confronting them) called euphemistically ‘satyagrah’, shown by that hypocrite, deceiver and reactionary British agent Gandhi.

The Indian people chose the latter, thinking that thereby they will avoid the huge amount of bloodshed which the path of armed struggle necessarily entails. But as a consequence, they condemned several succeeding generations of their descendants to continuing massive poverty, record and rising unemployment, appalling level of child malnutrition (every second child in India is malnourished, and the situation is getting worse, according to Global Hunger Index), lack of proper healthcare, good education, and proper housing for the masses, etc.

This suffering was maybe a hundred times more than the suffering of people which would have been caused by a revolution led by Bhagat Singh, Masterda, etc.

A lot of lies have been spread by politicians that India now has the fastest growing economy, rising GDP, etc., but here is the truth.

Today we are again standing at a crossroad in our nation’s long history. We must now decide whether to continue on the path of parliamentary democracy, which in India largely means perpetuating casteism and communalism (because in India parliamentary democracy largely runs on the basis of caste and communal vote banks), or begin a mighty, historical, protracted, united, people’s struggle, led by modern minded, patriotic, selfless leaders determined to create a political and social order under which India can rapidly industrialize and modernize, culminating in a mighty people’s revolution, which results in giving a high standard of living and decent lives to the Indian people.

Casteism and communalism are feudal forces which must be destroyed if India is to progress, but parliamentary democracy further entrenches them (because in India it largely runs on their basis). So a people’s struggle and people’s revolution is the only way out of our miserable plight.

But a revolution is no joke. It is a terrible period, and requires tremendous, heroic sacrifices.

To give an example, after the success of the Chinese Revolution in 1949 (which had begun a quarter of a century earlier) the Chinese authorities made a study and calculation of how many Chinese people perished in the Revolution. It was found that about 10% of the then Chinese population of about 500 million (today of course it is 1,400 million), including women and children, had perished, i.e. about 50 million.

Similarly, in the Vietnam War (first against the French, and then against the Americans), from 1945 to 1975, about 10% of the then Vietnamese population of 40 million (today it is over 100 million) i.e. about 4 million, perished.

I am not trying to scare anyone, but only explaining how history works. Either the people make these colossal sacrifices, or remain condemned to horrible poverty, unemployment, hunger, lack of healthcare etc., for themselves, as well as for their descendants.
So Indian people, make your choice.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

As Indian stock markets continue to show robust growth despite global uncertainties, a record 15 companies registered their initial public offering (IPO) documents with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on the last day of September.

This took the total filings for the month to 41, which is the highest-ever IPO document filing in a single month.

According to market watchers, the surge in draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) filings happened as audited financials for the quarter ending March 31 are valid only until September 30.

“We forecast more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore of fund raise via IPOs this year. Increasing number of growth-stage businesses will hit the street. Moreover, we will have trend of multinationals coming to tap Indian capital market,” said Mahavir Lunawat, Managing Director, Pantomath Capital Advisors.

“Besides, several other market liquidity parameters, notably monthly mutual fund flow has doubled since last quarter and we are getting close to Rs 40,000 crore of money every month. This has fuelled capital market buoyancy phenomenally,” he added.

The Indian equity markets have reached all-time closing highs, reflecting investor confidence driven by anticipated changes in the domestic interest rate cycle following the U.S. Federal Reserve’s recent 50-basis-point rate cut.

The overall trend in the Indian equity market remains positive, said experts.

Additionally, the inclusion of Indian sovereign bonds in JP Morgan’s global debt indices has attracted around $18 billion in foreign investment over the past year, with expectations for continued growth following recent U.S. interest rate cuts.

According to analysts, this influx is lowering bond yields, reducing borrowing costs, and positioning Indian debt as increasingly attractive for foreign investors. Future monthly inflows could reach $2 to $3 billion, significantly boosting foreign participation in India’s bond market.

As per Angel One Wealth data, in the first half of this year, more than 5,450 companies have been listed across the world, in which India’s share was about 25%.

Last year also a large number of IPO listings were seen in India. The reason for this was the high inflow by domestic investors in emerging companies and sectors.