NRI Top Stories ( Page 12 of 30 )

Indian-origin industrialist passes away at 88 April 10, 2017 18:47

At the age of 88 a prominent Indian-origin industrialist, Jayantilal Keshavji Chande passed away in Nairobi the capital of Kenya. He was born in Mombasa, Kenya on May 7, 1928. His parents were immigrants from India, who were living Bukene in the region of Rabora, Tanzania. Tanzanian businessman and a philanthropist Keshavji Chande, he is affectionately known as “Andy” was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003. The knighthood given to Andy, who is the founder of Chande Industries, was first of its kind to a Tanzanian citizen. Former President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete attended the launch of Andy’s book, ‘A knight in Africa’. Sir Andy earned several accolades and awards. He received the ‘Hindi Ratna’ from former Indian Prime Minister IK Gujral in 2003. In the same year, he was declared the non-resident Indian of the year by the International Congree of Non-Resident Indians. The NRI Institute of London honored him with the “Pride of India Gold Award”. At one time he was the advisor to the ministerial committee of the Organization of African Unity deal with the Arab League on the oil crisis. He was enthusiastically related with numerous educational, social and welfare institutions including the Rotary International. His wife Jayalaxmi Madhvani is the daughter of famed Ugandan industrialist Muljibhai Madhvani. They have three children and a grandchild. Indian-origin Honoured with Asian Businesswoman of Year Award AMandeep

HC granted bail to NRI, who sheltered Nabha Jailbreakers April 08, 2017 17:31

An NRI, who was accused by police of harboring Nabha jailbreak escapees has been granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana high court. Kultar Singh Goldy resident of Moga was accused of harboring criminal Gurpreet Singh Sekhon, who is the alleged mastermind of Nabha jailbreak in November last year. According to the court documents Goldy’s barrister, Pratham Sethi said that his client was in Australia from July 10, 2009. He visited India in between and his last visit is on January 23, 2017, almost two months after the jailbreak. He also said that Goldey was away from his house to Ludhiana, Punjab the day, when the escaped gangsters were arrested from his house. During the hearing, the court has asked the police to look into the contentions raised by him and submit a report on the next scheduled date of hearing. Police arrested Sekhon in February, and claimed that they have seized four pistols and a handgun along with cartridges from him and his three accomplices. Police claim that prison escapees were residing in Goldy’s house, since February 5th. Sekhon along with five other prisoners escaped the Nabha a high security jail in November 2016. The next hearing is on April 19th. Indian power majors to hawk ‘Masala Bonds’ AMandeep

NRI committed suicide in Seattle April 06, 2017 12:46

37-year-old Gudur Madhukar Reddy an IT professional, hailing from the Yadadri Bhongir district, Telangana, who was working for a software company in Seattle, allegedly committed suicide at his residence in Seattle on Tuesday morning (April 4). According to the reports, his body was found hanging. Bal Reddy father of the deceased received a call from his son’s friend from the United States at around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Madhukar had gone to the United States 10 years ago. He married to Swathi, who is also a software engineer, seven years ago. They have a 5-year-old daughter. According to reports the couple had recently bought a house, it was not known as to what drove Madhukar to end his life. Madhukar visited his hometown only once with his wife in the last seven years. His family shifted to Bhongir town from their native Ralla Janagon of Yadadri Bhongir district about 15 years ago Madhukar’s parents currently reside in Kisan Nagar Colony in Bhongir. The family was awaiting details as to what had happened, while preparations were on to get his body back. Homeless man charged for rape and murder of Indian-origin woman AMandeep

Indian-origin man fined for impersonating a doctor in Australia April 04, 2017 10:05

An Indian-origin man has been accused of impersonating a British-Indian doctor and working in several hospitals for more than a decade in Australia. 41-year-old Shyam Acharya, who identified himself as Sarang Chitale, a rheumatologist in the United Kingdom, came to Australia in 2003 and worked with the New South Wales Health (NSW). Acharya was fined with a maximum penalty of 30,000 dollars on Monday, for the “most serious level” offense. Sarang Chitale, who works at Leigh Infirmary near Manchester, was “shocked” after he came to know that Acharya has stolen his identity. Acharya managed to gain citizenship, an Australian passport and property, all in the name of Sarang Chitale. Acharya worked for NSW Health as a junior doctor from 2003 to May 2014 at four different hospitals. Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson of Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney said that the offense was one of the “most serious level and warranted the maximum penalty of 30,000 dollars fine.” Atkinson also ordered him to pay the prosecution costs, which is more than 22,000 dollars. Acharya allegedly stole Chitale’s university degree and medical certification, when they both lived together in India, with Chitale’s grandmother between 1999 and 2000. Acharya was not present during the judgment; Atkinson said that it was the worst case ever. She said before the research job, Acharya had worked in New South Wales hospital for more than a decade, she said. She disclosed the inquiries that were made with a Chitale’s supervisor in the United Kingdom and it became apparent that Acharya was using his identity. The actual offense was limited to July-September, 2016, when Acharya was working at a research company ‘Novotech’, magistrate acknowledged that he had been practicing medicine in Australia for several years before that. NRIs not eligible for Aadhaar card AMandeep

Indian-origin woman asked to strip at Frankfurt Airport April 03, 2017 18:46

An Indian-origin woman, who was travelling to Iceland from Bengaluru was asked to strip by security officials at Germany’s Frankfurt Airport. Shruthi Basappa, who lives in Reykjavik, Iceland, detailed her ordeal in a series of posts on social media. "We were travelling to Iceland from India, via Frankfurt with our 4 year old daughter when I was asked to move aside for this 'random check', no explanations offered. I was taken into a room, and was asked to lift my dress/ take it off so that I could be checked to make sure I wasn't 'carrying anything under my clothes'. This whole ordeal happened in front of my 4 year old," Basappa wrote. Officials at the airport asked her to remove her clothing, even after she cleared a full body scan. The security personnel patted down her request, owing to a recent abdominal surgery and shouted at her for voicing her reservations. Basappa refused to remove her dress. Officials backed off after her husband, how is a citizen of Iceland walked into the room, where she had been escorted for the strip search, she said "I hate to play the race card here, but I was the only person pulled aside and peeking at my husband instantly changed the woman's mind about the strip search that was now a regular pat down," she said. This is not the first time that she had been pulled aside for detailed security check, according to her post. "I am always the 'chosen one' for random security checks - pat down, baggage check, lets take you into a room for a closer pat down, etc... Today though, I was asked to remove the dress I was wearing. Yes. Remove my clothes. Is this the new norm? Isn't it enough to always be the one random person picked out of line that now I need to wrap my head around the fact that I might be asked to strip?" Basappa said. Minister of External affairs Sushma Swaraj, has asked a report on the following incident. @CGIFranfurt has taken up this matter with Frankfurt Airport authorities. The matter has been referred to the Police for investigation. /1 https://t.co/IhCdtwHddO — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 2, 2017 We are awaiting report of the police investigation. /2 — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 2, 2017 <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are awaiting report of the police investigation. /2</p>— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/848577370860666880">April 2, 2017</a></blockquote> Indian-origin student attacked in Poland survives AMandeep

Indian-origin doctors get reprieve from deportation April 01, 2017 10:55

Two prominent Indian-origin doctors in the United States are facing deportation as their travel documents had expired and got a last-minute reprieve on humanitarian grounds. They were granted a 90day extension on humanitarian grounds. Dr. Pankaj Satija and his wife Dr. Monika Ummat, have been working legally in the United States for the last 15 years. They visited India to see Pankaj’s sick father in October last year. On their return back to the United States, they were stopped at the Bush International airport by Customs and Border Protection officials because their travel documents had expired. The officials of Customs and Border Protection stamped their travel document by informing that their documents would expire in June this year, when in fact the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services noted that their document actually expired in June last year. Upon returning to the United States a week later, an official noted the discrepancy. At first Pankaj and his wife were told by immigration officials on Wednesday that they had only 24 hours to leave the United States. Later, the agency offered them three months of humanitarian parole, which is a rare measure allowing immigrants, who are otherwise not permitted to enter the country, the opportunity to do so due to a "compelling emergency" to sort out their paperwork. NRI arrested nine years after the case was filed AMandeep

NRI arrested nine years after the case was filed March 31, 2017 18:44

A Rupnagar court in Punjab has sent an Indian-American, Jatinder Vashisht to judicial remanded till April 10th on Monday for allegedly torturing his wife, in a case filed back in 2008. The order was passed by Chief Judicial Magistrate Jasbir Kaur. Vashisht had managed to flee India, while facing allegations of dowry harassment and had recently returned after nine years. He married a woman from the Ghanauli village near Rupnagar on December 11, 2003. The woman accompanied her husband to the United States after the marriage and on November 16, 2005 she gave birth to a boy. According to the complaint after the birth of their son, her husband along with her in-laws started torturing her for more dowry and even sent her back to India for bringing less dowry at the time of their marriage. The victim’s father subsequently lodged an FIR at Sadar police station in Rupnagar against Vashisht, and his parents. A case under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 34 (common intention), IPC was registered against the three on April 5, 2008. Immediately Vashisht applied for anticipatory bail before the Sessions Judge, where he was granted interim bail on the condition that he would deposit his passport with the local police. He deposited the passport with the police on April 19, 2008, but later took it back, by allegedly in connivance with police personnel. The police conducted a departmental inquiry on a complaint from the victim's father. According to the inquiry against Sadar Station House Officer Tejpal Singh and Additional SHO Vinod Kumar and they were booked for dereliction of duty. While, Vashisht managed to flee India, the court declared him as a proclaimed offender. Nine years later, when he returned to India. . Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested him on Sunday. NRI arrested for Theft in Bihar AMandeep

NRI arrested for theft in Bihar March 31, 2017 10:04

Police has arrested an NRI for allegedly stealing a motorbike and consuming alcohol in the dry state of Bihar on Thursday, according to reports. Raju Srivastava, who is a US based NRI, was arrested in West Champaran district in connection with the theft of a motorbike and consumption of alcohol. Officer in charge of the town police station, Vimlendu Kumar said that, “Raju, along with his friend, who is a local resident Akhilesh Sharma, were arrested for their involvement in the theft and for consuming liquor in the dry state.” Raju is a resident of the Raghunathpur village under the district’s Turkauliya police station, he returned to his native place from the United States last month. “Both the suspects have also confessed their involvement in the theft other motorbikes last month,” police said. Raju said to police that he was a former employee of a private company in the United States. Police have also recovered some important documents from Raju, including his Green Card. Both Raju and Akhilesh have been sent to prison after being presented for a trail in a local court, police said. Six booked for duping NRI of over 30 million AMandeep

Six booked for duping NRI of over 30 million rupees March 30, 2017 15:50

Police have arrested six persons, including a revenue official and a woman for allegedly duping an NRI of over 30 million rupees under the grab of selling a piece of land to him, which did not exist. Harbajan Singh Jaspal, who is a UK based NRI said that particularly property dealers had done a deal of selling him a 20 kanal and 2 marla piece of land with him for Rs 18 million on May 18, 2015. The suspects reportedly said Jaspal that the land belonged to Rajwinder Singh, whose mother Shiv Dev Kaur has the power of attorney, police said. Jaspal gave 4.5 million rupees through different cheques as advance money, police said. Registry was due on September 9, 2015. The suspects demanded additional 4.6 million rupees, which he paid, but still the registry was incomplete. Meanwhile, an official from the revenue office appeared on the scene and assured that the NRI, if he agreed to buy the land at a high price of 20 million rupees (2 million more than the previously settled rate), then the official would ensure that the registry was done, police said. The NRI later came to know that the fees of stamp papers for the registry were only 2 million rupees and the officials had defrauded him of 5.2 million in this too. Later, Jaspal realized that he was taken for a ride as the land did not exist at all and the piece that the accused had shown him was actually a road, police said. A case under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 465 (forgery) 467 (forgery of a valuable security, will), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC was registered against the accused, they added NRIs Not Eligible for Aadhaar Card AMandeep

Indian-origin teens Sweep National Brain Bee Championship March 28, 2017 12:18

Indian-origin teenagers in the United States have swept to victory this month at the National Brain Bee Championship, with Sojas Wagle, 15, a sophomore at Springdale’s Har-Ber High School in Arkansas declared the 2017 national champion of the three day competition. The National Brain Bee Championship is held annually at the University of Maryland. Wagle beat runner-up Aarthi Vijayakumar of Minneapolis and Amit Khana of Indianapolis, who are also of Indian descent. Wagle will be going to Washington, D.C., in August this year for the International Brain Bee Championship, he also won an eight-week internship in a neuroscience laboratory. A donation will also be given to the brain-disorder charity of his choice, the Alzheimer's Association. The International Brain Bee competition will be held from August 3 – 6, in conjunction with the American Psychological Association conference. All the winners from 51 Brain Bee chapters from around 30 states competed in Baltimore from March 17-19 in the event hosted by the University of Maryland that featured written and oral exams, patient diagnoses using actor patients, and microscopic slide studies. "I studied harder and kind of perfected the neuroanatomy section to make sure I was familiar with all parts of the brain and could point those out on a brain model," Wagle told arkansasonline.com. Wagle participates in debates and plays violin, he is considering a career in medicine, possibly neurology. His father Sameer Wagle is a neonatologist and mother Aparna Wagle is a computer laboratory manager for the Springdale School District. Indian-American condemns CNN for defaming Hinduism AMandeep

Six Indian-origins nominated for Ellis Island Medal of Honor March 25, 2017 16:05

Six Indian-Americans have been nominated for the highest civilian award in the United States for immigrants - Ellis Island Medal of Honor 2017. Among 88 named recipients, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, author Fareed Zakaria, Harman International Industries Chairman CEO Dinesh Paliwal, Dr. Annapoorna S Kini, Yashvant Patel, and Mohan H Patel. Indra Nooyi has been the CEO of PepsiCo since 2006 and chairman since 2007. Nooyi was previously the president and chief financial officer at the company, as well as senior vice-president, and senior vice-president of corporate strategy and development. Zakaria is the host of CNN’s shows "Fareed Zakaria GPS" as well as a columnist for the Washington Post. He also served Newsweek as a columnist, editor of Newsweek International and editor-at-large of Time. Paliwal has been the chairman of Harman since 2008 and president and CEO since 2007. The National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) founded the Ellis Island Medal Honor and is given to individuals, whose achievements in their field and service to the country are cause for celebration. Since its establishment in 1986, the medal has been recognized by both Houses of Congress as one of the nation’s most prestigious awards. NECO has honored diverse Americans, including six presidents of America, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as esteemed Americans such as Frank Sinatra, Lee Iacocca, Quincy Jones, Muhammad Ali, Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, Louis Zamperini and Rosa Parks. The 2017 recipients will be honored at an event on Ellis Island in New York on 13th May. Trump nominates Indian-origin to a top Judicial post AMandeep

Indian-origin Priest stabbed in Melbourne Church March 20, 2017 12:28

An Indian-origin Catholic priest in Melbourne was stabbed in the neck at a church in what seems to be an apparent racist attack. The suspect called him unqualified to say mass as he was an Indian. 48-year-old Tomy Kalathoor Mathew, a native of Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode district, Kerala, was stabbed at around 11 a.m. Australian time at St. Matthew’s Church in Fawkner. The attack took place when, Mathew was about to begin the Italian mass. According to local media reports, it is believed that the offender told the priest that because Mathew was an Indian, he must be a Hindu or Muslim and therefore he was not qualified to say mass. Melina, one of the parishioners said that "There was some shouting and a lot of movement at the back of the church and then I saw Father Tommy coming to approach me. He waved me over and asked me if I could look at his neck because he said 'I've just been stabbed'.” Mathew was immediately taken to Northern Hospital and treated for a wound to his neck. Police on Sunday night arrested a 72-year-old Fawkner man, believed to be of Italian-origin. And he was charged with intentionally and recklessly causing injury. He was bailed to appear in Broad meadows Magistrates' Court on June 13. Rhiannon Norton a Detective Seniors Constable said that at this stage, he believes that the incident was isolated. There is nothing to suggest he is a danger to anyone else. "People should never be treated like this. This fellow is doing wonderful work for his parishioners and this is really blight on the great work that many, many Catholic priests are doing," Shane Healy a spokesperson for Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne said. Thamarassery diocese authorities said that Mathew will continue his role as priest at the church. He has been parish priest of the church since 2014.Mathew is from a Kalathoor family of Karuimbu in Anakkampoyil. He had served as a vicar at churches in Adakkakundu, Vettilappara, Kallurutti and Chundathumpoyil. NRI writes Exquisite poem dedicated to his parents AMandeep