Six Indian-origin students have made it to the 2024 Class of Distinguished New Americans and each of them has won the $90,000 fellowship grant for up to two years. Thus, they have entered the prestigious cohort of Paul & Daisy Soros Fellows, including Dr Vivek Murthy, the first US Surgeon General of Indian descent who played a crucial role in leading national response to epidemic outbreaks, and healthcare leader Nirav Shah who worked for US CDC.

Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship, since its establishment in 1998, has supported nearly 800 New Americans – immigrants and children of immigrants – for their educational pursuits in USA. As immigrants themselves, Paul and Daisy Soros believe in the transformative impact of a single opportunity for talented individuals seeking to fulfil their potential in the land of American Dream. Every year, the merit-based graduate school program provides $90,000 fellowship grants to 30 students of various ethnic origins, with ‘potential to make meaningful contributions to the United States.’

PC: Pdsoros.org

Akshay Swaminathan from New Jersey

The $90,000 fellowship grant will support Akshay Swaminathan’s Ph.D. studies in biomedical data science at Stanford University. He has developed several data-driven tools, including a suicide detection system. The budding data scientist has published 40 research papers and co-authored a book on applying quantitative methods to address healthcare-related issues. He has also built a primary care clinic in Bolivia. His current research focuses on the role of AI in healthcare.

Being a language instructor and author, Akshay Swaminathan founded ‘Start Speaking’ platform to help language learners. He led ESL programs for Chinese immigrants and published 5 textbooks. He founded ‘Start Speaking’ platform to help language learners. As a future physician, he aims to bolster the healthcare system in marginalized regions. The third-generation Indian American born in a Tamil family practices Carnatic music as a way of nurturing his cultural roots.

Shubhayu Bhattacharya from Los Angeles

Kolkata-born Shubhayu Bhattacharya noticed common healthcare challenges in his community across India and California. Deeper research and a quest for solutions led him to found a startup, Auditus Technologies, to roll out hearing devices for adults suffering from dementia. He was pursuing a double degree in biomedical engineering and applied mathematics and statistics from Hopkins University at the time.

Later, he invented the first computational bedside system to monitor and classify motor functions in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. His Ph.D. thesis on AI methods for effective TBI treatment was published in leading health journals, and he was invited to deliver a keynote at international conferences. An MD student at Harvard, Shubhayu wants to become a physician-engineer in neurocritical or neurosurgical care. He aims to harness big data to improve the effectiveness & accessibility of brain injury care.

Malavika Kannan from Pennsylvania

One of the $90,0000 Paul & Daisy Soros fellowship winners in 2024, Malavika Kannan will fund her Master’s program in Fine Arts (Fiction) with the grant. Currently a senior at Stanford University, Malavika is a published author of ‘All the Yellow Suns’, a coming-of-age novel narrating the emotional journey of a queer Indian American girl as she explores her identity, engages in activism, and finds love. Her fictional pieces surrounding the themes of identity, culture and politics have been published in The Washington Post, Teen Vogue, Refinery29, and The San Francisco Chronicle. She aspires to be a novelist and a professor of literature.

Keerthana Hogirala from Chicago

Keerthana’s family moved to the US from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh when was 6. Her family endured a prolonged period of uncertainty during the wait for naturalization. The experience motivated Keerthana to make the most of the opportunity available to her amid the green card backlog. After graduating in neuroscience, she became a special education teacher at DC Public Schools.

She was instrumental in leading DC schools’ response to COVID-19 pandemic. She gradually overhauled operations with her innovative approaches. Her subsequent role as chief of staff put her in charge of the DC schools’ multi-year digital transformation initiative. She earned a full-tuition merit scholarship for MBA and 90% tuition merit scholarship for MPP. Keerthana is now pursuing an MBA and MPP dual degree at the University of Chicago. Her future goal is to address pressing public needs and drive social development in underprivileged communities.

Ananya Agustin Malhotra from Georgia

Ananya Agustin Malhotra of Indian and Filipino descent developed a deep interest in global history and international relations owing to her multiethnic background. She graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University. She was a Rhodes Scholar while pursuing an MPhil in modern European history at Oxford University. Ananya actively advocates for women rights as well as peaceful foreign policies with focus on nuclear disarmament and risk reduction.

She has authored/co-authored several policy briefs. Her research papers, writings on world history, international law and order, security, peace and other works were published in popular media such as Global histories, American Oxonian, and Oxford Review of Books. She has effectively collaborated with her alma matter – Princeton University – on projects of science and global security. She is currently enrolled in the Juris Doctor Program at Yale University.

Aayush Karan from Wisconsin

A summa cum laude graduate pursuing Ph.D. in Quantum Science and Engineering at Harvard University, Aayush Karan has been exceptional at academics since childhood. His research skills are remarkable too. From his high school research in low-dimensional topology to undergraduate research involving application of mathematical concepts to solve scientific problems, his work earned him several rewards, including Davidson fellowship and Barry Goldwater Scholarship.

Aayush inherited his passion for scientific research from his parents, who moved to USA from India for advanced research in cancer biology. In future, he aims to contribute towards safe and effective utilization of AI technology. If not research, he immerses himself in creative pursuits, exploring various mediums of storytelling, from music to writing.

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PC: IndianEagle.com

Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers are entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and if they do not accept alternative travel arrangement or travel credits/vouchers offered. As defined by the DOT rule for airlines, “significant changes” to a flight include departure or arrival delays beyond 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally.

DOT considers departures or arrivals from a different airport than the actual one booked by the passengers as significant changes to a flight. An increase in the number of connections (for instance, changing an itinerary from a one-stop flight to a two-stop flight) is also defined as a significant change to flights. If airlines modify an itinerary to provide connection(s) at different airports than the ones specified in the itinerary at the time of booking, passengers can refuse this significant change and request a cash refund.

A downgrade to the passenger’s ticketed class of travel, to say from business class to premium economy or standard economy, comes under “significant changes” to a flight, according to DOT. A change of planes, which makes a flight(s) “less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability” is also a significant change, and therefore, a must consideration for a refund against cancelation.

Significantly delayed baggage return: The DOT rule for automatic cash refunds enables passengers to claim a refund of their checked bag fee if they don’t get the checked baggage within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, and 15-30 hours of their international arrival, depending on the length of the flight.

Extra services not provided: The Department of Transportation requires airlines to refund the fee that a passenger pays for Wi-Fi, seat selection, or any other extra service – if they fail to provide the paid service.

DOT underlines a standard refund policy for airlines   

A standard refund policy for airlines operating to, from and through the United States is the other principal objective of the DOT final rule. DOT standardizes the refund process for airlines – which was otherwise cumbersome and full of hiccups such as making a formal refund request, filling out extra digital paperwork, waiting for hours on the phone. Below are the refund norms that airlines are directed to comply with:

Automatic: Airlines must automatically credit refund amounts without passengers having to explicitly request a refund in case of flight cancelation.

Prompt: Airlines must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due to credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.

Cash or original form of payment: Refund amounts must be credited to passengers in cash or whatever original payment method they used to book flight tickets, like credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not enforce vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger gives his/her explicit consent to accept alternative compensation.

Full amount: Airlines must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used (partially used tickets). “The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines,” said DOT.

DOT’s final rule directs airlines to quickly communicate to passengers about their right to a refund of the ticket and extra service fees, as well as any related policies in the event of flight cancelation.

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Happiness is flying higher at the lowest fares! We are thrilled to announce that Air India, one of our airline partners, has rolled out discounted economy fares for select flights from USA to India. The fares starting as low as $374.50 are simply unbeatable and unmissable for a limited period through 30 April 2024. Hurry to buy your cheapest Air India tickets from IndianEagle.com, a highly trusted travel-booking partner of Indians in America.

The discounted fares are available only for one-way travel until 20 May 2024, from New York JFK and Newark EWR airports to major destinations in India, such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram. If Chicago is your origin of travel, you can fly only to New Delhi and Mumbai at the lowest airfare starting from $399.50. The sale is also available for Air India flights to Vadodara in Gujarat, and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh only from Newark Liberty International Airport.

Air India Fare Sale: Important details

• Booking period through 30 April
• Travel period through 20 May
• Booking available on IndianEagle.com
• Fare deals are subject to seat availability
• Travel should start from JFK, EWR, ORD airports

Those in Pennsylvania can save as much as $400 on Air India tickets per person if they choose NY JFK or Newark EWR as their origin of travel to India rather than booking a one-stop itinerary from Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. The current lowest fare from Philadelphia to New Delhi starts at $753 for flights scheduled through May 2024 – which is nearly $400 more than Air India’s current promotional fare starting at $374.50.

What is the right time to travel to India from USA? When it comes to traveling back home, any time of the year is the best time. However, the right time is when you get to save BIG on airfares, skip long airport queues, and travel comfortably. The current Air India flight sale through IndianEagle.com makes it the ideal time for you to plan your trip to India from Chicago, New Jersey, and New York before the summer travel season peaks up.

The post Air India Flights Sale: Book Your Travel from USA to India at Fares Starting as Low as $375 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Indian staples like idli, dosa, samosa and chaat have already won over the hearts and palates of Americans as evident from Chai Paani in North Carolina, which was named the States’ most outstanding restaurant in 2022. The new ambassador of Indian street food to have journeyed from the bustling markets of Delhi to America’s busiest thoroughfares is Momos with desi flavors that have enthralled the tastebuds, both American and Indian, equally.

Catering platefuls of momos, dim sums, and dumplings is Fomo Momo Food Truck, a ‘passion’ project by two Indian tech professionals living their American Dream thousands of miles away from home. Driven by nostalgia and longing for authentic Indian momos, Ankita Nagpal and Impreet Sodhi teamed up to enrich the cosmopolitan food scene of northeast USA with Indianized versions of Tibetan dumplings. Their food truck stands out amidst the brick-and-mortar retail stores for its vibrant pink flamboyance in Central Avenue – one of the bustling shopping districts in Jersey City, NJ.

PC: Fomomousa | Instagram

Unlike Shama Joshi who gave up her Microsoft career to become a food entrepreneur in Seattle, the owners of Fomo Momo Food Truck did not make any such sacrifice yet. They juggle both their full-time jobs and the evening food truck with equal dedication and attention to details. After wrapping up their everyday office work, Ankita Nagpal and Impreet Sodhi get into their ‘chef’ avatars swiftly for a beeline of buzzing foodies waiting to grab bites of ‘FOMO’ momos. As they engage with customers and take their feedback personally, they often lose track of the hours until it’s time to call it a day.

Fomo Momo Food Truck in Jersey City has a well-curated menu for ethnically diverse palates, ranging from spice-loving Indians to spice-sensitive Americans. It features a variety of flavors in steamed and fried versions for veg and non-veg lovers. Ankita and Impreet attribute the success of their joint venture to the versatility and adaptability of Indian street food. Bites of chicken Manchurian momos won’t let you crave chili chicken. Their Schezwan momos fulfil your longing for flavorful Mumbai bhel or jhalmuri of Kolkata. Tandoori momos, among their bestsellers, make a perfect alternative to tandoori chicken.

You name a flavor, they have it. Be it buttery makhani, Afghani, or smoky tandoori momos, they serve it with rich sauces. The familiar sense of contentment they see on the faces of their Indian customers evokes memories of their own younger selves devouring Indian momos in the streets of Delhi.

It was what Ankita and Impreet dearly missed, after moving to the US. It was what unsettled them though they were happily settled in their pursuit of American Dream, until their paths crossed at a social gathering. Their husbands are college friends. They forged a bond over their mutual love and longing for authentic Indian food (especially momos), which strengthened from friendship to business partnership. They hatched a plan to hit the streets of New Jersey and New York with a food truck at their first meeting itself.

From the very beginning, their shared vision was clear – to recreate Delhi’s vibrant street food scene in the heart of New Jersey. For Ankita Nagpal and Impreet Sodhi, Fomo Momo Food Truck is not just an entrepreneurial venture but also a means to nurture their umbilical cord with their roots and celebrate their home country’s culinary diversity. Evidently, it was not a piece of cake. Full-time IT jobs and everyday family duties did not subdue their appetite, passion, and commitment. They started experimentation using various spices and herbs to create the right balance of flavors and sought feedback from friends.

Once the recipes were honed to perfection, they put in marketing efforts, such as distributing complimentary samples from door to door, creating educative content on the subtle difference between momos and dim sums, and inviting prospective customers to take part in various activities, and engaging them with the titbits of India’s street food culture. In 2021, they started with an Indian street food stall at Smorgasburg Food Festival in NJ. Foodies from different communities started taking a fancy to their fusion momos with flavorful fillings.

The overwhelming response there encouraged them to make it to Smorgasburg Food Festival in New York, where their momos and dim sums found the same outpouring of love. Thus, what started as a food stall became a thriving business venture on bigger wheels. The transition was the hardest, yet the most rewarding journey for the techie duo. Though located in Central Avenue, Fomo Momo Food Truck with a live kitchen, travels to hotspots across New Jersey and New York. You may spot them also at Smorgasburg World Trade Centre, a popular outdoor food market in the Big Apple.

The techies – Ankita Nagpal and Impreet Sodhi – are good at branding too. They coined the name ‘Fomo Momo’ drawing upon the fear of missing out on succulent, delectable momos with fusion flavors. The mascot of their business is a modern Indian woman exuding a cool demeanor in a traditional attire and raising her left eyebrow to invite you for an unforgettable indulgence. The food truck with a vibrant pink look is easily identifiable at popular hotspots teeming with the locals.

This exclusive story is part of the series, Indian Life in America, by Indian Eagle, a most trusted travel-booking partner of Indian Diaspora in the USA. Subscribe to Travel Beats, a thriving community portal by Indian Eagle, for overseas Indian community stories, US-India travel news, visa and immigration updates.

The post Techies by Day, Chefs by Night: Two Indian Women Serve Flavors of India at Fomo Momo Food Truck in USA appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Electronic gadgets are so much into our daily lives that we don’t budge an inch without a mobile phone or a laptop. When it comes to traveling from USA to India, we pack a small carry-on bag of nifty electronic items for personal use or/and gifting to our dear ones. Not knowing Indian government’s duty-free limit, customs rules and documentation for electronic imports from abroad will cost you a hefty amount, thereby adding to your total travel expenses.

No point in saving $50-$100 on flight tickets to India from USA if you end up paying dollars to Indian Customs officers for carrying electronics beyond the duty-free limit. Our guide on USA to India travel with electronic devices comes in handy to familiarize you with the customs duty obligations and exemptions governing your arrival with non-commercial electronic imports. Bookmark and share this guide for a seamless arrival experience in India.

What is the duty free limit for carrying electronics to India from USA?

India’s duty-free allowance for personal electronic items depends on various factors including your age and duration of stay abroad. If you are above 18 years and have stayed in the US or any other foreign country for more than 3 days, you are eligible for the duty free allowance on the value of your electronic items up to INR 50,000. The allowance covers electronic devices like smart phones, laptops, tablets, cameras, and other gadgets.

PC: IndianEagle.com

What is India’s customs duty on electronic items from abroad?

India levies a customs duty of 35% plus social surcharge of 3.5% on electronic items from USA or any other country, exceeding the duty-free allowance mentioned above.

Can I carry two laptops to India without paying customs duty? 

You can bring only one laptop under Indian Customs’ duty-free allowance, as per the rules of carrying electronic items from USA to India. Carrying a second laptop for personal use may not be an issue if it is not a new one. To verify this, customs officers may ask for the original purchase receipts and need you to open the laptop. If duty-free allowance does not apply to your second laptop for personal use, you can claim a concession citing the laptop’s age. However, it is compulsory to declare an extra laptop to customs officers. If the second laptop is new and boxed, it incurs standard custom duty on arrival in India.

I am traveling with two laptops, one purchased in India and the other in USA. Do I have to pay customs duty?

If you can prove that your laptop was purchased in India by providing a valid document like purchase bill or invoice, your old laptop will be automatically exempt from duty. And if the value of the laptop you bought in USA doesn’t exceed India’s duty-free limit, you are not required to pay import duty. Just like in the case of traveling with gold, you can declare your personal electronic items and get an export certificate from the customs desk before traveling to USA. Arrival in India with your same electronic devices becomes easy with the export certificate.

Can I carry two mobile phones on flights from USA to India? 

In current times of social media, online shopping, OTT entertainment and multitasking, having two mobile phones is not a surprise even to Indian customs officials. Though the customs rules for inbound travelers carrying electronics to India from abroad do not allow more than one phone per person, you are safe as long as the total value of two phones is within the duty-free allowance. If you carry a new phone (in a sealed box) other than your personal mobile device in use, you have to declare it, show the purchase receipt and state the purpose, such as gifting.

If you travel to India from USA with two new iPhones (total value exceeding INR 50,000), it will incur customs duty.

How many watches can I carry to India from USA?

Wristwatches are common electronic items in carry-on bags of Indians flying to India from USA. Undeniably, the US is home to several luxury watch brands. You can carry 2-3 watches without any issue; watches are not subject to customs duty in India if they are for personal use and if their value does not exceed the duty-free allowance. On carrying more (commercial quantity), especially luxury watches, you have to face customs officials and pay taxes.

How many electronic devices can I bring from USA to India? Do I have to declare all my electronic items on arrival? 

Usually, you can carry one laptop, one tablet and one mobile phone without any hassle when traveling from USA to India. You are not required to fill a customs declaration form if the value of your personal gadgets is within the duty-free limit. And if you are carrying dutiable items or more electronic devices than what is allowed, you must sign the declaration form and opt for the red channel for customs clearance (You can head to the green channel only when you don’t possess any dutiable items or have no electronics in excess to declare. If found otherwise, your electronic imports may be detained by customs officials).

India’s ATITHI app facilitates advance currency/customs declaration even before you board the flight to India.

The post What Electronic Items Can I Carry to India from USA and How Many without Customs Duty? A Complete Guide appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Srinivas Pallia from New Jersey is appointed as the global CEO and MD of Wipro, a leading IT behemoth operating in 66 countries directly and indirectly. His taking over the role from Thierry Delaporte inflated the cohort of Indian-origin CEOs worldwide. The second quarter of 2024 has just started, and the world is surprised to see the third Indian-origin tech leader having ascended the hot seat in the C-suite of a conglomerate, after Dhivya Suryadevara and Sridhar Ramaswamy.

PC: Wipro | LinkedIn

Wipro CEO Srinivas Pallia’s journey is similar to that of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Both the CEOs had started their journey in the same year 1992. Microsoft hired Nadella as a young engineer and Pallia joined Wipro as a product manager back then. Srinivas Pallia, a fresh graduate from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in 1992, walked into Wipro headquarters, Bengaluru with his appointment letter, confidence, and ambitions but without knowing that he would lead the global enterprise and its more than 2,50,000 employees 32 years down the lane from then.

Satya Nadella’s career advice, “Don’t wait for your next job to do your best work”, holds true for Srinivas Pallia’s 32-year illustrious career spanning various leadership roles at Wipro, from India to America. His unwavering loyalty to Wipro, a surprise to Millennials and Gen Z, is reflective of what Satya Nadella said in an interview with CNBC, “Instead of viewing your current job as an obstacle to achieving your career goals, look at it as an opportunity to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment to work, as well as your willingness to learn.”

Srinivas Pallia held eight leadership roles and left an imprint of his singularity in each role before he took the reins of Wipro as its CEO and MD. His “strong track record of leadership through some of the most significant technological shifts the industry has seen” culminated at the topmost echelon of the company. In his new role, he will continue to be posted in New Jersey where he was serving as the CEO of Americas 1, one of Wipro’s four strategic market units. Prior to New Jersey, he spent 8 years in Minneapolis as the General Manager of Central Operations and then as the Vice President of Enterprise Business in the US.

In 2008, Business Today magazine featured Mr Pallia among India’s 25 Hottest Young Business Executives. He is a fitness freak. A pair of running shoes is the one of the few things that he packs into his bag whenever he books business flights to India and other destinations. “I have got to get my daily dose of exercise and I have been known to go for a workout as late as 11 pm,” he told Business Today.

A member of the Wipro Executive Board, Srinivas Pallia believes that upskilling is a stepping stone to every milestone in life. When ‘upskilling’ was in not anyone’s dictionary, he added an advanced leadership program certificate from Canada’s McGill University to his portfolio in 2006. He pursued a global business, strategy and leadership program from Harvard Business School in 2019.

Mr. Pallia, an avid hiker who loves challenges, wore the hat of CEO when Wipro is having a bumpy ride across leadership transition, senior-level talent attrition, low employee morale, business underperformance, inflationary pressures, economic uncertainty in certain geographies, etc., according to industry analysts. As he assumed office as MD and CEO of Wipro, he has immediately been tasked with energizing the workforce, regaining stakeholders’ confidence, aligning their goals to the company’s mission & vision, boosting revenues, and likes.

The post Wipro’s New Global CEO is Srinivas Pallia in New Jersey: Interesting Facts about His Journey from Product Manager appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

PC: USCIS

The nonagenarian, who would turn 100 in 2025, has divided Green Card applicants from India into two groups – the hopefuls and the cynics – over her naturalization that took place in Orlando, Florida. The hopefuls celebrated Daibai’s newly attained US citizenship and called it a ray of hope amid the challenges of America’s outdated immigration system. They found her journey to citizenship inspiring for those on the verge of losing hopes even for legal permanent residency in the land of American Dream.

The news of Daibai having become a US citizen before she hit a century has driven google searches, ‘What is the maximum age for naturalization?’, ‘What is the current Green Card wait time for H1B visa holders from India?’ The cynics opined that her stars aligned to make her a US citizen, while the 134-year Green Card backlog is like a life sentence to nearly 11,00,000 Indians. They are happy for her; on the other hand, they are afraid whether many H1B visa professionals would be able to live as long as 100 years or more for a Green Card.

“I hope to become an American citizen before turning 99,” wrote an individual in response to the news of Daibai on X, calling for pressing reforms in the US immigration policy that seems to perpetuate the unprecedented wait times for Indians. Another individual wrote that like the 99-year-old Indian woman, he would be headlined for taking the Oath of Allegiance with senile bones, withered cheeks, drooping shoulders, unstable feet, and a toothless smile after 75 years from now. “I don’t want to die within months of receiving the citizenship. Rather, I would like to taste the fruit of my efforts to become a US citizen,” wrote one of the individuals.

“Not many immigrants know that the civic test for US Citizenship comes a lot easier for senior citizens aged 65 years or more. If they have resided in the US as permanent residents for at least 20 years, they are eligible an easier and simpler version of the civic test for naturalization. What is more interesting is that they can take the test in their native language,” said Sourav Agarwal, the Editor of Travel Beats, a leading community portal for Indians in America.

The post 99-year-old Great Grandmother from India Gets American Citizenship This Week appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

After months of having weighed up the prospects of Bengaluru and Hyderabad as a new hub for international operations out of South India, Air India decided to bet on Kempegowda BLR Airport. As a significant milestone in its transformation journey to becoming a world-class airline, Air India announced strategic plans to make Bengaluru Airport its second hub in the country. Its collaboration with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) will not only make Bengaluru a primary gateway to South India, but also make the airport a connecting hub for international departures and arrivals.

PC: Indian Eagle

This move will give an impetus to Air India’s network expansion plans for the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The principal objective of developing Kempegowda BLR Airport into a premier hub is to increase long-haul air connectivity to and from South India over the next 5 years, other than high operational efficiency and elevated passenger experience. The hub-and-spike model that the new Air India hub would be based on will facilitate international departures out of Bengaluru for passengers from the southern parts of India, as well as domestic connections for international arrivals at Bangalore International Airport.

“The South Indian Diaspora in America, for instance, have been vocal about their wish for direct connectivity from Dallas to Hyderabad, Boston to Chennai, Atlanta to Kochi, Seattle to Bengaluru, and Chicago to Hyderabad. The upcoming Bangalore hub of Air India would help fulfil the wish, as flying NRIs to and from their home towns across South India via Bengaluru’s Kempegowda Airport seems more feasible than via the overcrowded New Delhi Airport which see hundreds of flight delays and cancellations due to intense fog during winter every year,” said Sourav Agarwal, the Editor of Travel Beats.

“The success of Air India’s SFO to Bengaluru service may have been a driver for Tata Group’s decision to set up a south Indian hub,” said the chief travel advisor of Indian Eagle, a leading air-ticketing partner of Air India. Evidently, the Tata Group of airlines including Air Vistara and Air India Express, is looking to capitalize on the high passenger load factor for Bengaluru by strengthening their presence at the award-winning Garden Terminal of Bangalore Int. Airport. “The airline-airport synergy is key to harness the untapped growth potential of this sector, according to Air India CEO & MD Campbell Wilson.

Moreover, a dedicated lounge for premium passengers of Air India and Air Vistara would be set up as part of the Tata Group of airlines’ upcoming hub at BLR Airport. The proposed lounge would be located in Garden Terminal (T2) that UNESCO has recognized as one of the most beautiful facilities in global aviation.

Do you think that Air India’s upcoming Bengaluru hub will help decongest New Delhi Airport and save you from the hassles of connecting through the busiest Indian airport? Share your view in the comment section below and subscribe to our monthly newsletter for latest updates that could impact your travel to/from India.

The post Air India’s New Hub at Bengaluru Airport to Open More International Routes to South India over Next 5 Years appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

In the latest development, Turkish Airlines is launching service to Denver, Colorado in June this year. The first and only Middle East carrier to be operating one-stop flights from Denver to India and other countries, Turkish Airlines will compete with Lufthansa and British Airways, the biggest operators of international travel to Colorado. Both airlines offer their best deals for Denver to Delhi, Denver to Hyderabad, Denver to Bengaluru, and Denver to Mumbai flights through IndianEagle.com, a leading air-ticketing partner of Indians in America.

Turkish Airlines flights between Denver and Istanbul will offer further connections to New Delhi and Mumbai. Initially, Denver to Istanbul flights (TK202) will be operated three times a week; the frequency will become 4x weekly with effect from 14 July, 2024. In one month of the service starting on 11 June, the TK202 schedule will comprise Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. It will give Indians of Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Arizona flexibility to plan their trips to India from Denver International Airport via Istanbul.

The greatest advantage of flying Turkish Airlines is transit via Istanbul, one of the best hub airports with free stopovers. Travelers having a significant layover in Istanbul can go for a free Istanbul tour or stopover. Check out our exclusive guide on the Istanbul Stopover Program offered by Turkish Airlines. Generous check-in baggage allowance (2 bags) is another advantage of booking Turkish flights over flying Lufthansa with one check-in bag.

Reportedly, Turkish Airlines will be operating Denver flights with an Airbus A350-900, one of the best aircraft in the fleet of major airlines including Air India, Lufthansa, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines. A350-900 is a widebody, long-range passenger aircraft with a cozy economy travel class and a luxurious cabin for business class travel.

The post Turkish Airlines Adds Denver to Its USA-India Network for One-stop Flights via Istanbul appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Ek cup cha (a cup of tea) is the elixir of life, especially in Kolkata. Serving tea with a couple of Britannia biscuits to guests in households is unique to the culture of Kolkata. Discussing and debating the current state of affairs, from politics to economy, while sipping garam cha (hot tea) at a tea stall is a morning ritual in the City of Joy. Tea is a must-have stimulant accompanying a big bowl of jhalmuri with tele bhaja (fritters) at any adda, a get-together of friends or family members, in the City of Rabindranath Tagore.

Picture Credit: Kolkata Chai Co

Having grown discontented with the westernized versions of tea in the USA, Ani and Ayan Sanyal – an Indian American sibling duo – have been brewing desi chai for thousands of Indians in and outside New York since 2018. Chai is one of the few things that have filled in the void between their life in America and the life they lived in India during their vacations. Ayan and Ani Sanyal in their thirties, established Kolkata Chai Co, an authentic Indian tea brand in New York, out of their love for Kolkata, respect for the native tradition, cravings for cha and, most importantly, nostalgia.

The genesis of the Sanyal brothers’ Kolkata Chai Co began with their trips to India. Right from the booking of flight tickets to Kolkata from USA for vacations, their tastebuds would long for the flavor of roadside tea stalls and street food that the City of Joy is known for. Their excitement would culminate in a visit to their parents’ favorite tea stalls during every trip to Kolkata. The visit is as holy as that to College Street, Coffee House, Nandan, and the Victoria Memorial for art and culture buffs. Hardly does any American tea brand have the flavor and aroma of chai brewed by even traditional stalls in Kolkata’s lanes and alleys.

After their return from one such enlightening trip to the City of Joy in 2017, Ani and Anil started brewing their thoughts and cooking up business plans to make their dream of making America sip authentic desi chai come true. An overwhelming response to the pilot testing of desi chai in farmers markets and culinary workshops gave them green signal to launch Kolkata Chai Co in 2019. Today, Kolkata Chai Café is a landmark on the lower side of Manhattan and a must stop for Indian tea lovers.

Just when the business started toddling, the pandemic shut the café down. Inarguably, opening a business is a capital-intensive process in a city like New York. On top of that, the pandemic made it a lot more difficult to make the business stand as public life came to a standstill in the Big Apple (rather across the globe). They started delivering chai door to door across the city in between two waves of the pandemic. They also came up with Chai Mix and began to ship it across the country. Chai Mix, a signature packaged product with different flavors including the one made with “organic Assam tea leaves and premium spices”, sells like hot cakes.

“Tea being the mainstay of Kolkata Chai Café, the menu has Masala Chai, Kesar Chai, Ginger Chai, Iced Chai, Oatmilk Chai, Filter Coffee, Cardamom Coffee, and Assam Milk Chai. Masala Limca, Turmeric Latte (haldi doodh), and Almond Milk are among the seasonal specials on the menu. Be it the Sanyal brothers’ café in NYC or a humble tea stall in India, chai and samosa make a perfect Indian couple. Therefore, the menu features samosa with mint and tamarind chutney. With egg rolls on the menu, the sibling duo brought a slice of Kolkata’s street food culture to New York. Egg rolls dominate the mood of evening outings in Bengal. However, I am surprised to see jhal muri missing from the menu of Kolkata Chai Café in New York,” said Sourav Agarwal, the Editor of Travel Beats, a leading community portal for Indians in America.

Kolkata Chai Café in New York City is one of the best hangouts for Indians living in or visiting the United States. This exclusive story is part of the new series – Life in America – by Indian Eagle that hundreds of thousands of Indians in USA have chosen as their reliable travel-booking partner. Subscribe to Travel Beats, a subsidiary of Indian Eagle, for community stories, US-India travel news, visa and immigration updates.

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