In October 2021, the US will crown the nation’s best young scientist among the top 10 finalists, including seven Indian Americans, for the Discovery 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Among thousands of promising innovators and inventors with a problem-solving attitude, only the best ten budding scientists make it to the grand finale of America’s premier middle school science competition. While vying for America’s Top Young Scientist title, the finalists demonstrate the transformative power of STEM and their commitment to solving everyday issues.

The 10 finalists for the Discovery 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2021 include seven Indian American teens: Veda Murthy of Virginia, Snigtha Mohanraj of Connecticut, Samarth Mahapatra of Georgia, Abhinav Anne of Illinois, Moitri Santra of Florida, Aadrit Talukdar and Viraj Pandey of California. The winner of America’s Top Young Scientist 2021 title will be awarded a scholarship of $25,000.

Veda Murthy, Virginia 

The Discovery 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2021 finalists of Indian origin include 13-year-old Veda Murthy from Fairfax, Virginia. Driven by her curiosity to find out how children with autism spectrum disorder cope with communication difficulties during online learning, Veda Murthy developed the Cognitive Emotion Interpretation Application (CEIA). The application helps teachers interpret the emotions of ASD children and teach them accordingly. She aspires to be an epidemiologist as epidemiologists are the first to predict the outbreak of major pandemics. Artificial Intelligence is her favorite invention of the past 100 years, because AI technology has a wide range of applications in the medical field.

Aadrit Talukdar, California

13-year-old Aadrit Talukdar of San Jose, California is one of the seven Indian-origin finalists in the race for America’s ‘Top Young Scientist of 2021’ title. 7^th grader Aadrit has developed a scalable and reusable shipping box to reduce or eliminate the use of oversized boxes and excess packing materials for e-commerce shipments. Since the outbreak of the pandemic early in 2020, the online retail shopping volume has grown manifold, thereby increasing the waste of packing materials. Aadrit Talukdar’s scalable and reusable shipping box will help save environment by reducing the waste of materials. He aspires to be a good person and a responsible citizen over anything.

Snigtha Mohanraj, Connecticut

Indian American Snigtha Mohanraj of Connecticut is vying for a grand prize of $25,000 and the America’s ‘Top Young Scientist 2021’ title. Her discovery of Ferro-Sponge, an innovative way to remove micro plastics and oil from contaminated water, got her on the list of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2021 finalists. She will develop her discovery into a concrete solution to the increasing micro-plastic contamination of drinking water in different parts of the world. Snigtha Mohanraj, an 8^th grader, aspires to be an environmental scientist and hopes to make the planet a better place.

Samarth Mahapatra, Georgia 

Georgia’s Samarth Mahapatra is one of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2021 finalists for her unique idea of using technology to make life easy for people with vision impairments. Her idea entails the use of edge computing and advance vision algorithms to help visually impaired people cook with ease. A resident of Marietta, Samarth Mahapatra aspires to be a computational biologist or data scientist and make the most of machine learning in the field of bioscience. Her favorite invention of the past 100 years is CRISPR, a technology that can alter genetic traits in humans, animals, and plants.

Abhinav Anne, Illinois

The Indian community of Illinois has pinned its hopes on 13-year-old Abhinav Anne for bringing the America’s ‘Top Young Scientist 2021’ title home. A resident of Plainfield, he has developed a novel way to extend the safety and shelf-life of blood products with Nitric Oxide producing Polyurethane bag. In the next 15 years, Abhinav wants to become a biomedicine scientist and a climate change researcher. He intends to invent new cures for AIDS and Leukemia through extensive research on stem cell transplant, gene editing and immune modulation. Studying greenhouse effects to mitigate harmful implications of climate change is one of his goals.

Moitri Santra, Florida

11-year-old Moitri Santra from Florida is the youngest of all Indian American finalists for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2021. Her entry to the national science contest is a novel optimized gel composed of Chitosan and Citric acid to induce algae coagulation and settlement in Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) effected bodies of water to reduce the suffocation and death of animal life. Modern telescope that helps to observe celestial objects in deep recesses of the universe is her favorite invention of the past 100 years. Moitri is a 7^th grader at Jackson Heights Middle School.

Viraj Pandey, California

12-year-old Viraj Pandey from California is going to the finals of the Discovery 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2021. A resident of San Jose, Viraj developed the idea of applying non-toxic graphene quantum dots (GDQs) to help track the location of endangered species and prevent the poaching of animals. He is also investigating the Photoluminescence Signature of Graphene Quantum Dots in conservation of natural habitats. It is non-intrusive and scalable. He aspires to be a scientist and unravel the mysteries that exist in nature.

This story is part of Travel Beats’ continued effort to promote achievements of young Indians in the US. Travel Beats, a leading community portal for Indians in America, is a subsidiary of the most trusted travel-booking portal, IndianEagle.com. Sign up to our newsletter for the latest air travel updates, community stories, US visa and immigration news.

The post 7 Indian American Teens among Ten Finalists for America’s Top Young Scientist Title 2021 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

“If you’re 25 years old or younger, you have never felt this cold before,” said CNN meteorologist Tom Sater with regards to the blood-chilling ‘snow’ effects of Winter Storm Jayden, which is spreading into the Northeast and the South from the Midwest of the United States. 75% of the continental US population, which is equal to some 220 million people, will have to grapple with below-the-freezing-point temperatures through this week.

The news about the harsh impact of Winter Storm Jayden is being reported from all quarters; the worst being the reporting of two deaths from the chilling onslaughts of the storm – one death in Minnesota and the other in Illinois. The Midwest US states, including parts of Colorado, Michigan and Wisconsin have been breathing under more than 10 inches of snow from the storm Jayden. Parts of Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa and North Dakota have already received 6 inches of snow.

Picture Credit: RICH HEIN at USA Today

So grim is the forecasting about Winter Storm Jayden that parts of the United States, which are used to endure the biting cold weather, are thrown out of the gear to prepare for the worst. The temperature plummeting far below the freezing point has led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights to and from the Midwest US airports, including Denver International Airport. Shutdown is the fate of schools in the Midwest, including Minnesota at the mercy of Jayden.

The cancellation of 3500 flights in total, from Monday to Wednesday (tomorrow) has caused travel havoc. Flights to and from Chicago’s Midway International Airport, a major hub for Southwest Airlines have been cancelled. Airlines called off about 160 flights to and from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Leading air ticketing agencies in the US, including IndianEagle.com have been receiving an influx of calls for flight cancellation or rescheduling.

Winter Storm Jayden is predicted to break most of the previous records of devastating cold weather across the Midwest and Great Lakes. From Tuesday to Thursday this week, Midwest and Great Lakes will be experiencing a plunge in temperatures to 20-40 degrees below zero. Wind chill may further reduce the temperature to 35-60 degree below the freezing point.

“But the deep freeze is just the first half of the story,” CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen said. North Dakota and South Dakota in the Midwest USA are facing ‘blizzard conditions’ which has made traveling not only impossible but precarious. Mississippi and Alabama are likely to come within the ambit of Winter Storm Jayden.

Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker has issued an alert about “potentially historic winter storm that will bring extreme cold to the state,” according to a CNN report. He has already prepared an emergency plan for the residents and the state agencies. The people of Illinois have been issued a directive to protect themselves from frostbite and hypothermia in the wake of Winter Storm Jayden. They are advised to use warming centers in case of snow emergencies.

Winter Storm Jayden continues to keep the Great Lake Regions alert. In the south of the US, winter storm warnings have been extended from Georgia to West Virginia to Kentucky. An advisory about the biting cold winter weather has been issued for North Carolina and Tennessee. In the north, New England, upstate New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia are not exempt to the winter storm warnings and watches.

Winter Storm Jayden is likely to dump the greatest amounts of snow across the Northeast, from upstate New York to interior parts of New England, including Boston. The Midwest will be felt colder than Antarctica, and Alaska will be warmer than the shivering Midwest states this week, according to the National Weather Service.

The post Winter Storm Jayden to Make it Colder than Antarctica for 75% of US Population This Week appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

With Gita Gopinath having been appointed International Monetary Fund’s Chief Economist and Indra Nooyi being considered to lead World Bank as its president, more and more Indian Americans are emerging as policymakers and leaders in key areas from US politics to administration to judiciary. The recent appointment of few Indian Americans as county judges, and President Trump’s latest nomination of three Indian Americans to the Senate validate the fact that the Indian American community is collectively exerting ‘colossal’ power on US economy, politics and administration. On top of that, Hindu-American Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Indian-American Senator Kamala Devi Harris are all set to enter the 2020 Democratic Presidential primary contest.

We at Travel Beats, an Indian American community portal by Indian Eagle took a sneak peek into the profiles and agendas of the newly appointed and emerging Indian American policymakers and leaders.

Dr. Rita Baranwal, Aditya Bamzai, Ram Villivalam, Bimal Patel (left to right)

Dr. Rita Baranwal, Pennsylvania              

The US President Donald Trump’s latest nominations to the Senate for key positions include three Indian Americans: Rita Baranwal, Bimal Patel and Aditya Bamzai. A member of the American Nuclear Society, Dr. Rita Baranwal from Pittsburgh is a nominee for the post of assistant secretary of Nuclear Energy. If the Senate approves her nomination, she will be helming the office of Nuclear Energy in the United States, with a special focus on the department’s nuclear technology research and development. An MIT alumnus having a PhD degree in materials science and engineering from the University of Michigan, Dr. Rita Baranwal is the Director for the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative.

Aditya Bamzai, Virginia

Nominated to the Senate for the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, Aditya Bamzai from Virginia is a Professor at the University of Virginia’s School of Law. A Yale graduate, he teaches and writes about cybercrimes, national security law, civil procedure and federal courts at the University of Virginia’s School of Law. Earlier, he was appointed a law clerk to Judge Jeffrey Sutton at the US Court of Appeals and to Justice Antonin Scalia at the US Supreme Court. Indian American Aditya Bamzai has also worked in the Office of legal counsel and the National Security Division of the US Department of Justice. If confirmed by the Senate, he will serve the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board until January 29, 2020.

Bimal Patel, Georgia  

President Trump has nominated Indian American Bimal Patel from Georgia for the post of assistant secretary in the US Department of Treasury. An alumnus of Stanford University, Harvard University and Georgetown University Law Center, Bimal Patel currently serves as the deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury for the Financial Stability Oversight Council. Earlier, he worked as an adjunct associate professor at Stanford University and taught a banking regulation course to undergraduate students. He was also a senior advisor to Director Jeremiah O Norton at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Ram Villivalam, Illinois    

Indian American Ram Villivalam, a Democrat from Chicago has recently been sworn in as a member of the Illinois General Assembly in the state’s 8^th district. He took his oath on the Bhagavad Gita, and so did other Indian American legislators including Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. As per the priorities on his agenda for Illinois’ 8^th congressional district, Ram Villivalam is hell-bent on bringing legislation for gun violence prevention, women’s rights, progressive income tax, LGBTQ rights, and hike in minimum wage. Notably, he is looking forward to bringing progressive perspectives to the process of making decisions in the Illinois Senate for the 8^th district covering 21 neighborhoods in Chicago City.

Mona Das, Washington 

India-born Mona Das from the US state of Washington joined the league of Indian American female politicians by taking oath as a senator of the 47^th legislative district in the state. Mona Das whose ancestral home is in a suburban village at a short distance from Kolkata came to the US along with her parents just after eight months of her birth in Munger district of Bihar. A psychology graduate from the University of Cincinnati, Indian American Senator Mona Das will on the Senate Housing Stability and Affordability Committee, the Senate Transportation Committee, the Senate Financial Institutions, Economic Development and Trade Committee, and the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee.

In her capacity as a Washington State Senator, Mona Das will be advocating the causes related to gender equality for women, environment and minority communities. Her speech on the oath-taking day was eloquent with her love for India and its cultural heritage. She concluded her speech with ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai.’ Like most of Indian American female politicians, Mona Das believes that education is the key to girls’ success and bright future.

Vedica Puri, California  

Vedica Puri from San Francisco is among the few new Indian American faces in the administrative power of the USA. A native of Mumbai, 47-year-old Vedica Puri has been appointed a judge to the San Francisco County Superior Court. A graduate from Santa Clara University School of Law, Vedica Puri is the first Indian American judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court. Her areas of practice include dealing with emerging technology risks to universities and businesses in Silicon Valley. Indian American Vedica Puri is one of the partners at Pillsbury & Coleman LLP.

K. P. George, Texas

Of the new Indian Americans in administrative power, K. P. George has been sworn in to the judgeship of Fort Bend County in Texas. He succeeded Republican Robert Hebert, who designated the position for the past 15 years, and described his eventful journey from a South Indian farmhouse to Fort Bend County Judgeship an inspiring story of perseverance. ‘Never Give up’ was Indian American K. P. George’s message to those in attendance during his oath-taking ceremony.

The chief executive of Fort Bend County Texas, K. P. George promises an effective, efficient and engaging administration to involve youngsters and community members in various nation-building and development projects. He does also guarantee a revision of the emergency management policy as the destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 still sticks to the public memory.

Better county government transparency, higher levels of community engagement, more youth empowerment, the making of a flood control district, and meticulous emergency-handling plans are what he zeroed in on while campaigning for the judgeship of Fort Bend, the most diverse and 10^th most populous county in Texas. The Fort Bend County Judge is said to exert more power than Indian American mayors of cities in California and New Jersey.

Manjari Chawla, California  

Indian-origin judges in America include attorney Manjari Chawla from Jaipur, Rajasthan. She was the first Indian American to be appointed a hearing judge by the California Supreme Court in San Francisco, in October 2018. As a hearing judge of the State Bar Court, Majari Chawla presides over cases of violation of the State Bar Act and the Rules of Professional Conduct, involving attorneys in California. A member of the San Francisco Court Bar Association, Indian American Manjari Chawla is known for her expertise in fighting for justice to the Asian-origin people in the USA. An alumnus of Yale University, she will be serving the State Bar Court through October 2024.

The post Newly Appointed and Emerging Indian Americans to Play Key Roles in US Politics, Administration, Economy appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Today is the International Day of the Girl Child 2018. On this day, the ‘girl’ power is celebrated universally in different spheres of life. The way girls are transforming the landscape of innovation, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, discovery, automation and empowerment is remarkably amazing. We at Travel Beats, an overseas Indian community portal by Indian Eagle, have selected seven Indian American girls who deserve a special mention for their notable achievements, noble deeds and noteworthy inventions. Let’s celebrate the collective power of these girls of Indian origin on the International Day of the Girl 2018.

Angel More, Anuva Shandilya, Shreya Ramachandran, Mehaa Amirthalingam (from left to right)

Angel More, Award-winning Long Distance Swimmer

15-year-old Indian American Angel More from California deserves a mention on the International Day of the Girl Child 2018. A resident of San Carlos, Angel More is an award-winning long distance swimmer. Of late, she became the youngest swimmer to have successfully finished the California Triple Crown of marathon swimming: the Anacapa Channel (12 miles), the Catalina Channel (20 miles), and Lake Tahoe (21.3 miles). The mélange of her passion for swimming and her zest for philanthropy has resulted in the raising of funds for Children International, a Kansas City-based nonprofit that provides necessary resources for underprivileged children to learn and grow. The youngest swimmer to have covered a distance of 6 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, Angel More has leveraged her achievements to raise $40,000 so far. Her target is to raise $100,000 for Children International.

Anuva Shandilya, Founder of Chance for Sports Nonprofit

What Indian American Anuva Shandilya from Naperville, Illinois does for underprivileged children in India is to be celebrated on the International Day of the Gild Child 2018. A teenage runner, Anuva believes that sports are transformative experiences to make one confident and fearless. A high school senior at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Shandilya set up the nonprofit ‘Chance for Sports’ to provide needy children in developing countries like India with refurbished sports equipment. She finds it unfair that many children stay off the playing ground because they can’t afford to buy sports equipment due to high prices. She, along with her younger brother initiated the project by collecting used sports equipment from people in her neighborhood. Today, Chance for Sports is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization with a team of 70 volunteers. Anuva Shandilya’s Chance for Sports has distributed over 3500 pieces of sports equipment, electric scooters and bicycles to more than 1000 children in India and other countries.

Tips on How to Book Cheapest Economy Flights to India 

Mehaa Amirthalingam, Top Young Scientist Finalist

13-year-old Mehaa Amirthalingam is one of the five Indian American students among the 10 finalists of Discovery Education Network’s 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2018.  A resident of Sugar Land in Texas, Mehaa has built an innovative water-saving toilet flushing system. The use of recycled water in the toilet flushing system not only cuts water consumption in households but also helps grapple with water scarcity. An 8^th grader, Indian American Mehaa Amirthalingam wishes to be a patent-holding engineer by the time she turns 30. Among the finalists in the race for America’s ‘Top Young Scientist of 2018’ title, she believes that innovation should not degrade humanity for the sake of personal gain.

Karina Jadhav, Top-ranked Golfer in USA

8-year-old Indian American Karina Jadhav from Southern California proved that age is no bar for making achievements. The top-ranked golfer in the United States and the 4^th ranked golfer in the world in her age group, Karina finished near the top of the leaderboard in the recently held IMG Junior World Championships. A third grader at Huntington Beach Pegasus School in Orange County, she took interest in playing gold at the age of 4. Driving is what interests her a lot in the game of golf. With her current capacity to drive the ball beyond 160 yards, she finished third for driving distance in the ‘Drive Chip and Putt’ local tournament which saw her participation in the 9-year-old girls’ category. Having bagged several awards in local and regional golf tournaments, she is an emblem of extraordinary ‘girl’ power.

Save Big on Business Class Flights Tickets to India

Shreya Ramachandran, Gloria Barron Prize 2018 Winner

The International Day of the Girl Child’s celebration is incomplete without a mention of 14-year-old Indian American Shreya Ramachandran, who recently received the Gloria Barron Prize 2018. The founder of the Grey Water Project, Shreya is on a mission to promote recycling of grey water – the water from household kitchens, showers and laundry – to reduce water scarcity across the world. A committed environmentalist, California-based Shreya Ramachandran works hard to educate others about safe reuse of grey water. The winner of the US President’s Environmental Youth Award, she has collaborated with several water conservation agencies to make people aware about benefits of grey water reuse. She is developing a grey water curriculum with focus on traditional and unconventional methods of water conservation for elementary students in and out of the USA.

Naisha Bellam, Good Samaritan for School Dropouts in India 

12-year-old Indian American Naisha Bellam from Maryland is a Good Samaritan for school dropouts and underprivileged students in rural India. Trips to her father’s hometown near Hyderabad in Telangana brought to her notice the lack of quality education at tribal/government schools in the rural belt. A member of and an active volunteer at Chirag Youth Club in the US, Naisha started with the initiative ‘Caring4Kidz’, went on to set up mini libraries with quality books on various disciplines for 10,000 students of 125 rural schools in India. An award-winning girl scout in the US, Naisha is known for volunteering in humanitarian activities and philanthropic events in Montgomery County too. We’re sure the inspiring story of Naisha Bellam will initiate others into philanthropy on the International Day of the Girl Child 2018.

Know How to Travel Cheap on Last Minute Flights to India

Medha Gupta, Developer of Safe Travel App for Girls

A Congressional App Challenge winner, 16-year-old Medha Gupta from Herndon in Virginia made headlines for her ‘Safe Travel’ app. Primarily meant for girls traveling alone, the app works by sending alerts to the contacts selected by users. She brainstormed a solution for her unease of walking alone 20 minutes to her home in the dark. Her zeal for coding and technology culminated in Safe Travel app for mobile devices. Currently compatible only with iOS devices, the app helps make unaccompanied commuters feel secure throughout a desolate place and in the dark. Medha Gupta emerged a Congressional App Challenge winner in Virginia’s 10^th District for her innovation.

This story is part of our continued effort at Indian Eagle Travel to promote inspiring achievements and noble deeds of Indians in USA. We not only strive to issue cheap US to India air tickets but also cater inspiring stories, community news, and travel updates to Indian Americans through our free community newsletters.

The post 7 Amazing Indian American Girls who Make Us Proud on International Day of Girl Child 2018 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Swami Vivekananda?s historic Chicago speech at the Parliament of the World?s Religions in 1893 is still indelibly etched in the memory of Indians worldwide. The 2-minute standing ovation from a crowd of seven thousand spectators to Swamiji?s salutation, ?Sisters and brothers of America!? does still resonate with our emotional and rational being. His speech introducing Hinduism and India at the world?s first Parliament of Religions in Chicago does stand the test of time even after 125 years.

No wonder why Indian Americans are gearing up to commemorate the 125 years of Swami Vivekananda?s Chicago address, at the World Hindu Congress 2018 in Lombard, Illinois on September 7, 8 and 9.

The best of all Illinois Indian events in September 2018, the commemoration of Swami Vivekananda?s Chicago speech at the second World Hindu Congress will be attended by more than 250 thought leaders from all over the globe, including Sri Sri Ravi Shankar from India and the Tibetan leader Dalai Lama. Over 2000 Indians from America and other parts of the world are expected to turn up in the conference.

The World Hindu Congress 2018 conference in Lombard, a superb of Chicago in Illinois will be graced by delegates from the countries with Hindu population, eminent Hindu leaders, renowned media personalities, and topnotch corporate bigwigs from India as well as the United States. Among the dignitaries is Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of RSS, who will deliver a keynote at the conference. Who will attend the event to commemorate the 125 years of Swami Vivekananda?s Chicago speech from the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, is not yet known.

Considered ?the biggest gathering of Hindu leaders to date,? the World Hindu Congress 2018 will also be attended by Swami Swaroopananda, the head of the Chinmaya Mission, and Swami Brahmavihari Das who helms international relations at BAPS. The list of dignitaries from Hindu organizations in the world does also name Swami Purnatmananda from Bharat Sevashram Sangh; and Pranav Pandya from Gayatri Parivar.

The theme of the World Hindu Congress 2018 in Lombard, Illinois is ?Sumantrite Suvikrante? meaning ?Think collectively, achieve valiantly.? The theme is aimed at millions of Indian Hindus worldwide. Headed by Swami Vigyananand, an Indian IIT graduate, the World Hindu Foundation is organizing the event.

Post commemoration of Swami Vivekananda?s Chicago speech, the attendees including Indian Americans will engage in debates and discussions on some critical issues facing Indian Hindus the world over, in a bid to find out ways of making the global Hindu community a significant, prosperous, progressive and impactful one.

The first edition of the World Hindu Congress was organized in New Delhi in 2014. The inaugural edition was attended by nearly 2000 dignitaries from more than 50 countries. The World Hindu Congress is a leading global platform for Hindus worldwide to connect with and inspire one another for their mutual benefits, growth and progress.

Travel Beats is an Indian American community portal by Indian Eagle Travel, a leading air travel booking partner of Indians in the US. Subscribe to our free newsletter for latest community news, upcoming community events in US cities, US visa & immigration updates, latest air travel news, and special offers on flights to India from USA.

The post Indian Americans to Commemorate 125 Years of Swami Vivekananda’s Historic Chicago Speech appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The current US government’s visa reforms and immigration measures may cut the number of immigrants from India, but the ripple effects of Indian culture in the United States cannot be controlled. The Indian cultural values are spreading along the length and breadth of the US, with more and more US universities offering yoga programs and courses on Hinduism as well as Indian languages including Sanskrit. The latest evidence to the rising waves of Indian culture in America is a few upcoming Hindu temples in USA for the inclusive cultural welfare of all communities, Indian and non-Indian.

Indians in Chicago, California and Connecticut are to get a new temple in their respective states, according to reports from Rajan Zed, the President of Universal Society of Hinduism. Let’s take a short walk through the upcoming temples in the United States at our Indian American community portal, Travel Beats.

Hindu Temple of Greater Springfield, Illinois   

The Hindu Temple of Greater Springfield will build the new temple complex in Chatham, Illinois following the basics of traditional Hindu architecture. It will have a raja gopuram (grand entrance tower), according to Rajan Zed. Since Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity is the presiding deity at the Hindu Temple of Greater Springfield in Chatham, Diwali and Ram Navami will be celebrated as major Indian festivals here, according to Gopal Reddy, who chairs the temple’s fundraising committee.

The Hindu Temple of Greater Springfield on the western edge of Chatham Village in Sangamon County, Illinois is gearing up for Bhoomi Puja (ground breaking) for a new temple complex, which is scheduled on April 21, 2018. The upcoming complex with a new 8500 square-foot temple building will also house an 11068-square-foot recreational area for community events, a 7652-square-foot function hall for religious festivities, a 10522-square-foot tapovanam (a divine park), a 4920-square-foot pool, and a 4919-square-foot facility for temple priests and devotees’ overnight stay.

Brahmamdam, who works at the Illinois Board of Education, is referred to as a divine force behind the USD 2-million project for proposing the idea for a permanent temple complex in the Springfield area which more than 350 Indian Hindu families call home. There will be a spacious parking lot for 511 vehicles, including 11 special vehicles of the differently-abled outside the temple. The ground breaking ceremony at the Hindu Temple of Greater Springfield on April 21 will be followed by lunch and cultural entertainment.

Temple and Cultural Center in Milford, Connecticut

Milford City is all set to build a Hindu temple and cultural center for Indians in Connecticut, USA. The proposal has been unanimously approved by the Planning and Zoning Board of Milford, Connecticut. The temple will be built at a sprawling site of 1.77 acres worth $1.8 million. Adding to the cultural diversity and community harmony of Milford, the proposed temple will be a seat for cultural activities, spiritual practices, philanthropic pursuits and career fairs. Milford is rightly nicknamed “A Small City with a Big Heart.”

Ganesha Temple in Pomona City, California

Among the proposed temples in the USA is one in Pomona City, California. Indians in Los Angeles County have proposed to build a shrine at Ganesha High School in Pomona City and dedicate it to Lord Ganesha since the school is named after the Hindu god of prosperity.  Several things are named after Lord Ganesha in Pomona City, California including Ganesha Hills, Ganesha Place, Ganesha Park and Ganesha Hills Loop.

Rajan Zed believes that it’s quite befitting for this Californian city in Los Angeles County to have a Lord Ganesha temple. He has requested Pomona City Mayor to erect a statue of Lord Ganesha in the city’s oldest Ganesh Park. He has also pleaded with the Pomona Unified School District trustees to consider the proposal of building a shrine at Ganesha High School.

The post Details of Upcoming Temples in USA for Cultural Welfare of Coming Generations of Indian Americans appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

When Tampa-based Dr. Kiran Patel became the first Indian American to make the single largest donation to an American institute in the US history by pledging $200 million to Florida’s Nova Southeastern University for healthcare development in 2017, we at Indian Eagle called the Indian American community a pillar of the US economy and innovation. Recently, Indian American Rattan L Khosa, the founder and CEO of AMSYSCO, Inc. at Romeoville, a Chicago suburb in Illinois has joined the club of philanthropic alumni in the US.

79-year-old Rattan L Khosa has gifted a whopping $5 million to his alma mater, the University of Chicago in order to help talented students pursue entrepreneurship and innovation. Reportedly, the university will utilize the donation to support the aspiring entrepreneurs launching business startups, with a multi-pronged program at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The upcoming program for the University of Chicago’s student entrepreneurs will be named after him.

Though Rattan L Khosa is not on the Forbes list of top Indian American billionaires, he has an interesting story to tell about his ‘American Dreams.’ When he came to the United States in order to pursue a research fellowship at the University of Maryland in the 1970s, he had only 3 dollars in his pocket. “The day I signed the check for the University of Chicago, I sat down still, closed my eyes, and recollected my first day in the US and how little I had,” he said in a nostalgic voice.

He will not only fund the Rattan L. Khosa Student Entrepreneurs Program at Polsky Center but also don the hat of a thought leader and mentor to guide students throughout the meandering ways of entrepreneurship with his precious experience. “Plunging into entrepreneurship at the grassroots level is like jumping off a cliff in the thick of the night while blindfolded, expecting a safety net below,” he opined. He believes that his struggles, failures, successes and achievements will be real-life lessons on entrepreneurship to them.

The Rattan Khosa Student Entrepreneurs Program at Chicago University’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation will comprise monetary award and fellowship as follows:

A major percentage of Rattan L Khosa’s $5 million donation to Chicago University will be used to award the winner of the Edward L. Kaplan New Venture Challenge at the university. At least $150,000 from the donation will be given to the winning individual or team in 2018. The award money will go up to $200,000 in the coming years. The award will be named Rattan L. Khosa New Venture Challenge First-Place Prize.

A fellowship program will be instituted for two graduating entrepreneurs at the University of Chicago, with Indian American Rattan L Khosa’s gift to the university. Named Rattan L Khosa Entrepreneurial Fellowship, this program will provide a one-year-long stipend in three quarterly payouts alongside one-on-one mentoring which Rattan Khosa himself will be helming.

With savings of $44,000, Rattan L Khosa launched AMSYSCO Inc. and operated the business from the basement of his home for a few years initially. Today, AMSYSCO is a highly profitable company at a 55,000 square foot facility in Romeoville, Illinois. It provides post-tensioning systems on commercial structures.

A registered engineer in several US states, Rattan L Khosa majored in finance and marketing with MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He pursued M.S. in structural engineering from the University of Maryland and graduated in science at the University of Rajasthan. he is on the board of directors for US-India Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Entrepreneurship Advisory Board for Chicago University’s Booth School of Business.

Rattan L Khosa’s generous donation to the University of Chicago will help transform Booth School of Business as ultimate destination for aspiring entrepreneurs in not only Chicago but Illinois.

This story is part of our continued effort at Indian Eagle to promote good work for noble causes by Indians in USA and the rest of the world. We not only strive to offer last minute flight deals for US to India travel but also cater inspiring stories, community news, and travel updates to Indian Americans through our free newsletters.

The post Indian American Rattan Khosa Gifts $5 Million to Chicago University for Student Entrepreneurs appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Indian American women are taking the bull by the horns in business, philanthropy and politics. Kamala Harris in the US Senate and Pramila Jayapal in the US House of Representatives have got a strong foothold into the US politics. Now more four Indian American women leaders from different walks of life are all set to run for the US Congress in 2018. They are promising, strong, determined and confident. The other Indian American candidates for US Congress in 2018 are Harry Arora from Connecticut, Sapan Saha from Illinois and Jitendra Diganvker from Illinois. We at Indian Eagle celebrate the Indian American women power.   

Aruna Miller, Maryland

A member of the Maryland House of Delegates, Indian American Aruna Miller is all set to run for the US Congress this year. A 53-year-old Democrat, she is the second Indian American delegate from Maryland. A civil engineer by profession, Aruna Miller is also a member of the Land Use and Transportation Committee of Montgomery County in Maryland, USA. She serves on the executive board of the women legislators of Maryland too.

One of the most promising Indian American candidates for US Congress in 2018, Aruna Miller has selected jobs, economy and infrastructure as her focus areas. She came to New York from India at the age of 7 and made America her home. When she was a high school senior, she had to take a job at a fast food restaurant after her father lost his job due to a serious health problem.

Democratic Aruna Miller has championed many causes in the House of Delegates, including family welfare, marriage equality, end of capital punishment, background check for gun purchases in Maryland. She has also moved the House of Delegates to increase the minimum wage and raise renewable energy targets in Maryland.

A diehard animal rights advocate, Aruna Miller has established funding for rape crisis centers, implemented GPS tracking of domestic abusers, and banned the sale of e-cigarettes to underage smokers in the state of Maryland. If elected, she will replace John Delaney who has announced to run for presidential elections in 2020.

Also Check: Atlanta-based Uma Lakshman Saves and Promotes Dying Indian Crafts

Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, Arizona

One of the most determined Indian American candidates for US Congress in 2018; Phoenix-based Dr. Hiral Tipirneni is a Democrat from Arizona’s second congressional district. Since she came to the United States from India at the age of 3, she has had an eventful journey from Cleveland, Ohio to Phoenix, Arizona, from an emergency room to cancer research advocacy.

An alumnus of Northeast Ohio Medical University, Dr. Hiral Tipirneni has worked as an emergency room physician at several hospitals in Phoenix for 20 years. Her mother was a social worker and the director of a senior care center in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was her mother who introduced the Meals on Wheels program in Cleveland, and encouraged Dr. Hiral to serve the community.

A member on several nonprofit boards of directors including Maricopa Health Foundation, Indian American Dr. Hiral Tipirneni is at the helm of leading teams of researchers, physicians and health advocates to treat patients of breast cancer, prostate cancer and childhood leukemia. She was the chief organizer of a TEDx event focused on positive changes in the Northwest Valley.

Also Check: Beijing Offers 6-day Visa-free Policy for US-India Travelers

Anita Malik, Arizona

Among the Indian American candidates for US Congress in 2018 is Anita Malik, a digital media entrepreneur and a Democrat. A former journalist, Anita Malik is running for a seat in the US Congress from Arizona’s 6^th Congressional District. Indian American Anita Malik believes that fair tax reform is a must to level the playing field for both small businesses and individuals in Arizona. Gender equality at workplace and low-cost health coverage for everyone will also be on her agenda.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri and brought up in Arizona, Anita Malik is a graduate in information technology and finance from Arizona State University. She is a mentor to women in marketing and an advocate of affordable childcare programs. She will be using her content marketing experience, story-telling power and digital media knowledge to support the collective voice of all South Asians in her campaigns.

Apart from working with several tech startups and government agencies, Anita Malik instituted East West Magazine, a national publication for the Asian American community. One of her recent achievements is ListenforHer, a tool to help women at work. She believes in leading by listening and solving problems by uniting resources.

Also Check: Inspiring Stories of Young Indians in America 

Vandana Jhingan, Illinois

One of the Republican Indian American candidates for US Congress in 2018, Vandana Jhingan is a journalist, community activist and business woman. Based in a Chicago suburb, she is the Midwest Bureau Chief of TV Asia, an Indian American cable network. She is supported by Indians in Illinois, and the Republican Hindu Coalition, a most powerful Hindu organization in the US.

Vandana Jhingan will contest against Indian American Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi. She promises to bring jobs, fiscal responsibility and firm foreign policy to the state of Illinois and the USA at large. Indian American Republican Vandana moved to the United States from India in pursuit of her American Dream, on completion of her business administration studies in New Delhi.

“I have demonstrated my commitment by serving the community for more than 20 years. I will serve as tireless advocate for the people and businesses of my district. I promise that I will handle these issues with the utmost integrity and responsibility,” said Vandana Jhingan in a statement of her candidacy.

Travel Beats is a leading Indian American portal by Indian Eagle, a trusted travel partner of Indians in USA booking their cheap air tickets even for last-minute flights to India. Subscribe to Travel Beats’ free newsletter for the latest immigration, visa, air travel and community news. 

The post Indian American Candidates for US Congress in 2018 Include Four Women of Power appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

This inspiring story of two Indian American teenage girls, Nandini Arakoni and Sanjana Gangadharan who founded the Side by Side Smiles organization, is a part of our continued effort at Indian Eagle to shout out humanitarian activities and achievements of young Indians in the United States.

Both Indian American girls – Nandini Arakoni and Sanjana Gangadharan – make charm bracelets and sell them online. They are not entrepreneurs. Rather, they are budding philanthropists. They make and sell charm bracelets to raise fund for a noble cause which will make any Indian feel proud of them.

All proceeds from their sale of charm bracelets on the website of Side by Side Smiles go to Smile Train, an international charity organization that provides treatment to children born with cleft lips and palates around the world. Smile Train operates in more than 85 countries, most of which are developing nations, and provides around 45,000 free surgeries yearly in association with 160 partner hospitals.

A resident of Naperville in Illinois, Indian American Nandini Arakoni empathizes with children having cleft lips or palates, because she herself had undergone the ordeals of this sort of inborn deformity as she was born with a cleft lip in the USA. It took three surgeries to get her rid of the cleft lip: the first at the age of 2 months, the second when she was 6 months old, and the third at her age of 5.

Nandini Arakoni has completely got rid of the facial disfigurement, but there is a small scar on her face. She exclaims that she is very lucky to have got a new lease of life post cleft lip surgeries. But she feels sad for the underprivileged children having no access to cleft repair treatment or surgery in economically-challenged regions of developing nations including India.

It is what motivated 15-year-old Naperville Indian Nandini Arakoni to do her bit for the welfare of children born with cleft lips and raise money for Smile Train. She teamed up with one of her friends, Sanjana Gangadharan. They together brainstormed the idea of making charm bracelets and set up the Side by Side Smiles website to sell the bracelets for $5 each.

It takes them 7 minutes to make one bracelet. Each bracelet is a symbol of love, happiness and the ability to make a difference. Side by Side Smiles’ charm bracelets feature hearts, keys and feathers embodying love, happiness and one’s ability to make a difference.

Nandini Arakoni and Sanjana Gangadharan’s Side by Side Smiles has sold charm bracelets for a total of $4200 so far, which has been donated to Smile Train to perform 16 cleft palate surgeries. The philanthropist duo is looking to make nearly $100,000 for 400 surgeries through their Side by Side Smiles website. Smile Train has provided for over 500,000 cleft repair surgeries in India since 1999.

An aspiring lawyer, Nandini Arakoni quotes Smile Train, “Every child deserves the ability to smile” and says, “Transforming the lives of children born with cleft lips or palates with the power of a smile is the best joy of giving back to community that we could ever have. $5 for one bracelet funds 2% of a cleft repair surgery.”

Indian Eagle, a trusted travel partner of Indians in America for booking their cheap air travel to India, publishes stories of Indians in USA, shares latest visa, immigration and air travel news besides listing upcoming Indian American events on Travel Beats, a leading Indian American community portal.

The post Two Indian American Girls Form Side by Side Smiles NGO for Children with Cleft Lips in India appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The United States shortlisted 10 young scientists, including five Indian American students for Discovery Education Network’s Young Scientist Challenge 2016. Young Indians in USA have been riding the waves of innovation and invention contributing to the progress of society from different perspectives.

These five Indian American finalists are gearing up for the grand finale of 3M Young Scientist Challenge in St. Paul, Minnesota, while 13-year-old Anushka Naiknaware from Portland became a Google Science Fair winner yesterday for her cost-effective, biocompatible dressing material for chronic wounds.

Meghna Behari from Pennsylvania, Rohit Mital from Rochester Hills in Michigan, Rohan Wagh from Portland in Oregon, Mrinali Kesavadas from Illinois and Sara Makboul from Georgia are potential young scientists of America among the finalists. They will compete for the prestigious title “America’s Top Young Scientist.”

Among the finalists of 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2016, Pennsylvania-based Meghna Behari has created an innovative device to make it easy to reach waterways which are difficult to access. The device will also help to analyze the level of difficulty in accessing waterways by monitoring temperature and pH levels of waters. She is sanguine about the usefulness of her invention for scientists.

14-year-old Rohan Wagh from Portland will compete in the grand finale of 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2016 for his invention to eliminate deficiency of energy in underdeveloped countries. This student of grade 8 from the Portland Indian community in Oregon believes that his invention can increase the efficiency of microbial fuel cells. The device is compact in size and requires low maintenance.

14-year-old Mrinali Kesavadas from Illinois has built a cost-effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) simulator to save lives of the poor in underdeveloped countries. Made with low-cost materials, the simulator can give instant feedback through a computer-based program so that the accuracy of CPR tests can be checked. This device by the 8th grader is portable too.

8th grader Sara Makboul’s invention of Nano Cellulose Beads to improve the quality of water is her entry to the grand finale of 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2016. The 14-year-old Indian American girl from Georgia created Nano Cellulose Beads using absorbent cellulose from leaf remains. If combined with sodium polyacrylate and dispersed on land, the beads can absorb excess storm water to decrease the level of pollution.

13-year-old Rohit Mital entered the grand finale for his device to curb pollution caused by emission from diesel automobiles. The device will not only optimize filters to reduce the quantity of hazardous solid and liquid particles in the air but also save 250 million gallons of fuel per year. This 8th grader from the Indian community in Michigan aims to save people from life-taking diseases caused by air pollution.

The 10 finalists will present their innovations to a panel of judges including noted scientists and explain how their inventions can solve everyday problems in the grand finale of 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The event will be held on October 16, 17 and 18. They will also compete in a number of scientific challenges during the event which will be held on October 16, 17 and 18. The winner will be awarded the title “America’s Top Young Scientist” and a scholarship worth $25,000.

The post Five Indian American Students in Grand Finale of America’s Young Scientist Challenge 2016 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.